Archive Record

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1 of 1977

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Metadata

Catalog Number

XI.1.2.2019.029.16

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 with the Union Army at Poolesville, Maryland. This letter displays his feelings of loyalty and devotion to the Union Army. He details Confederate threats against prisoners of war, and the violent sentiment that is stirring within the Union troops. He makes remarks about taking revenge for the death of General Baker. This talk of revenge includes looting from southern homes and graphic descriptions of killing Confederate soldiers.

Dates of Creation

November 22, 1861

Date

November 22, 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:

Camp of Observation Poolsvill [Poolesville] Maryland
Nov [November] 22nd 1861

Dear Brother
I receved [received] your letter this morning dates Nov [November] 17th i was glade [glad] to hear from you. as i have been looking for some time for a letter from you. you said Bakers Features was disfiguared [disfigured] the reson [reason] was. in washington [Washington] thay [they] tok [took] a plaster Paris molde [mold] off of his face. The wether [weather] is verey [very] cold hear [here] evry [every] night it freases [freezes] all the water that is standing about and we have had plenty of Rain this last 2 weeks. We sent in for winter tents and things to fix up for the cold wether [weather] but thay [they] i mean the departiment [department] sent word to us not to per make aney [any] perprations [preparations] for winter hear [here]. and sence [since] we got orders from Washington to send word what the Rigment [Regiment] wants to fit it out compleat [complete] and we sent word back and it is reported that we and Moreheads Reg [Regiment] is to goe [go] with the 60000 Renforcements [Reinforcements] to the grate [great] fleet. and that we will eather [either] start from Philad [Philadelphia] Navy Yard or the one in Brokling [Brooklyn] i dont [don't] know how true the Report is but i hope it may turn out to be true. You said John Barrey said he wold [would] like to send me somthing [something] and he spoak [spoke] about a large penknif [penknife] g that is just the thing i want i have no kind of a knife. and i have to ues [use] my fingers. and i nead [need] a pear [pair] of large Gloves and a scarf to rap [wrap] arownd [around] my Neck when on duty at night. and if you send me aney thing [anything] sind [send] me some paper and Enbloves [Envelopes]. our Sutlar [Sutler] is not worth
[page break]
aney thing [antyhing] and we wold [would] do about right to kick him away. he wont [won't] give the men aney [any] tickets untill [until] a short time befor [before] pay day and then he wants evry [every] man to tak [take] 5 or 6 Dollars worth. some of the men owes them him $12.00 and 15 Dollars and thay [they] sware [swear] thay [they] wont [won't] pay him. i have to drop this right he ar [here] to goe [go] to get my $26.00. from the pay master. as we are getting our pay to day [today]. You wanted to know if we got plenty to Eat we do such as it is we got fresh meet [meat] 3 times aweek [a week] and the Bisket [Biscuit] is nice and fresh this last week or two. I have got my pay in my pocket now i oed [owed] the Sutler $2 00 and i paid him and i will send $2.0.00 [$20.00] dollars the first Chance i get. i will be able to get somthing [something] extray [extra] now to eat. You wanted to know if it was as dangrous [dangerous] now on picket it is and it is worse as we are forbid speak-ing to them. and if we are caut [caught] speaking to them we wold [would] be cortmarshleld [court-martialed] and fined one monthes [months] pay so in place of talking with them we shoot at them evry [every] time we see them. and thay [they] some times fires back and some But thay [they] keep out of sight thay [they] think we have Rifels [Rifles]. i am much oblige to you for se if you will send me papers when ever thear [there] is aney [any] acount [account] of aney [any] Battles. The papers wich [which] you sent me with you letter has not yet come but will this afternn-one [afternoon] I have not got a letter from mother for some time I am glad to hear sis and Johney is well and in good health kiss them both for me. Give My Respects to John Barrey and tell him i will now look for a letter from him. You wanted to know
