Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
1805.044.01.05 |
Collection |
Moore Letters |
Object Name |
Letter |
Title |
Letter from Will Moore to his Brother |
Scope & Content |
Will Moore writes a letter to his brother, informing him that they left Camp Ramsey and marched through Washington to his camp near Tennallytown at Fort Pennsylvania. He is not fully recovered since his last Hospital visit and as such did not have to carry his knapsack on the march. He goes on to describe the surprisingly unglamorous life of a soldier; mostly building forts and digging ditches. He marks that he is still "not sorry that I have taken up arms in [defense] of my country." Will entered the army with the resolve to fight if needed and may soon need to as his unit is under marching orders and may get ordered out in about a week. As he closes the letter, he recalls that he had some photographs taken while in his uniform in Washington that he will send along to his family. |
Dates of Creation |
September 28, 1862 |
Date |
September 28, 1862 |
Notes |
The full transcription for this letter is below: Camp Addicks Near Tennallytown Sept [September] 28th 1862 Dear Brother I received mothers letter a few days since, and was glad to hear that you were all well as commor [can be], since I wrote last we have moved as I suppose you have heard before this, We struck tents at Camp Ramsey on last Fri-day week, about 9 o clock, and started for - we know not whare [where], we marched through Washington, and [Georgetown] [and] took the road leading to Tennally-town, and reached our presant [present] location at 7 o clock P M march-ing a distance of about 8 miles. The Captain told me to put my knapsack in the waggon [wagon], haveing [having] [PAGE BREAK] just came out of the Hospital, and it was well I did, for I am well satisfied that I could not have kept up under it, several gave out, and had to have their knapsack carried, We are at presant [present] encamped one miles west of Tennallytown, in sight of Fort Pennsylvania, whare [where] the Pennsylvania Reserves were encamped last winter, our camp is near the line of betwen [between] the District of Columbia & Maryland, by walking a few yards we are in Maryland, I suppose you will want to know how I like being a soldier by this time, well I will tell you Joe, any one [anyone] that goes sol-diering for the fun of the thing gets sadley [sadly] mistaken, if all are [PAGE BREAK] of my mind. still I am not sor-ry that I have taken up arms in defen [defense] of my country, for Amuse-ment, we are marched out at seven o clock, and with - not muskets - but shovels in our hands we are kept at work till [until] twelve, we are engaged in the delightful occupation of buil-ding Forts, we are at presant [present] building Fort Mansfield, quite a good sized fort, for an earth-work, we have to dig a large ditch around, and through throw the [dirt] to make the [breast] work, It is pretty hard work, I did not think that we would have to go to building Forts so soon, I exp-ected [sterner] work, but it may come soon enough, as we are under marching orders, but do not know how soon we may [PAGE BREAK] start, possiably [possibly] not for a week, but I care not how soon we go for I am tired of working on forts, I entred [entered] the Army, with a full knol-ede [knowledge] of the peril of my country, my mind fully made up to fight, and do my share in quelling the rebellion, but our turn may come soon enough. tell mother that I had some Photographs taken in my uniform in Washington, but I do not think it very good, I will send you one, there is some prospect of a man comeing [coming] to the Regt [Regiment] with his instruments if so I will have some more taken. tell mother she can have a [large] Photograph taken from the one I first sent home, how I would like to look in at home to night [tonight], it is a splendid moonlight night, the same moon that looks on us, looks on the loved ones at home, I have been thinking much of home to night [tonight], and thinking wether [whether] I should ever see you all again, let us all hope for the best, |
Extent of Description |
1 leaf, 7.6" x 9.9" |
Relation |
Show Related Records... |
Condition |
Fair |
Condition Notes |
Letter written in pencil. Folded vertically in half and then folded horizontally into thirds. The crease cutting the page in half is discolored slightly darker than the rest of the paper. There are small tears along the top and bottom crease of the middle vertical fold cutting the paper in two. There are significant stains and smudges on the first page, especially along the creases and on the left edge there is much spotting. Spotting on the lower right edge as well. The second page has some smudges along the lower third crease, the third page has light spotting near the top, middle, and bottom left, and the last page has some dark spots in the upper center and lower right. |
Legal Status |
On loan from the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia. |
Multimedia Files |
Click here to view the full transcription of the Moore Letters Collection. |
People |
Moore, Will Moore, Joe |
Search Terms |
Moore Letters Camp Ramsey Fort Mansfield Fort Pennsylvania Tennallytown, MD Washington, D.C. |