Letter of William Forbush

 
    Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island is one of my favorite books.  Who hasn't thought about finding treasure ?  I found a small personal treasure a few weeks ago, when a collector friend tipped me off that a letter written by my Great Great Grandfather, William Henry Forbush, Co. K, 13th Mass., was for sale on ebay.  I purchased the letter and posted a transcription of it in the previous blog post.

    The only reference to my ancestor's war time letters is in a statement by his widow, in 1882, on  a pension form claim, that she possessed a few letters he wrote to his mother during the war.  I have no idea what happened to them after that.  The seller of this letter did not have any others, or know of any other letters by William,  and informed me the collector who had previously owned it, was interested in military chaplains.  He passed away a few years ago and the collection was sold off.

    In William Henry Forbush's diary of 1863, which was handed down in the family, he notes all the letters he wrote home, to his mother, sister, friends and cousins.  His diary entries are very sparse.  They give a brief note on weather conditions, troop movements, and other small observations.  It was incredible to find and purchase this particular letter written at Harper's Ferry in 1861.  The  descriptive detail given in the letter is great, and there is a lot I can interpret from its contents.

    The handwriting matches that in the diary of course.  William had a habit of crossing t's so that the cross appeared over the next letter, or letters, in the word he was writing.  The t's are never crossed properly.   He also used capital letters indiscriminately, and there is little punctuation, like several other letters I have seen.
He writes two days after the killing of John L. Spencer, the first man of the regiment killed by enemy fire, and describes the somewhat elaborate funeral service of Spencer.

 He wrote Sgt. Kimball came into our "Mess room yesterday..."   this corroborates Lauriman Russell's maps and statements by Sgt. Austin Stearns that Company K, was quartered in a building between the canal and the mountains.  I think the remains of this structure are still standing.

      I have information on the men mentioned in the letter too.
Sargent Kimball, is William B. Kimball, who was later promoted 2nd Lt. in May, '62, 1st Lt. in Feb. '63, and captain of Co. K, in October of '63.


    Fly, is John Fly who he also mentions in his diary of 1863.  I think Fly, was his friend.  Williams pre-war occupation was 'sleigh-maker."  Westboro, Mass. was known for its manufacture of economical sleds.  John Fly was a blacksmith, and sleigh-makers worked closely with blacksmiths in the manufacture of sleds.  Fly was killed at Gettysburg.  Austin Stearns, who was at the First Corps Hospital (Christ Church) in the town of Gettysburg, July 2 & 3rd, 1863,  recorded Fly's death in his memoirs:

On going back towards the church I saw a rebel ambulance standing before the door with several of our Surgeons standing besides it earnestly talking.  On getting near I heard they were talking about some one in the ambulance.  On looking in I saw there, dressed in a rebel uniform and very weak from the loss of blood, John Flye, the first man  of our company hit.  I told the surgeons that I knew that man, that we were of the same company, and they immediately ordered him to be taken in.  Flye was left on the field, and the rebs finding him, and seeing his cloths covered and growing stiff with blood, had exchanged his pants for one of their own, and brought him in.  The surgeons seeing him in grey, could not believe he was a union soldier.  Flye died in a few days.

     The man on the right in this photo is credited as being John Fly, of Company K.  The photo is close up of an image of the Co. K cookhouse at Williamsport, Md. the winter of '61- '61.

     William Henry's letter gives a good account of Captain William P. Blackmer's eulogy of Spencer.  Blackmer was the  Methodist Minister from the town of Westboro, who helped organize the company, and became its captain.  The sermon seems to confirm certain criticisms of Blackmer. Stearns wrote,

Of Captain Blackmer, I have but a word to say.  He entered at the big end of the horn, with a loud flurish, declaring he would "wade in blood to his ears," and then in three months came out at the little end, from a hole too small to be seen with the naked eye.

