Civil War Letters

Civil War Letters
16 Civil War Letters And War Related Documents Of Captain Richard Carter, Company C, 2d Wisconsin Infantry, And Later 5th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment, Dating From June 30th 1861 To Sept. 24th 1865. ALL CREDIT CARDS WILL BE MANUALLY VERIFIED PRIOR TO SHIPMENT. Earliest Letter, Dated June 30th, 1861 Relates To His Brother The Apprehension Felt By Union Troops In Passing Through Baltimore On "Our Famous Night March Through The City" After The Recent Baltimore Riot, Or Pratt Street Riot. He Writes "We Reached Baltimore About Dusk... My Hand Was Never Far From My Revolver And My Eyes Sure All Around Me As We Were Told In Every Place, Even In Baltimore That The Aristocracy Were Secessionists As Were Also The Police Force, But With The Exception Of A Few Little Girls, No Demonstration Hostile To Me Was Offered... Some Of Them Hollered Hurrahs For Jeff [Jefferson] Davis And Hissed Me." Mentions Arrest Of George P. Kane, And A Conversation He Had With A Man Who "Said He Voted For Old Abe, [Who] Said That On the 22nd Of April He Had To Call The Police To Defend His Shop Against The Mob." Next Document Titled State Journal August 7th 1861, Describes Richard Carter And His Brother George B. Carter Running To The Aid Of A Man Named Stevenson In Bravely Refusing To Furl The Flag Following The Union Defeat At The First Battle Of Bull Run (First Manassas). Lot Includes The Papers Appointing Richard Carter As Quarter Master's Sergeant Of The 5th Wisconsin On March 21st 1862, Signed By Colonel Amasa Cobb. Letter Dated July 27th 1862, After The Failure Of The Union Peninsula Campaign, Sent From A Camp Near Hamson's Landing Va." All is quiet above board. What is brewing just beneath the surface ready to force itself through some pressure to overwhelm us by its suddenness and force God only can know...This morning the Col. told me (confidentially) he expects a leave in a day or so to recruit his regiment... Clark says you are, immediately upon receipt of this letter, to go to Lancaster with your gun and Jessie and he will assist you to destroy some ammunition notwithstanding the law." Two Letters Dated Aug. 30th 1862, Addressed To His Brother And Sister, Respectively, Following The Second Battle Of Bull Run (Second Manassas) In Which He Writes: "The Army of the Potomac has again changed its base. Ordered from Harrison's Landing where we performed all th arduous duties of an army before an enemy during picket duty.... You will perceive I like the change. It transfers us to active scenes again... It points toward a policy I would like to have seen months ago. viz. the concentration of our forces. Hitherto our policies have been to divide our army to scatter it... We now have within striking distance The Army of Virginia, the Army of the Potomac, and the Army of the Mountains. A vast army not too large nor too soon massed. The Rebels have massed a powerful army in our front to prove their immense superiority in number it is only necessary to state that even after Burnside. The Corps of McClellan's army have joined him with some troops from the Mountains Department, he was compelled to fall back. the Rebels have held in the last week Manassas, Centreville, but they are now in our position as I have seen cars once lost brought in to day. Reports are rife of great victories on our side today, but I will hold opinion until truth can be obtained... Our Corps left here yesterday and morning and marched to Annandale... Firing did not cease until long after dark tonight- Should it open again in the morning I think our Corps will be within supporting distance... Boys from G.D.2nd report O'Connor killed in action, some companies badly cut up... Captain Bentley in Command, well when they left. I have faith in repulsing the Rebels at Menassas [and] forcing them to fall back. Should Pope do it alone. I hope he may... Bill, the war has lost it's charms. I am disgusted. Bickerings between Generals, appointments for political ends, the aristocracy caused by rank, made by pieces of parchment... Should I ever reach home I should be ashamed to acknowledge as an acquaintance one half of our officers... Sunday Aug. 31st- Raining. No cannonading heard this morning. I go to the front for orders. Rumor says Jackson has escaped..." Letter dated Oct. 1st 1862 Begins With Carter's Heated Complaints About His Commanding Ofiicers, Lamenting The "almost idiots in position above [him]" and his present difficulties in being promoted to a higher position despite "vacancies recurring daily in this Regiment." He further writes " You talk of the Maryland Campaign, its defeats and victories, and hardly know to which side of the ledger to place the debt. With you I was greatly surprised at the celerity with which our immense army was massed and handled. It reflected great credit on McClellan... The blow was sudden. It was Severe. You ask with asperity, and