Archive Record

Images

1 of 1977

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Metadata

Catalog Number

XI.1.2.2019.029.17

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 at Poolesville, Maryland with the Union Army. This letter recounts experiences of life in camp. He details the conflicts within the camp itself and the disputes between leaders and soldiers. This includes a drunken fight between the soldiers. This letter is written a few days after Thanksgiving. Hazzard tells his brother that he celebrated the holiday with six of his fellow men. They had a meal together of bread, butter, sausage, fresh beef, and ketchup. He also notes that he may soon be promoted from his role of corporal and become a sergeant.

Dates of Creation

December 5, [1861]

Date

December 5, [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 Obrsvation [Observation]
Near Poolsville [Poolesville]
Maryland
Dec [December] [5th]
[1861]

Dear Brother
I take my pen in hand to drop you a fue [few] lines and to let you know that i am in good health and hope this may find you and your famile [family] in good health. We have been all packed up and ready to moove [move] as we are to moove [move] about 1 mile from our present encampment. but the wether [weather] will not permit us as it has been raining haling [hailing] and snowen [snowing] for sevral [several] days and the grownd [ground] whear [where] we are. is all coverd [covered] by water evry [every] winter. and at present thear [there] is 2 or 3 inches of water on the grownd [ground]. thear [there] is grate [great] times hear [here]. amoung [among] the officers and General Burns
The General was ver to see us mount guard the other morn-ing and he struck 4 of the men. one Corprol [Corporal] and one sergent [sergeant] and 2 privates. and told the officer of the day he wold [would] acept [accept] his Resignation and the Lutenent [Lieutenant] told him he might acept [accept] all the Regiments. the way it happned [happened] was Lutenent [Lieutenant]. Hagen was the officer of the day. and he said to General Burns. General the muskets is good for nothing and the General said neather [neither] is the men and Hagen said he knowed thay [they] was and the general said i say thay [they] aint [ain't] and Hagen said i bedamed [be damned] if thay [they] aint [ain't] good for somthing [something] and then the general went over to Major Smiths and began to cuss and dame [damn]. so Smith told him if he did not stop evry [every] Officer wold [would] leave and that the men wold [would] do the same, and i hear the officers have all Rersined [Resigned]. and the rumer [rumor] is that Burns said that the Reg [Regiment] -should be disbanded. it takes some 200 on guard to keep about 4 or 5 hundred in the camp we cant [can't] goe [go] one square from our camp. i wold [would] give aney [any] thing to get out of Old
[page break]
Burns Comand [Command]. the he brags Zuaves [Zouaves] up and thay [they] brag about them selves [themselves] and blow about thir [their] marching and drilling and soforth [so forth]. and that makes the fellows mad so on pay day 2 of Company M. men got drunk and caut [caught] Conel [Colonel] Baxter and the Lutenent [Lieutenant] Conl [Colonel] and wiped them Baxter had a couple of black eyes and the Lutenent [Lieutenant] Conl [Colonel] was mud from head to foot. and thay [they] brought the 2 men upt befor [before] General Burns. and he began to tell the men what a seirous [serious] thing it was and thay [they] laufhh lafughed [laughed] at him. so wor one of our Captains was thear [there] and the General began to talk and said the Zuaves [Zouaves] wold [would] not do aney [any] such things and. Captain Neall. said General if you want to see what our men is maid [made] off. why just take the zuaves [Zouaves] and the Califoinia [California] Boys across the potomac [Potomac] and he wold [would] scoon [soon] see what we was. and the general said i know the boys will fight but that is all thay [they] will do. Our men sware [swear] if the general comes and stricks [strikes] another man that thay [they] will all charge banets [bayonets] on him. i wish you could see him he puts on so maney [many] airs. the inspecter [inspector] was hear [here] last tusday [Tuesday] and he condemed [condemned] all our New Clothes our muskets and evry thing [everything] but our napksacks [knapsacks] thay [they] are New Ones. Last friday [Friday] was thanks given [Thanksgiving] day and that night was had 3 men from another company to take super with us we bought some Bread and Butter and some sausage and some catchup [ketchup] and we have Coffee and fresh Beef. and we had a first rate time. thear [there] was 7 of us all togather [together] Evry [Every] night was have 2 or 3 men in our tent from other comp-aneys [companies] so last h night our Lutenent [Lieutenant] wich [which] is quarter master now come in our tent and after talken [talking] a while he asked us if we should like to have some good Brandy was said yes so