    Capt. Blackmer alludes to the accidental wounding  of a Co. I man.  Spencer sat up with him the night before he was killed.  I have a mention of this incident in the Westboro Transcript Newspaper dated Sept. 28th 1861, and my own notes in parentheses suggest it was John Pierce of Co. I, who was discharged in May, 1862:

‘Since the regiment came out here there has been one killed, (SPENCER ) one wounded by the enemy, one by our own men, (EDWIN SMITH) and one by his own carelessness.’(JOHN PIERCE).

    Its interesting to know that William was one of the pall bearer's that helped carry  Spencer's coffin 2 miles from Harper's Ferry to Sandy Hook.I'd done a lot of research on Spencer's death, so its interesting to learn my own ancestor had an important part to play in his funeral service.

    The coffin was draped with the American flag, and the body decorated with "green leaves at the head of the coffin and a bunch of snow balls on his breast."

    At the end of the letter he tells his mother he is scheduled for guard duty and, "I am on the Post with Mr. Joseph Fairbanks today."  At age 55, private Joseph Fairbanks was one of the oldest volunteers in the regiment.   I like the respect he shows for his older comrade.  William was just 18 at the time.   Fairbank's occupation is also listed as sleigh-maker.  Perhaps Mr. Fairbanks was his employer ? or at least someone he knew professionally before the war.  This re-enforces the idea that volunteers served together with friends and colleagues from their home towns.

     Joseph Fairbanks was forced to muster out in May of '62, along with several other recruits, who it was thought were not up to the rigorous campaigns about to commence.  Up until that time, he shared in all the company work.  In 13th Regiment Association Circular #28, Sept., 1915 Charles E. Davis, Jr. recalls Joseph Fairbanks:

"We recall distinctly that when we were at Warrenton, Junction, VA., in the spring of 1862, in anticipation of the hardships of the approaching campaign and the deprivations that were to be required, all men of doubtful physical endurance were discharged.  Among this number was our Comrade Joseph H. Fairbanks, who was then 56 years of age.  Up to that time he had performed all the duties of a soldier and could not see why he should be excluded from continuing in service. He was a patriot of the highest order and felt aggrieved that his age should be considered a bar to his performing the duties required of a soldier, the order was imperative. His advanced years, in the eyes of his superiors, did seem to be against him, but he resented any such conclusion. When he left the regiment he carried with him the respect and admiration of his comrades.

     A last observation, is that William does not sign his name, as just 'William,' but rather "Wm. Forbush."  His father had died when he was only 7. I'm not sure if his mother had re-married.  She is listed in the family genealogy as Mary Wood (Morse).  I do know William had an Uncle Gilman Morse, with whom he entered into a business partnership after the war.

     Not bad for one letter.

     Again - you can read the letter on the post preceding this one.

The First to Fall & A Surprise

     Shortly after 3 p.m. September 15^th 1861, shots rang out from across the Potomac River near Harper’s Ferry, and private John L. Spencer  fell dead from his horse.  The other six men in his scouting party jumped from their horses and took cover in the water on the banks of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal.  Lt David L. Brown commanded the squad.  They fired back at the concealed Confederates until their ammunition ran out.  They used up Spencer’s ammunition too.  Enemy fire kept them pinned down for 2 1/2 hours. 

     Spencer was the only Union death in the engagement along the river that day, known as ‘Pritchard’s Mill” but he was the first man in the 13^th Mass. Regiment killed by enemy fire.  His death was keenly felt. 

     Moses Palmer, who organized the company, kept the bullet that killed Spencer and his family has it to this day.

 

“This is the ball that killed John L. Spencer of Co. “I” 13th Regt. Mass. Vols. Spencer was shot on the tow path of the Canal near Sandy Hook, Md. and was shot by the Rebels from the Harpers Ferry side of the River Potomac -- first man killed in the Regt.  His body was sent to Marlboro.  The ball passed through his body killing him instantly.”  M. P. Palmer, Comdg Co “I”

     It was still early in the war, and there was time to reflect on the death of a soldier.

