5th New Hampshire Infantry | Spared & Shared 23

The following letter was written by Canadian-born Benjamin Howe of Acworth, New Hampshire, who enlisted at the age of 24 in August 1862 to serve as a private in Co. E, 5th New Hampshire Infantry. He was transferred from Co. E to Co. H in December 1864 with his promotion to 1st Sergeant. The regiment served under the able leadership of Col. Edward E. Cross until he was cut down at Gettysburg. It sustained such considerable loses (over 1,000 men in killed and wounded) that it was only a shadow of its former self after the Battle of Gettysburg. Those that were left in the regiment were no longer a formidable fighting force and were assigned duty to guard prisoners at Point Lookout, Maryland until they could fill up their ranks once again.

This letter was written from Point Lookout and the rebels who were making the “curiosities” that Benjamin sent home to his friend were Confederate prisoners of war. The “niggers” as Benjamin called them whom he “knocked down” for sport were either contraband or, more likely, US Colored Troops (USCT) who were also on duty at Point Lookout serving as prison guards. Whether military or civilian, the blacks were sorely abused by the white soldiers of both the Union and Confederate armies.

*Confederate POW’s laughing at a USCT soldier who accidentally killed his fellow sentry at Point Lookout, Maryland. This scene was one of many sketches made by Confederate POW Jack Omenhausser.*

Transcription

*Addressed to Mr. Edward Warner, Acworth, New Hampshire*

Point Lookout, Maryland
January 31, 1864

Friend Ed,

I received your letter and was glad to hear that you was well and I am glad to hear that you are having a good time this winter.

Dan is well and just as wild as ever. He is getting to be a first rate bugler and a good fellow as a general thing himself.

You wanted me to send you some curiosities. Well, I have got two rings made and I will send them to you. The rebels made them and they make lots of funny things. If the rings suits you and you want any more curiosities, I will furnish you with pleasure. I will keep an eye out for them and get a good many things. Tell Frank if she would like a fan that the rebs made, I will send her one. They make some of the prettiest that I ever saw and they cut little bibles out of stone and color them and they look real nice, and they make tooth picks and most everything that you could imagine.

Well, Ed, as I am in a hurry, I will come to a halt. As for myself, I am well at present and enjoying myself as well as possible under the circumstances. I get lonesome sometimes and go out of camp and knock down three or four niggers and come back satisfied. Give my best pair of specks [respects] to all enquiring friends and vote Democrat ticket.

If you want any more things, I will have them by the time you will let me know. I have got a rebel 50 cents scrip and it is a genuine one in their country. I will send it to you. Well, Ed, goodbye. Write often and I will answer them promptly and with pleasure.

From your friend, — Corp. Benjamin Howe

Direct to Co. E, 5th New Hampshire Volunteers, Washington D. C.

The following letter was written by Daniel W. George (1843-1876), the son of Roswell and Julia George. He wrote the letter to his cousin, Edward Warner in Acworth, New Hampshire.

*I could not find an image of Daniel but here is Joseph H. Whitehouse, a drummer boy who served in Co. D, 5th New Hampshire Infantry (Ancestry)*

Daniel named Acworth as his birthplace at the time of his first enlistment as a private in Co, D, 1st New Hampshire Infantry on 24 May 1861. He mustered out three months later on 9 August 1861. Later, in September 1861, he reenlisted in Co. E, 5th New Hampshire Infantry, in which regiment he was serving at the time he wrote this letter from Falmouth, Virginia, just after the Battle of Fredericksburg in which they participated and suffered heavy casualties. Daniel survived the war, mustering out on 28 October 1864, and later (1867) married Sarah C. Russell in Ashburnham, Massachusetts.

The 5th New Hampshire, sometimes called “the Fighting Fifth,” sustained more battle deaths than any other regiment—nearly 300 killed or mortally wounded in their four years of service. They were ably led by Colonel Edward E. Cross until he was mortally wounded himself at Gettysburg. At the Battle of Fredericksburg, the regiment entered the fray on the heels of the Irish Brigade where they immediately fell under heavy fire of shell, grape and canister. When the Irish Brigade stumbled, the 5th continued their ascent on the enemy works but were also cut down. “My brave boys never faltered,” Col. Cross later wrote of the attack.

Transcription

*Addressed to Edward Warner, Esq., Acworth, New Hampshire*

Camp near Falmouth, Va.
December 19, 1862

Dear Cousin,

With much pleasure I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am alive and well. I have been in a great many hard places since that I left New Hampshire and expect to go into some more before I get home. Last Saturday I was in a battle and a hard one too. This regiment lost one hundred and seventy-eight men killed and wounded and there is eight for duty now in the 5th New Hampshire Vols. I got two guns shot out of my hands and got knocked over in the bargain, lamed my back but I have got over it now so that I am alright. Morrison [George] ¹ got shot through the thigh. It was a flesh wound. Joseph George ² got hit but not bad.

I have been in nine battles and this is the first time that I have got hit atall. I have been well through this campaign and hope to remain so. I have been with the regiment wherever they have been—through thick and thin.

We are expecting to go to some place to garrison but I don’t know whether we shall go or not. I hope so at any rate.

Eddy, I want you to get me three or four postage tamps and I will make it all right with you if ever I come home for I can’t get them here for love or money. Tell Marden to write and Frank too and I will answer them if I can. Give my love to Aunt and Uncle and all inquiring friends. I can’t think of any more now. Please write soon. Goodbye.

This from your cousin, — Daniel W. George

Excuse this dirt.

¹ Morrison A. George was a resident of Acworth and served in Co. E, 5th New Hampshire Infantry. He was 21 when he enlisted in September 1861 and was wounded on 1 June 1862 at Fair Oaks, on 13 December 1862 at Fredericksburg, and then promoted to corporal in November 1863. He mustered out in October 1864.

² Joseph E. George was a resident of Acworth and was 25 when he enlisted in Co. E, 5th New Hampshire Infantry on 12 August 1862. He was discharged in May 1865.