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[First Letter]

8-9-62

Camp near Harrisons Landing Aug 9th

Der Father

I send in charge of (Mr Edward. C. Collines of our band wich is discharged to day) my Sword sash, and would like to send my watch but I have no other to use. Mr Collines is a vary nice man and a member of the M. E. Chruch at Bridgeton and if he comes down to our house he will give you the news of our traviles, you must take good care f my things I have not much tine to write from your most obediant son W. T. Cobb

[Second Letter]

[Envelope]

8-26-62

Mr Samuel Cobb Mauricetown Cumberland Co N.J.

[Letter Pg1]

Camp near Alexandreia Va Augst 26th

                              1862

Dear Father

I recieved yours of the 16th on the 21st I recieved it on board of the Steem Ship Baltic which we shiped on board at Yorktown and come to this place whare wee will leave in a few days for the Shannan doah valey there is sommaney troops here a head of us that wee cant get on the cars to leave here for our destination wee have no tents pitched for wee expect to leave evry hour but wee have not gon yet, I have not got much time to write to your for the mail leaves shrotly

[Pg2]

and will have to write fast wee left Harrisons Landing on the 14th and marched all the way down the Paninsula and shiped at yorktown for here wee had a raney time of it the first day and night that wee was on board of the ship but the soecond day and night was vary nice for us. I sent my sword and sash home by one of our bad men. I will give you directions how to get them they are in Bridgeton. if you send for them the Directions is as follows. Call at Samuel Reevs she store and in quire for Edward. C. Collines Bridgetown give my love to all of the fanily Ed and mother no more at preant from your most Dutiful Son W. T. Cobb

[Pg3]

I am in a hurry write soon

[Third Letter]

[Pg1]

Camp near Alexandria Va Sep 6th 1862

Dear Father

I recieved yours of the 18 inst and was vary glad to here from home once more. I wrote to you when we arrived here from the Panintula and have not had aney chance to write to you befor. Since I wrote to you last wee have seen some of the hardest times that wee have seen since wee come out here. wee arrived here at alexa on the 26th of augst and stayed here two days wee then embarked on board of the cars for Warington whare wee arrved a little befor dark, wee cooked our coffee and eat our last hard tack (hard crackers) wee then

[Pg2]

laid down for the night. wee had laid there 4 hours when wee herd firing in the direction from whence wee came, the next morning wee was ordered to moove at day light wich wee did, and strange to say wee went rite back on the vary Road that wee come (but not in cars but on foot) well wee suspected something wrong by

                           ed

takeing that course. wee march untill after noon when wee over took the Enimy, wee give them battle and if wee didant make them take out it is a caution wee run them down a hill and kept up such a terable firing and Hoozaying that they broke and run like sheep befor us. wee killed a grate number of them and wounded maney more. they did us little damage. wee

[Pg3]

took a good lot of Prisinors with guns and other war empliments. wee then went on a bout 3 miles farther and stoped for the night, wee being pretty well dired out after marching 10 miles and fighting a battle in the bargin. after resting about half an hour orders come for our Regiment to

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go a bout 4 miles to the Northwar to do picket duty, well you may judge our feelings with recieving these orders but wee never flinch from noting. wee went and captured 14 prisinors during the night. wee went to whare the rest of the Brigade was encamped. wee lay there about 2 hours when wee started off a gane and wee went through Manasses junction and turned the Road to Centerville. at sundown wee stoped at Bull Run whare the Black horse Cavelry Charged on our men in the Three months service. wee laid there untill

[Pg4

2 Ock the next morning when wee started off agane. wee marched through Centerville and took the Road to the left (which leads towards the Blue Ridge) wee went 6 miles down the Road and come on the field of action once more. whare the shot shell grape canister and bulits was flying in evry direction. well

                             st

wee went in to it in good earne and fought about 2 hours when was relieved wee went out in to a large Field and laid under a heavy fire of shot & shell the remainder of the day (nothing to eat all day wee ws like a drove of half starved hounds rady to fight with hunger) wee lay her all night with

                             ing

vary little sleep the next morn the Ball opened a gane and at 2 Ock wee was brought into it agane and after fightin for 2 hours a trying to stop a flank movement of the enimy wee was ordered out on account of the enimy getting in front[underlined] on our right and in our rear

