The following letters were written by Daniel Curlet Montague Appleby (1840-1905) of Shade Gap, Dublin township, Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania. He was the son of John Appleby (1813-1856) and Priscilla M. Montague (1815-1892). He wrote the letters to his younger brother, Thomas Alexander Appleby (1843-1930).

During the Civil War, Daniel served in Co. I, 149th Pennsylvania Volunteers—a regiment formed in the summer of 1862 and brigaded with the 143rd and 150th Pennsylvania regiments, referred to generally as the “Bucktails” because they put the tails of white tailed deer in their kepis. Both of the letters presented here were written before the regiment came under its first real baptism of fire which was on 1 July 1st at Gettysburg near the McPherson Barn on Seminary Ridge.

Transcripts of these letters without images of the originals were provided to me by my friend Tom Clemens and though I rarely publish any letters on Spared & Shared without the originals, I made an exception on this case. I am not certain of the location of the original letters but I suspect they are part of the Appleby Family Papers, 1862-1902) at the William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan. I could find no evidence that they were published anywhere on line.

Letter 1

Camp Dwight
April 2, 1863

Brother Tom,

Dear sir, after returning from General Reynold’s Headquarters where General Hooker reviewed the 1st Army Corp. our whole corps was together, amounting to about twenty thousand infantry and seven batteries—a beautiful procession, marching about fifty me in a breast with the cannon in front. Each cannon was drawn by six splendid horses—a man on every horse. Such a procession in Dublin township on some of them flats (or I don’t know whether we could all get inside the largest field in those parts) would attract considerable attention. Marching in four ranks, artillery and all, the string would reach from Graham’s to Shade Gap.

I would like to see the whole 12th Corps together. There are 12 corps in the Army of the Potomac. We are in the 1st Army Corps, 3rd Division, and 2nd Brigade. Roy Stone would not have any nine-month’s men or militia in his brigade so we have but three regiments in our brigade—149th, 150th Bucktails, and the 143rd Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves.

President Lincoln asked Hooker of the Army of the Potomac was in marching order. Hooker’s reply was, “I can have the who army marching in one hour from the time I give the order,” and said he, “I can march them to New Orleans when they are out too.”

It is reported that the rebels are moving out of Virginia and going to Nashville, Tennessee, their principal place. If so, we will be kept in the vicinity of Washington as a reserve or sent to Tennessee to wait on them at Nashville. If we go, we will pass Mount Union. I suppose we would hardly get stopping though. The Rebels don’t like Old Joe [Hooker]. They don’t fancy his mode of doing things. Six rebels left their posts while on picket adn came over to our lines and joined our army. They say the rebs are in rather bad order. Hooker says he can whip all rebeldom with eighty thousand men. He looks like fighting stock and I guess he can do it too.

Our colonel don’t drill us anymore. We have two hours company drill per day and dress parade pretty nearly every evening. I wish you were here some evening at dress parade. I know you would be pleased with the appearance of the 149th. Every man must be exactly alike in every particular. A man dare not come out without a button not buttoned or his pants turned up at the ankles. And brass must be bright as it can be made.

We are brought in line of two ranks—that is, two men deep. The line is as straight as a die. You can’t see one man out farther than another. We stand at parade rest—that is, when we get the command parade rest, you set your right foot three inches in the rear of the left foot while the butt of the gun is just square with your left toe and [with] your hands you grasp gently the right hand (the army supporting the gun) with the left, body straight to the front, eyes looking straight forward, striking the ground fifteen paces in front. In that position we stand while the music passes twice along the battalion, not moving an eye. The Adjutant brings the battalion to a present arms, then turns to the Colonel who is standing fifteen paces in front of the battalion, and opposite the colors, and says, “Colonel. the parade is formed,” and walks around the Colonel. Then the Colonel puts us through the manual of arms and a few bayonet charges. Then we must stand at attention until the Adjutant reads the orders of the day, if he has any.

