The following letter was unsigned and the envelope has long been separated from the letter so it is not possible to say with certainty who wrote it based on the limited clues within it. The description of troop movements and his reference to his company as the “Bunker Hill” boys initially lead me to conclude that he was a member of the 11th Massachusetts Infantry, Co. I being known as the Bunker Hill Company. The letter was written on 5 September 1862, a few days after the Battle of 2nd Bull Run when the regiment was bivouacked at Fort Lyon, just south of Alexandria, Virginia. All of these clues led me to the 11th Massachusetts until I read an account of the battle by their captain who claimed they were paid off in late July 1862 and the author of this letter claims they were yet owed four months pay.

In the 2nd Battle of Bull Run, the 11th Massachusetts fought in Grover’s Brigade and were part of the force making a bayonet charge against the Confederate position along an unfinished railroad bed. They managed to break through the Confederate line at this point but were ultimately repulsed with heavy loses. The 11th Massachusetts suffered 40% casualties in less than 20 minutes.

Transcription

Camp near Alexandria
September 5, 1862

Dear Sister,

I now take my pen to write you a few lines to let you know that I am safe and well. I have received 2 letters from you but could not answer them before we left Harrison’s Landing the 15th of last month and have been on the march ever since. We have had another fight at Bull Run and I tell you, it was a hard one. Our company went into the fight with 28 men and had 13 killed and wounded so we have only got 15 men in the company now. You can see that the Bunker Hill boys are almost cleaned out.

We are camped in sight of Washington but I don’t know how long we shall stay here. We have just had orders to cook three days rations so I guess we shall start before long. I have not got my box yet and don’t know when I shall get it. We have not been paid off for four months and I don’t know when we shall.

Give my love to all the folks. Tell Hattie I got her letter and will answer it as soon as I get time. Tell her to be a good girl. I don’t know where we are going but I will write you all the news if I get a chance. Give my love to grandmother. I don’t know of any more to write now so I will bid you goodbye. From your brother with love

P. S. Tell father I have not forgotten him.