     A letter describes the funeral service held for Spencer two days later by Co’s. I & K, the two companies of the 13th Mass detached at Harper’s Ferry:

Harpers Ferry Lock Sept 17^th 1861

Dear Mother

                  I have rote you two letters this week and now I will write you another in My last I told you that one of Com. I Men had bin killed and now I will tell you of his funeral  the Orderly Sargent Kimbal came into our Mess room yesterday Morning and wanted 12 Men to go as Berriers to the Funeral and Fly and Myself and 10 others went   we went without our Equipments then we went into the room and placed the coffin or rather a box on two barells  the American Flag was wrapped around the coffin   the coffin was made of rough boards

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And he had one of our New Winter under Coats on and pants and Stockings and green leaves at the head of the coffin and a bunch of snow balls on his breast   after we fetched him out and placed him on the Barrells then the Company made there Apperance   Comp I of which he was a Member . they had there Guns and Equipments on they fell in front of the Coffin and then Capt Blackmer came out and Spoke to them and us telling them that there was some thing Singular about this Mans death   only the Night before he was up all Night with the Man that Shot himself accidentally and did not leave his side all Night and then to think he was the first one to be shot dead the

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Next day  but he said it was glorious to die in such a noble cause and at his Post  he said who will be called next   God only knows   he said we had bin verry Lucky about Loosing our Men since we Started   the man stood the first Man in the ranks of his company in the lines

Then he offered a prayer and then we started for Sandy Hook a distance of two Miles and we carried him all the way   6 of us would carry him and then 6 more when they got tired,  we carried him in the Midle of the ranks and the Company on each side  the two drummers had there drums Muffled and drapped in Mourning  and they played all the way   and when we got there we sat

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The coffin down and the Company came up and fired 3 rounds over the coffin   some 300 Shotts and then we placed him in the cars and left there Sargent with him to go to Massachusetts  Marlboro Mass  his Father Living in New York State somewhere but they didn’t Know where and so they were goin to take him there to the Man that he used to work for and then we came back  but the Minister said perhappse this mans was [when? It? came?  bravest? because?]  that Such a hour as we think not we may be taken   Mother I am on guard to day and it is most time to go out and relieve My Man   I am on the Post with Mr. Joseph Fairbanks today  but I must close

I am all right and  [page torn] some and Tough as a nut(?) but I must close   Good bye  Love to All

Wm Forbush

     The letter describing Spencer’s funeral is written by my Great Great Grandfather, William Henry Forbush of Company K.  Until I purchased it on ebay two weeks ago I had no idea it existed. 

To be continued.

Captain Thomas Espy Post 153, G.A.R.

I hope my viewers will look at this video of a rare treasure that exists in the small town of Carnegie, PA.  I recently visited, and will post more about it later.  If you live in the area, or somewhat near the area, and you have an interest in the Civil War Veterans and their lives, this is definitely worth seeing.  The video resolution isn't too high, but the story is there...


Thomas Espy Post No. 153, G.A.R.

Inside the room, there is a grand photograph of members of two local GAR posts, standing in front of the Carnegie Library.  Very few of the veterans are identified.  If you are knowledgeable about PA Regiments, you might be able to add to the names, but its a tall order. Not surprisingly, many local residents, have no idea this exists.

Cheers,
Brad

Out of Sync

  
     My latest web page is up, Camp at Sharpsburg, Sept. 17th - Oct. 26th, 1862.  Highlights include a short biography of the Three Cary Brothers who were officers in the regiment; a biographical sketch of beloved Brigade Commander, Brigadier-General George Lucas Hartsuff, & a humorous remembrance of Corporal 'Bob' Armstrong, Co. B.

     Yet to come is a page about the Fredericksburg Campaign, Nov - Dec. 1862.  So, I am still building history pages for the year 1862, which I began in May, 2009.  I am trying to get into 1863 before the  150th anniversary of Gettysburg in 2013!