The colors are in the center of the battalion. I wish you could see them. We have two flags—the stars and stripes, and the state colors. The stars and stripes is about ten foot square, solid silk with a yellow fringe and tassels made of red, white and blue twine. The state color is the same size but all blue with a golden eagle as large as can be made in it, which is about four times the size of a turkey. It is the prettiest flag I ever saw. I has 149 Regiment Bucktails in gold letters across the top.

Our music corps consists of eight fifers. eight tenors, and one bass drum. They make the hills ring at night. At six o’clock in the morning the reveille is beaten by all the troops. I tell you, they make the plains ring. If there was about two hundred drums started up about daylight all within a mile of each other about Shade Gap, it would make them open their eyes. Well enough of military.

By the way, Dave and Tom [Appleby] are at Harrisburg in the hospital. What do you think of that? They want to play off and get the Governor to do something for that—that is, release them from the government. I think that is their idea. I don’t care what becomes of them. Dave wrote to Captain [Brice] Blair to send them their Descriptive Lists immediately. He swore they might go to hell; he was not going to send a deserter his Descriptive List. If they come to this regiment, salt-petre won’t save them. They have both been reported as deserters, not only to the Colonel but to the General. So if they don’t look sharp, they will get transportation down the Chesapeake apiece to a little place near Fort Calhoun and Old Point Comfort called the Rip Raps. I shall never own them as relations/ They are a disgrace to the name and place a stain on their own character which shall never be removed while the world stands. Dave sent word that he had letters for all the boys. If I thought he had any of any importance for me, I would send for them, but I don’t know whether he has or not.

Well, I am enjoying good health and equally good spirits. I never was better contented in my life. We have been looking for the paymaster for some time but do not see him. He owes us five months wages. I am out of money at last and only got three postage stamps. I wish you would send me a few as the paymaster might not come for awhile and I might have play out, which would never do. I am too much of a business man to be compelled to stop writing. That would never do.

I must close. As the Colonel don’t drill us any, we have nothing to do so I will send you a card or two which I drew altogether by the eye. I expect when you see them, you will think I am not strong. I must close. Yours as ever, &c. — Dan

[To] Thomas A. Appleby

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Letter 2

Near Middletown, Maryland
Saturday, June 27th 1863

Tom,

Dear sir, as we have been on the move for some time and are coming up to assist you folks in fighting the rebels up in your country—or rather to head them when you drive them back. We are said to have 104,000 up from Pennsylvania. We are only 15 miles from Hagerstown and I have an idea that we will go up into that country before we do much else.

Four hundred of us were on picket on the 23rd and on the 24th we were taken out five miles to bushwhack and we patrolled the woods all night. The next morning we were ordered to report to report to our camp and when we got there, the brigade had gone and we were left as rear guard.

We had a hard march. The wagon train had got started and we had to pass it and the train was twenty miles long and to mend the matter, it rained nearly all the time. But we had a good time though, hard as it was. i only hope we do not have to go back to Virginia for a while. I think I can get to see some of my friends now if we remain in Maryland.

I saw wheat in shock yesterday and all the grain that ever I saw. I never saw anything to compare with Frederick county and the biggest wheat ever I saw.

I think this war is going to play out. If we whip them here, they are played—that is, if Grant whips them too [at Vicksburg]. I can’t hear anything. We can’t get papers when we are moving. I have not say a paper or heard from Vicksburg for ten days.

We heard that the rebels were pitching toward Carlisle pretty fast yesterday and that the boys were preparing to give them a fight. I hope they may be able to whip them. I must close for the present, — Daniel

Sunday morning P.S. I had a letter from J. B. Peterson last night. He writes me there is quite an excitement up about the recent rebel invasion. I think there is but little danger of them doing much harm or remaining long either. I feel soon they will get their fill of it. If the militia can’t whip them, we can, and are only a short distance behind them—only one mountain between us and we are ready for them too. I will answer John Peterson’s letter in a few days. I must close. I just gave you a sketch of our trip again. Yours, — Dan