A letter
from Capt. Levi Huber of Co. B, 96th Pa., to Col. P. A.
Filbert, former commander of the 96th Pa.
Col P. A.
Filbert
My Dear
Old Friend,
To day I
had the gratification to receive your friendly note
through your brother William. I had almost abandoned the
belief, so long entertained, that any Mutual friendship
really continued to exist between us, but I am led to
attribute our tardiness in corresponding, to
procrastination on both sides. Passing over the
unpleasant reminiscences of the past I will endeavor to
answer your inquiries, as best I can. So far as the
Regiment is concerned, we are getting along about as
usual, with an occasional jarring, and shall undoubtedly
continue so to the expiration of our term of service;
with the exception however, that some of discordant
elements, have become detached and selected other and
different affinities, whether brought about by by force
of circumstances or through true and genuine
Congeniality, your subscriber does not undertake to
decide, Suffice it to state that time and circumstances,
bring about very strange combinations.
Myself
and two Lieutenants are working together as harmoniously
as could be expected, although there is not much love
lost between the two Lieutenants. The men of Co B. are
all very well, except Corp Snyder who has a slight cold.
Geo Nagle having had the Diarrhea and Rheumatism, was
sent to Douglas U. S. Hospital at Washington, Charles
Williams wounded at Fredericksburg May 3, and Corp Jones
wounded at Rappahannock Station Nov 7. are also in
General Hospitals Jeremiah Sterner has been discharged on
account of wounds received May 3d. Christian Siebert and
August Wolf have been transferred to the Invalid Corps.
We have forty men equipped and present for duty, being
still the largest Company except Co. H.
Last
Tuesday our Brigade now commanded by Col. Upton (Genl
Bartlet commanding the 1st Div. 5th Corps ). Changed
camps,from the Plantation of Hon. John Minor Botts on the
south side of Aestham River, to a large belt of
timberland on the Plantation of a Mr. Major, on the north
side of the River. We have only one Field Officer (Lessig
) who holds a Colonels Commission, but cannot be mustered
as such, as our Regiment is lacking the minimum number
and is not entitled to a Colonel, He therefore commands
the Regiment with the rank of Liet Col. He has been
absent, as a witness in the Acker trial before the U. S.
District Court at Philadelphia, since Nov. 17th ult. and
the Regiment is temporarily Commanded by Capt James
Russel. Our Staff (Commissioned) consists of Dr Bland
Surgeon --- Dr Light (of Lebanon) Asst Surgeon ---
Quartermaster Schweers, and Lieut Hannum, Acting Adjutant
--- Noncommissioned Staff E J Phillips, Sergt Major ---
Gab Shollenberger, Quartermaster Sergt and old Dampman,
Com. Sergt. Doctors Shomo and Eagle have both been
discharged.
My health
continues --- as it has been for several months past ---
remarkably good --- In August I had a relapse of my
Sciatica, but I have now completely recovered from that
disease. William is quite well, and his deportment for
obedience to orders, has been very good since his return.
Please remember me to your parents, brothers &c and
accept my best wishes for your health, comfort and
happiness.
Sincerely,
Your Friend,
Levi
Huber
Haas has
been away from the Regiment since the middle of July
last. When he with others went to Philadelphia for
Conscripts --- what he is kept there for I do not know
--- as he certainly will not get any conscripts --- .
Charges are pending against Capt James Russell and Lieut
Oberreuder, Capt Harlan of Co A. & Lieut Brennen of
Co. F.--- for "Drunkenness, Conduct, unbecoming Officers
and Gentlemen" --- and "Conduct prejudicial to good order
& military discipline" The first two are what --- in
Civil Courts --- would be called "cross actions," the 4th
is brought by Sergeant of Co F. & the 3rd by Capt
James Russel --- I shall be pleased to hear from You
soon.
L . H .
Envelope
addressed:
Col. P. A. Filbert Pine Grove Schuylkill County
Penna.
Postmarked WASHINGTON D.C.
From Pvt.
Francis Boland of Co. K, 96th Pa., to a
friend.
Camp New
Baltimore, Va.
Sept. 2,
1863
My Dear
Friend:
I am to
inform you that I am in good health and hope that you
Catherine and the children enjoy the same. I have not
written you these last few months past owing to our
severe summer campaign. I was then at the Rappahannock.
We lost a number by picket firing. We were ordered to
march to Pennsylvania. We did so by forced marches over
two hundred miles a foot. The weather was very hot.
Several dropped down on the road by fatigue and
sunstroke.
I stood
it out pretty fair. Although I use to wet my clothes
seven times a day with sweat. The roads were dusty. It
was often hot. We had to bear it all. We had to be in the
open air exposed to rain and dew all this last summer.
