The following letter was written by Henry Atwood Breed of Co. F, 155th Pennsylvania Infantry. Henry enlisted on 22 August 1862 and was soon after made the Orderly Sergeant of his company by Capt. John Markle. He was later commissioned 2nd Lieutenant of Co. F but discharged on a surgeon’s certificate on 3 October 1863. This regiment was organized at Pittsburg in September and moved immediately to join the Army of the Potomac where they were attached to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps. They did not arrive at Sharpsburg, Maryland, until after the Battle of Antietam. Their first engagement was in the Battle of Fredericksburg in mid-December 1862 when Capt. Lee Anshultz of Co. C was mortally wounded, and the entire color guard of the regiment was either killed or wounded in the assault on Marye’s Heights. A regimental loss at Fredericksburg was 68 killed, wounded, and missing.
The 155th Pennsylvania Volunteers were issued standard union attire, consisting of a dark blue forage cap, a 9- button frock/dress coat (thigh length coat) of the same color with blue piping, 4-button dark blue sack coat, and light blue trousers, and brogans. Later in the war, January 1864, they were outfitted in a Zouave uniform. When they were first organized, they were issued surplus Belgian Rifles with sword bayonets. These weapons upon inspection in Washington, D.C. were determined to be unfit for use in battle, by Captain A.T.A. Torbert, USA. The men of Co. K remarked in their history that “The guns were said to kill at 1,000 yards but on examination we found they would not be dangerous to the enemy unless we got close enough to bayonet or club him” The government then issued old style muzzle loader, “Buck & Ball”, Springfield Rifles, more known as Harper’s Ferry Rifles. These weapons only proved to be effective at very close range, not being much use to the combat of the time. After the Battle of Gettysburg, Colonel Cain who had been requesting more effective weapons for his men, collected newer 1861 Springfields from the thousands of dead union soldiers. Which they would continue to use till the end of the war.
See—1862: Sarah Maria Breed to Henry Atwood Breed, published on Spared & Shared in 2022.
See also—“You are becoming used to the dying and the dead…”—A Pittsburgh Pastor’s Wartime Letter to Lt. Henry A. Breed, by Richarsd Condon published on Civil War Pittsburgh.
See also—1862: Sarah Scott (Dilworth) Bidwell to Cornelia Bidwell, published on Spared & Shared in 2021.
This letter is from the private collection of Greg Herr and was made available for transciption & publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Half a mile from Fort Ellsworth
6 miles from Washington
September 10th 1862
Friend Cornie,
Well here I am in Dixie, encamped on the side of a hill on the ground with my knapsack for a desk, & the sun pouring down for we have no tents & there are no trees on the ground. We arrived here last evening at ten o’clock but I think I had better go back to Pittsburgh & take a fair start.
We left Pittsburgh at 9 o’clock. Part of the company and I were in an open frieght car next to the engine, the smoke & soot coming in pretty thick. It was a coal burning engine & such a dirty set as we were in the morning, you never saw. Just like coal diggers. We got to Harrisburg next morning at 10, spent the day in town, getting our arms & equipments, spent the night & next day at Camp Curtin & at midnight of Friday, left in freight cars for Baltimore. The weather was beautiful & Lieutenant [John] Markle & I rode about 20 miles on the cow catcher. It was grand. I shall do so every time I get the chance.
We arrived at Washington Saturday night. I had a piece of bread for supper. Slept in barracks near the depot. Had a very good breakfast of coffee, bread, and fresh beef. Walked round the City until eleven o’clock, and then started to march to “Camp Chase.” We crossed the Long Bridge and got to camp at three. It was very warm & dusty & we had nothing until Tuesday morning but crackers & pork. Indeed we had had no regular meal after we left home except dinner at Harrisburg & breakfast at Washington. But “who wouldn’t be a soldier.” I have not felt hungry or real tired since I left.
