This letter was written by Myron Harvey Skinner (1842-1904), the son of Adolphus Harvey Skinner (1811-1892) and Mary Angeline Fuller (1811-1893) of Walled Lake, Oakland county, Michigan. Myron enlisted on 25 May 1861 in Co. G (“Constantine Union Guards”), 2nd Michigan Infantry. He was transferred out of the regiment on 21 January 1863 into Battery H, 1st US Light Artillery. Myron datelined his letter on 19 December 1862, just days after the Battle of Fredericksburg when the regiment was encamped near Falmouth, Virginia

Myron wrote of visiting the encampment of his older brother, Dolphus Skinner (1835-1903) who had been serving as a private in Co. F, 10th US Regular Infantry since March 1858 and had only recently been attached to the Army of the Potomac. Previous to, and in the early part of the war, Co. F of the US Regulars had seen duty in the far west but in late November they were sent to Aquia Creek, Virginia, and were attached to Sykes Division of Butterfield’s 5th Corps during the Battle of Fredericksburg. During the battle, Sykes’ regulars moved up after darkness on the 13th and spent the night on the field. The Regulars were significantly engaged during the day of the 14th, with fighting around the Tannery on the northern end of the line. 

Myron addressed the letter to “Jule” whom I’m guessing was his cousin—Juliann Hubbel Skinner (1831-1922), a daughter of Hiram and Elizabeth (Otto) Skinner of Oakland county, Michigan.

[Note: This letter is from the private collection of Dale Niesen and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Transcription

[Camp near Falmouth, Virginia]
December 19th 1862

Dear Jule,

I received yours some days since. I will endeavor to answer it. I learned by letters from home that Dolphus was in the Army of the Potomac and yesterday he came to my camp. I knew him just the minute I set my eyes on him. He don’t look as he used to but the longer I am with him, I see more of his old looks. He was glad to see me, I tell you, and I was glad to see him as he was to see me and this morning I came over to his camp and seen him. They are camped about 6 miles from my camp. But 6 miles hant much for a soldier to walk to see his brother that he hant seen in 5 years. You know he is well and doing well.

I would have answered your letter before this but I didn’t have a sheet of paper or couldn’t get any so I couldn’t write. So you must excuse me this time. I will try to do better next. You must excuse a short letter this time for I have got to write two more today.

— M. H. Skinner, Co. G, 2nd Michigan Vols.