When the Civil War began, John Kelt enlisted in Co. D, 2nd Connecticut Infantry, a 90-days regiment. Afterwards he enlisted in Co. H, 21st Massachusetts Infantry and was promoted to sergeant. He received a knee wound in the fighting at Burnside’s Bridge at Antietam, and was again promoted to 2nd Lieutenant the day after the battle. In August 1863 he transferred to the 4th Connecticut Infantry, and was eventually captured and imprisoned at Andersonville.



The well-traveled Kelt wrote this fascinating letter during his time with the 2nd Connecticut, detailing encounters with Confederate soldiers and taking war trophies. The entire handwritten note reads as follows:



Falls Church, Virginia

July 6, 1861

Dear Father,



I received your letter night before last and would have answered it before but was called upon to go out on a scouting party with the Major. I shall apply for a commission in the service today if you will have Pearsons write soon I think I can get it. I can refer to my Captain and both Lieutenants and the Commissary of the Regiment. Our time will be out here the 22nd of this month.



We searched the house of a Captain in the Southern Army last night. I will send you an old paper that I got there which may be worth saving for its age. It is altogether probable that we shall not have a chance to fight a regular battle before our time is out. I have to work very hard as two of the corporals in our company are on the sick list. I have not slept more than 5 hours in the last four days and have been walking most of the time.



Our regiment has been pronounced the crack regiment of the Grand Army by General McDowell and the New Haven Greys [Co. C] and our company the best companies in it so that all of the outpost duty falls to us as the post of honor. It is hard work but then the honor more than pays for it. I am getting so that I like it very well. I shall not know how to lay in a bed when I get home. I can drop down to the ground anywhere and go to sleep in a minute. I have not slept in a bed since I left New Haven.



We took two prisoners the other night from the South Carolina Regiment. They were armed with shotguns loaded about half full of buckshot. They told us that they came from Massachusetts but were forced into the service.



General Scott has set a trap to catch all of the troops at Manassas Junction. It is in this way. The City of Alexandria is the bait. It is left open on one side with the other three crowded with soldiers in this way. If they march on the city, our regiments will close in on them and have them hemmed in on all sides.

I will not write more at present but attend to that letter as soon as possible. — J. K.



Most impressively, Kelt sketched out Scott’s plans to trap the Confederate Army at Manassas, detailing the various elements of the battle plan. The entire letter and sketch are dripping with confidence that the War would end in a matter of weeks. No such luck for Kelt, who went on to be shot while trying to cross the Antietam Creek, and eventually suffered in Andersonville.



The letter is written in bold period ink and is very legible. The overall condition is very fine, with only the original fold lines from when it was mailed. This is a truly great early Union soldier letter from a survivor of some of the worst incidents of the Civil War.



[Civil War, Union, Confederate]