One of the most rewarding and time consuming efforts I have made during the research portion of the Civil War Project has been to comb through microfilm of The Moravian newspaper for letters from soldiers and other interesting tidbits. In this entry I have included links to my best finds from 1862 and are divided between letters and cultural references.
Since the scanned documents can be quite a challenge, even once magnified, I have also included some of my favorite quotes that I discovered along the way. I hope this entry will help illuminate the history for our readers, and be a cerebral treat for all those nerds out there who get as excited about old newspapers as I do.
6/5/1862—–This letter is about a retreat at Winchester by the 46th regiment.
“The men seem to think but little of the clothing they lost, but regret the loss of keepsakes, which cannot be replaced.”
“Segt. H. had command of a gun of Knapp’s Pennsylvania Battery at Front Royal, and after two hours hard fighting was shot in the leg. The ball was immediately removed, and he again took his post and continued there until compelled to leave, an hour later, by overwhelming numbers. When he left, the hospital was in flames and rebel guards were stationed around the building to prevent egress. There seems to be but one feeling, and that of hatred toward these heartless beings.”
10/9/1862——Alex Selfridge recounts his time being held captive by the rebels.
“The room was about 10 by 40, with windows at one end and a partition at the other, making it quite dark in some parts of the room. It was literally covered with filth, vermin, a horrid stench pervaded the whole, and almost every inch of available space was occupied. Some of the unfortunate inmates had been confined in it 13 long months. Two old men were crazed, and lay in their filth in on corner, only stirring when their rations were brought in.”
10/16/1862——- Below is a dedication and presentation of sword to Col. Selfridge from his soldiers.
“We cannot bestow upon you any greater compliment than, that we believe, whether in defense or attack, it will be wielded by an arm and grasped by a hand, as true as the steel of the blade of which it is composed.”
8/14/1862——-Col. Selfridge writes from the Battlefield near Culpepper, Aug. 11. Selfridge tells his brother of the terrible fight they have just endured.
“We have but 130 left in our regiment. My horse was killed; he was completely riddled. The blanket presented to me by Mr. Caleb Yohe and David Luckenbach, saved my life. It is riddled with balls; my saddle also. I had a ball through my boot, one through my coat near the shoulder, and one through my hat. I am much bruised, but no blood was drawn.”
8/16/1862 – Reference to Chaplain William Henry Rice being asked to give words of encouragement at the send off of the newest recruits in Bethlehem.
“Before leaving the ground, however, and at the request of the soldiers, Mr. Wm. Henry Rice, who has volunteered to accompany this band as Chaplain, responded in a few words, returning thanks, and earnestly entreating the effective support and loyal sympathy of all those whom they leave behind, justly remarking that the soldier is robbed of his courage, and will contend in vain upon the battle field, if treason be suffered to lurk unpunished in the rear. Those sentiments were warmly applauded.”
9/25/1862——-Chaplain William Henry Rice writes home asking for religious reading material and gospel books.
“Give each man a testament. He will feel the want of it before long. Men who rarely looked into a bible at home, open its pages at camp. Of course, on the other hand, many who profess Christ at home neglect His word at camp. Your ‘Moravian’ package is therefore not at all confined in its good influence to Company C. It is medicine to the soldiers sick in body. Depend upon it, many a soul, too, had been refreshed.”
12/25/1862——On this day there were two letters accounting the soldiers’ lives on the march. The first two quotes are from the letter from the 129th regiment and the other is from the 46th regiment.
“We were forced to leave behind, in charge of a Brigade surgeon, more than sixty sick men of our regiment. This being left behind the regiment, is one of the great trials of a soldiers life. Another sever trial is to be sick with your regiment; a sick man never feels so much out of place and in the way of others, as in camp or on the march.”
“The Sabbeth day will always be remembered as the day on which we made one of the most ‘exhausting tramps: rapid marching all day rests few and short,’ weather very warm, and road wearisome and rough. We got to Snickersville at evening and encamped, as we all supposed, for the night. All at once the order “Fall in” came upon our worn out and astounded men. We did fall in, and marched.”
“A soldier does not know what is before him. Whenever he thinks most that he is to remain quiet and have a good time, orders to march are received, and tents struck, knapsacks packed, line formed, arms shouldered, and then comes the command, ‘Right Face—Forward March!’”
5/8/1862——–This is a write up on a speech given at Citizen Hall by Prof. McCoy about ‘His seething rebuke of secret and open foes of our country, both home and abroad.”
“We are sorry to confess that even our community still harbors some of these secret traitors who, recreant to the duty which they owe to the mother that bore them, and unmindful of shame, not only stand apart, cold-hearted from an active support of their country’s case, but secretly go about whispering their slanders, hatching discontent among the ignorant, and plotting mischief against the laws of the Constitution.”
5/20/1862——-A report on the 46th after their attack at Winchester, and a reference to a painting called “Camp Scene on the Lehigh.”
“As they were in the recent retreat of Gen. Bank’s army from the valley of Shenandoah, and exposed to the overwhelming attacks of the enemy, the greatest anxiety prevails in our community to obtain intelligence from them. Up to the time of our going to press, however, the only reliable information we have received, is to the effect that Col. Knipe, after being wounded, was taken prisoner; Lieut. Col. Selfridge, Capt. Luckenbach and Lieut. Horace Jones are safe with the army at Williamsport. Others, including Lieut. Alex Selfridge, are known to be at Hancock, MD. There is cause for the apprehension that many are left behind in the power of the enemy.”
8/7/1862———New Enlistments are named on this day on the 7th of August 1862, as well as a description of their send-off.
“On the night of the late county meeting, a considerable gathering took place at out Citizens’ Hall, and stirring addresses were delivered, which served to deepen in the bosoms of our citizens the conviction that our country at this crisis demands great individual effort, self-sacrifice and devotion in order to rescue it from impending danger.”
“Mr. Wm. Henry Rice, who has been pursuing his theological studies at Yale College, has offered his services as Chaplain of the regiment, and we trust that he may be accepted.”
The Civil War/Cemetery Project - Touchstone Theatre 
April 11th, 2012 at 2:00 pm
[…] For more on Selfridge, check out the earlier entries of transcripts from The Moravian, circa 1862 and […]