July 3rd
Camp in the woods
Near Petersburg Sunday morning
My Dear wife I received your
kind letter dated June 26 and was
glad to hear you na and the children
was well as this laves me at resent thank
god Captain Broach he has got Back
to the redgement and he has Comand
of it know Murdock he has got back
to I seen gorge hide old man hides
son that youst to keep the Boarding house
in the farms he is a leutenant in the
Second Connecticut Dear wife we have
got Relieved from the front for a few
days but it tis a bulley Place how long we
will stop I donth know Dear wife the boys got
it surround near that goe shot himself for he
never got to the redgement although wilber
Peck he is well and so is Heman Crowell Dear
wife if you could send me a pair of
Suspenders them you sent me is pretty well
wore out and about you sending News
papers you can send them if you want
My Dear wife I herd them say that
the ware going to draft again I hope
So I want to see some more of them
[page 2]
big bugs Drafted but I hope it twill not
fall on aney of my frends you may talk
abbout soldgering this Summer takes
Anney thing down that ever was known
but the boys are all in good Spirits the
have fetched us some soft bread and pickles
to day for my self I fare pretty well for
I get the same as Capt Brigham Russell
and greham I Cook for 3 of them it
tis pretty hard but I fare better and
I have know Picket or guard duty
to do I have know gun athall it was
taken from me the 20th of April about
me not been in danger there is as
mutch danger Some times as if
I was in line of battle all the difference
there is that I donth have to go in
know charge nor to stand up
in line of battle when the fight
Cominces I can go to rare and
wait untill it tis over but Some
times it tis as hot in the rare
[page 3]
As it tis in the front I have been
whare there has been poor fellows to that
was a long side of one tore to pices
but thank god I have never got
a scratch I go allong sometimes
when the bullets is a whissing and
Shells is bursting I get so I donth
mind it I am so youst to it
if it tis a mans luck to get shot
or wounded he will but thank god
for his goodness towards me for I never
felt as well in my life as I do know
it tis the hardest campaign that ever
was knowin and I have stood it first
rate so far Dear wife Heman Crowell
told me to tell you he would
be home in 3 months to paint the
house for you I hope so I must
Draw to a close give my love
to father and family Mr
[page 4]
hubbard and family David
John and family I hope none of
frend will not be drafted
Kiss the children for me
Keep up good Courage
rite soon From your
loving husband W D Smith
good Boy
July 16th Penselvenie
My Dear wife I send you thies few lines
to let you know I am well thank god hoping
this will find you and the same Children the
same I am detailed as Hospital cook know
with 5 more we have to work pretty hard
but we live first rate it tis different
from marching and I shall try and
stick to it there is one fellow has not
been with his regement for 13 months he
is detailed in the same place I am i find
some difference I can go to bead every night
no drill no gard dutey to do nor no
ecquipments to put on nor no picket
duty to do I never lived so well in my
live for eatetebles we have all kinds
of jelley all kinds of teas chocolate
Beef tea eggs milk condensed milk
New potatetotes Beet turnips radish
Beans we have evreything we want
so you kneed not worey I wish
you had some of the things the are
so good it is not hardtack and salt
pork and hard marching I donth know
[page 2]
whare the redgement is know all the
Boys that was hear was sent to there
regements except those that was detailed
for cooks or nurses the head cook that
is hear he is from ohio Joseph Macluskey
youst to help him to cook he is a first
rate fellow I happened first rate to
get in with him it twas our old hospital
Cook got me in he is hear detailed to he
is from New haven he has Never done aney
duty but cook sinse he enlisted it tis
almost a year sinse I left home It tiss
not long to look back but to look ahead
for 2 years more it seems a lifetime but
if I have to serve 2 years longer and
cannot get a furlow I shall take
one there has been 5 more from Middletown
to see us douglas doctor white frisbey
2 more I cannot think of there names has
gorge Hubard got home or does his
folks know whare he is I want you
to rite to me and let me know
whare he is and how is is getting
allong has Margret herd from
[page 3]
John yet or has father herd from bill
Maitland sinse he left home how is
David getting allong tell father if he
gets the list of killed and wounded in
the 14th to send it to me I know the list
of wounded in nour company and killed
mayor douglas told me he was going to
take Sam Hoxoms body home there has
Been an old lady hear this morning for
her son he was dead when she got
hear she came from ohio to see him
she was a widdow woman she had
onley the one son he was wounded
and he died before she got hear it
twas a hard sight to see her she was
an irish woman two there is from 3 to 4
died evrey day the donth burey them
in know coffins there is some of them
has both legs cut of some has there
right leg and arim cut off it tis
awfull I donth go near them verey
oftin I donth like to see them I have
not mutch more knewse to rite to