     The Sesquicentennial of the war has brought some notice to my work, particularly in the towns of Natick, and Marlboro, home of Co.'s  H,  I  &  F,  respectively.   I just heard from the town manager of Hancock, Maryland too!

     The towns were recognizing the 150th Anniversary of the war, and the part played in it by their citizens and soldiers.   Early January marked the 150th anniversary of the battle of Hancock, when Stonewall Jackson, rode up from Winchester and shelled the town.  Read More

     Since I am immersed in 19th cent. history, I always feel a bit out of touch with modern life.  Don't try to call me on a cel phone and don't ask me what time it is.  Since my 1917 Illinois pocket watch broke, I don't know.   My '51 Hudson doesn't keep up too well in modern traffic but it does okay.   Even the idea of a non-interactive website, like mine,  is out of date today.  With instant communication devices like twitter, facebook and blogs a staid informational non-interactive site is passez.  Imagine too, corresponding by email, my preferred method, is now considered old fashioned.  But hey, at least I am aware of the new stuff!  I just don't seem to need it.  

     Even my blog is out of sync with the Sesquicentennial. 

     I started the 'blog in real time' experiment last year.  I was able to find and post lots of interesting items, relating to the 13th Regiment, and the build up to the war, that are not on my website.  But when I got to August 1st, 1861, the date the regiment arrived in Hagerstown, MD, something kept me from continuing with the series.   At the time I was struggling to finish my webpage about "Antietam," a milestone in the history of the regiment. I gave that priority.   I've covered the regiment's history in detail over at the website and I didn't want to repeat myself on the blog, which I would've done with frequent real time posts.  So the blog series evaporated.

     The same problem continues, as I strive to keep moving forward with the history pages at the website. I posted about Thanksgiving & Christmas, 1861, here at this blog, a couple years ago.  So I didn't want to repeat myself to be in sync with the Sesqui.  Instead, I've been continuing to toil away at the website, trying to get to the Gettysburg page before the 150th anniversary in 2013.

     Besides, there are others marking time better than I.

      By the way, did you know that Stonewall Jackson, twice, tried to destroy Dam No. 5 of the C & O canal, 150 years ago, this past December?   (At least my cyber friend and fellow blogger Cenantua mentioned it.)  I sent him some more info and he's promised to do a follow up post on it.  You can also find information about it on my website, here

    So, I'm moving into the Fredericksburg Campaign now.  I'm pretty confident  I'll have that page built before Dec. 2012.  I'll probably be working on the website long after the 150th anniversary of the war.

It feels like that bumper sticker my friend had on the back of his rusted out '75 Dodge Colt, many years ago.    "Don't honk, I'm peddling as fast as I can."

Hope you enjoy the new page.

John Brown Bell Presentation

     One of the many research highlights for me this year, was corresponding with Paul Brodeur of the Marlboro,  Historical Society in Massachusetts, hometown of Companies I & F.    The sesquicentennial has brought a lot of attention to the Civil War, and communities are starting to look at how the war impacted their citizens.

     Paul put together an excellent presentation on the John Brown Bell, which members of Company I, retrieved on September 26, 1861, and which they eventually brought to Marlboro, Mass. in 1892. The bell tower in the town square is an integral part of Marlboro's history.  Paul did extensive research on abolition in Marlboro prior to the war, the local fire engine companies whose members filled the ranks of Companies I & F, and the former slaves who settled in Marlboro as a result of their association with these companies, whom they met when the regiment was in Western Maryland.  The presentation is on-line for all to view.   Its a fascinating story.  Here is the link:  John Brown Bell.

     Our correspondence led down some other interesting paths, including a better look at some of the soldiers within the ranks of Company F and their standing in the community before and after the war.