Monday our tents arrived & we had just got fixed when yesterday afternoon, the order came to sling knapsacks, strike tents, and march. We started at six o’clock, marched eight miles, arriving here at ten. We slept in the open air. I would rather do so than sleep in tents as long as the weather is pleasant. We have plenty of room. The road was very dusty and as we were the third company from the rear, there was a perfect cloud of dust. We were covered from head to foot. You would certainly have laughed if you had seen me. We “run” each other some about such things, digging ditches, &c., but for my part, I think we are better friends for it.
There, I had to stop & prepare to receive rain. We had no tents & had to cover our rifles & ammunition of which we received forty rounds to each man today. It rained slowly for half an hour & then cleared up. Our tents came at seven o’clock, but the wagon with ours is upset a quarter of a mile from camp and we had to go out & carry them in & then pitch them by moonlight. It was a beautiful scene—the mule teams and white wagons, the men running to & fro with noise & bustle & the scene lit up by candles, the cook fires, and the silvery sheen of waving moon. We are expecting orders to march every minute. Where to, I [have] not the slightest idea.
From the hill above Camp Chase we had a fine view of the Potomac, Washington City, &c., but here we see nothing. The forts of which we heard so much a year ago are all around us. They are kept in perfect order except that some of the guns have been taken away. The trees are all cut down where they obstruct the range of the guns. The country is beautiful but ruin & desolation reign. No moving thing is seen except soldier, baggage wagons, and ambulances. We are just back of Alexandria & several womnen & girls have been in camp with pies, &c., but a look at them is enough for me.
I was appointed Orderly Sergeant at Harrisburg. My position is the hardest in the company. I have very littletime except after six in the evening, but I would rather be busy than lying idle half the time, playing cards, &c. I like camp life so far very well. The novelty may wear off in time & get to be an story, but I expect to make the best of it and not get down hearted. I have many things to remind me of those left behind, one of which—a photograph—does remind me of one whose best wishes I know I carry with me while in Virginia’s “bloody soil.” One with whom I connect my dearest recollections. I had no opportunity to thank you, Cornie, for your photograph and accompanying note, but I do so now. I expected to have seen you again & thanked you in person. But we left very suddenly. I wanted to say goodbye in a less abrupt manner but I consider myself very fortunate in seeing [you] at all. I intended to have asked you to write to me, but I can do so now. I had no idea of speaking of it as I did at your gate, but will let that pass.
I am writing in my tent with my candle between two shoes for a candstick, so under the circumstances I hope you will excuse my bad writing, blots, &c. But it is eleven o’clock. I must write to Father, go to sleep, and be up at reveille at half past five to call the roll. Remember me very kindly to your Father & Mother & sisters. And if this unworthy scroll deserves an answer, address: Orderly H. A. Breed, Care of Capt. John Markle, Co. F, 155th Regt. Penna. Vols., (Col. Allen’s Regiment), Washington D. C.
And believe me your sincere friend, — Henry A. Breed
P. S. Near Fort Worth, September 11, 1862. I had intended to send this letter this morning but at half past one this morning, Col. Allen woke me up and ordered me to have the men pack their knapsacks and prepare to march. The regiment was drawn up & we loaded our rifles with ball, and started. Marched three miles to this place, arriving at daylight. We had breakfast at four this afternoon. I am beginning to see something of a soldier’s life. This morning it rained hard but I put on my overcoat, lay down on the wet ground, & slept two hours. We are in a large, level field & can see the Capitol. Not a fence to be seen, all having been used for fire wood. Col. Clark’s Regiment from Allegheny is just now over the road from us.
One of the officers told me that we would probably stay here two or three days & then go out to the front of the army & either do picket duty or dig rifle pits (now laught). I have tried to find out where Will and Albert Dilworth’s regiment is but can learn nothing about them. Our tents have come & we are comfirtable again but I fear I have written too much already of such uninteresting matter, so good night. — Henry
Spared & Shared 23 