Archive Record

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1 of 1977

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Metadata

Catalog Number

XI.1.2.2019.029.14

Collection

Hazzard Family Collection

Object Name

Letter

Title

Letter from Thomas D. Hazzard to Joseph H. Hazzard

Scope & Content

Thomas David Hazzard writes a letter to his brother informing him of his recent involvement at the Battle of Ball's Bluff. Hazzard never refers to the battle by name, but he details the death of his general, General Edward Dickinson Baker, which confirms that this was Ball's Bluff. Hazzard writes this letter in two parts, essentially making this two letters in one. The first part of the letter written on October 31st, 1861 recounts the battle. The second part of the letter written on November 3rd, 1861, displays the status of Hazzard and his camp. He talks about the bad state of his tent, but also the receipt of a package from home. In this second part he states some soldiers plan on taking a "french leave" which refers to taking a leave of absence without permission. In the end, he vows revenge for the loss of General Baker.

Dates of Creation

October 30, [1861] and November 3, 1861

Date

October 30, [1861] and November 3, 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.

This letter was written over the course of two different days, October 30th and November 3rd, 1861, however it is one continuous letter.

The full transcription of the letter is as follows:

Camp of Main Guard. Monocacy. Oct [October] 30th
[1861]
Dear Brother
I take this optunity [opportunity] of droping [dropping] you a fue [few] lines to let you know that i am still alive although i have been upon the sick list with my face. thear [there] was a bump come on my jore bone [jawbone] it caused me some trouble but it is nearly well now. The wether [weather] is a verey [very] cold hear [here] evry [every] night thear [there] is a heavy frost. I supose [suppose] you have heard about the Battle wich [which] was fought some 10 weeks days agoe [ago] and af [after] our loste [lost] of General Baker.
Our Rigment [Regiment] is divided into two Battlainons [Battalions]. the first has 8 companeys [companies]. the 2nd has 7 companeys [companies]. the first under Wister the 2nd under Major Parrish. i am in the 2nd and we was out on picket duty. the we come out to stay Six weeks the way we work it 2 comps [companies] goe [go] on for 3 days. and nights then 2 more takes thir [their] place. So on last monday [Monday] a week the first Battlaion [Battalion] had orders to cross the Potomac with part of the 15th Mass[Massachusetts] -and thear [there] thay [they] fought for 5 hours. and when the fight had been in progress for sone [some] time Baker. pointed a to a man on a white horse and said my brave men thears [there is] your man it is Jonson goe [go] for him so in a fue [few] seconds the man was no more for 50 balls had enterd [entered] his head. and scoon [soon] after a Reble [Rebel] in a tree shott [shot] Baker. and Baker cryed [cried] out save me men then our boys when whent [went] in to it with more strenth [strength]. for thay [they] cried out Revenge for Baker. thay [they] finley [finally] got him and a good many wonded [wounded] over the River amoung [among] them was our Lutenent [Lieutenant] Conl [Colonel] Wister. he will probley [probably] lose his arm. the Boats sunk so them that could not swim had to surender [surrender] them selves [themselves] up and
[page break]
more than half of those who under took to swim across was drownded [drown] Our lost loss is 309 men that is we can hear nothen [nothing] of them some are was killed. sone [some] wonded [wounded] and maney [many] are preisner-s [prisoners] thear [there] was but 3 or 4 officers come back the onley [only] Captain was cap [captain] -Mallerey of New York he is one of the prise [prize] fighters he got shott [shot] in the leg but swame [swam] a cross [across]. you may have heard me talk of Tom Palmer he was in companey [company] H. he is a prisner [prisoner]. i have lost maney [many] friends some are prisners [prisoners] and some have lost thir [their] legs. some thir [their] arms all the fellows who was left thear [there] thoughed [threw] all the muskets sords [swords] pistols and evrey [every] things over board in the river. and our flags are [illegible scratched out word] sunk in the Potomac River. So now we have but a hand full of officers and Major Parrish i hear is under arest [arrest]. as him and Wister has [illegible scratched out word] had a fight with each other. We have been releved [relieved] and are on the point of moving some whear [somewhere]. yesterday all was packed up but had to unpack again. Some say that we are goen [going] to Fedral [Federal] hill. Baltimore. and again some say we are goen [going] to Washington [Washington]. But i dont [don't] know how it will be i dont [don't] think that we will moove [move] untill [until] the Officers get done fighten [fighting] with each other.
