The following letter was written by 18 year-old Adalaide Barbara Fair (1845-1912), the daughter of Charles T. Fair (1810-1888) and Elizabeth (“Eliza”) Slaybaugh (1815-1887) of Taneytown, Carroll county, Maryland. Adalaide was married in 1869 to Thomas Angell (1838-1906). Adalaide’s husband served in Co. G, 3rd Maryland Potomac Home Brigade from April 1862 to April 1865.

Adalaide wrote the letter to Matilda (“Tilly”) Cline (1836-1922), the daughter of John Kline (1800-1882) and Maria Magdalena Slaybaugh (1804-1866) of Menallen township, Adams county, Pennsylvania. Tilly was married in October 1863 to Jacob Crum (1836-1922).

Adalaide’s letter offers a detailed and poignant account of the movement of Union troops through the village of Taneytown, Maryland, located approximately 13 miles south of Gettysburg. Moreover, she recounts her visit to the Gettysburg battlefield, where she observed the hastily dug graves of Confederate soldiers, their remains partially exposed due to the relentless rains of the past few weeks.

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

Taneytown [Carroll county, Maryland]
July 18, 1863

Dear Cousin,

I take my pen in hand with the greatest of pleasure to drop you a few lines. We are all well at this present time, I hope that these few lines may find you all enjoying the same rich blessings. I received your welcome letter and was glad to hear from you.

Now I must tell you something about the times here. There was about two hundred thousand soldiers went through Taneytown. They destroyed a great deal of things through here but they didn’t destroy nothing for us. They were Union soldiers. I was in town one whole day looking at them a passing through and I didn’t see the quarter of them. Us girls sang and cheered them. They were all in good spirits and they said that Maryland was the pleasantest state that they ever was in. They said that they loved the very smiles of the women. They said if they didn’t get killed, they were a coming to Maryland to hunt their wives. They all acted like gentlemen. They were as decent a people as ever went through town. They encamped about a mile from our house. They had their guards placed out at our big gate looking for the rebels in every direction. They had their cannons planted between our house and town expecting a fight every minute but the rebels didn’t come closer than Bill Gilden till they were driven back.

There were a hundred and fifty died out of one regiment as they were a coming through here. I was on the battleground on the 18th of July. I saw a wonderful sight. I saw the rebs hands sticking out of their graves, some their heads, some their feet. There was as high as fifty in a grave. I saw some wounded. They had their legs and some had their arms amputated. There was one poor creature was taking the lock jaw when I was there. They expected him to die and the rest of them was all lively.

Now I must tell you something about the weather. We had rain for four weeks that we could not get out harvest off. The farmers grain war___, they had eat all sproted [?] people about here. Han’t more than half done a harvesting. They haven’t got a stack of oats cut yet. We have our hay pretty near all to make yet, our oats to cut, our flax to pull, so it keeps us busy.

Our beaus is to be enrolled tomorrow. The draft is to be made the middle of next month. Pap and mother is going to the battle ground soon. They talk of coming over this fall if nothing comes in the way. Tilly, I want you to take a big sheet of paper and write it full. Tell me everything that is a going on. Tell me whether the boys is gone to the army or not. Tell Polly to write in some for me too in the letter you write. I forgot to tell you that John was pressed in the army to haul provision while they were here but he is clear again. Tell Aunt Maria to write if you please if she is close about there. If she and you needn’t bother yourself. Tell Uncle John that Grandpap was as hard a pebble as ever. Not I must bring this long letter to a close. Gove my love to all inquiring friends. Write soon as you can. Come to see us soon. Our Sinod meets on the 15th day of August. There will be a great time then. No more at present. Remember me. — Adalaide B. Fair

To Miss Matilda Cline

Excuse bad writing, My ped is bad. My hand is bad. My paper thin.

Union Song [verses]