Showing posts with label 141st Pennsylvania Infantry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 141st Pennsylvania Infantry. Show all posts
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Easter Sunday
Today at Brandy Station: March 27, 1864 (Easter Sunday) From the letters, diaries and regimental histories that I have access to, there isn't a lot of material from the soldiers about today being Easter Sunday. Joel Molyneux (141st Pennsylvania) is the only soldier to identify the day: "Easter Sunday. Rode to Culpepper with the Capt[ain]. Gen. Hayes at Hd Qrs, and is to command the Second Brigade." Richard Owen (86th New York) was poetic: "Bright and fair with all the blessings of an infinitely good God resting upon me. O for a closer walk with thee. A heart from sin set free. A light to shine upon the road that leads me unto thee. My God my all and is all." Henry Seage (4th Michigan) mentions there was Divine Service at 11:00. But, did not go. George Perkins, (6th New York Independent Battery) went to a service: "Fair and warm. A very interesting Bible lesson this day on Mat[thew] 5th. Discourse in evening and a prayer meeting. Spoke. Cornelia Hancock, a 2nd Corps nurse on Hansbrough Ridge, concluded in a letter to her sister: "Sunday morning- our steward has returned quite drunk and things have not got straightened yet, quite. Liquor I am so down upon. They cannot get it here but he went to Washington as has not recovered himself yet. He has just been in my house, says he is all right for duty now, I hope so. My house is not swept up yet. I suppose you are about getting off to Meeting." For many, like David Wagner (107th Pennsylvania Infantry) it was a normal day in the army: "Company Inspection in the morning. Dress Parade in the evening at 4 O'Clock."
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
The Old Slave
I apoligize for the significant gap in blog entries.
Today at Brandy Station: February 23, 1864
From a letter sent by Pvt. Joel Molyneux, 141st Pennsylvania Volunteers, to his sister, which can be found in "Quill of the Wild Goose," edited by Kermit Molyneux Bird.
"Our Hq. Qrs is at the plantation of a man by the name of Ririe. He has three slaves.... One old chap is 101 years old, and I have been having a talk with him of old times. He can remember of times before the Revolution. He lived then near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay; says he remembers the big snow storm and that it was so deep that it covered up all the houses; that it began to snow of a Friday and it snowed for a week; that they burned up everything in the houses for wood and then dug up on top and went on the crust and carried the wood. The sheep and cattle died because they could not find them.
He heard the cannons when Lafayette came to this country to fight. I suppose it was at Yorktown, but he did not get to see Lafayette. He said that he was “right smart old” at the time of the War of 1812, and remembered a considerable of what happened then. ...
He says he has had three wives that had been sold and could not tell how many children. He has all his faculties good yet. Is quite smart. Stands up straight. Says he can walk 20 miles in a day, easy. He has never been whipped – would fight first, run away, etc., then come back when he got ready..."
How much Ririe's slave states is true or not, we will never know. But it does sound like Joel had some interesting conversations.
Today at Brandy Station: February 23, 1864
From a letter sent by Pvt. Joel Molyneux, 141st Pennsylvania Volunteers, to his sister, which can be found in "Quill of the Wild Goose," edited by Kermit Molyneux Bird.
"Our Hq. Qrs is at the plantation of a man by the name of Ririe. He has three slaves.... One old chap is 101 years old, and I have been having a talk with him of old times. He can remember of times before the Revolution. He lived then near the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay; says he remembers the big snow storm and that it was so deep that it covered up all the houses; that it began to snow of a Friday and it snowed for a week; that they burned up everything in the houses for wood and then dug up on top and went on the crust and carried the wood. The sheep and cattle died because they could not find them.
He heard the cannons when Lafayette came to this country to fight. I suppose it was at Yorktown, but he did not get to see Lafayette. He said that he was “right smart old” at the time of the War of 1812, and remembered a considerable of what happened then. ...
He says he has had three wives that had been sold and could not tell how many children. He has all his faculties good yet. Is quite smart. Stands up straight. Says he can walk 20 miles in a day, easy. He has never been whipped – would fight first, run away, etc., then come back when he got ready..."
How much Ririe's slave states is true or not, we will never know. But it does sound like Joel had some interesting conversations.
Monday, January 3, 2011
The First Sabbath of 1864
Today at Brandy Station: January 3, 1864
A fairly quiet day for the army.
A soldier in the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry caught the 3 o'clock train heading towards Brandy Station to visit friends. He began his journey at Warrenton Junction, a distance of 18 miles.
There was no service nor inspections in the 4th Michigan Infantry. But they did have an evening parade, their first since before Christmas.
Those soldiers whom decided to re-enlist in the 91st Pennsylvania Infantry were having a pretty good day. These men were preparing to take the cars in a northbound direction, heading home tomorrow to the Philadelphia area, on reenlistment furlough. They will return as Veteran Volunteers.
Lucius Bidwell, in the 14th Connecticut Infantry, wrote to his brother, lamenting that the recent snow had all cleared off the ground (more coming tonight), so no sledding, as there likely was home. Lucius also told his brother of a letter he has received from his 'sweet Philadelphian.'
William Owens, in the 86th New York Infantry, probably had the best day. Owens was called out of church to receive his pay.
A fairly quiet day for the army.
A soldier in the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry caught the 3 o'clock train heading towards Brandy Station to visit friends. He began his journey at Warrenton Junction, a distance of 18 miles.
There was no service nor inspections in the 4th Michigan Infantry. But they did have an evening parade, their first since before Christmas.
Those soldiers whom decided to re-enlist in the 91st Pennsylvania Infantry were having a pretty good day. These men were preparing to take the cars in a northbound direction, heading home tomorrow to the Philadelphia area, on reenlistment furlough. They will return as Veteran Volunteers.
Lucius Bidwell, in the 14th Connecticut Infantry, wrote to his brother, lamenting that the recent snow had all cleared off the ground (more coming tonight), so no sledding, as there likely was home. Lucius also told his brother of a letter he has received from his 'sweet Philadelphian.'
William Owens, in the 86th New York Infantry, probably had the best day. Owens was called out of church to receive his pay.
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