Nobody took blankets or anything else along. They carried
nothing except guns and equipment & haversacks with
rations. We often had to march 25 to 30 miles a day. At
last we got to Gettysburg, Pa. 82 miles from Minersville
measured on my pocket map. The Battle was going on
fiercely since 8 o'clock the previous day. The whole
Union army was retreating before the Rebels and the Union
left all the artillery to the enemy. We had nothing to
eat but had immediately to form into line of battle and
advance against the whole Rebel army. Our Corps the 6th
went in shouting and firing. We [Boland must be
referring to the other regiments in the corps. The 96th
did not recapture any artillery] retook the guns and
drove the advancing rebels a mile. The Rebels were
surprised that we could come up so soon.
Next day
at 1 o'clock being the 3rd of the Battle also being July
3rd 1863 a terrible cannonading ensued every gun being
brought into play. It continued 3 hours. The Rebel army
advanced four times to break our lines and were driven
back with great slaughter. I was in the Center under hot
fires. Shells fell in every direction and in immense
numbers. One small ball took away a piece of pork I was
eating out of my hand. Another struck almost my left
knee. I was not hurt.
At night
I visited the battlefield. It was an awful scene. The
Union lost 12 thousand in killed and wounded. The Rebels
20 thousand. I saw nearly the whole of these 32 thousand
dead & wounded. After a day or so the Rebels fell
back carrying away with them immense booty (including)
horses, cattle, sheep, store goods, far across the
Potomac.
We
followed them upon by zigzag marches through the state of
Maryland. We hemmed them in at Williamsport, Md. General
Meade made a great error in not giving them battle. They
got over nearly all safe into Va. We recrossed and
marched after them a hundred miles but could not overtake
them since they got to Gordonsville. We needed rest very
much. Capt. Budd [Richard Budd, Capt. Co. K,
discharged on surgeon's certificate Aug. 31, 1863] is
gone home this week. You might see him about Sunday next
in Minersville. Let mother know that I am well. Remember
me to all my friends & neighbors. Heard that you got
no money on allotment since May last. It is now all
stopped. It was the fault of the deserters.
...I
might try and pay off the debt immediately after the 30th
of October next. Let me know was the house rented and how
they stand. Also about this year's taxes. Also all other
particular news. Nor more at present.
But I
remain your friend,
Francis Boland
P.S. We
are getting some of the deserters back also some of the
conscripts.
A letter from
Pvt. Daniel Faust of Co. H, 96th Pa., to his mother
describing the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19,
1864.
Camp near
Middleton, Va.
October
21, 1864
Dear
Mother,
I
received your kind and most welcome letter yesterday, and
was very glad to hear that you are well. We have again
had a great fight with the Rebs. On the morning of the
19th inst. The enemy surprised the 8th and 19th Corps.
About daybreak they broke through the picket line and
before our men got into line, the enemy was in their camp
shooting and bayoneting them in their tents and then the
corps, above mentioned, started on the skedaddle. Our
corps [the Sixth] being formed on our right flank
(where the enemy didn't attack) and immediately marched
to the center where the two other corps were on the
skedaddle, and checked the enemy while we were getting
the train out of danger. We had to be in a great hurry or
get our or we would been all captured. They had us
flanked on both flanks and also come on a full jump in
front. Bullets were whizzing over our Headquarters from
three different directions when we was obliged to leave a
few articles. Such a skedaddle I never seen since I am in
the army. Our men retreated about three miles then our
General Sheridan come up. He had been absent when this
row commenced. He soon changed the thing. He about faced
our lines and drove the Rebels beyond where they attacked
us and captured forty-nine pieces of artillery and all
their ambulances and wagon trains, and a large number of
prisoners. We are now encamped on the same ground where
we had been camped before the fight. The fields are
covered with graves of our and the enemy's men. And dead
horses literally cover the ground in several different
places. Our brigade commander got wounded and also our
A.A.G. We lost very heavy in both men and officers in our
brigade. Charles Kolb of our company is killed and David
Landback is supposed wounded, he is among the missing.
[Landback died of his wounds]. I am well at
present and hope this will find you all the same. Dear
Mother, I hope you will remember me in your prayers and I
will do the same in return for you. So no more at present
I remain your affectionate Son Daniel Faust, to Rebecca
and Sarah Faust.
An order dated
February 15, 1864 from Regimental Headquarters detailing
the instruction of the 96th's officers in Guard and
Picket Duty.
Hd.
Qrs. 96th Penna. Vols.
February 15, 1864
Regimental
Order
Special Order No. 467
I. - In
compliance with General Orders No. 4, from Hd. Qrs. 2d
Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Corps of February 13, 1864,
instruction will be given to the officers of this
Regiment in Guard and Picket Duty. The two Senior
Officers will act as instructors.
Recitations will commence this evening, and continue
daily (Sundays excepted) till further orders. The lessons
will be taken from Army Regulations as
follows:
1st
Lesson - - - - from Paragraph 375 to 398
2d " " 399 " 431
3d " " 562 " 592
4th " " 593 " 613
5th " " 616 " 642
6th " " 643 " 663
The
lessons will be reviewed after they have all been
recited. Particular attention is called to the order from
Corps Head Quarters regulating Picket Duty.
