87th Pennsylvania Infantry | Spared & Shared 23

The following letter was written by William D. Chamberlin (1842-1881), the son of John Chamberlin (1818-1883) and Martha J. Biggs (1819-1883) of Cashtown, Adams county, Pennsylvania. He wrote the letter to Margaret (“Maggie”) A. Carpenter (1845-1880) with whom he married in October 1869. Co. K, 87th Pennsylvania Volunteers. His grave markers gives his surname as Chamberlin though he was carried on the muster rolls of the regiment as Chamberlain.

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

*William’s letter was written on stationery printed with poem, “Old Jeff as Miss Dixie” by R. B. Nicol.*

Camp near Bailey’s Cross Roads, Virginia
June 9th 1865

Good evening Maggie,

I am reasonably well, thank you. How are you prospering? Your favor of the 23rd ult. came to hand a few days ago, and met a welcome reception. I was very busy today. I am now engaged as clerk at Regimental Headquarters and have a considerable amount of work on hand just now. But as it is now 9 o’clock, I have taken the liberty to put the other papers to a side and devote a few moments to the agreeable task of answering your letter. I received the note you sent me just about the time we wrestled starting on the march from Richmond to this place. I knew you would certainly receive my letter—hence I didn’t answer the note. I am inclined to think you were not in a very good humor when you wrote it. Well, I can’t censure you for it after having waited so long for an answer, but I presume you have already forgiven me. You know full well that it is almost impossible for a soldier to be punctual with his correspondents at all times—especially it he has a goodly number. He has a great many other duties to perform and they demand his attention first.

Your thoughts concerning the “Locust trees” are very good. It calls to my mind scenes around my home that I often looked upon with delight about this time of the year.

*William’s letter included a cdv of Jeff Davis in ladies clothes being taken captive by Union Cavalry. Two black infantrymen look on in the background.* *There were numerous variations on this theme but this is the only one I have seen of this view.*

I should like to hear your sermon on the flight of Jeff Davis. I have been thinking you would probably make an appointment in the neighborhood for that purpose. Hence I have selected a piece of music with appropriate lines for an occasion of that kind which i will place at your disposal. What do you think of it? Pretty good, eh?

I understand you had quite an assemblage of people at the meeting in the grove on the 1st of June. It would have been very gratifying to me to have met with the rest of you. Such, however, could not be the case.

Well the Grand Review of the 6th Corps is over. No doubt the idle curiosity of a great many people has been gratified, but it cost the lives of quite a number of good soldiers—some no doubt who have served faithfully for three years. There was scarcely any air stirring in the streets of Washington and som of the streets were clouded with dust. The day was very warm and there was hundreds to be seen through the city on the sidewalks who were overcome with the heat and had fallen—some to rise no more. I was along but had no gun or accoutrements to carry. Sometimes I thought I would fall too. Our Corps, I noticed, receives great praise in the papers. ¹

This evening when our regiment was on “Dress Parade,” the Colonel complimented the boys for their good behavior and fine marching in the City yesterday. Our camp is about fives miles from Washington on the Virginia side of the Potomac. The troops are being sent home as rapidly as possible. As yet, there has been no orders to muster out troops who entered the army last spring but I presume there will be such orders issued as soon as they get those mustered out who come under the first order from the fact that they are mustering out all of our sick men.

I will not get angry at you for threatening to box my ears. Talk about it as much as you have a mind to, but I would like to see you carry it into execution. If you would attempt it, I’ll bet I would have a k–s. Oh! I almost forgot myself. Well, as you say, you often think on paper so I will come in with that idea too. If you would or could see me now, you would see as much of a dash on my face as there is between those two letters up there. After all, I can’t see any harm in the expression, “Worse half.”

You say “A candid confession as good for the soul.” Now tell me why you were angry when you came to that part of my letter when I said, “Who will have me?” You ask why I don’t correct faults that I may notice in you. The fact is I have not noticed any of which to accuse you or correct in you. Will that do? As you are getting weary of this scribbling. I will close and go to my bed such as it is on the ground. Let me hear from you soon again. I have the honor to remain very respectfully your friend, — Wm. D. C., Co. K, 87th P. V., 1st Brig., 3d Division, 6th Corps, Washington D. C.

