American University Library. Archives and Special Collections.
Description
Letter written by John E. Gillespie, a Union soldier in the 30th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, to his father during the early months of the U.S. Civil War. A typed transcript is included with digital images of Gillespie's original handwritten letters. Excerpt: "Last Wednesday about 3 o'clock in the afternoon we got marching orders. We packed our knapsacks & fell into line, where we stood for over two hours, waiting for wagons to carry our camp equipage, but finally we broke ranks & went to our quarters, got our supper, struck our tents, formed into line again, took our place in our Brigade & left Tenallytown 'en route' for the sacred soil of Virginia, crossed the Chain Bridge & marched about four miles on this side to a place called Langley where we arrived about eleven o'clock."
American University Library. Archives and Special Collections.
Description
Letter written by John E. Gillespie, a Union soldier in the 30th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, to his father during the first year of the U.S. Civil War. A typed transcript is included with digital images of Gillespie's original handwritten letters. Excerpt: "I suppose you saw the account of that affair at Bales Rock. It disheartened the men (a) great deal. Yesterday there were orders read before the regiment that it wasn't by Gen. McClellan(s) orders that the fight occurred, that he knew nothing of it until after the fight was over. That expedition that had gone down on the coast will leave its mark. If that expedition is successful, we will advance farther South. If not, we will winter here."
American University Library. Archives and Special Collections.
Description
Letter written by John E. Gillespie, a Union soldier in the 30th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, to his father while stationed in Northern Virginia during the first year of the U.S. Civil War. A typed transcript is included with digital images of Gillespie's original handwritten letters. Excerpt: "There is a report flying around here, that our division was to go South in the next fleet, but I think that is all talk. Lieut. Christman, an officer out of the 4th Reg. who is a clerk in some of the Military Departments in Washington, says he saw our Division entered for one - that is to sail in the next fleet. The men all seem anxious to go, but I think it is very uncertain about us going."
American University Library. Archives and Special Collections.
Description
Letter written by John E. Gillespie, a Union soldier in the 30th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, to his father while stationed in Northern Virginia during the first year of the U.S. Civil War. A typed transcript is included with digital images of Gillespie's original handwritten letters. Excerpt: "We have been expecting marching orders for the last two or three days. The men are all anxious to move (although we are comfortably fixed) & yesterday we got orders to march with three days rations without tents. But this morning I heard that the orders were countermanded."
American University Library. Archives and Special Collections.
Description
Letter written by John E. Gillespie, a Union soldier in the 30th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, to his mother during the early months of the U.S. Civil War. A typed transcript is included with digital images of Gillespie's original handwritten letters. Excerpt: "I received your kind letter day before yesterday & was pleased to hear that you were all well. Having a little time to myself, this morning, I thought I would write you a few lines if I can get a chance of sending it, as it (is) reported here that we will not be allowed to send any more letters for a week or so, because the soldiers writing home have given more information than they ought to have done."