you but I am well
[page 4]
Hoping this will find you and the
Children the same give my love to
father and familey Mr Hubbard
and family rite soon
Direct your letter William D Smith
2nd Corps 3rd Div Hospital
Near gettysburg care of
Doctore Dwinelle
let you get Mr Hubbard
Direct it for you or father
No more at present from
your loving Husband William
D Smith
rite as soon as you
can good boy
send me a few postag stamps
if you have got them I have
got paper plenty
good Boy
Penselvenie July 12th Sunday 1863
My Dear wife I send you these few lines to
let you know I am well hoping this will find you
and the children the same I am in the same
place the are sending off all the wounded
as fast as the can from hear Mr Hubbard
I seen him thursday evning gorge he left hear
before he got hear he told me you was well and
children I walked some ways with him before
he left he told me he had some tobaco for
me in town and he would send it to me in
the morning so I heint seen it sinse nor herd
from him you kneed not rite to me untill I
tell you for I donth know how long I will be hear
but I will rite to you so you can tell
me how many letters I rote to you this makes
three I rote to sinse the battle whare the
regement is know I cant tell but I think
the are some plase in Mareyland when
we lave hear we will have to take the cars
to Baltimore then to frederick citey when we
are going to lave I cannot tell but as
[page 2 - blank]
[page 3]
soon as we leave I shall rite to you you must
keep up good courage and I will try to
look out for my self and familey the best
way I can I have know knews particular to
rite to you but I feel lonesome without
gorge I guess you will see him prety
soon for his father asked me if he could
get home I told he could for there is so
maney wounded about boltimore
that our boys will get to New haven
hospital the report hear yesterday that
the had a nother fight with lee at
South Mountain the govner of penselvenie
was hear yesterday and he told us boys that
when he left the ware drawn up in line
of battle and he herd some heavey
canoneding I am siting on a nold box
Sunday morning riting you these few lines
thinking how maney Sunday mornings that
I could have Enjoyed myself but I did
not think them days that the was my happey
days but I have had my eyes opened sinse
I left you if I am spared to get home
[page 4]
again I shall know how to prise a home
but I hope I shall for I should like to
be spared to Enjoy myself and you of
seeing what comfort we could have had
onley for that one thing but god has
been good to us both so we got to trust
in him for the futer hope on that is all
we can do I should like to have a letter
from you but the way I am know I cannot
get them but as soon as I get to the first
place that I can get a letter from you
I shall rite I shall rite to you to tell you
know how I am getting allong give my love
to father and family tell him Margret
has Margret herd from John yet I must
draw to a close hoping this will
find you and the children in good health
good boy for the present kiss the
children for me tell them to be
good children for me No more at
present from your loving Husband
William D Smith
our wounded boys are getting allong
first rate I mean our redgement
give me love to tom fliny
and familey
Camp on the Rapadan janury 8th
My dear wife I send you these few lines
to let you know that I am well hoping this
will find you and the children the same I
Received a letter and 2 papers with 2 plugs
of tobaco and a pair of mits that captain
lucas fetched to me dear wife the boys has
had a hard time of it sinse I rote to
you last the crossed the Repidan on Saturdy
in Water and mood up to there middle. it
twas awfull cold the went out skermishing all
day and when it come night the went to cook
Some Supper when the ball oppened the boys
Said that the never had sutch a hard fight
they johnnies was within 3 yards of them when
the cominced fighting generall hays ordered up
Some of the rest of the division but the
lay down so he damned them and he
Called for the 14th that he could depend
upon they boys did nobley the neaver done
So well before the lost in killed and wou[nded]
150 men of the old company B 1 wounded
James ingles in the G and 5 of the Subs
[page 2]
the lost the most in A and I and
D C you will see it in the papers but I
happened to be one of the luckey ones I went
on picket a friday morning there did know
one know of it that we was going to move
untill 5 oclock Saturday morning when the
orders come to get ready to move at 7 oclock
so I was out at general Kilpatricks on picket
with 11 more and a leutenant So there was
a mounted orderley came out and told
the leutenant that the core was going to move
and he was to take his twelve men into
camp and gard the Camp So when we
got in the boys was all moved it twas
about a mile from our camp whare
the had the fight we could see them of
the hill back of our camp in the night
you could see the shells burst and the flash
of there guns plain as aney thing our camp
[he]int but about 5 minutes walk from
the river. So the boys are all back g
again over the river evrey thing is Quit
[page 3]
again the went over to try what a force
the had there and when the went the found
plentey of them they say that the johneys
heint got know clothing and are on