[Pg5]

Continuation of the other sheet you may guess our situation with fireing on 3 sides of us, wee went out as cool as if nothing had happened wee marched out under the protection of our artilary wich stood on a hill and you would have laughed to see the Johney Rebs Run when wee got out of the way of our artilary they broke and urn like so maney sheep, by this time wee found that the enimy waas out flanking us on our left and wee was ordered to fall back this was about 4 1/2 Ock in the afternoon which wee done in good order wee marched all night a waiding up to our middles through Creek and Brooks over Stoney Roads up hill and down hill through Drenching Raines sokeing to the

[Pg6]

vary skinn on our Backs and not a man complained for that day wee had recieved some Raw Pork and hard tack wich was our onley want for rest wee did not look far (and have not since wee left the Panitula wich was on the 15th of last month wich wee struck our tents and have not had them pitched untill yasterday wee piched them. wee have slept under our tents but they was not pitched wee roled up in them at nights So wee have slept since the 15th of last month no Blankets and no knapsack wee used our haver sacks for a pillow and glad to get that, this is a small [spesinam?] of our condition for wee are allmost naked I have not got a shirt to my back and no stockings to ware and would not have had aney shoes to my feet but I got a

[Pg7]

pair on the Battle field as maney others did wich wee took from what ever cource wee could obtain them this is owing to us having orders to send our knapsacks and all of our clothing away when wee was at Harrisons Landing but wee will draw new clothes to day or to morrow wee will get a new fit out compleet) I will give you a few words wich pased betwen Gens Banks, Hooker, Carney, Sigal. says Gen Hooker to Gen Banks (on the night of our arrivel at Warington) I have but a few men and they are worn out but I will take them down the R. Road and cut of Jackso[n] and if you do not send some one down there Washington is gon, I will take the lead and make the first attacke on the enimy. Genl Carney said

[Pg8]

                        ce

that he would take the advan the second day and support Genl

                             ld

Hooker. Genl Sigal said he wou take the advance on the third day supported by Gens Hooker & Carney so wee went. it is my belief that if the armey of the Potomac had ben 6 hours later the whole armey of the valley would have bin captured. I see the case vary plane but wee got them out of a scrape and are all right. I am acton Orderly Sergent and expect will bee O.S. but I dont want that postion. the stamps that you sent me first got wet so that I cant use them but the last ones I have all right. give this to Ed when you read it and tell him that I have no more paper or I would write to him. wee have a plainty to eat and are doing well. wee lay a bout 2 miles from Alexra. I would like to see some boddy from home. give my love to mother and all of the rest of the Cobb family write soon nomore at presant from your moth dutiful son W.T. Cobb

[Marginalia right side]

write soon & tell Ed to write

[Marginalia – Top of Pg5]

I did not get a cratch in the fights and I am well and in better helth than I have had for 2 monthes past

[The civil war letters of William Tell Cobb and his brother Edwin cobb of Mauricetown , New Jersey Book No. Two

[Fourth letter]

[Stamped envelope]

9-14-62

[postmark] Washington D.C Sep 16 18[?]

Mr Samuel Cobb Mauricetown Cumberland Co. N.J.

[Letter Pg1]

Camp near Alexandra Va Sept 14th /62

Der Father

I have just recieved the box that you sent to me and I was glad to get it. Some of the articles in it was spoiled but the majority of the things was good. the sigars cherries and some of the cakes ware good the bread and some of the cakes ware spoiled the chees was spoiled also. the ham is as good as ever and I am a going to have a good supper off of it. I have just recieved a letter from George and was var glad to here from home. George did not give me maney important news, he tole me that you ahd recieved my sward sash & watch wich I am vary glad to here from, he also give me a list of volunteers from our place wich I am vary glad to