not without cause, 'Why was Harper's Ferry surrendered?' My Dear Brother... When our Government is satisfied with one trial that a man is a traitor, such disgraceful scenes as the surrender of Harper's Ferry and Mumfordville will cease to be... There were troops enough in Harper's Ferry to have held it three days against the combined Rebel Army. We had the Rebels in too tight a box. With the capture or demolition of the whole Rebel Army the close of the war would be hastened [and] salaries would suddenly cease. Oh! These Generals don't want the war to end. Our Corps though in the hottest part of the fight suffered but little. My opinion is the Rebels intend to make their inward into Maryland a permanent campaign. It was, in fact, to them a military necessity. They expected to meet a broken, dispirited, disorganized army- they met a most stubborn, obstinate resistance [and] were forced to abandon their Set design, the 'deliverance of My Maryland'. They fell a good many thousand of recruits short of their expectations. We had them in a most glorious trap, through treachery the most vile, they succeeded in escaping. What will be the next move on the checker board I know not... Hancock is now in command of Richardson's Division [and] we have a new General C.E. Pratt, formerly Col. 31st N.Y. Much more gentlemanly in his actions than Hancock." Letter Dated Nov. 22nd 1863, After The Battle of the Rappahannock Station. "You asked for some incidents of the battle... Just as we were leaving the woods to make the charge, I went to Dr. Dan's who was talking to Captain Walker. I told the Dr. there was a possibility I might be killed or surely wounded in the charge and I'd thank him to take your address and if I should be killed or severely wounded to telegraph if he could, to you. He said he'd do it. I turned to Walker and said jocularly ''Tis well enough Captains to make such arrangements, there's a bare possibility that either of us may be killed.' I never saw him so pale. He had taken out a card while I was speaking and was writing on it. 'Tis well enough but unnecessary as I think the rebel bullet was never moulded that can kill me.'... In half an hour he was dead... When we commenced the charge I had not the slightest idea we were going to storm the works. It was near dark. We were marching in line of battle with guns unloaded and the Colonel had no idea of an attack, I should judge, for without loading he gave orders to stack arms... Not a word was spoken of what we were to do and many of us had no idea until the command 'double quick' was given... The first shot fired at us after we started to charge wounded a Sergeant of our Co. close by me, on, on we went men falling around us until we reached the foot of the works. Here I saw Gen. Russell, Col. Allen, Capt. Packard... and Adjt. Bennett on horseback close to the works urging men in. That was the excess of bravery. 'Fill up the pits' was the cry. I dashed into the fort as soon as I could and took a hasty survey of the situation. 'Twas so dark I couldn't see whether the for was a redoubt or a regular fort. I could see the bridge and that we enfiladed it at a short range. I immediately decided all around me to fire at it to prevent the rebels crossing. [As] did all the officers around me. Meantime the Rebel fire at the corner of the fort where we were standing was as hot as any fire I ever witnessed, musketry. It behoved me to seek shelter while exposing ourselves could benefit no one, besides we were all too tired to stand so we got behind the works. Our work was done. We had taken the works and our duty now was to hold them. The enemy were menacing our right flank where we should have been supported by the 119th [and the] 49th Pa. The 49th came up pretty well but the 119th did nothing and hid behind bushes and could not be rallied. Gen. Russell said to Col. Ellmarks Col. your Reg. is not worth a da..m... Capt. Packard said o a few of us the other day if the 119th had done their work as well as the rest of the Regts. there would have ben no need of sending for the 2nd Brigade and we might have had all the credit. He said 'I guess the rebels will be willing to let our Brigade alone a while'... Letter Dated Dec. 4th 1863, Just After The Mine Run Campaign, references Ulysses Grant and The The Chattanooga Campaign "Dear Bill, another Campaign has closed and one of the worst I have ever experienced. We broke camp the morning of the 26th Thanksgiving Day. And a truly grand Thanksgiving day it proved to us. Just as we left a telegram was read from Grant announcing his successes. We crossed the Rapidan at a ford above German's Mill and rested on the opposite bank... toward night some very sharp musketry announced in our immediate front. We were marched out about two miles where we came close to the firing when we loaded and were ordered in on the double quick. We ran about a mile through bursting shell in which our Col. was