half rations that is all grass the paper
may blow what the boys has seen of them
had a plenty of Rations and clothing
but the know a nuff not to atack
us we have to atack them all the time
and the are all fortified and plenty
of rifelpits when we have to take
the open field to atack them or we have
to cross rivers or something else I donth
belive but from the rapidan to Richmond
evrey hill and hole is fortified the Keep
them to work all the time there is some
more going home to enlist and ere 5
officers I sent the childrens likenesis
home by fred ny the locked pretty rusty
I had them in my brest pocket going
to getteysburg and I sweat so that I
got them all rust you kneed not
[page 4]
send t aney of them untill I get my Pay I
donth know but you will have to wate untill
the first of March Joseph Wibber and Neman
Crowell is all well when Joseph got back
he told me I was luckey this time he said he never
suffered so before in his life the was gone
2 days and a half it rained the most
of the time that the marc over the river
I have got a lot of suff newes to rite
to you but I cannot think of it know
dear wife there was 7 of the officers wives
Came to the camp a friday the Quarter
Master he went home on a furlow and
fitched them out so a saturday morning
there husbands had to go into the fight
the womon stood on the hill all day Saturday
locking a cross the river at them but thank
god there was none of the officers killed
there was 2 of them that had there wifes
wounded slightley there was one of our
Captains taken prisnor doton he was
from new britain Captain broach
got his finger ^bunged he may have to lose his
finger and he had his sword brock
he is going home in a day or two
but the 14th fo done nobley this time
Bell Plain December 4th 1862
Dear Father I rite you these few lines to let you
know how I am getting along hear It tiss about
time for me to rite to you but I have told jane
to let you know how I was getting allong I have
seen some hard timis sinse I have left home but
I neaver was so well in my life as I am at present
thank god soldgering is a hard life but it may
be they best thing that has happened to me if
I ever life through it and get home again I sall be
glad for it twill be a different home to me than what
it twas before Dear father we are going to have a great
battle at fredericksburg pretty soon they are bound to make
a stand theer they have got evrey thing fixed in good shape
their we should have a battle before this time onley for
general Burnside wanting for rations or supplies they
say that they Rebble force is 130,000 ^strong and they will
undoubtedly make a stand if we whip them hear
I think they are about played out but there will
be awfull slauther they have got a sight of
Earthworks around fredericksburg we can see them Quite plain
I donth mean our Regtment for we are within 6 miles
[page 2]
Of Fredericksburg working onloading provisions we
have been hear for they last ^2 weeks they men has to
go to work evrey morning of 5 oclock and some
times they have to work untill 8 at night but
but I have not for I have been sent about 2
miles ½ from they camp to gard a widdow
womans property from letting they soldgers hook
them there is 2 of us thear we have they best of eating
and we have not mutch to do know but we did
at they first they Cornell told us to shoot they
first man that came around they house at
night so they do not trouble us know I have
had one letter from david Since he left for
Eatton Allen I feel lonesome Joseph McCluskey
told me when he came from they hospital that
David would be along in about six weeks
so they next I herd from him he was worse I have
not herd from him know in 6 weeks only they
Captain told me he was going to get his discharge
Father if you was to see some of they boys know and
so and see how they lock you would pitty them
There is more than half of them sick I think
[page 3]
that there is not over 400 men fit for duty know
they have had a hard time of it sinse we left home
you folks at home doese not think what we poor
fellows has to suffer sleeping out doors in frost
and rain no bed to sleep on no change cloes
like plentey of them I am sick of it when
you lock at them officers Riding around on their
fast horses and there n*****s ridding to you ^it would
make you feel Bad they want this war to last
for ever if they can if they got they same pay
as a private and had to march all day this
war would son be settled it never will be settled
By fighting I do think for there is to maney makeing
money on it Dear father I have know particular
news to rite to you but I am well hoping this
will find you all the same you can hear
more news home about they war than we can
hear for sometimes there is papers comes allong
they charge 10 cents for them so I take none
of them Dear father I wish you would send
me they 4th-3th paper I should like them I want
to see what congress is going to do how
[page 4]
I wish you would let me no hou david is getting
allong and william maitland give my love to
mother and they children I rote two letters to Jane
last week excuse me for this time I shall let
you know how I am getting allong a little
oftener give my love to all enquiring frends
Rite soon as you can good night
your Son William D Smith
Co. B 14th Regt CV
Washington DC