This partial letter is missing the signature page so I wasn’t certain of the identity of the author initially though it was clear he was a sergeant in Co. I, 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry. This regiment was organized at Philadelphia as an independent Regiment, “Harlan’s Light Cavalry,” under authority of the Secretary of War, August to October, 1861. Its name was changed officially to the 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry in November 1861.

The content suggested the sergeant was from Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, though he may have been from a neighboring county. When first published, my hunch was that the author was Daniel W. Balmer (1839-1914), the son of Daniel & Harriet (Fisher) Balmer. In 1860 he was a carpenter living with his family in Elizabethtown, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I subsequently transcribed a letter by Daniel H. Schriver, the 1st Sergeant of Co. I, 11th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and I feel confident that his handwriting matches this letter.

Transcription

Camp Hamilton near Fort Monroe, Virginia
December 29th 1861

My Dear Brother,

I received your now most kind and considerate letter the day before Christmas (and one previous to that saying that you received my last, &c.) and one Christmas afternoon. A[bram] E. Garrett and I received that most welcome and ever memorable box which so agreeably surprised us upon opening it. It was truly a treat worthy of the greatest of patriots. May the glorious light of day never darken the National Emblem that now waves of the heads of the donors of this token of respect toward our unworthy.

A. E. Garrett said it was a treat to both of us (that is the turkey, &c.) and therefore insisted upon me partaking of it until it was finished. That was yesterday so you may be assured that there has been no want of appetite with us lately. Please remember me kindly to the donors of these articles and particularly to the Ladies Department of it. Tell them if I ever get down to Texas that I will bring them a Mexican poney along to ride up and down those Sherpherdstown hills, &c. That butter is very nice and sweet. The orderly sends his warmest respects to you as it was on his acount that I sent for it.

All the articles are just the thing except the boots which are a size too large for me. The legs are just right and also the instep part of them but the shoe part is too long and wide. My feet slips back and forward in them. Otherwise they are just right. I am sorry as they are a very good boot. However, there is no loss as I have sold them to our Lieutenant Wm. I[ndependence] Reisinger for $5.50. I could sell a dozen pair here without any trouble. There is government boots came here now for the men but the men do not like them as they are not very good and are very short in the legs. I got my old ones fixed up again. I do not want you to go to any extra trouble but if you can conveniently stop at George Otstot’s the next time you go to Mechanicsburg and tell him about it, and if he will send me another pair by express for $5 at his own expense just like the others only smaller in the foot, when he can do so and I will send you the money as soon as they arrive and you can pay him or I will give him $5.50 if he makes the fore top that is the front part of the legs longer than the hind part and rounded off at the top (and leave the front all the same kind of leather—no red or black sheepskin—and the boots to be the same kind of leather as the others were). If he will send them for that, well and good. If not, why don’t send them as I am not very hard up for them now.

I spent quite a pleasant Christmas. The Lieutenant and myself were down to the Fort on a kind of k—-y in the morning and in the afternoon the boys in general got happy.

Last week some of the boys had a chance for a scout. Some of the rebels made themselves pretty obnoxious about 1 mile or 2 out here so Gen. Wool (who is commanding general here at this post) gave orders for several companies of infantry and one of cavalry to go out on a kind of scout. So we each company got orders to send one sergeant and three of the best horsemen and soldiers to Headquarters for that purpose. The Lieutenant asked me to go and pick myself three of the best men in the company and report ourselves to the Colonel. I did so. We all left the next morning well armed with the full expectation of having a brush with the enemy that day but did not succeed. We at first took a northern direction for 6 or 7 miles, then we changed to southwestern toward Newport News 8 or ten miles southwest from here. We were within sight of it when we returned to camp. We seen but one rebel battalion that was out on drill. We were about going to make a charge on them when we were suddenly halted at a burnt bridge so that the infantry could not cross…[rest of letter is missing]