     My favorite part of the presentation, still is the story of Fannie (Geary) Stanley and her mother, Arenia Geary, former slaves, who worked at the Wager House Hotel in Harper's Ferry during John Brown's fateful raid in October 1859.  The following quotes are from the Marlboro Enterprise 1914 obituary of Fanny Geary Stanley.

     “ When the war swept over the country she was working at the same (Wager) hotel, and by dint of extra effort she and her mother accumulated enough money to take them to the north.”

      “ About that time soldiers of the 13th Mass. Regt. were stationed in that vicinity and Mrs. Stanley, making their acquaintance, came north with them. The soldiers were from Marlboro and by their advice daughter and mother came here.” 

     There is a well known image of "Contraband" in the camp of the 13th Mass. at Williamsport.  None of the subjects are identified.  The photo is probably one taken by George L. Crosby, a photographer/artist from Marlboro, and a member of Company F, who was active with his camera equipment at this time  It is very likely, that the two women on the right of the picture are  Arenia Geary and her daughter   Fanny Geary.   It is also possible their cousin, William Geary, could be in the picture.  William would make Marlboro his home too.  Check out the slide show.  

     And, A New Year's Gift to all who read this!

Harper's Ferry, 1861, Revisited

The web page at my site titled, "Nine Weeks at Harper's Ferry" has been updated with new material and css code.  There is a technical glitch in the page design that shows up in my firefox browser.  The blue column at screen left does not scroll to the bottom.  Other than that distracting problem, there is a lot of new information.

Correspondence with research volunteer Eugene Wilkins and Supervising Park Ranger David Fox, at Harper's Ferry N.P. in early 2010 clarified several key locations of the skirmishes and activities of the 13th Mass soldiers, who picketed the river in the Fall of 1861. More information came to light this summer when I corresponded with Paul Brodeur of the Marlboro, Mass. Historical Society.  Other new material cropped up during the 3 years since I built the page, so it was time for an update.

I've always been proud of this page because the period was not written about in Charles E. Davis, jr.'s regimental history, "Three Years in the Army."   Some information is given in Sgt. Austin Stearns Memoir, "Three Years With Company K," but there is not enough detail.

I have added the following information to the page:

News accounts from the Boston City Gazette, the Philadelphia Inquier and the Westboro Transcript. This includes information about the John Brown Bell, the burning of Herr's Mill, and more.  There is also a little more information on Mr. Abraham Herr, and his claim to the govt. for rent money.

A section on civil engineer Lauriman Russell, Co. I, (pictured) and his maps.

Information on the final resting place of private John L. Spencer, first man of the regiment killed by the enemy.

A photo of California 49er, private Chandler Robbins, of Co. K with a letter to the Westboro Transcript.

An excellent report of the Battle of Bolivar Heights from the Washington Star.  Also, the  report of Lt. J.W. Martin, commanding Battery K, of the 9th N.Y. artillery.

A photo of Lt. William R. Warner, Co. K with his description of the engagement at Bolivar Heights, including reference to Capt. Shriber's noteworthy command, "Company I, Run!" which is sited in Davis's history of the 13th.

A photo of Corporal George Marshall, Co. C to accompany a description of his experience at Bolivar.

A description of the "drug store" clean-out of a secessionist in town.

Two letters of Capt. Shriber were restored to Richard Humphrey's original research.  I had placed these on a different page in order to keep a strict chronology, but thought it best to include them on the Harper's Ferry page also.

And more...

Happy Thanksgiving

Just want to wish all my readers and followers a Happy Thanksgiving.  This blog flies pretty low on the radar screens and I'm grateful for everyone who finds time to drop by and read the posts.  You are all very appreciated.

The Harper's Ferry page of my website has been updated with lots of new material, but the new page file was corrupted so I have to re-construct it.  I will be posting it soon and writing about whats new here.  I will also be posting soon about Tim Snyder's book on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal during the Civil War, and on the John Brown Bell.

Happy Thanksgiving!  -  Brad