The following letter was written by Samuel Sherburne (1841-1864) who enlisted as a private in Co. D, 6th Michigan Cavalry on 22 October 1862 at Byron, Michigan. He was taken prisoner and sent Richmond where he died of chronic bronchitis at General Hospital on 12 April 1864. The regiment was assigned to what became the Michigan Brigade during the early part of the Gettysburg Campaign in June 1863. It saw its first actions under General Custer at Hanover, Hunterstown, and Gettysburg. Armed with Spencer Repeating Rifles, the 6th provided superior firepower against the lightly armed Confederate cavalry.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Washington D. C.
December 14, 1862

Dear Brother,

I thought tonight I would write a few lines & let you know where I be and that I am well and I hope these few lines will find you the same.

We started from Gand Rapids Camp Kellogg at 5 o’clock a.m., marched over to the jail and got some prisoners, and then we marched down to the depot and got aboard of the cars. Left Grand Rapids at 10 o’clock a.m., arrived at Detroit Junction about 7 o’clock p.m., then we went onto the Detroit & Toledo Railroad. Arrived at Toledo about 12 o’clock p.m.. took some refreshments there and changed cars, left Toledo about two o’clock a.m. for Cleveland. We arrived Thursday at Cleveland about 12 o’clock. Stopped there about two hours, then started for Pittsburgh about ten o’clock Thursday evening. We went and got refreshments, then we changed cars and started for Baltimore about two o’clock Friday morning. We passed through some dreadful rocky country, you better believe, going through Pennsylvania.

We arrived at Baltimore about one o’clock Saturday afternoon. We marched about a mile through the city, then we went into a warehouse and stayed till about ten o’clock in the evening waiting for cars to come. We arrived at Washington Sunday morning. We are now in old barracks waiting for our tents to come. There is lots of soldiers here, you better believe, in Washington. The 5th [Michigan Cavalry] is camped here near Washington. We are a going to camp right by them.

I have seen the [U. S.] Capitol. You better believe it is a nice building. They are a fighting at Fredericksburg now, only about 7 miles [more like 50 miles] from here, and they have not got through yet. Col. [Francis William] Kellogg says we shall have our pay as quick as we get camp. There is not hardly a man in our company got any money but I have got money yet and have had all the while. Tell mother she must not maker herself any trouble about me for I may live all through the war and arrive home once more. I shall stand my chance amongst the rest to not get killed. You must be good to mother and help her all you can.

The cars run over a soldier yesterday here. They run over his legs and arm, He was drunk adn there was one died on the cars. I cannot think of any more at present, Give my love to all the girls. So goodbye. — Samuel Sherburne

---