II. Until
further orders -
Reveille
will be beaten at 6:15 A.M.
Breakfast " 7: "
Sick Call " 7:30 "
Police Call " 8: "
[over]
Guard
Mounting at 8:30 A.M.
Dinner " 12: M.
Tattoo " 8:30 P.M.
Taps " 9:30 "
By
command of
Lieut. Col. W.H. Lessig
J.T. Hannum
Act. Adj't.
A letter written by Capt. John
T. Boyle of Co. D, 96th Pa. to Lt. Col. P. A. Filbert -
in diary format documenting the movements of General
Burnside's Army from January 16th to 25th, 1863.
Image
of the letter's first page.
In Camp Near
White Oak Church, Va.
Dear Col.,
....
I'll tell you, for it
might be of interest to you, what has transpired
hereabouts during the last few days. 16th: Regt. under
[Lieut. Col. William H.] Lessig proceeded to
lower Belle Plain Landing on fatigue. Arrived there about
2, stacked arms, and two Co's, A & F went on duty,
corderoying roads and fixing landing. Being tentless I
past the night in Lessig's tent, almost froze. 17th: we
had 50 men on fatigue. Officers laying around loose,
several away from companies. [Major Levi] Huber,
[Capt. Jacob W.] Haas, [1st Lieut. John]
Daugherty, and Lessig, together with [1st Lieut. John
S.] Oberrender & self past a pleasant evening
about a fire, songs, jokes & witicisms. Huber, Haas,
Oberrender & self selp in Haas' tent. 18th: Regt.
lying about all day doing nothing. Lessig & I
strolled down to the river seeing the sights. Afternoon
the old crowd amused themselves eating coconut candy made
by Capts. Lessig, Haas & [Capt. John T.]
Boyle & in the evening by making apple punch
concocted by Lessig. 19th: Regt. finished what it had
left undone yesterday and the officers called on and
spent the morning with Maj. Wetherill of the 81st.
[Boyle was mistaken as to the regiment of Wetherill.
He was actually in the 82nd Pa. Inf.]. What a
delightful time we had. In the afternoon we were recd. by
Lieut. Col. Duffy. 20th: Got marching orders about six
& were off about 12. Prior to our departure Lessig
fell the Regt. in and read Burnside's address. He also
made a speech, it was as follows: "I hope that we will
have no straggling here," for want of more to say he
stopped. After a heavy march we camped, wet to the skin,
in the woods beyond Falmouth. Rain fell during the night
in torrents. Haas & I dog tented it. 21st: at 8 took
up line of march through mud and rain. 18 horses to an
artillery magazine & unable to budge it. 10 horses to
each Napoleon & Parrot. Stuck high! Camped in woods
near river. Pontoons unable to get up. Whole army stuck
in the mud. Dr. [Surgeon Daniel W.] Bland & I
dog tented together for the night & nearly all the
next day owing to the continual rain. 23rd: In camp until
towards evening when we marched about 2 miles and
encamped in woods behind Hexhimers [?] Battery.
24th: The teams being unable to move the pontoons and
wagons, our whole division was put to work. The 96th did
wonders and called forth the unqualified approbation of
Gen. [Joseph J.] Bartlett and the rest of the
troops. 25th: After a tremendous march of about 12 miles
through the toughest mud I ever saw, we reentered our old
camp much to the joy of all. This is the part taken by us
in the late grand movement. During the time we were
absent, Lessig put Capt. Daugherty under arrest for using
disrespectful language. Prior to our departure he put
Lieuts. [John K.] Fernsler & [James]
Casey under arrest, the former for leaving his Co. at
Belle Plain Landing and returning to camp without leave,
the latter for drunkenness & non-officer like
conduct. The two last were deserving of the punishment
which amounted to nothing he returning them their swords
prior to our taking up the march. He threatened to put
[1st Lieut. John T.] Hannum under arest but did
not, Hannum refusing to do that which it was not his duty
to do. Lately whiskey has ruled the roost. On the march
Lessig pulled a pistol on Brown of Co. A, threatening to
blow his brains out because Harlan being drunk ordered
him to do what the man could not well do, move faster
through the mud. Today Gen. [Henry W.] Slocum
visited us. The whole Brigade drawn up in line to recv.
him. Great cheering, much enthusiasm. Afterwards us
officers called on him at Bartlett's quarters. He was
much affected and shed tears profusely. I like him. He
has a soul. I suppose that he will again be at our head,
[Gen. William B.] Franklin being deposed. I am
sorry to say that the morale of the army is at a low ebb.
The men are discouraged & I am afraid not to be
relied on in an emergency. We lost several men by
desertion during the last march. They say they will not
cross the river. [Colonel Henry L.] Cake is not
yet back...[the letter contains more content, but it
is not transcribed here].