thrown and badly hurt... till we reached a position immediately in the rear of our Battery where an occasional shell burst over us. The Third Corps behaved badly until our Brigade came up when they became more cheered and drove the enemy... we [were] ordered on the front line where we lay until one A.M. Saturday when we were marched by a circuitous route to Robertson's Tavern where we arrived about day break. All this time without sleep... we reached a position on the [illegible] Fredericksburg Pike. Here we took up position in the "Wilderness" and rightly named. An almost impenetrable thicket of scrub pines. During all the morning the rain had fallen quite hard... Remember we have no covering or shelter save what we carry on our backs on such campaigns... Monday long before dawn we were awakened and our Regiment and the 49th Pa. were marched off to the right and the manner of marching indicated a close proximity to the enemy... After a while we got in a small ravine and lay down. Several shells burst over our Co. One struck our Orderly on the back of the head severing several locks of hair and cutting holes through his rubber blanket on the top of his knapsack. The Captains [and] my feet were within a few feet of his head. As soon as they stopped shelling we marched into a piece of woods, close to the left of the battery. The intention was for the Fifth Corps supported by our Second Division and the first and Second Brigades of our Division to charge their works while we were to support the Battery. It was however abandoned...I was sent out on picket in our front where I had a fine view of the enemy's works and of them at work on them. They are truly formidable. A Creek separated us 'Minnie Run' and that was impassable by reason of swamps... That night our Reg. was withdrawn to its old place and our pickets left unsupported. About eleven o'clock an aid withdrew our pickets without relieving us thus leaving a line of upwards of a mile in length without any pickets. Such is the Generalship of the Army of the Potomac... That nights march was the hardest I ever experienced. 'Twas fearfully [cold] and for the first four or five miles we did not march faster than one mile in two hours. Our men nearly froze. I walked and slept, would stagger like a drunken man against trees. About daylight we crossed the Rapidan... Our men most of them had been out of rations a day already, and no show for more. Soon we started and after marching two or three miles encamped in line to act as rear guard for the army. There the whole Regiment were out of rations... and had about ten miles to walk to camp... we were not able to procure any rations until next morning but had a little flour in the mess chest. So ended the most remarkable campaign in many respects the Army of the Potomac ever saw... In respect to the matter contained in your letter. I was very sorry to hear of your being drafted. You say if you are not exempt on account of your lameness you will pay the 300$. Can you? Bill, I want you to procure a substitute or pay the 300$ should there be the least possibility of you being held. I am willing to contribute 300$ to keep you from going... I mean what I say. Don't trust chance too much. Take time by the forelock. The very idea of you going makes me nervous... P.S. Tell Miss Hodge she must not be angry at my pleasantry. Herewith I send you a paper containing an account of our Rappahannock Fight which you may get published." Following Are Two Copies Of An Article Titled "The Battle Of Rappahannock Station By Judge J.S. Anderson, which give special acknowledgement to the 5th Wisconsin. Also includes Letter Dated Dec 14th 1863, Sent from Amasa Cobb in Washington D.C. to Richard Carter "My Dear Dick, I have been with the [illegible] bureau today. You cannot be appointed in that [illegible] just now but no doubt can be before long. The reason is that the indifference is given to those who are disabled or by wounds [illegible] in battle are at present application based on disability from action...apply an account of wounds received in... and Northern Georgia It is the advice of the chief of the bureau that you have your papers made out and sent in immediately and let it be filed and await such time and such class of [illegible]. I think upon the whole I would advise this course, And I herewith enclose a letter of instruction as a form. There is no such thing as an officer being transferred to the [illegible] your resignation no doubt would be accepted but I dont think that I would resign. Please write me [illegible] and often. My respects to all in the Regiment who you think would care to hear from me. Amasa Cobb." Official Doctor's Note Dated March 8th 1864 "Lieut. Richard Carter Of the 5th Regiment of Wis. having applied for a certificate on which to account for absence. I do hereby certify that I have carefully examined this officer and find that he is suffering from Diphtheria. And that of consequence thereof, he is in my opinion unfit for duty. I further declare my belief that he will not be able to resume duty for a period of fifteen days. Dated at Washington D.C." Letter Dated August 7th 1865 Addressed to Brig. Gen. L. Thomas in Which Richard Carter States That He Has A Leave of Absence of Twenty Days And Permission to Apply For An Extension. Latest Letter Dated September 24th 1865, Savannah Georgia. "Dear Bill, Have not written you before because I have not had time or opportunity. Reached Cincinnati in due time and Gen. now L.Col. Slemmer of Fort Pickens fame gave me an order to rejoin my command. I immediately started by the Str. 