The following letter was written by James Morris (1837-1863) of Co. F, the Erie Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers. The regiment was raised in April 1861 and mustered in for three months service. Many of those who opted to remain after three months were mustered into either 83rd, 111th, 145th, or other Pennsylvania regiments.

According to muster records, James was from Titusville, Crawford county, Pennsylvania. It appears that he reenlisted in August 1862 to serve in Co. I, 150th Pennsylvania. While serving in that regiment, he received a head wound in the first day’s fight at Gettysburg and he died on 18 July 1863 in New York. He was buried on Long Island.

See also—1861: James Morris to Richard and Jane (Harrison) Morris

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of James Campbell and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Transcription

Camp Wright ¹
S. Hulton Station
June 18, 1861

Dear Parents,

Captain [Charles B.] Morgan told us that a private never should think for himself. Tis true but little but never followed. Every man seems to think for at least half a dozen. No one can tell what we will have to do. I don’t think the Colonel can tell himself. We may come home before you get his letter. Perhaps have to stay here and drill our time out. I have quit drilling till I get a pair of shoes. I could buy a pair of shoes but I don’t think of punishing Penn with anything in that line. It is doing than I like to be in her service. There is rather cursory scenes here to say the least. Funny the soldiers belonging to Co. A got a side of bacon and it was spoiled and not fit to eat. They took 16 feet board tied it to center and hung it up placing the end on the roof of the quarters and other ad a set of cards on it but commissary came and wanted to take it down but they would not let him.

One of the cards on it Maggot Brigade Headquarters. One had on it Tough Cusses but won’t eat [ ]. Yesterday Co. F done the thing. Some of our boys found that they had a piece of beef that was spoiled. It had turned blue. [ ] and some of the rest of the boys took and hung it up at the corner of one quarters similar to those of Co. A. I have got a roll of papers and one has the account of it in it. If there is no sign of our regiment leaving, I shall post them to you and I want you to keep them for me and after you have read them, put them away. One picture I meant to have sent to you but a Pittsburgh reporter came and took it down and carried it away.

I am getting tired of staying here since our regiment refused to go for during the war for our regiment has lost much of the order and respect they once had so [say] the officers. I believe that our company has minded their officers the best of any company on the ground, but still they are discontented and so are of no use here and are an expense to Pennsylvania. I wish that we were discharged—that or have better order in our quarters at night. Some kick up such noises in our quarters that those that are quiet can’t sleep. Sometimes I laugh at them. It is hard to help [from] laughing sometimes. We have to stay here till the last of July or about forty days to serve yet. It will soon be over and then I will be free again. If the Erie Regiment had been used right, there would have been little if any trouble. If they had sworn our company in for 3 years, they would have seen Washington before this. They never will see it now without some great peril comes on our government which is not likely. There is 3 or 4 thousand troops in our camp now and more coming most every day. There is some trouble about our victuals at present. We get our rations for three meals and it is divided into rations. One loaf is cut into six parts and sometimes 8. The loafs are said to weigh 2 lbs. but I never have seen them weighed.

They say that we will know what will be done this week but no confidence can be placed on the reports. I should like any of my brothers to have such a dinner as I have or any of our rations. I think mother there would be some grumbling done more than there is when you used to make soup or have beans for dinner. When we have bean soup, we have the most plentiful meals. There is a good many of our company, if they don’t get meat to suit them, they will [ [ it at some one or throw it away and if they don’t stop it will make our quarters disagreeable. The cooks tried to get more help in the cook house but I won’t help in that part of the business if I can help it. Some of the company will d—-d the cooks and accuse them [of] partiality and sometimes threaten to whip them and throw their dishes on the ground and leave them where they have been eating for the cooks to gather up and if they are late about getting a meal, they will grumble or if they cook where the most abject slaves for the wagon, I don’t want to get into the cooking room.

I have got no letter yet at this camp. I begin to think there is some unfair play about the letters. I sent a letter to you containing five—one for Edward, one for Ben, one for Crossley, and two for you and have got no ansewr from them yet. Send me all the news.

Monday morning thundered, rained and after light it got very cold and has not been warm since. It came very near being a frost this morning and yesterday morning.

Where I am sitting and writing, I can see into Co. G quarters. A few days since two of their men missed their revolvers so they made a search of their quarters when they found them in two carpet sacks. I may add that none of their company would own the carpet sacks.

[illegible] company has been up the river about 3 miles to see a man that they say is drowned in the river. They say it stands upright in the water. The man that has just returned says they think it is no root stuck in the water. There is about 2 feet water above his head. He says that if it is a man he has been murdered and sunk in the water.He says that the head is thrown back as if the throat was cut but still he seems to think it is the discerning appearance of a root out in the water. The boat man would answer questions evasively and seems to be a villainous sort of a looking man. I heard him talking about it yesterday but had forgot it till the present. There is no excitement in camp except a little talk about the man. All that have seen it say it is a man but Greene, the man I have mentioned above. I have concluded to send you the letters and papers. With respects to all, I remain your obedient son, — Jas. Morris

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¹ “In May of 1861, Camp Wright was opened along the banks of the Allegheny River in the Borough of Oakmont about 10 miles upriver from Pittsburgh. The new camp sat a short distance from Hulton Station along the Allegheny Valley Railroad. Approximately 5,000 Union recruits passed through Camp Wright. The camp was convenient because it sat at the edge of the Allegheny River and along the railroad line, making the movement of troops incredibly easy by train or riverboat.” See Pittsburgh’s Civil War Training Camps.