Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Catalog Number |
XI.1.2.2019.029.32 |
Collection |
Hazzard Family Collection |
Object Name |
Letter |
Title |
Letter from Thomas D. Hazzard to Joseph H. Hazzard |
Scope & Content |
In a letter to his brother, Thomas Davis Hazzard recounts his experience serving in the Union Army. He tells his brother about spending five weeks in the hospital for a sickness brought on by fly bites. Hazzard speaks of sickness through the troops, lack of pay, and general lack of morale. The numbers of men are dramatically low and they were only given pay for two months instead of the four months they were owed. He ends his letter with a poem about the experience at the Battle of Fredericksburg. |
Dates of Creation |
January 26, 1863 |
Date |
January 26, 1863 |
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. Near. Falmouth. Va [Virginia] Jan [January] 26th 1863 Dear Brother I atlast [at last] take my pen in hand to drop you thes [these] fue [few] lines to let you know i have got well once more after spending 5 weeks in the hospital. i whent [went] under a hard. grate [great] eal [deal] of pain. as i had fly blister one after another wich [which] coverd [covered] my breast and chest the pirst [first] one was on me for 12 hours and it raised the skin 3 or 4 inches high. the next was put on for 24 hours and it was the sorest thing i know of. My complaint was the feever [fever] and cronick [cronic] Dierear [Diarrhea] wich [which] we all was troubled with on the penictular [particular] sence [since] i come out of the hospital 2 of our men have died. with the same thing. i got a letter from home a day or two agoe [ago] thay [they] was all well. You would lafugh [laugh] to see Old Burnsides stuck in the mudd [mud] instead of laying the bridge a cross [across] the River thay [they] had [page break] to lay it in the roads so to get back and if ever an army was demorlised [demoralized] this army is. The paymaster come to pay us off day befor [before] yesterday and our Brigade would not sine [sign] the rolls for instead of it being 4 monthes [months] it was only 2 monthes [months]. but thay [they] have all Caved in our Regiment was the last and our company was the last to give in. but it is all right now. The hole [whole] armey [army] is talking of taking a french furlow [furlough] that is thay [they] ar [are] goen [going] home on thir [their] own hook. the goverment [government] has got all the fight out of us thay [they] can as all of us are plaid [played] out. as in the forts and places around. Washington Baltimore. is all filled with new troops and hear [here] was all have been in the feild [field] ever sence [since] we have been out and in place of our companys [companies] instid [instead] of having 100 men have but 10 and 12 men and some have but one [page break] man left one Regt [Regiment] has but 81 men ours has got 200 left out of 1600 men now you see how things stand with us. i dont [don't] know what els [else] to say so i will come to a close by sending you and Ann and John and the children my love and Respects And i Remain Your Brother Thomas. D. Hazzard Comp. [Company] "B,," First California Regt [Regiment] 2nd Brigade 2nd Division 2nd army Corps Washington D.C. or els [else] whear [where] [page break] Fredricks Burge [Fredricksburg] The leaden hail smoat [smoke] left and right The air was like a furnace red The sky was dizzy to the sight The sun was reeling overhead You could not count our Dead Write Scoon [Soon] |
Extent of Description |
1 leaf, 9.9" by 8.2" |
Relation |
Show Related Records... |
Condition |
Poor |
Condition Notes |
Overall, letter is in poor condition. This sheet has a primary vertical fold splitting the sheet in half and two others splitting it into equal fourths. It has two horizontal folds that split the page into equal thirds. There is general discoloration throughout the front of the page, especially on the fold lines. The central vertical fold almost entirely torn, about a two inch section in the middle keeps the sheet together. |
Legal Status |
Owned by The Union League Legacy Foundation. |
Multimedia Files |
Click here to view the full transcription of the Hazzard Family Letters Collection. |
People |
Hazzard, Thomas Hazzard, Joseph Barry, John Burnside, Ambrose Everett Hazzard, Ann |
Search Terms |
Hazzard Family Collection Battle of Fredericksburg Falmouth, VA Fredericksburg, VA Sedgwick's Division Washington, D.C. 71st Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry (1st California Regiment) |