[page break]
how my oilcloth was it is good yet it has a fue [few] small holes in it. i dont [don't] ues [use] it onely [only] wnen [when] it rains as ive [I've] find. when it is day we lay on them and it seams [seems] to make us a grate [great] eal [deal] colder so i dont [don't] ues [use] it onley [only] when it Rains. The Govener [Governor] of Penn. [Pennsylvania] apointed [appointed] our Lutenent [Lieutenant] Coneral [Colonel] to be Coneal [Colonel] his name is Wister. he was wonded [wounded] in the Battle and his arm whear [where] it was shott [shot] has began to get rotten and will have to be cut off. but whear [where] he was shott [shot] in the mouth is nearley [nearly] well. Yester day [Yesterday] we got 2 letters from some of the fellows who was taken as prisners [prisoners] at the fight. one was from a Lutenent [Lieutenant] of Comp [Company] H and one from a privat [private] in comp [Company] H. thay [they] say thay [they] get fresh meet [meat] evry [every] day and get treated first rate thay [they] are in a tobacoe [tobacco] whear house [warehouse] corner of 39th st [St.] and main st. [St]. Richmond Va- [VA]. I wish thay [they] wold [would] tak [take] us to some to other place as i am tired slaying [staying] hear [here]. about 5 miles from us thear [there] is 5 massachusetts [Massachusetts] Regments [Regiments] and a day or two agoe [ago] thear [there] was 160 woman come from the same place and to night [tonight] thay [they] give a grand Ball. and thear [there] is a large croud [crowd] of our men a goen [going] to it. i expect it will be a grand sight. I for got [forgot] to tell you that the Rebles [Rebels] are goen [going] to hang a lot of our officers and amounge [among] them is one captain of one of our companeys [companies] and some 5 or 6 Lutenents [Lieutenants]. and if thay [they] do whe [when] our Rigment [Regiment] get in a fight a gain [again] we will kill evry [every] wonded [wounded] Reble [Rebel] and will kill all who gives them selves [themselves] up and evry [every] house we come to we will
[page break]
take all of aney [any] valure [value] and then burn evry [every] thing we come across. i so hard will be thir [their] lot if thay [they] hang one of them. if thay [they] do you will hear from the Califoinia [California] or the 71st Rigment [Regiment] of Penn [Pennsylvania]-for thay [they] will bucher [butcher] evry Body [everybody] thay [they] catch in Rebledome [Rebeldom] as for my part and for Companey [Company], B. Thay [They] will Avenge thir [their] General and thir [their] Captain- the first Reble [Rebel] i meet i will try my hand at disection [dissection] him onley [only] in the Roufest [Roughest] way posible [possible] we have been drilling what thay [they] Call [parcing] and i think i can kill 3 at a time in a close in ingement [engagement]. as i now can handle my musket and can ues [use] it up top. i can now trust my self [myself] with it. However i will do my best to put it in sharp for Uncle Same and for e [for] that Glourious [Glorious] old Stars and Stripes. i will now drawr [draw] to a close by sending you and Ann and John Barry my love and Respects I Remain Your Brother
Thomas David Hazzard
Re Direct as befor [before]
if you send me aney [any] thing Direct it to me
Companey [Company]. B. Bakers Califoinia [California] Reg [Regiment]-
Camp Observation
Poolsvill [Poolesville] Maryland
It come bulley that you sent me a post stamp as we have to pay 5 cts [cents] for a 3 ct [cent] stamp hear [here]
Good By [Bye]

Extent of Description

1 leaf, 14.625" by 9.8"

Relation

Show Related Records...

Condition

Poor

Condition Notes

Overall, letter is in poor condition. There is general discoloration throughout the leaf of paper with heavy discoloration along the fold lines. This sheet has one central vertical fold splitting the page in half and two less pronounced vertical folds on either side. The central vertical fold is torn for about a third of the page. It has three horizontal folds separating the page into equal fourths.

Legal Status

Owned by The Union League Legacy Foundation.