'United States' for Louisville...Reached Nashville Saturday evening...without seeing anyone in Nashville except Brit. Major Wells A.Q.M. Reached Chattanooga that same evening in company with Gen Wilder and stopped at the far famed Crutchfield House where by the way I should have been eaten alive by mosquitos...At Macon I received a dispatch ordering me to report to Augusta at once for assignment to duty at Savannah... Started for Savannah Tuesday last on the U.S.S. Gen. Shipley. She grounded on a bar just below Augusta and I got on the 'Falcon'. She grounded about 5 miles below the city but got off but [illegible] both rudders just below the obstructions. I got on the 'Amazon'. After traveling a few miles on her she broke both wheels and while tied up the 'Falcon' passed us but did not stop... After several other accidents she got aground about 30 miles above Savannah and I came down yesterday...All well here...Affectionately Your Brother, Richard Carter." This Collection Also Includes Documents Marked Annual Report of Richard Carter Capt. + A.Q.M. July 1st 1864. From "Office A.Q.M. Forage Dept. Chattanooga Tenn. Nov 22nd 1864" Addressed "Brig. Maj. Gen. M.C. Meigs. Q.M. General U.S.A. Washington D.C. In Compliance with the requirements of Gen. Orders No.29 of July 6th..I have the honor to report that I was not assigned to duty in the Quartermaster's Department until...June 3oth 1864. I entered the service of the United States April 13th 1861, at which time the Governor of the State of Wisconsin sent me into the South western part of the state to recruit. Was mustered into the U.S. Service in the early part of June 1861 as Orderly Sergeant C. Co. 2nd Reg. Wis. Vol. Infy. At the request of the Col... being a musician I was transferred to the Reg. Band... On the3rd of July same year passed into Virginia and encamped nearly a mile in advance of Fort Corcoran. On about the 13th day of July we broke Camp and marched for Fairfax C.H. The Brigade to which we were attached was commanded by Brig. Gen. W. T. Sherman, the Division by Brig. Gen. Tyler and the expedition by Maj. Gen. I. McDowell. Our March somewhat impeded by obstacles...Passing to the right of Fairfax C.H. our column passed through the village of Germantown where we found the enemy who fled [hurriedly] at our approach. The next day we passed through Centreville and found the enemy in force at Blackburn Ford where we had a smart engagement... Repulsed, we fell back to Centreville... About 1 o'clock A.M. of Sunday we broke camp and marched for Bull Run. At 6;20 A.M. the battle was opened in our immediate front by a 32 pounder Parrott. Soon the battle became general resulting in our falling hurridly back through Centreville and Fairfax C.H. to Fort Corcoran. In the retreat- our Colorbearer having been wounded and the guard dispersed- the colors became separated... with no one but the bearer- Stephenson of 'C' Co. with them... The Rebel Cavalry closing around him, S. refused to furl the flag- My brother Geo. B. Carter and myself joined him and around the flag as a nucleus we gathered sixty men from different Regts. mostly from our own. Twice I turned the command over to commissioned officers, the first time the officer permitted them to disband... We lay in camp several weeks without any Reg. Commander- our Field officers having all deserted us... The 1st of Nov. the Reg. Band was disbanded and being discharged, I went home. On the 21st day of March 1862 I went to Washington D.C. and re-enlisted in the Fifth Wis. Vols. was appointed Q.M. Sergt- Joined the Reg. at Flint Hill Va. On the 22nd we embarked for Fortress Monroe... On the 4th day of April we broke Camp and commenced the march up the Peninsula. Had a slight skirmish with the enemy at - Mills- followed him past Warwick C.H. until we found him in some force at Lee's Mills- Here we lay... until the morning of the 4th of May when we were agreeably surprised to find the enemy had evacuated the strong line of works...we immediate followed and overtaking the enemy at his line of works at Williamsburg - we attacked and were held at bay until night fell... The enemy having evacuated during the night we lay for several days resting... Thence we marched via Cold Harbor to the Chickahominy. Soon after the battle of Fair Oaks we crossed the Chickahominy and formed the extreme right army on the South side of the river. On the 26th of June retrograde movement commenced, Gen. Fitz John Porter's defeat compelled us to appear in line on the defensive- Then followed the seven days retreat- the battle of Savage Station, White Oak Swamp... in nearly all of which we participated. At Hamson's Landing we lay until the 16th of August 1862, when we marched to Fortress Monroe. Embarked on the Steam Packet Arago for Alexandria... lay in camp near a week when we commenced the forward movement to support Gen. Pope.