Franklin County: Benjamin L. Farinholt to Lelia
Farinholt, July 1, 1863
Summary:
Benjamin Farinholt describes conditions near Chambersburg, including the wealth
of supplies that allows the army to live off the local population. Farinholt's
letter to his wife also includes his predictions regarding upcoming action in
the north, as well as the reactions of the local residents to their
presence.
July 1st, 1863
Camp of 53rd
Virginia
Regiment
Near Chambersburg
Franklin County
Pennsylvania
Dear Lelia,
We have had some very hard marches lately as you may judge from the place and
date of my letter. We are you may say in the very heart of Yankeedom, passed
through Maryland Three days ago, a great many [unclear: reservists]
joined our Army from Maryland but we found all very bitter Yankees in Pennsylvania we met many secessionists in Hagerstown M.D.
a place of about 6000 inhabitants. We are living very well over here and the
amount of money saved to our Government every day by our subsisting on the Enemy
is about $200,000. We are impressing & purchasing a great many fine
horses from the Enemy and our Commissaries are supplied with fine Cattle sheep
&c,
[page 2]
the rations of Whiskey, Coffee & Sugar remind me
of our living at West Point. We are about 20 miles from the Pennsylvania line,
and the farms are generally about 1000 acres in size and produce from 12 to 15 [unclear:
bushels
] corn and from 30 to 40 bushels of wheat to the acre. The owners are
generally of Dutch descent and are very much terrified at our presence and think
it horrible that we should invade Pennsylvania, indeed they have known nothing
of the war heretofore, and I believe unless we do bring it home to them in this
manner they would be willing to carry it on indefinitely. Of the plans of General Lee I know nothing our Division is in the rear. General Ewell
& Hill and some of Longstreets Division are
near Harrisburg the Capital of Pennsylvania We can take
it very readily but whither it will be our plan to attack it or Baltimore or
Phil
[page 3]
adelphia I do not know, we have already supplied our Army with a
great many shoes hats &c and I expect the advanced Divisions have gotten more than we have. Our Army is in
excellent health, and if we keep up our present state of organization there is
nothing to fear from [unclear: any] force they can bring against us.
General Hood I understand is between us and
Washington - we are some distance north west of Baltimore and about 70 miles
from it. Chambersburg is a very pretty town of about 5000 inhabitants. I have
eaten many nice meals in Yankee land and the people take our money and feed us
on the best they have, such as nice pickles, brandies, wines, preserves, apple
butter, cherries &c, our meals, (and I get [unclear: ma] all at
some houses where we stop, the houses are large, nice & convenient) cost
us from 25 to 50 cents each. Hats of the best quality from 2 to 5$ - boots and
shoes from time to time. Sheep 3$ each
[page 4]
beef 8 cents per pound bacon 12 cents. Coffee 7c
Sugar 15 to 20 cents per pound, whiskey 1
00
per gallon The dutch farmers hate to see us
driving their fine horses to our artillery and killing their fat bovines by hundreds. Our Army will not cost the
confederacy a great deal as long as we remain in Pennsylvania I suppose we will necessarily have a big fight before we leave the
state, and expect it will be somwhere north of Baltimore probably near
Philadelphia or Harrisburg. Our Army is in fine spirits and willing to be led
everywhere - or any where confidently
expecting success under the able leadership of General
Lee.
Our soldiers have burnt no houses and no barns as the Enemy do and are obeying strictly General Lee's orders to "take no property unless we pay for it" but we have burnt some larger iron works, foundries &c, and are tearing up their Rail Road by whole-sale. I will not write a very long or very particular letter as we are not very certain that our letters may not be intercepted. I hope this may find you and Edgar and all [unclear: our] family in good health. My love to [unclear: Mama] and her family and to Sister [unclear: Mary] and all my relatives and to Aunt Betsy & family, and for myself and family accept all the love of
your devoted friend and affectionate husband
B. L. Farinholt
Kiss Edgar for me
