Archive Record

Images

1 of 1977

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Metadata

Catalog Number

1805.025.10

Collection

Carlton Birch Letters

Object Name

Letter

Title

Letter from Carlton Birch to his Uncle

Scope & Content

A letter from Carlton Birch to his Uncle about his life as a Union soldier encamped at Beverly Ford in Virginia on December 29,1863. The letter describes Carlton's new living quarters in Beverly Ford, how Carlton and his bunkmate used the space, a Regimental Court Marshall, deserters of the Union Army, and the papers that Carlton received from his family. Carlton also critiques "Old Abe," and aspects of work during his service.

Accompanying the letter are three sketches. The first sketch is of Carlton's living quarters. The second sketch shows how he and his bunkmate sleep. The third sketch is of the different types of furniture found in his dwelling.

In the letter, Carlton mentions the Portsmouth Navy Yard. There is a navy yard called the "Portsmouth Navy Yard" in New Hampshire, but he is most likely referring to the Norfolk Navy Yard located in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Carlton uses the French word, "Reveille" which means "to awaken" in French. The use of this word alludes to his high level of education.

Date

December 29, 1863

Notes

This letter is addressed to "Uncle." In later letters, Carlton addresses letters to "Uncle George." This letter may also be to Uncle George.

The full transcription of the letter is as follows:

Camp at Beverly Ford Va, December 29th 1863
Dear Uncle

I must with this letter acknowledge the receipt of two bundles of Newspapers among which I find the "Comic Monthly", Frank Leslie's & Harpers Weeklys, and a Circular & invitation Card to opening of the Cooper Shop Soldiers Home, and I also notice in the Phila [Philadelphia] ["EN" crossed out] Inquirer 26th, the Grand Entertainment given to the 29th Penna Infty [Infantry] by the Cooper Shop Soldiers Home Managers, I see it is noticed as the first square meal the Regt [Regiment] has had for some time, and knowing (by Experience) the kind of meals a Regiment gets here, and judgeing [judging] from what I hear from our members who have been guests of your Cooper Shop Institute , I am sure it was a dinner as described; but it dont [don't] do me any good to allow such thoughts to linger on my mind or per chance my grub wont [won't] go down, So to change the Subject How did you like my pencil photograph (Side face) I think it is a good picture? How do you like my pallatial [palatial] residence below? You will See that I and bedfellows have tried to keep out the water by makeing [making] drains all around the shanty, It is a good picture of the outside; this End of the house we use for kitchen + parlor and the other End is bedroom. our double bunk is made across the end of the tent, So it gives us plenty of room at this End, to write, read, cook, Eat, Smoke, Wash, or lounge lazily about the fireplace, (when off of duty) which is very seldom. -

