Digital Collections @ St. Lawrence University

Mother, I seat myself once more to pen a few lines

Mother, I seat myself once more to pen a few lines
Mother, I seat myself once more to pen a few lines
Mother, I seat myself once more to pen a few lines
Mother, I seat myself once more to pen a few lines

Overview

Creator: 
Sunderland, Darwin
Subject: 
Sunderland, Darwin
Coverage: 
106th Regiment, NYSV
Coverage: 
Beatton River, VA
Source: 
Original letter: ink on paper, 4 p.
Language: 
English

Transcript

Camp of the 106th Reg’t N.Y.S.V.
Beatton River, Va
Nov. 9/ 62

Mother,
I seat myself once more to pen a few lines to you.  On the 7th Nov we made a forward movement and we marched to Kelleys fort a distance of 14 miles from camp and there found a few rebs on picket there.   And a detachment from the 2nd Division charged through the river and captured some 500 prisoners.   And our corps crossed the river after the pontoons were laid and encamped for the night.  On Sunday the 8 we advanced about 4 miles where we met the enemy in armed battle full but we made them get up and get and soon advanced to Beatton Station Brandy Station.  And I think they travailed about as fast as we did.   On the 11th of last month jest 4 weeks from the same day the rebs were driving us like fun.  I guess we took more prisoners than they did.  You must recollect that there is 7 corps in the army of the Potomac and one by one crossed at Kelleys fort  The 6 corps crossed a Rapaghanmack Station and they had pretty warm time crossing but they captured some 8 hundred prisoners 9 pieces of artillery there.   What our loss was I could not say but I guess heavy.
I think there is not the least doubt but what there will be a battle fought before long in this army but where or when I cannot say  I think our corps course is now towards Richmond.   If we are not defeated  I think there will be no halt made until we pull up in  front of that city.  We are now only 6 miles from Culpepper.  And the rebs are hurrying back as fast as possible.  We have now about 6 pieces of large guns with each corps and we are fully prepared to make an advance.  About 20,000 of our cavalry and one corps of infantry hv. gone to Fredricksburg by the way of Falmouth.   What they are arguing to do that way I do not know.   I am well and feel first-rate.  An active campaign agrees with me first rate.   I always feel better.   I have not got my Box yet and a good many of the boys have got boxes in the same place.   There has no boxes been delivered to the army of the Potomac since we left Culpepper.  ___________  ___________ is onward to Richmond.   I will close and this may be the last letter I will write but I hope for the best.  Write soon.   This from your son

                                                                        D.W. Sunderland

Rights

Rights Management: 
Original materials may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (more information).
Date Original (Precise): 
November 8, 1862

Technical

Digitization Specifications: 
Scanned at 600ppi on Epson 1000XL scanner as 48-bit RGB uncompressed TIFF images. Images resized to 960 pixels wide, 150 dpi, and saved as JPEG (level 10) in Photoshop CS5 with Unsharp Mask of 60:1.
Date Digital: 
September 26, 2011
Format: 
image/jpeg
Type: 
Text

Location

Series: 
1
Box: 
1
Folder: 
8