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New Years at Camp Pierpont, Virginia
The Battle of Dranesville Benjamin is staying in Camp Pierpont, Virginia. He writes to his family wishing them a Happy New Year. He recieves gifts from them such as pies, bread, cherries, and other gifts. He is waiting for his paymaster to give him his pay and longs to be able to help his family with financial issues since they are very poor. -
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Board Transport Ship
Ships of the war Benjamin is on a Board Transport Ship on his way to City Point up the James River. He says the boat is iron clad and extremely hot below deck. He says the wind and spray from the waves makes it really difficult to write. -
Head Quarters 210th Regiment, Camp near Petersburg
Deadline Benjamin has left camp again and now is at a camp near Petersburg. He got in as camp clerk and was taken out of the Com as a servant for the Col (to cook and shave him). He needs to report to headquarters as clerk for the Board of Court Martial and to write a death warrant for a soldier who stepped over the deadline. -
Horse guard- Ben's Son
Picket Line Ben's son is on horse guard for an hour and a half and writes saying that the Rebs have a strong picket line at Fisher Hill and last time they captured his whole line. The weather is uncomfortable, but they have plenty of supplies. Some poor men are on a mountain signalling as the wind blows like fury up there. -
Siblings
Other Shelters Ben's son, Will, writes to his sister, Sarah. He says he is writing under a shebang that looked like their old wagon shed. There is so much smok from a fire that Will is very uncomfortable and can hardly write. In the front of the shebang they have a rifle pit. Will misses Sarah, but says he has to go because some boys are going to camp and he needs to give his letter to them to send it. -
Army of the Potomac raid
Army of Potomac Benjamin is writing to say he just returned from the one of the biggest raids through Virginia made by the Army of the Potomac. Even on the first day they marched as far as to the Black Water river. The rebs were in hot pursuit of them and they had to burn everything in their way. Many of his fellow soldiers died and had to be sent to ambulances because of gurrila attacks. -
Division Hd Qutrs 5th Corps
The treatment of sick and wounded soldiersBenjamin writes from division Hd Qutrs 5th Corps saying his captain has not been heard of and was surely taken prisoner by the rebs. He also says that before the raid on the Weldon RR there was hardly a sick man in the regt, but now there is over a hundred in awful conditions. The march was awful and many soldiers killed themselves to escape it. You marched 25 miles a day with hardly any food or breaks. -
Money Problems
Pay for soldiersBen is writing to his very poor wife saying he still has not gotten his payment from the gov.. It has been months now and his family is suffering back at home. His opininion says the gov. is careless in regard to paying their troops. He says right now he doesn't have many duties to do and is safe because his current job is in the rear to prevent straggling and to guard prisononers. -
Prisoners
Prisoners Ben writes saying that in the last fight they took some prisoners and that the prisoners were suprised at how well Ben's troops used them. Ben gave the prisoners something to eat and drink and told them they would be sent to City point soon. He gave a young boy, who had been captured, some coffee from his own cup. The boy had not had coffee for six months. -
Sticking together
Friendship Ben writes about Baler Hower, his best friend. He feels very close to him and says he is a really nice, young fellow. He belonged to the old sixth regiment and ben met him when they were both in a hospital at Pierpoint. He is now at headquarters near Hatcher's Run with Ben. Baler has served for four years now. Balar also sees Ben's wife often. -
Guard Duty
Life of a soldier/guard duty Benjamin says he has been kept very busy on guard duty since the fight with stragglers. He has hardly had a night to himself and was on duty all last night. It was pouring rain and the weather is really bad every night. -
Moving again and Horse Racing
Horses Ben writes to his wife from a camp near Hatchers Run saying he expects to now move everyday. Yesterday was St Patricks Day and they were very busy with several horse races. It was the biggest turnout ever and three men were killed either by falling off or being trampled. -
Hatchers Run
Hatchers RunBen says the rebs made an attack on their line in front of the 9th corps and the fight continued all day. He said the loss was heavy on both sides. Theirs is supposed to be 2,000 killed or missing and they captured 2,800 rebs. The rebs are heard to have been evacuating Petersburg and the field is covered with dead men. -
Battle Field
Drummer boys Ben writes saying he is in knee deep mud in the freezing cold with no fire and burnt clothes. He is in the middle of a small battle with the rebs and is a provost quard meant to keeptrack of stragglers. Shells keep on skimming past him and splashing mud on him. One went right past a drummer boy aiming for the captain. The men have to lie in the mud hoping they won't get hit. -
Nottoway River
Nottoway River Ben writes to his wife about camping along the Nottoway river. He says he wishes he can stay there untill they are discharged and the water is very nice with plenty of fish. They are in the woods on a hillside with cool wind. He wants to do some more fishing later on and is finnaly in a peaceful place.
