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The following letter was sent by Dorson Speary to his uncle Barnard
Sutliff in Luzerne County during Dorson’s service in the Civil War. An
included note is addressed to C.B. (Chester Barnard) Sutliff- Dorson’s cousin
& a son of Barnard. The letters also mention Darius (another son of
Barnard).
I do not know how the Sutliff family is connected to the Speary family. I can
only assume it is through Dorson’s mother (Rachel Jane Benscoter), as there appears to be no
connection via the Speary surname. The letters have been copied just as they
were written. No punctuation or spelling has been corrected. I have left blanks
for words I cannot make out due to cramped writing at the edges of the pages. I
have written in parentheses what they APPEAR to be.
In the letter, Dorson mentions James.
This is his brother, James Speary, who would die 6 months later on May
03, 1863 on the battlefield of Chancellorsville, Va.
Sept the 18th 1862
Camp Whiple near Washington
Dear Uncle it is with pleasure I take my pen in hand to inform you that
I am pretty well at present James and myself and a moast of the rest of the
boys from sulivan moved our selves down in _______ [looks like "aug"
as in the abbreviation for August] we have been here four weeks next Monday or
four weeks since we left home we are in Robinsons brigade birneys division
141st regt we have had some pretty hard times a ready we have been on the
march nearly ever day and every sonday but one we havent drawed more than half
days rations since we have been here till now we draw full rations we get pork
beef bread beans coffee sugar rice salt vinnagar we can see the ____ [looks like "old"] capital from here. We are under marching orders
now. they won't let us know where we are going when we do go we was out on
pickets night before last and captured one rebel prisoner so I have seen one
rebel a ready I tell you he was a hard looking customer how he did rip and
swaer about the yankies. they are pretty good news here on our side. I don't
know how it is out in the country for the half of the news we hear is not
true. the opinion of the people here is that the war is not going to last long
______ [looks like "sure"] hope it won't. I havent told you
how I like soaldiering yet I like it first rate in good weather but it is
pretty hard ______ ______ [2nd word looks like "feet"] in wet
weather for when it rains the mud is like greece we have to lay out in the big
tent yet for we havent drawed all of our tents yet. I expect Darius
[Note: a
son of Barnard Sutliff] is going to the army to but if he hasn't tell him to
write I have wrote several leters home but hant received but one leter our
folks was all well then only father and he had a lame back then but I hope it
is well now I must bring my leter to a close write me soon as you receive this
oar I will think you are dead tell the girls to write for I havent time to
write them now excuse my poor writing for we have to write the best way we can
we havent any stands or tables here to write on so good bye for this time
Dorson M Speary to Barnard Sutliff esq
direct to D.M. Speary
Care of Capt J. H. Wright
Co. K 141st rgt PV
Washington D.C.
We have enlisted for three years so as to be here to settle the war
between the rebels and usssssss
A few words to C.B. Sutliff [Note: Chester Barnard - son of Barnard]
Dear cousin after my respects to you and the rest of the family I would
try to write a few lines to you James and me is both in the army and are well
satisfied if you was here you would see more in one minute than I can write in
a week if you would see unkle sams boys out on dress parade you would say it
was the prettiest sight you ever seen or else I am mistaken for they all are
dressed a like and look as near a like as a flock of pigeons but I must stop
talking about pigeons and say something about the girls I havent seen a nice
girl since I came here only colored ones if I could see a company of our girls
if it wasn't more than ______ [could be "one"] I would think
it was the prettiest sight that I ever seen I will come and pay you a visit
after I get this muss settled down here. I think I can settle it again I am
_____ [ Looks like the number "45" or possibly "25"]
years _____ so no more at present but remain your _____ [Last 2 blanks
look like "aoler" - possibly meaning "older". Would have
to be a private joke as Dorson was only 18 years old at the time] afectionate
cousin.
D.M. Speary
Historian's Notes By Bob Sweeney -
coordinator of the Sullivan County, Pennsylvania GenWeb project.
On September 16, 1862, the Union Army of the Potomac and the Army
of Northern Virginia clashed at Sharpsburg, Maryland in what has come
down in history as the Battle of Antietam. This battle was the bloodiest
day in American military history, and signaled that the war between the
states would be a long, costly, and
bloody conflict. Although the northern forces prevailed, driving the
Confederate troops from the field of battle, the Union falied to follow
up on the the costly victory and let Robert E. Lee's forces slip away to
the South and fight again. The following year, 1863, would see further
costly and bloody encounters at Fredericksburg and then at the climactic
encounter at Gettysburg in July that would spell the last effort by Lee
to invade the North. When Dorosn Speary wrote the following letter, just
two days after Antietam, he was clearly unaware of the titanic struggle
just a few dozen miles away and both he and his colleagues were still
under the impression that the war might be over soon. In this
expectation, they would be disillusioned.
Bob Sweeney
December 2002
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