Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
XI.1.2.2019.029.07 |
Collection |
Hazzard Family Collection |
Object Name |
Letter |
Title |
Letter from Thomas D. Hazzard to Joseph H. Hazzard |
Scope & Content |
Thomas Davis Hazzard writes to his brother from his encampment near Fort Monroe in Virginia. He thanks his brother for sending a package that included pills for an illness he has been experiencing. He talks about the camp's preparations for war, including arming the men, building batteries and an interesting comment about a balloon being filled with gas. This potentially refers to a hot air balloon being used by the Union Army. Hazzard tells his brother about the antics of his officer who has been scaring people around the camps. This letter ends with a poem about the Union which reflects the strong pro-Union stance that Hazzard insinuates throughout his letter. |
Dates of Creation |
July 25, [1861] |
Date |
July 25, [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. This letter was originally marked and labeled as later in the collection. Letter was moved to fit in chronological order, based on the location from which he is writing, the contents, the style of handwriting, the inclusion of a poem, the format, and the length this letter was most likely written by Hazzard in 1861. The full transcription of the letter is as follows: Camp Near Fortress Monroe July 25 [1861?] Dear Brother I now take my pen in hand to let you know that i receved [received] your letter on the 24th and today i receved [received] the Bundle you sent me and i am much oblige [obliged] for them thay [they] come verey [very] aceptial [exceptional] as thay [they] all come verey [very] usfuel [useful] the cloth cover is just what i neaded [needed] and the Bottle of stufe [stuff] you sent it will be a grait [great] eal [deal] of good to me the way i am afected [affected] is by having the cramp some times it drawrs [draws] me almost double i whent [went] to the hospital the other day and thay [they] give me somthing [something] for it and if i had been [frbling] i wold [would] have bet aney [any] amount that it was Boyling [Boiling] Warter [Water]. it give me some eas [ease], thear [there] is at present but about 250 men left in our camp thay [they] all left this morning with 4000 4 other Rigments [Regiments] for some other place and all of us men that is left behind are standen [standing] with all ready to strick [strike] our tents and leave at amoments [a moments] notice the reason i was left be hind [behind] is becaus [because] i was on guard last night. the Rebles [Rebels] kicked up some fun last night by [page break] burning something up a short distance frome [from] heare [here], and i think some of our armey [army] give them a brush be cause [because] while i was on post frome [from] 11 to 1, thear [there] was some sharpe [sharp] firing goein [going] on some whears [somewhere] alsow [also] the officers was called up and thay [they] got thir [their] orders and all night thear [there] was men carring [carrying] mesages [messages] frome [from] the fort to the head quarters of the difrent [different] Rigments [Regiments]. and this morning all the men that was f fitted out compleat [complete] with New Muskets and Rifles was called out fuley [fully] equiped [equipped] by ½ past 7 oclock and by 8 oclock thay [they] was on the march not knowen [knowing] whear [where] thay [they] was goen [going] to. things is getting so hot hear [here] that the men dos [does] not hardley [hardly] lay down to sleep the suaves [zouaves] is building a masked Batrey [Battery] in front of the large mill wich [which] has been our hospital sence [since] we have been hear [here] at this present momet [moment] theay [they] are getting ready to goe [go] up in a ballone [balloon] thay [they] are filling it with gass [gas] now or something els [else] it is about one Square frome [from] whear [where] i am setting. i have [page break] had the best meals [vitecles] that i have eat sence [since] i left home. i have got a new musket it is one of the finest kind of a musket and i tell you it is one of my grates [greatest] disires [desires] to keep my Ceothes [Clothes] Brasses and gun in order as it is a grate [great] eal [deal] in my favior [favor] and the same in all mens favior [favor] the United States Officer wich [which] is our Aguent [Agent] is playing fitts [fits] with both comishend [commissioned] and non comishend [noncommissioned] officers he makes the men eaven [even] the Coneral [Colonel] jump around he jumps at them and of all the noyes [noise] he makes it scares them that a jump clear of [off] the grownd [ground] i am now as happy and contented as aney Body [anybody] canbe [can be]. i tell you i was low sperited [spirited] by wrighen [writing] to you and to mother and i got no ancer [answer] i thought you all had for goten [forgotten] me. but i am contented now mother wrote to me the day befor [before] yesterday thay [they] was all whell [well] i belive [believe]. the kind of catrages [cartridges] we ues [use] now has one Ball and 3 Buck hot in them evry [every] man had from 30 to 40 rounds gave to them but i got 45 rounds so if the Rebles [Rebels] comes in reach of me i will give them [page break] a dose of pills that will eas [ease] them of thir [their] pain and save the sherif [sheriff] the trouble of haning [hanging] them i am alone now as thear [there] is but 9 of our companeys [companies] is left hear [here] and we have one good days rest for once on viginia [Virginia] Sacred Soyel [Soil]. i hope thes [these] fue [few] lines may find you and your famile [family] in good health i am in midlen [middling] good health at present Pleas [Please] to give my best Respects to ann [Ann] and to John Barrey and Receve [Receive] the same yourself. tell John to wright to me Dirict as befor wright scoon [soon] I remain your Brother Good By [Bye]Thomas. D. Hazzard Look up, look up. my Brother Take courage as ye see Upon the gates of morning Our banner floating free Oh banner of the morning Lead our victorious way Oh dawning bright with promise The nation waits thy day Fling out the flag, our Northern harts [hearts] Will fear nor deth [death], nor scars Not all the Rebles [Rebels] of the South Can beat the Stripes and stars i think some thing is to hapen [happen] to night [tonight] as the artilery [artillery] has come up by our camp and thay [they] are waiting for dark to come i gess [guess] wacth [watch] the Papers |
Extent of Description |
1 leaf, 10.125" x 8" |
Relation |
Show Related Records... |
Condition |
Good |
Condition Notes |
Overall, letter is in good condition. Slight discoloration throughout, especially on the middle section of the right side of the first page. There some ink staining on top of last page. The letter contains three fold lines, one in the vertical center and two splitting it horizontally into thirds. There is some discoloration along the fold lines and some of the text on the fold lines in slightly faded. |
Legal Status |
Owned by The Union League Legacy Foundation. |
Multimedia Files |
Click here to view the full transcription of the Hazzard Family Letters Collection. |
People |
Hazzard, Thomas Hazzard, Joseph |
Search Terms |
Hazzard Family Collection Fort Monroe |