- marching nine miles- to Annandale- the first day and next reached Centreville to find the Army in retreat on that place... On the 6th of September passed through Georgetown for Maryland... until we met the enemy at Crampton's Pass in the S. Mts- Took the pass- captured... few prisoners and passed through. Camped in Pleasant... until the morning of the battle of Antietam...While at Hagerstown was promoted to 2nd Lieut. 'I' Co. 5th Wis. Vol. Infy Oct. 1st 1864- mustered to date from Nov. 1st 1864. Owing to severe sickness was unable to rejoin my command until March 10th 1864. Was tried by Military Commission of which Brig. Gen Torbet was Pres- for absence without leave- was honorably acquitted... April 28th broke camp and marched to the Rappahannock. Our command was the 'Light Division' Brig. Gen. C. E. Pratt Com'd'g- That night our Div. lay a pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock over which the 2nd Div. 6th Corps- May1st crossed the river on picket duty. May 2nd acted as Picket Reserve. Toward night we advanced and drove the enemy's picket to the Railroad, our loss slight. May 3rd marched into Fredericksburg about daylight. Were soon deployed at the base of the hill in charging column compound of the five Regts of our Division... At about 11 A.M. we advanced to the charge. When about at point blank range I fell with musket ball through my hip- slight wound but enough to stop me - We took the hights- Was carried to the Hospital at Frederickburg... there being no officer with the Co. I returned on the 9th of May... May 12th received commission as 1st Lieutenant of the Co. June were drawn from picket line and sent to join the Brigade across the Rappahannock... On the 13th took up line of march to Potomac Creek...and crossed the Potomac at Edward's Ferry June 27th... striking the Br Q.R.R. at Mount Airy. Thence on the Westminster Pike through Sensville, Westminster, Germantown, and Manchester... 1st of July when we broke camp and marched for Westminster. Thence across the Pa. line- Littletown- thence to Gettysburg. Reached Gettysburg on the 2nd of July and were immediately thrown forward- were soon moved to the extreme left and formed the extreme left of the army. On the 5th started in pursuit of the enemy overtook him near Fairfield and had a slight skirmish. Passed on the 6th through Emmetsville in pursuit. On the 7th passed in pursuit through Mechanictsown... Here we crossed the mountain for the hardest marching I ever experienced... moved in the direction of Hagerstown on the 10th as far as the Antietam. Passed through Funkstown a few hundred yards. Here we had a slight skirmish with the enemy, capturing 33 prisoners- On the 14th found the enemy had left and followed them to Williamsport...On the 25th marched from White Plains [and] to New Baltimore and Warrenton- Ordered to Washington on the 28th to receive medical treatment, suffering from effects of wound. About the middle of Oct. rejoined my Brig. near Warrenton... On the 7th day of November w advanced and found the enemy in force at Rappahannock Station. We charged the position with our Brigade and carried it. Thence we marched to Brandy Station where we lay until... we crossed the Rappahannock at Ely's Crossing. Found the enemy on the next day fighting with Gen. French's Corps- were sent to their support- After night we moved to Robertson's Tavern- we then moved forward to Mine Run. The 49th Pa. and our reg. the 5th Wis. supported Battery under one of the hottest Artillery fires I ever witnessed. About the 1st of Deceber we returned to our camps where we lay until...the 4th of May. The next day after we crossed the Rapidan we fought the battle of the Wilderness- When the right of the army was rolled back our Division Reg. was the first on the right to withstand the shock. Then followed the battle between that position and Spotsylvania C.H. At Spotsylvania I was taken sick, still suffering from the result of my wound, and sent to Washington... where my appointment as A.Q.M. was confirmed by the Senate... In consequence of which I have the honor to report that my report for the year ending June 30th 1864 does not require the use of statements A, B, or C." Direct Provenance, Part of the Richard Carter Collection. Handed Down Directly to His Family, These Items Come From His Great Great Granddaughter.