Franklin County: Thomas F. Boatwright to his Wife,
June 15, 1863
Summary:
Thomas Boatwright writes about his march into Pennsylvania and his impressions of
the area in a letter to his wife.
June 15/63
Camp near Chambersburg Pennsylvania
Cumberland Co Pa
My Darling wife
I am glad I have the privilege of writing again after undergoing so many
hardships: we have been across the Potomac river for ten days laid in Maryland
for [unclear: six] and from [unclear: Minuto] to this state in
which we have been marching for two day now 30 or 40 miles north of Maryland we
are on the turnpike road that leads to Harrisburg the capital which is about 50
miles off we have passed through two town in this state Middleburg to
Greencastle and while passing through all [unclear: doors' man] shut and
the people thought that we came to murder and rob but no so for the orders from
General Lee is not to touch a thing that belongs to private individuals that
what is needed for [unclear: our] comfort must be taken by proper
authorities which I think is all right Maryland men seem very cautious to be let
loose if
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they [unclear: were] all would be burned out of
homes in this country but not so. We have captured hundreds of horses and
hundreds of cattle and immense quantities of flour and various other articles
such as are useful to us. Now I come to speak of the country I never have seen
finer crops of wheat in my life but [unclear: no] their crops seem to
look so [illeg.]. The people do not know that the war is going in this
part of the country that is judging from appearances I have often heard that this state was thickly settled it is so for I never saw buildings as close
together in all of my life a hundred acres of land is as much as any one owns. I
have not seen the first secessionist since I entered
this state all strong unionists here. Our money is not good here though they are
forced to take it in some
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places. such as paying for
[unclear: government] stores that is those we buy but most of them
are [unclear: taking] I have been a little unwell for several days from
cold maybe not so much so as to disable me from marching! I do not know where we
are going only say that we are marching northward where bound know not. I have
purchased two dresses for you and a pair of shoes that I will send you as soon
as a way is [unclear:
offered
]. [deleted: All] will I am at the wagon come up here to help the boy [unclear: attend] looking we
are laying still today resting and gathering stores and wagons are gone out after things [unclear: now] we get
coffee here and
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sugar whiskey and candy cigars nuts of different
kind all I obtained.
We E as [illeg.] hardly today I must stop writing we have tore up the railroad in this county we only have our Corps here Ewell's three Divisions[illeg.] we are 60 miles from the Potomac. near the heart of this state all of the militia are gathered at the capital of this state Harrisburg.
Give my love to all and Oh may the Lord bless you my dear and [illeg.] to meet again in the pray of good officer and loving
Thomas F. Boatwright