[Pg2]

here for I think it is time that some of our mauricetown (Cowards) is turned in to Soldiers, it makes little differance to me now how much fighting there is for wee are a laying here in the defence of Washington wee lay near Fort Lyon and wee are rady to meet the Johny rebs at aney moment if they see propper to pay us a visit wich I hardly think they will do, the new troops is doing the fighting now and wee are a laying back getting rested wich wee vary much need. I will give you a list of our grub wich wee now have, vis, 1 Loaf of Bread evry morning (warm at that) fresh Beef two days in five. Potatoes. Good Salt Port. Salt Beef. Mixed vegitables. Beens. Coffee. Sugar. and then the Boys go out a foraging at knights and get Peeches. Grapes. Green Corn. Sweet Potatoes. tomatoes. and what other vegitables they can find. Chickines. Gees. Turkeys. Ducks and when they can find them they

[Pg3]

kill pigs but all of these are vary high gon for there is so maney of these Old Soldiers a round here that they have taken vary nigh evry thing that they can get. I will give you one example night befor last 15 men went out of our Companey and when they come back they had 17 pairs of Chickines and about 5 bushels of Sweet Potatoes. 2 bushels of Peeches, and the remainder was loaded with apples and round Potatoes they went 7 miles to get them, they started after tattoo at night and did not get back untill 4 Ock in the morning this is a spesiman of Soldiers life when in Camp. wee have it differant now from when wee was on the Panintula, I wish you to send me a box and I will send you the money for it I will tell you what I want vis your and mothers Ambraty- =pe, 100 Sigars in a box and some small letter paper and envelopes and 20 pars of Cotton socks. 1 Calice Shirt. 1 Pocket

[Pg4]

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Hankirchief. and if you can get aney can^d] fruit send me some. and if you want to send aney cakes you can put a patition in the box. dont for get the paper for it is vary hard to get out here. you may think it vary queer in my sending home for such articles but wee cant get them out here unles it is in a box and if you send them as soon as you can I will be likely to get them rite off for there is an Express office in Alexandra, when you send me the box send me a letter and tell me what it costs and when wee get paid I will send you the money, if you can find aney butter no differance how strong send it a long. tell mother to send me a big cake. I would like 2 lb of sugar. and send me a few stamps in a letter, I will stop writeing at presant. I am acton O.S. and expect to bee if our O.S. is made Sergent Major. nomor give my love to all from your most obidiant Son Wm. T. Cobb

[Fifth Letter]

[Stamped envelope]

9-29-62

[Postmark] [Washington D.C. .........?]

Mr Samuel Cobb Mauricetown N.J.

[Letter Pg1]

Camp near Alexandra Va Sepr 29th

                             1862

Der Father

I recieved you letter three Days ago and would have written befor but as wee was on picket and the Consiquince was that I had no chance to answer it before, wee come off of picket yasterday, our picket duty here is not vary havy. there is no Rebs around here and when wee go out on picket we get all of the apples that wee can eat but wee have so far to go that wee cant bring aney home with us wich wee would like to do. our duty out here is to detect spies no man or person is allowed to pas in or out of our picket lines without apass sig[h][crossed out]ned by genral grover wee caught two spes yastery morning

[Pg2]

and brought them in to head quarters and I have not seen them since, wee can get all the chestnuts that wee want for there is a plainty of them down here. I have had several good messes boiled and can get them at aney time, but wee get vary few Beens wee useto get Beens, Potatoes, Onions. Dride Pees, Beets and several other eatables but wee get non of them now, I would like for you to send me a dollar for I could get some tomattoes, I want a mess of stewed tomattoes so bad that I think if I had a mess I could nearly dance over them there is a plainty of them to sell out here and I would like to have some of them, I expect that wee will be paid off pretty soon but I am a fraid that it will bee to late to get them, I wrote to Zeak the other day but have not recieved an answer yet but I look for one to day from him he is in the 17th Reg of N.J. V

[Pg3]

if Mother makes aney shirts for me you can send them in the mail and I will get them, if you get my box started and you get the Recipt for it send it to me so that I can present it to the Agent here at Alexandra to get the box, the next time you write tell me whare Ed is and how he likes the new Schooner, give my best respects to Boss Blew & Joe Vaniman Mr Collines and in fact to all that worked in the yard when I worked there, wee have Sibley tents at presant and live in them first rate wee have our beds Raised on stakes from the grond and wee have good sleeping bunks. give my love to mother the Children and your self in cluded Nomore at presant write soon, from your most Obedt Son William. T. Cobb O.S.

N.B. I am getting as fat as a big.