Three page Letter written by Sgt. Thomas H. Kirby of 96th New York Infantry to his Aunt. In it, he writes of battle activity, the gruesome sight of the wounded, and of his dissatisfaction with the Lincoln administration. Sgt. Kirby tell his Aunt that "if the North wants peace, let them change rivers," but also says to "tell Uncle Daniel he must not think me a copperhead." Excellent content.
Full transcription:
August 17th 1864
Headquarters 96th New York Volunteers
On the battlefield bear Petersburg
Dear Aunt,
I thought I would try once more to see if you had forgotten a fellow. This leaves me well as I hope it will find you and all the rest of the relatives and friends in your part of the country.
We have had a pretty rough time for the last four days between the shells from the rebs [and] a very hard rain storm. We was camped on a low flat and the rain drowned us out. It was over my head. There was four sutler’s stores just above our camp. I tell you things was cheap. If a fellow had not got any money, he could help himself to what he liked best. I got about one hundred and fifty dollars worth of stuff.
Aunt, this is not a very safe place. While I was writing, there was two men got wounded. One of them got his leg off with a shell. I tell you it is an awful sight to see the wounded. They are as plenty as you could wish to see. It makes me think of a slaughter yard. There has been enough men killed and wounded this summer to dishearten any man and what is gained? We are within twenty-five miles of Richmond and do not seem to gain any ground on the rebs. They will fight as long as the present administration lasts. If the North wants peace, let them change drivers. It will be the only way they can stop this drafting. It looks hard for soldiers to get down on the commander in chief as bad as the army is now, but I am for peace in some style. I am for having for our next President someone that will get whipped or whip the hounds and I do not care but a little which. I am sick of this man-killing. A fellow may get crippled and then what is he good for? He will get kicked around by every brat of boy that meets him. But I must not complain for it is all for the best.
Aunt, tell Uncle Daniel that he must not think me a Copperhead, but I am sick of this way of doing business. Tell Hellen and Kate to write to me. I have wrote to you before but got no answer. Give my best respects to Daniel Rodes and his family. But I must close for this time by asking you to write to your nephew.
— T. H. Kirby
P. S. Direct to Fortress Monroe, Va., Co. H, 96th New York Volunteers
[Civil War, Union, Confederate, Abraham Lincoln, Paper Ephemera]