This Side or front faces the Street (or Company line) which is the Space left between the Companies in which we assemble at the call of the Drums + fife or Bugles - at Roll Call, or to form for drill, dress parade, fatigue parties or picket duty before going out - [page break] The Cabin or Shanty is about 10 feet long by 8 ft wide, the door is 4 1/2 fit high & 2 ft wide, opening inside, the peak of the roof or tent, is about 8 1/2 feet in the clear, and our Rifles hang as usual from the ridgepole, over our bunk, below I will draw our position (when off duty) at night, which gives you some ideah [idea] of our bunk (our blankets are pious (holey [holy]) and my bunkey snores dreadfully; but you need not notice that) you see I indulge in Comic reading before snoozeing [snoozing] it wont [won't] do to think myself to Sleep, I'd get the blues; evry [every] part of the cabin is put to Some use; under the bunk is where we keep our Wood, after it is Split and of the proper length for our Fireplace, and over the foot of the bunk is a wide shelf, on which we keep our Grub, we have two pet Spiders in the tent who crawl all over our Eatables, and the bed; one is a daddy long legs and the other a black one, this place is full of them, and other insects in proportion; We have Some modern improvements, for instance our wash basin (or boat) is hewed out of a chunk of red Oak dug out, then ready for use, our stool is Rustic Style - the seat is half of a barrel head and our table, Same Style but the top, which is the lid of a cheese box, Our candlestick is a square chunk of brown Soap, other articles of furniture Similar (not to the soap) now I guess you know enough of our family affairs, So I must Strike on Something Else, That Note (Confed[Confederate],) did you get it I wonder, it has been in the pocket of one of the Members of Co "F." Ever Since we were at Portsmouth Navy Yard, at which time it was Sesesh legal tender, and good in any part of this State, now they wont touch it, So I captured it thinking you might not have seen them, (no matter if you have) I will send all Sesesh things I get hold of to you from Saw Mills down to Gun boats, by the way I do want an article from [page break] Philadelphia, it is a half round file about 5 or 6 inches long 1/2 inch wide, could it not be sent in a newspaper? please let me know in your next, I am not in Irons wishing to free myself, but I want to make Some rings of Reb bones, Wood pipes + (Curious Fact) there is several graves here, on our drill ground, Several Cavalry Skirmishes have taken place in this Vicinity. Tomorrow I am Expected to go on Fatigue duty - but I have signified it as my intention not to go, Our duty is fatiguing Enough, and I wont go to building Corduroy roads this winter, let Old Abe Send the Niggers down here if he wants roads built; it is out-side of Military duty, and I cant handle an Axe, and wont Shoulder logs through this Mud, when there is no nescessity [necessity] for it, Excepting to Ornament Head Quarters; Our reenlisted men are waiting to get their advance bounty and furloughs, and are not Expected to do duty until they return, I don't know what will be done with my case, tomorrow, and dont [don't] care, I am half Mad with the Service Anyhow, We have had a Regimental Court Martial lately And I Am afraid that one of the men of Co D, was Sentenced to be shot to death with Musketry, as his Sentence has been forwarded to Washington for approval of Old Abe, he deserted the Regiment after the Battle of Gettysburg, and was caught in Citizens dress, and without his rifle or accoutrements, and sent to us, under guard - he has been in evry [every] battle Excepting Since Gettysburg the Rappahannock, and the Skirmishing to Culpepper [Culpeper] and to the Mine Run Affair, he was in the 7 days fight, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredricksburg [Fredericksburg], Chancellorsville, (Both Bull Runs) + Gettysburg two others are to forfeit all their pay, and at the Expiration of their term of Enlistment to be dishonorably discharged the Service of the UStates - which is pretty rough - none of the belong to Company "F"-Our Camp is near where the Five Desserters [Deserters] were shot some few months ago, and their graves are still to be seen, nobody seems inclined to disturb their bodies - [page break] Well I suppose you had a glorious time on Christmas day, and I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year. My health is pretty good now only that little cough, which I have not got rid of yet, but my Eyes are quite good now, So I don't care much about the cough, the balance of Company "F" are well, and send kind wishes for your further Welfare, long life +c [etc.], the fact is they have robbed me of all the papers Excepting the Comic Monthly (but will return them) I forgot to Mention that I also received the Writing paper and Stamped Envelopes, this Sheet is one of the number, Envelope also, if I had not received them I could not be now writing. As our Sutler (he is here now) pays more attention to smugling [smuggling] Liquor to our officers, than he does to the wants of the boys; and I have no doubt it pays him well,

I have been for the past 3 days anxiously Expecting letters but none come, although the papers are all the more in hand, It is quite late now, so I must close, and turn into bed to get my ration of Sleep before Reveille, probably I will be shoved on Guard - probably placed under arrest-

Give my love to all the family. A Happy New Year all around - which includes evrybody [everybody] and the cat, there is no use mentioning names; Especially when I have written two letters besides this within a week past - I hope Rosey is well, but her letter must be on the way for me by this time, So I will let it Say - Dont [Don't] forget that I include Capt [Captain] Harry Wrigley and Mr Struthers, with that Happy New Year,

Write to Me soon, dont [don't] forget the file - Send a good long letter if you can spare the time - I have not heard from Detroit yet! I have great Expectations from that quarter & Washington!

Your Affectionate Nef,
Carle

Extent of Description

1 leaf, 12.125" x 15.5"

Relation

Show Related Records...

Condition

Excellent

Condition Notes

Noted as "poor" on 10/05/2005, as the letters were in a scrapbook titled, "Record in War." However, the collection was conserved by the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA), Philadelphia, PA, in 2010. Each item was removed from the scrapbook and placed in individual folders.

Legal Status

On loan from The Civil War Museum of Philadelphia.