The following letter was written by Orlando S. Kinnear (1843-1921) to his wife Helen Prudence Kinnear (1845-1919) of Erie, Erie county, Pennsylvania. When Orlando enlisted in February 1862, Co. I, 83rd Pennsylvania, he was described as standing 5′ 5″ tall, with black hair and grey eyes. Occupation? “Mason,” Orlando told the recruiter. Though wounded at Chancellorsville in May 1863, Orlando recovered and reenlisted in February 1864. He rose steadily in the ranks; promoted from corporal to sergeant and finally to 1st Sergeant before mustering out of the regiment in Co. C. In later years, Orlando resided in Erie and found employment as a machinist.

Orlando’s letter, penned in the heat of the 1864 political campaign, encapsulates the prevailing sentiment among the soldiers in the Army of the Potomac. A significant number of them passionately supported their former leader “Little Mack,” only to feel disillusioned by the Democratic Convention in Chicago. Many perceived the convention’s stance as a form of capitulation to the South, sparking intense debate and discontent among the troops.

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

Transcription

Camp of the 83rd Battalion P. V. V.
Near Petersburg, Va.
October 13th 1864

My Dear Wife,

I hasten to reply to your welcome letter bearing the date of October 5th which is now before me, It reached me the 11th but I have neglected writing until now which will make my reply seem a long time coming. This leave me well and I sincerely hope it may find you and not troubled with that tegeious [tedious] headache for I know how you suffer when you have it. O, Helen, if you was as healthy as I am, what would I give. As it is, you must be careful and not make yourself sick bu too much exercise. Enough of this—it is old and I have told you often but cannot help reminding you of it for I know you are not as careful as you should be, are you dear.

Now, I will tell you of the election in our regiment for as near as I can find out, you are rather inclined to be a copperhead unless you, like myself, have changed your opinions after seeing the Chicago platform on which Little Mack is now trying to ride. It was too much for me so I disown him as my friend like all of our Boys have done. The state election was carried in our regiment by the Union or Republican ticket. No votes were challenged on either side and all went off nice. But a big time is looked for when the Presidential Election comes off. The only excitement now in camp is about the election and it appears to worry the Rebs as much as it does us—if not more—for they expect if McClellan is elected, that they will get their independence. And I have heard prisoners say that their only hope is now in a divided North. This might give them reinforcements from Tennessee, Kentucky, and other points, while it would weaken us with the draft quickly enforced. They would become encouraged and fight ore desperate than ever. But I have little fear of this for I do not think the North has become so corrupt as all this comes to. If it has, the quicker I get out of this, the better and I do not think I would be alone in the getting out—out of this U. S. into some parts unknown to minié ball and solid shot that always find a person in Virginia, ad have followed Rebs to Pennsylvania.

I can see nothing of great importance going on here at the present time worth writing you about but can hear an occasional shell bursting somewhere in the vicinity of the 3rd Brigade and the report of a gun near Petersburg to let us know that the Rebs are still alive and occupy the desired City. But they get three for every one they throw at us. I think it must annoy the ladies some if there is any in the town, though they may be of good stuff and can stand fire. I hope they are, for I intend to make them a visit some of these days and should be very much disappointed if they were all shelled out. The Rebs say there is some gay ones there and they are wishing every day that the yanks would come and fetch them some coffee and sugar, This you see will save our greenbacks to buy rum when we get sick. I never get sick so my greenbacks will be of no use to me and I can send them all to you. Will not that be old gay, dear, to have the Rebs ask for peace and lay down their dirty rag?

The lines you sent me in print are nice but I have no recollection of writing them though I might have wrote them when I had one of them to upon my work. Nellie, I am going to vote for Honest Abe and I hope you will assure me in your next that you have forgotten Mack as a candidate for President or I shall consider you my little copperhead yet so you can send me that photo or have you cut them off again. O, if you have, I will do something that you will not want me to. Enclosed you will find a group of our officers. Gen. Warren is our Corps Commander. He is half Indian. Remember me to your sister and all the girls. Also yourself, accept my love and kind regards.

I remain as ever your affectionate husband, — O. S. Kinnear