P. S. Please remember me to all of your folks, — Wm. D. C.

¹ There was a separate review of the 6th Corps on 8 June 1865. THE CLOSING PAGEANT OF THE WAR.; Grand Review of the Sixth Corps by the President and Gen. Meade. The War-Worn Veterans Make a Splendid Appearance. They are Greeted Everywhere with the Greatest Enthusiasm. Reconstruction in Alabama A Rather Startling Demand. Military Re-union of the 14th and 20th Corps. Speeches by Gens. Howard. Slocum and Others. REVIEW OF THE SIXTH CORPS.
WASHINGTON, Thursday, June 8.
Published: June 9, 1865
The dusty veterans of the Sixth have a proud record. The colors are for too small for the inscription of the names of all their battles, and there are hundreds of officers and men who have been under fire a round hundred times. The corps was first brought into existence by MCCLELLAN, at Cumberland Landing, on the Pamunky River, in May, 1862, when it was styled the Sixth Provisional Army Corps, and Maj.-Gen, W.B. FRANKLIN assigned to the command. The corps has graduated some splendid soldiers, foremost among whom stand the lamented SEDGWICK, the indomitable HANCOCK, who was present today, and again looked upon the fragments of the brigade that he so vigorously disciplined at Camp Griffin, in the Winter of 1861-2; “Baldy” SMITH, whose features were once so inseparable with the corps, and DAVIDSON, whose Trans-Mississippi cavalry campaigns have been so successful; and BROOKS, now out of the service, but once a pet of the Vermonters and a gallant officer: young VINTON, badly wounded at Fredericksburg; BURNHAM, the valiant son of Maine, who fell at Fort Harrison; RUSSELL, killed in the very hour of victory, at Cedar Creek, in the valley; BIDWELL, giving up his life just after receiving his hard-earned star; and many others gone, now forever, whose memory is renewed most vividly as the veterans of the Sixth pass by. The term “SHERIDAN’S heavy cavalry” was applied to the Sixth Corps by some one who had a singularly correct idea of its significance, for the must brilliant victories of the valley were those in which the “heavy cavalry” came vigorously to the support of the “light cavalry,” and which, on the 19th of October, under the inspiring presence of SHERIDAN himself, wrested victory from the very jaws of defeat, and which again, in the final rout of LEE, overhauled, defeated and captured the rear guard of EWELL, and sent to the rear ten thousand prisoners, innumerable flags and cannon, and half a score of Major-Generals. So, if the Sixth Corps marched to-day with a vigorous step and proud spirit, they were entitled to do so by all that goes to make valiant and victorious soldiers. http://www.nytimes.com/1865/06/09/n…sident-gen-meade-war-worn.html?pagewanted=all

The following letter was written by Pvt. Thomas Neely (1836-1864) of Co. E, 87th Pennsylvania Infantry. This regiment was organized in September 1861 and was assigned guard duty on the Northern Central Railroad from the Pennsylvania line to Baltimore, Maryland, until May 1862. Though undated, this letter was probably written early in 1862. At the bottom of the letter we learn that the regiment was posted at Philopolis. That village doesn’t exist today; the area became known as “Sparks’ Switch” or simply Sparks. Thomas did not survive the war; he was killed in action on 22 June 1864 near Petersburg, Virginia.

Thomas was born in Ireland and from his handwriting we can tell that he had a limited education. His father was David Neely (1800-1871) but little else is known about him. He mustered in at York, one of the many men from that county who were of Scotch-Irish or German descent.

For more on the 87th Pennsylvania, I urge readers to see Dennis W. Brandt’s book, “From Home Guards to Heroes” available at Barnes & Noble or as an e-Book. The following image comes from that book:

Transcription

Headquarters 87th [Pennsylvania] Regiment, Co. E
1862

My dear friend,

I inform you that I am well at present time. I hope you enjoy the same. Now I let you know how I’m getting along. I’m getting along bully. We live here like a king. We have plenty to eat and drink and good sport. It’s been too wet this while past to drill but we go out and shoot deers and foxes and so on okay. I tell you, we live independent down here. We live fat rat & saucy. They nearly all have the Virginia heartburn. If you don’t know what that is, you’ll remember if you tear two holes in your trouser seat. That’s Virginia heartburn.

I met with a sad mistake. I and a lot of fellers got to cutting up on a little sleigh and run down the hill and fell off and tore all my harness off myself. A whole lot of girls [were] standing a piece off laughing themselves crooked. More than that, we have great fun with the Maryland darkies. At night on guard, we still halt them and make them come in our shanty and make then dance before we let them go.

Now I want you to let me know something about Elizabeth and tell her to write to me if she please be so kind and let me know how she gets along.

We lay between the creek and railroad, do them little guarding, and see nothing but hills ad hollers. God damn my pen. It won’t write worth a damn ad I am as nervous as a hog when she comes out of a pruch [?] pile into a puddle hole. Now write me a letter and tell me something new. If you live too lonesome up there that you don’t hear any news, make some good news yourself and send it down. I hear nothing new from up there or wo where else. I like to hear something new. If you are too mean to answer this, I’ll kick every booker [?] of yours if I come up there. All too lazy to write. I been writing all along and nobody writes to me. We had a party at the factory and I shouldered a calf and carried it home and we had a feast of it. No more at present time. So good bye for this time.

Direct your letter to Thomas Neely, Philopolis, Baltimore county, Maryland in care of Capt. Myers.

Answer this letter as soon as you get it.