The following letter was written by Adam McGill (1837-1919), the son of Charles and Mary (Bidenger) McGill of Carmichaels, Greene county, Pennsylvania. Adam was working as a cooper, a trade he learned from his father, when he mustered into Co. G, 85th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry on 15 October 1861 as a musician (fifer) at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He served three years and mustered out on 22 November 1864 at Pittsburgh.

The profound regret Adam expresses regarding his regiment’s performance in the Battle of Seven Pines permeates his letter. This marked their initial encounter with the harsh realities of combat, and they found themselves unexpectedly vulnerable to the rebel assault, which forced them to shamefully skedaddle. McClellan placed the blame on Casey’s Division, resulting in their exclusion from the Army of the Potomac for the duration of the war. It would take another two years before the regiment could restore its honor in the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign.

[Note: This letter is from the collection of Keith Fleckner and was offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

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

[Following the Battle of Seven Pines]
June the 10th, 1862

Respected Cousin,

Once more I take the pen in hand to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well as usual and hope that these few lines may find you in good health. We have had an other battle and our division did not get much praise for its conduct, but I tell you that there was never any set of men that fought better than did [Silas] Casey’s—or a good portion.I will admit that some did not stand up as they ought, but the whole Division is disgraced now and sent to the rear. And now the boys say that they will not fight any more for they have been in three fights and fought till there was hundreds of them killed and wounded and have not got any praise for all that they have endured, and now sent to the rear in disgrace. They swear that they will not go in another battle, but I do not know how it will be.

Some say that we will be sent to Fortress Monroe and some say that we will be sent to Washington City and some to Baltimore. But I do not know where we will go from here. But I hope that it will be one of them places.

It is [not] necessary for me to give you an account of the fight at the Seven Pines as it is called,  for you have had a full account of it before this time I suppose. I heard that all the [Pennsylvania] Reserves has come here to reinforce McClellan but I have not seen any of them yet. But I saw a man from the White House Landing and he said that he seen the Bucktails and all the Reserves. I would like to see the boys if they are here, but I do not know how it will be. We are 14 or 15 miles from Richmond now. A good many of the leading men thinks that this is the last stand that the Rebels will make if they are defeated here. But they will make a desperate stand here before their Capitol. But I think that they will have to cave in if they don’t. Casey will come up and make them skeddadle.

I would like very much to see you and have a long talk with you. It would be much pleasanter than writing, but I hope that it will not be long till we will see each other and spend many happy hours together.

A part of Casey’s Division has just started out on a reconnoitering expedition and the 85th is among them. But I expect that they will run if they see any Rebels. There is a power of sick here now and the whole Division is about played out now or if they ain’t, they will be if they don’t take them away from here. There is about 6 in the hospital that I think won’t live three days. The disease seems to be so fatal that there can’t be anything done by the doctors. They get out of their mind and that is the last that they know about it. They linger that way a few hours and then they go the way of all the world.

This is a very hot day. One day it will be hot enough to roast a man and the next day it will rain and be cold enough to freeze you almost and that is the cause of it being so unhealthy. You will please excuse my bad writing and many mistakes for I can hardly write but will try and do better the next time. I will have to bring my letter to a close by asking you to write soon. No more but remain your cousin, — Adam McGill.

to W. H. Crago, Esq.