Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
http://www.pacivilwar.com/russelletter.html
PA Civil War Volunteer Soldiers' Letters
Gettysburg letter by Samuel Russel
Captain Samuel Russel from Pottsville wrote home to his mother about the battle he was just in, although some of the information he was reporting was inaccurate it actually tells what the soldiers heard and thought. This letter was published in the Miners Journal July 12 1863.
From The 96th Regiment PV.
Battlefield near Gettysburg Pa.
July 4, 1863
My Dear Mother
The last letter I mailed you, was, I think, from Barnsville, Md. Since then we have had very long and rapid marched. Our Corps arrived here on the afternoon of the 2d after a hard march of 32 miles, and just in time to save our army from a total defeat, as it appeared at the time. Our Corps went into it splendidly, driving the rebels in every direction and recapturing the artillery that the 5th Corps had lost. Our regiment had but one man wounded. We were right in were the balls flew thick and fast, and how we got off so well I do not see. Yesterday we were opened on several times by the rebel artillery and sharpshooters. We had built a barricade which protected us from their fire. Our success yesterday was most complete. We repulsed the rebels at every attack. I suppose we captured 8000 prisoners and also General Longstreet. The portion of the field we occupy is strewn with mostly with our dead. Very few of the rebels are to be seen, but I am told a short distance beyond here they lay thick. Last evening our line was advanced and we captured between two and three regiments. The men are in splendid spirits. The smell of the dead is awful. we have not have time to bury them. We will wind up the rebel army before they reach the Potomac. We have all got sixty-five crackers to celebrate the day with. I must close.
Samuel R. Russel.
Captain Co. H 96th PVI
#####################
Samuel R. Russel (First_Last)
Regiment Name 96 Pennsylvania Inf.
Side Union
Company C,H
Soldier's Rank_In 2 Lt.
Soldier's Rank_Out Capt.
Alternate Name S.R./Russel
Notes
Film Number M554 roll 105
http://www.itd.nps.gov/cwss/soldiers.cfm
UNION PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS
96th Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry
Organized at Pottsville September 9 to October 30, 1861. Left State for Washington, D. C., November 18, 1861. Attached to Slocum's Brigade, Franklin's Division. Army Potomac, to March, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army Potomac, to April, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to May, 1862. 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, 6th Army Corps, Army Potomac, and Army of the Shenandoah, to October, 1864.
SERVICE.-Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., till March. 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-15. McDowell's advance on Falmouth April 4-17. Return to Alexandria and embark for the Peninsula. Siege of Yorktown April 24-May 4 (on transports). West Point May 7-8. Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Gaines' Mill June 27. Charles City Cross Roads and Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing till August 16. Movement to Fortress Monroe, thence to Centreville August 16-28. In works at Centreville August 28-81. Cover Pope's retreat to Fairfax C. H. September 1. Maryland Campaign September 6-24. Crampton's Pass, South Mountain, September 14. Antietam September 16-17. Duty in Maryland till October 30. Movement to Falmouth, Va., October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. Burnside's second Campaign, "Mud March," January 20-24, 1863. At Falmouth till April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Franklin's Crossing April 29-May 2. Maryes Heights, Fredericksburg, May 3. Salem Heights May 3-4. Banks' Ford May 4. Gettysburg Campaign June 13-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg, Pa., July 2-4. Pursuit of Lee July 5-24. At and near Funkstown, Md., July 10-13. Hagerstown July 14. Duty on line of the Rappahannock till October. Brlstoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Rappahannock Station November 7. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Duty at Hazel River till May, 1864. Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania C. H. May 8-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before Petersburg June 17-18. Jerusalem Plank Road June 22-23. Siege of Petersburg till July 9. Moved to Washington, D. C., July 9-11. Repulse of Early's attack on Washington July 11-12. Pursuit of Early to Snicker's Gap July 14-18. Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign August to October. Near Charlestown August 21-22. Charlestown August 24. Battle of Opequan, Winchester, September 19. Fisher's Hill September 22. New Market September 24. Battle of Cedar Creek October 19. Mustered out October 21, 1864, expiration of term.
Regiment lost during service 6 Officers and 126 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 86 Enlisted men by disease. Total 219.
Samuel RUSSEL Household
Male
Other Information:
Birth Year <1839>
Birthplace PA
Age 41
Occupation U.S. Mail Agent
Marital Status M <Married>
Race W <White>
Head of Household Samuel RUSSEL
Relation Self
Father's Birthplace PA
Mother's Birthplace PA
Household Record 1880 United States Census
Name Relation Marital Status Gender Race Age Birthplace Occupation Father's Birthplace Mother's Birthplace
Samuel RUSSEL Self M Male W 41 PA U.S. Mail Agent PA PA
Annie RUSSEL Wife M Female W 34 PA Keeping House PA PA
Eslette RUSSEL Dau S Female W 12 PA At School PA PA
Samuel RUSSEL Son S Male W 10 PA At School PA PA
Rey RUSSEL Dau S Female W 8 PA At School PA PA
Theodore RUSSEL Son S Male W 5 PA PA PA
Annie RUSSEL1 Dau S Female W 3 PA PA PA
Blanche RUSSEL2 Dau S Female W 6M PA PA PA
Mary RUDY Other S Female W 18 PA Servant PA PA
Kate FITZPATRICK Other S Female W 21 PA Servant IRE. PA
Notes
1MISSING 1
2HCP ENTRY
Source Information:
Census Place South Ward, Pottsville, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania
Family History Library Film 1255193
NA Film Number T9-1193
Census > U.S. Census > 1860 United States Federal Census > Pennsylvania > Schuylkill > Pottsville
1860 United States Federal Census
about Samuel Russel
Name: Samuel Russel
Age in 1860: 20
Birth Year: abt 1840
Birthplace: Pennsylvania
Home in 1860: Pottsville, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania
Gender: Male
Post Office: Pottsville
Value of real estate: View Image
Household Members: Name Age
Andrew Russel 57 Real estate agent PA
Susan N Russel 56
Henry Clay Russel 23 Lawyer
Samuel Russel 20
Matilda Russel 18
Theadore Russel 15
Thomas W Russel 13
Sarah Jones 19 Servant
Mary Doyle 17 Servant
Notify Administrator about this message?
|
Followups: |
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/russel/messages/417.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|