[page break]
he tok [took] one of the men with his to his tent and sent us a bottle of Coneyack [Cognac] the labile [label] said Bottled 1841. it was all sealed up. and he come back and we all tok [took] a drink and then nothing but the bottle was left. so we sate [sat] and talked untill [until] tattoo [bed] beat and he left. I sent mother $20.00 on the 26th of November by Admens Espress but i have not heard from her sence [since] or i have not had a letter from home for more than 2 weeks i dont know what is the matter, One of our sergents [sergeants] had been examnid [examined] and is to be a lutenent [lieutenant] and another is to be examine-d today or tomorow [tomorrow] and he will pass for shure [sure] so that will make rome [room] for me as sergent [sergeant]. as i am 2 Corprol [Corporal] and my name was him sent in as being fit for a sergent [sergeant]. so if i be apointed [appointed] it will raise my pay form $10. to $17. dollars a month so it will be first rate for me. as i can then save a trifel [trifle] evry [every] month and will have somthing [something] when i get discharged of if i get killed it will do towards sending my body on to philad [Philadelphia]- as i wish to be sent home if i fall in on a feild [field]. i wish the govement [government] wold [would] send us on a expendit-ion [expedition] as i think we wold [would] see more funn [fun]. I receved [received] the papers you sent me and was glad to get them. maney [many] have red [read] them sence [since] i have had them. Thear [There] had been verey [very] heavy firing fore [for] sevral [several] days sone [some] distance form hear [here] but we cant [can't] tell what it is or whear [where] it is. We have receved [received] sevral [several] letters from the men wich [which] was taken prisners [prisoners] at Balls Bluff. thay [they] have bulley times i beleve [believe] - The sutlar [sutler] is making money plenty by selling boots at $7.50 a pear [pair]. thear [there] is 15 men desirled [deserted] out of our Company. some companys [companies] have but 12. or 15 men. we have 35 men and have to do duty for 95 so you se [see] we have plenty to do our men is on guard one day and off one day
[page break]
This morning thay [they] took all the carpnters [carpenters] and Black smithes [smiths] and shoe makers out of the difrent [different] Regments Companys [Companies] and i went as carpnter [carpenter] and so tomorrow morning we pack up and take evry [every] thing we have got. and leave but i dont [don't] know nor dus [does] aney [any] body Els [else] know whear [where] we goe [go] to. but thay [they] say we are to get 40 cts [cents] extray [extra] pay a day besides our board. and wages. so i will have a tripel [triple] extray [extra] to put away and save untill [until] i get home as i will want a little money to start with when i get home. things are all upside down hear [here] and the wether [weather] is so cold that we all liked to freese [freeze] to death last tusday [Tuesday] night i tell you it is ruff [rough] but i will put up with it as i know it is for my Country and for my home and friends. and why should i not suffer a little for that Union and that Flag wich [which] Cost so maney [many] presicous sousl lives in the difrent [different] wars. i will fight evry [every] day in the week if my country needs me i have some one to Leed [Lead] me on. My paper is short so i will drawr [draw] my letter to a close by sending you and ann and John Barrey my Love and Respects hoping this may find you all in goodt health. as i am at present
No More at present

I remain Your Brother
Thomas. Davis Hazzard

Direct as befor [before]
Good By [Bye]
[written at a slant]
Wright [Write] scoon [soon]
and i will wright [write]
as coon [soon] as i can
and let you know
whear [where] iam [i am]

Extent of Description

1 leaf, 14.625" by 9.9"

Relation

Show Related Records...

Condition

Fair

Condition Notes

Overall, letter is in fair condition. There is general discoloration throughout the leaf of paper with slightly more along the fold lines and edges of the paper. This sheet has one central vertical fold splitting the page in half and two less pronounced vertical folds on either side. The vertical folds spilt the page into equal sixths. It has one horizontal fold across the center of the page. The left side of the front page of the sheet of paper, which includes the end of the letter, is heavily discolored and the ink is partially faded.

Legal Status

Owned by The Union League Legacy Foundation.