Over the next few weeks, I hope to start posting parts of letters that I am coming across in the course of my research. Today, I would like to share a few lines from several letters written by Private George Cramer of the 11th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. These typed transcripts of letters were donated by Private Cramer's descendants, and can be found in the 11th Pennsylvania Infantry file in the Antietam National Battlefield library. Private Cramer became ill just before the Battle of South Mountain, and was thus not directly engaged on either the 14th or 17th of September. His letters mention this, referring to South Mountain as the battle fought on Sunday, and Antietam as being fought on Wednesday. His letters give a sense of the exhausted nature of the men, as well as the attrition that the campaign was taking on them. I have italicized one section in the letter of the 21st to highlight those portions which display the effect the campaign was having on the strength of the 11th Pennsylvania. Not only do these letters describe attrition by sickness and casualties, they show that soldiers such as George Cramer firmly understood the stakes of the Maryland Campaign.
September 21st, 1862
Dear Wife,
I have no doubt that you are all anxiety and trouble about
me, and disappointed in not getting a letter from me before this, but I assure
you it was impossible for me to write to you before this. Since receiving your
last, we have been pushed forward where we met the enemy on the mountain
between Frederick and Hagerstown, the details of it you will have received
through the newspapers which are nowise exaggerated. In my last letter, if you
received it, I stated that I have not been well since we left Hall’s Hill,
Virginia, and I had not got better all along. On Sunday evening this day last
week, forcing the mountain, I was forced to leave ranks and sank down at a
tree. It just commenced getting dark, the battle raging furious. I rested for a
while and then walked down where our brigade had left its knapsacks. George
Righter I met there, sick like myself. We have been together ever since, both
almost unable to walk. But this day we came up to our brigade and many a face is missing among us. General Harsuff [sic]
is seriously wounded. Colenel [sic] R. Coulter commands the brigade. Captain
Kuhn took sick on the march. When we came to Frederick he was compelled to
leave the company and go to the hospital. Lieutenant Noble is also in some
hospital. Maybe he was taken back to Washington. He took sick before the Bull
Run fight, but still tried to stick it out and fought hard at that fight which
I believe done him no good. He still kept on and kept with regiment coming from
Virginia on to Washington but somewhere between Washington and Frederick he was
compelled to stay back. I suppose his people know his whereabouts. Our company
has neither captain, lieutenant, nor any sergant [sic], only corporals to
command us. We have but one captain in our regiment. The rest is killed,
wounded, or back sick. Our Lieutenant colonel got killed at Bull Run. Also our
Major was wounded so we have but one field officer in the regiment, and his
attention is more required to the brigade now than he can pay to our regiment
since Hartsuff is wounded. So you can see we are in a bad trim.
…
These battles which have been fought here in Maryland will
bring sorrow to a great many families as the loss on both sides was heavy. If
only God would have mercy on the nation and put a stay to this bloodshed. He
has protected me so far and can further if his will.
I must close short with my best wishes to all friends,
And my sincere love to you and Maney.
Yours
George Cramer
September 29, 1862
…
Dear Mary, no doubt you are more anxious to hear how I’m
getting along than about anything else. Since we’re laying here resting I got
quite well and begin to pick up fast. Of course I’m weak yet and it would set
hard if there should a forward movement be made, which I hope will not be for a
while, for the authorities can’t be blind to the fact that the old army is a
set of men wore down almost unfit for service at present. It is true they
fought the last battles (there was but a few regiments in the last actual
fight), and were victorious too, but they fought with the last desperation to
stop an invading foe from advancing on to their own fireside, and the same time
to make good again that most shamefull [sic] defeat of Bull Run which was not
caused by the want of bravery by the men, but by the ill management, yes, sometimes
it is thought through treachery, of some of our generals.
…
Hurrah for the Militia that stopped the Rebels! But us poor
fellows had to fight them and many a brave fellow had to bite dust and
thousands to be crippled for life. But their will is a credit to them.
...
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