Archive Record

Images

1 of 1977

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Metadata

Catalog Number

XI.1.2.2019.029.08

Collection

Hazzard Family Collection

Object Name

Letter

Title

Letter from Thomas D. Hazzard to Joseph H. Hazzard

Scope & Content

Thomas D. Hazzard writes to his brother from his encampment outside of Washington D.C. He recounts the delay in pay, needing to be sworn in a second time as to commit to 3 years of service instead of 3 months, and the poor food. He also describes going into Washington D.C. and marching past the White House to be reviewed by President Abraham Lincoln. He fills many lines of this letter with complaints about the heat. Hazzard recounts being put under arrest for missing roll call. He had to sleep in the grass and was kept under guard for the night.

Dates of Creation

August 9, 1861

Date

August 9, 1861

Notes

This letter is addressed to "Brother." All of Thomas D. Hazzard's letters are addressed to "Brother," in reference to Joseph H. Hazzard

The full transcription of the letter is as follows:

1861
Camp Near Washington Augs 9th
Dear Brother
I again take my pen in hand to let you know that i receved [received] your letter posted on the 8th i had been looking for one from you for som [some] days. you spok [spoke] of making it knowing to the Coneral [Colonel] about our grub it wold [would] be of as much use to talk to a stone the men has complaned [complained] to him evry [every] day or tow [two]. this is a healthey [healthy] place so far as i know of it we have not more than 50 names on the sick list. As for as the water is consered [concerned] we have as good water as we had home. I have heard much about our being clear when our 3 monthes [months] is up the new men that have joyned [joined] our Rigment [Regiment] sence [since] we left New York was called up the other day to be swore [sworn] in again some 200 men wold [would] not sware [swear] in again so thay [they] was put all along the fence and a gard [guard] placed over them. thear [there] had been some fuss about our pay our Muster or pay Roall [Roll] i mean has been sent back from the pay master the Reason this last time was be caus [because] it was headed 3 years walentears [volunteers] they said it must be headed 3 monthe [month] walenteares [volunteers] be caus [because] we have not been swore [sworn] in again for we was swore [sworn] in befor [before] it be
[page break]
come [become] a lawr [law] for all them swore [sworn] in befor [before] the 4 of july is for 3 monthes [months] unless so we will have to be swor [sworn] in a gain [again] this i got from the seargent [sergeant] of our companey [company] who is our Captains Cheark [Clerk] you wanted to know how i am getting along whell [well] i will tell you how i am getting along i am injoying [enjoying] good health at present we still continue to get short Rations and i beleve [believe] we never will get mor [more] while we have the same officers one thing that comes bad is i have no tobackoe [tobacco] and can not [cannot] get aney [any] eather [either] and i wold [would] give my grub for tobacko [tobacco] you wanted to know how i like washington i have sawr [saw] verey [very] little of it all i sawr [saw] was one day we whent [went] up to the capitol and pased [passed] up som [some] other street to the white house to be revued [reviewed] by the Presedent [President] we pased [passed] in one gate and out of the other back to our camp that is all i have saw of washington as we are not alowed [allowed] to goe [go] out side [outside] a sertan [certain] line marked out but what i have saw i like verey [very] well i wold [would] like to spend one week in looking around this City. you wanted to know how i like my Captain i like him puty [pretty] whell [well] he is not with the companey [company] 2 in a week and when he dos [does] come he allways [always] junps [jumps] around and pulles [pulls] out his Revolver and runs the men around
[page break]
like dogs some he struck in the face, i am verey [very] sorrey [sorry] to hear that the warm whether [weather] dos [does] not agree with little John i am alsow [also] sorrey [sorry] to hear that your work is so slack. i have not got a letter from mother this week i got one last week she said she wold [would] wright [write] on sunday again but i have not got it yet at last accounts [accounts] thay [they] was all well. i beleve [believe] william had not got work yet. you said Harey Hathaney [?] had left the Boston i onley [only] wish i had been in his place i wold [would] have held on till this war was over. you said John Barry would wright [write] somtime [sometime] i have been looking for one from him. Gilbert is verey [very] whell [well] at present. you spoke of it being hot in your city the other day the thomerter [thermometer] was 137 Degrees in the tents so you may know how hot it is down hear [here] one of the men that drives the wagones [wagons] sayid [said] he never saw so maney [many] pepole [people] sun struck in his ligfe [life] as he did day befor [before] yesterday in the city. if we was down south further i dont know what we wold [would] do. just a fue [few] minets [minutes] agoe [ago] Conl [Colonel] Smalls Rigiment [Regiment] pased [passed] our camp for a place called Bladenburg 4 miles from our camp whear [where] thay [they] are hot Rebles [Rebels]. such a hard and dirty set of men i never laid my eyes on
[page break]
all hands was drunk one of them shot one of the Drivers of thir [their] wagons about 1 mile from our camp and killed him on the spot. thay [they] had some of the lowest looking women i ever sawr [saw] in my life with them. i was put under arest [arrest] for the first time last thay [they] come and woak [woke] me with 10 or 12 others about ½ past 12 oclock last night for missing Roall [Roll] call yesterday after noon [afternoon] thear [there] was about 60 and mor [more] thay [they] put us out in the grass to sleep and kept a guard over us untill [until] 8 oclock this morning so in place of loseing [losing] aney thing [anything] we got clear of Drilling this morning we have plenty of drill now som [some] days 8 Hours and some 10 Hours so you may know what kind of work we have, i have just eat the Best meal of grub that i have had sence [since] we left Philad [Philadelphia] it consist-ed of 2 spones [spoons] full of rice 1 of molasses 1 pint of Coffee and about 3 oz of Bread it makes a fellow feal [feel] whell [well] to get somthing [something] extray [extra] for we have had nothing but Bread and coffee and salt meat as fat as pure lard that is for dinener [dinner] and Bread and coffey [coffee] for Brakfast [Breakfast] and super. Once a week Rice and once Beans soyou [so you] may know how strong we all feal [feel]. Our Cooks are a goeing [going] in to the city for to sell a lot of of at meat
pork and Beef. i will now draw to a close by sending any Best Respects to you and famile [family] and to all the friends i hope thes [these] fue [few] lines may find you and famile [family] in good health as iam [i am] in good health no more
Good By [Bye]
Your Brother
Thomas D. Hazzard
the salt meat is braking [breaking] out
in little pimples on
all hands of us
Dirict [Direct] As befor [before]

Extent of Description

1 leaf, 10.1" by 8"

Relation

Show Related Records...

Condition

Good

Condition Notes

Overall, letter is in good condition. The leaf of paper contains three fold lines, one in the center and two splitting it horizontally into thirds. There is slight discoloration along the fold lines and along the edges of the paper. There are a couple creases in the paper on the left side running vertically. Otherwise, this letter is in very good condition.

Legal Status

Owned by The Union League Legacy Foundation.