Movember [November] 3d 1861
I now comence [commence] with the intenions [intentions] of finishing this letter the officers have had a grate [great] fight amoung [among] them selves [themselves] our 1 Lutenent [Lieutenant] wold [would] gives us orders to put our tents up and our 2nd Lutenent [Lieutenant] wold [would] order us to the take them down and as the men wanted to moove [move] thay [they] done as the 2nd Lutenent [Lieutenant] orded [ordered] and now we are back to Poolsvill [Poolesville] whear [where] we was at first the officers has a high Old time amoung [among] them selves [themselves] our Rigment [Regiment] is
[page break]
all upside down and the men are all out of hart [heart] and i fear that maney [many] will take french leafe [leave] as Tusday [Tuesday] o or Thursday is pay day we are out of the Brigade and now we are a indpendant [independent] Rigment [Regiment] our name is the Gallent [Gallant] 71st of Pencelvainia [Pennsylvania]. i am glade [glad] to know that we are ared beloing [belong] to some state and it may be of some good to us by afterwhile [after while]. i got a letter from home the other day thay [they] was all in good health William had 3 days woork [work] that week. i hope he can get full time or eaven [even] half time this winter so thay [they] could manage to get alonge [along] comfortbal [comfortable]. I receved [received] the box wich [which] mother sent me but the cakes was all mouldy [moldy] but what i wanted the most was safte [safe] and sound that was paper and enbeloves [envelopes] and tobacoe [tobacco] it was quite a treat to get a pluge [plug] of Old philad [Philadelphia] tobbacoe [tobacco]. You wanted to know how we maid [made] out to keep wam warm. Well i will tell you our tents is all in rages [rags] we cover our selves [ourselves] with our blankent [blanket] and overcoat and lay down untill [until] about the 12 or 1 O clock then we get up and build fires and get a little warm then turn in again and by Revley [?] we are almost stiff with cold. i dont think i ever was so cold as i am some mornings. but what is that when our forefarthers [forefathers] whent [went] barefooted to fight for this gloirious [glorious] Union and are i or aney [any] of us aney [any] better thay [they] was. My Frind [Friend] Gilbert is injoying [enjoying] good health at present you know he is a Seargent [Sergeant]. he sends he Respects to you. Our camp is gloomey [gloomy] and it seams [seems] if somthing [something] is wanted to make the camp look livley [lively] and that somthing [something] is our General Baker he was a farther [father] to
[page break]
us all. Our Chaplin [Chaplain] prechead [preached] the funeal [funeral] sermond [sermon] of our general Baker. Thear [there] is some talke [talk] of but us moving back of some wood close by and thear [there] goe [go] in to winter quarters well i wold [would] like to be near some city or some place [someplace] whear [where] we could get things by Express. i dont care how much thay [they] fight as evry [every] man will have Revenge for Baker and that is our war cry crie [cry] and if we can get a chance at them again we will give a good acount [account] of our selves [ourselves]. but i hear that our B or General Burns will not move from heare [here] this winter he had comand [command] of our Brigade. I will now drawr [draw] to a close by sending you and Ann and all my friends my best Respects and love. Give sis and little Joe a kiss fore [for] me No More at present
Yours Truly
Thomas. D. Hazzard
P.S. you know that on the 22nd of this morning is month it will be my 22nd birth day
Direct to me
Company B. Bakers R If i fall upon the Battle field [Battlefield]
California Rigment [Regiment] My grave shall be under the flag
Poolsvill [Poolesville] of liberty
Maryland Good By [Bye]

Honored at home, and respected abroad
May her Stars and her Stripes ever be
The harbinger of peace, by land and by sea-

[Perpendicular in the margin]
Pleas [Please] to send me some News papers [newspapers] if you Pleas [Please]

Extent of Description

1 leaf, 14.5" by 9.8"

Relation

Show Related Records...

Condition

Fair

Condition Notes

Overall, letter is in fair condition. There is general discoloration throughout the leaf of paper, and it increases towards the edges of the page. This sheet had one central vertical fold splitting the page in half and two less pronounced vertical folds on either side. It has three horizontal folds separating the page into equal fourths. There is some slight tearing along the vertical folds.

Legal Status

Owned by The Union League Legacy Foundation.