1862 Civil War Soldier Letter 72nd New York C. H. Miller KIA @ Williamsburg
Offered here is an interesting Civil War soldier letter written by Private Charles H. Miller, who was only eighteen years old when he wrote this letter on February 9, 1862, served in Company D of the 72nd New York Volunteers , a regiment in the famous Excelsior Brigade , which saw action on the Peninsula as part of General Joseph Hooker's hard-fighting division of the III Corps. Stationed on the Maryland side of the Potomac River at the time, Miller wrote about the process of building roads through the muddy region.
He also discussed Rebel cannon firing upon Union ships steaming upriver toward Washington City. Sadly, Miller would be killed on May 5 during his regiment's first major engagement, the Battle of Williamsburg. After a long delay I seat myself to answer your welcome letter which I rec'd some time ago but I have actually been so busily engaged in making road. So (as it is very muddy here) that I have hardly had time to do anything. The way we make roads here is to cut brush and put in the road and then lay poles on top and cover the poles with dirt.
In this way we have built some five miles of road. I say we: I mean different companys in the brigade. One day perhaps our company and another one of the Regt will go and work and then two more and so on throughout the brigade.There is nothing of importance agoing on here at present. Every thing is quiet along the Potomac except an occasional bim of the enemys cannon a practicing on our vessels as they pass up and down the stream; but this has got to be an old story and we hardly notice it. I recd a letter from Uncle Sim the other day with the startling news of the death of Ann Jenette Montgomery. It don't seem possible to me that it be so. When I left I never saw a person more healthy than she but she is gone to a world of Eternal bliss and glory.
I shall never forget her kindness to me while I lived with her. And when I came away little did think that I would never se her again, but time is uncertain and life a great deal more so.
I recd a box of goods from Silver Creek with the following articles. Two woolen shirts, two pairs of socks, two pair of woolen drawers, a comforter, a can of butter and a can of preserved Blackberries, two rolls of jell cake and some cookies and five lbs.
Of chewing tobacco with some other little articles which comes in play. The last thing that Nette done was to put up the berries and butter and every mouthful I eat it seemed as I were eating of her last good wishes to me.
Now as I have not much to write you must excuse a short letter. I wrote a letter to Francis today. I recd one from him the 5th. He said that he was well and enjoying himself first rate. It is very muddy here now there being no snow. There has not been an inch of snow here this winter and what we have had did not stay on more than two days at a time. But I must close hoping you will excuse pencil marks and all other deficiencies that you see in this letter. And remember you affectionate Son. The letter is written on all four pages of a standard 5" x 8" bifolium stationery sheet with a decorative "The War for the Union" motif.The paper is in very good sturdy condition, not stiff, and not particularly delicate even at the folds. Two horizontal creases with very shallow tears along the edge at the fold (about 1/2).
Very little other wear to edges and corners. Legible handwriting throughout, though it was written in pencil so it is on the lighter side. Includes decorated cover shown, addressed to Miller's father in Wyoming County, New York. Please see my other items for more interesting Civil War letters, documents, and images, including a April 1862 letter written by this same soldier.
The item "1862 Civil War Soldier Letter 72nd New York C. Miller KIA @ Williamsburg" is in sale since Friday, November 24, 2017. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\Civil War (1861-65)\Original Period Items\Correspondence, Mail". The seller is "iron-horse-sales" and is located in Champaign, Illinois. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Russian federation, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Dominican republic, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, El salvador, Honduras, Jamaica.