Archive Record

Images

1 of 1977

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Metadata

Catalog Number

XI.1.2.2019.029.19

Collection

Hazzard Family Collection

Object Name

Letter

Title

Letter from Thomas D. Hazzard to Joseph H. Hazzard

Scope & Content

On Christmas Day, 1861 Thomas Davis Hazzard writes to his brother Joseph about his life in the Union Army. He details his Christmas celebration. On Christmas, he ate a meal with a friend, received a drink from his captain, and buried a man from his company. He then ate a large meal with friends of food that was sent in packages from their families. They ate duck, turkey, and minced pies. Thomas displays the difficulties of life during encampment between feeling unwell and struggling through bad weather. This letter indicates that it was written over the course of two days, December 25th and probably December 26th.

Dates of Creation

December 25, [1861]

Date

December 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.

The full transcription of the letter is as follows:

Camp of Obersvation [Observation] M.d [Maryland]
Dec 25th
[1861] 18/61
Dear Brother
I again take this optunity [opportunity] of wrighten [writing] you a fue [few] lines and let you know how i have spent my Christms [Christmas]. a friend of mine in company "H" come to my tent this morning and asked me to take dinner with him. so i whent [went] and helped him to eat a cold turkey and a mince pie and Bread and Butter. and then about 2 oclock our Captain sent for the compa-ny to fall in and come to his tent so we went up and he give evry [every] man a drink of good licker [liquor]. so i had to take som [some] of it i took about a tea spoon full. and then about 4 oclock we went and buried one of the men out of our company who died with typeford [typhoid] feeaver [fever]. thear [there] will not be aney [any] of our Company goe [go] to the hospital while the present Dockter [Doctor] is thear [there] we have sevral [several] sick men in our
[page break]
Company. Our tent is a picked party of 16 of the steadest [steadiest] men in the compay [company] and we have found formed a socitey [society] that we will each put a dollar in Major Parrish hands evry [every] pay day. so in case of one us should get sick or die. for to send us home. we have no duty to perform to day [today]. so you see i spent a uncommon Christms [Christmas]. Last monday was an auful [awful] day it Rained and Hailed and Snowed and the grownd [ground] was verey [very] soft and i was full of mudd [mud] up to my knees and it was aufull [awful] dark. and i was on guard and had 24 post to releve [relieve] and part of them was in the woods and of all the tumbling and the piling up of men and muskets. wold [would] make you lafugh [laugh]. i feel sick at my stomick [stomach] and i will have to lay this to one side and lay down. for a while.
Morning. i again tak [take] my pen to finish
[page break]
this letter. thear [there] was. 2 large boxes come to 2 men in our tent this morning and I so we will have a fine dinner as both of them are goen [going] to seat out a dinner one of them has a large turkey and a pear [pair] of Ducks and between both thear [there] is a large lot of mince pies and all kinds of Cakes. One box it took 2 men to carrey [carry] so you may forme [form] some iedour [idea] of our dinner.
It is verey [very] cold we have to cover our tents Blankets over us to keep our selfs [ourselves] warm. and this morning it was ½ past 9 oclock befor [before] we got our brakfast [breakfast]. as thear [there] was no wood at the cook house. Thear [there] was 25 wagones [wagons] loaded with boxes for our Brigade. while i am wrigthin [writing] this the Boys in our tent are talking and lafughin [laughing] about Baker.
Well Joseph. i have enufe [enough] of walenteer [volunteer] servis [service] But i will stay and do my duty untill [until] my
[page break]
time is up then if i need ever give my servis [service]. for my Country again i will goe [go] in the Regular servis [service]
Thear [There] will be a big time shortly as thear [there] is 3 large Coulemns [Columns] all mooving [moving] now and in a fue [few] days thear [there] will be a gay time as thay [they] will all strick [strike] at the same time and so thear [there] will be some butchring [butchering] done. One of our men has just read in the Philad- [Philadelphia] Ledger that the health of our Regiment is verey [very] good. that is one of the bigest [biggest] faulshood [falsehoods] i ever heard and i can proove [prove] that evry [every] other day a man dies out of our Reg [Regiment]-
Pleas [Please] give John Barrey my best Respects. and alsow [also] Recev [Received] my love and Respects your self [yourself]. give Ann my Respects and Kiss little sis and Johney for me and send me word what you have named your little girl.
I will drawr [draw] to a close

Extent of Description

1 leaf, 11.4375" by 7.4"

Relation

Show Related Records...

Condition

Good

Condition Notes

Overall, letter is in good condition. This sheet has one central vertical fold splitting the page in half. There are two more vertical folds about an inch from the center fold on either side. Along the central vertical fold there is some discoloration. It has two horizontal folds across the page, splitting it into equal thirds. The right side of the front page of the sheet of paper, which includes the start of the letter, has increased discoloration along the fold lines.

Legal Status

Owned by The Union League Legacy Foundation.