Submission written and letter transcribed by Cheri Todd Molter
On August 29, 1862, Thomas J. Barnaby, a 23-year-old Clerk, enlisted in the Union Army at Dorchester, MA. He served in Company G of the MA 44th Infantry. The following are transcriptions of a letter he wrote to his cousin, James Pratt. (The original letter is part of the collection at Tryon Palace in New Bern, NC, and the link to it is listed below.)
Transcription of the Original:
Hospital of the 44th New Berne
Dec. 7/62
Cousin James
your kind letter was received this morning and I now having a few moments to spare thought I could not better improve them than by writing to you. I am now in the hospital as you see by the heading of my letter not as a patient but as one to look after them I have been here now two weeks. my duties are very hard I do not get a single moment to myself not even to write during the day but being so busy makes the time pass off very fast it does not seem hardley [sic] morning before it is night, it is now about one O’clock in the morning I have just been called up to take my turn in watching I have to get up at twelve and sit up till [sic] three, in that time I write all that I write.
you wished me to give an account of the expedition which I will give you in as few words as possible. We arrived in New Berne Oct 27. it was raining as hard as I ever new [sic] it to rain, this was on the sabbath. on the next Wednesday noon we were ordered to cook three days rations Thursday morning about four the long roll was beat and we was ordered to fall in as lively as possible after and took up our line of march. we went on board of Geo C Collins and started at six. we arrived at a place called Washington the next morning at about ten when we went into camp to wait for the baggage train that was coming by land, we stayed in camp till [sic] Sunday morning when about five we took up the line of march. we marched till [sic] about six in the evening when by the fireing [sic] in the advance we knew that we had come up with the Rebels there was some excitement when the order came for the 44th to advance to support the battery some of the boys thought that the Regt. would be held as a reserve but they were mistaken. we advanced in fine style I can tell marching to the music of the booming of the cannon. when we got so near the Rebels that the balls would pass over our head we were ordered to halt there we stood for some time and all that the time we stood there the balls would fly over our heads thick and fast. it was sport to some but for me I don’t see the point some of our boys did and felt it to. the order to advance was soon given again and at the same time it was told us that we had got to ford a stream a small one they said. some of the boys thought they would be smart so they rolled up there [sic] pants above there [sic] knees but the water turned out to be up to there [sic] waist so there [sic] labor was all in vain. when we got into the river where the water was about up to my waist we were ordered to halt. that was the time when it was enough to make one think of home and all that we had left behind us. it was perfectfuly [sic] frightful to hear the shells come crashing through the woods and pass over our heads and hear them strike on the other side of the road. after standing in the water forty-five minutes we were ordered to advance. the Rebels were then retreating it was said we advanced with pretty good spirits considering they such a good chance to get cooled off a few moments before. we had gone but a few rods when from the sides of the road we received a volley in our ranks with telling effects one of our officers was wounded in four different place [sic] he had nine bullet holes in his coat alone that was the only one that was wounded or hurt in action but I can tell you that the bullets did whistle around our legs but I think we gave them as good as they sent I than [sic] had a chance to fire my gun in defense of my country we went in to camp that night or rather Monday morning on the field where the Rebels had held a few moments ago. we were routed up at about five and ordered to fall in. we started or soon after as possible and marched about 100, or 125 miles further on, we were surprised on falling in the next morning to begin to return from the direction that we had come the day before but it was soon found out that the picket guard had found out by some means or other that the Rebels had about four times the number of men that we had. we marched that day 17 miles without stoping [sic] one to rest. we went to a place called Hamlinton [Hamilton] in a hard snow storm with the mud up to the tops of our boots. we slept in houses that night being the first night that we had slept under cover since we left Newberne. we started the next morning and marched a distance of about twenty miles to a place called Williamston we arrived Friday night and stoped [sic] there untill [sic] Sunday when we started for Plymouth where we were to take the boats for home or what is a home to us now. it was about 30 miles to Plymouth we arrived there Monday noon and stayed there until Tuesday when we went abord [sic] of the boats and left for this place when we arrived Thursday morning having [sic] been gone just two week almost to a minute. we lost on the expedition 2 killed and eight wounded.
Hoping to hear from you soon again I will now close. Remember me to all the folks.
|Direct as before| From your cousin
Tom
Transcription with modern spelling and punctuation:
Hospital of the 44th New Bern
Dec. 7, 1862
Cousin James,
Your kind letter was received this morning, and I, now having a few moments to spare, thought I could not better improve them than by writing to you. I am now in the hospital as you see by the heading of my letter, not as a patient but as one to look after them. I have been here now two weeks. My duties are very hard. I do not get a single moment to myself, not even to write during the day, but being so busy makes the time pass off very fast. It does not seem hardly morning before it is night. It is now about one O’clock in the morning; I have just been called up to take my turn in watching. I have to get up at twelve and sit up ‘til three. In that time, I write all that I write.
You wished me to give an account of the expedition, which I will give you in as few words as possible. We arrived in New Bern [on] Oct 27. It was raining as hard as I ever knew it to rain; this was on the sabbath. On the next Wednesday noon, we were ordered to cook three days rations. Thursday morning about four the long roll was beat, and we were ordered to fall in as lively as possible after and took up our line of march. We went on board of Geo[rge] C Collins and started at six. We arrived at a place called Washington the next morning at about ten when we went into camp to wait for the baggage train that was coming by land. We stayed in camp ‘til Sunday morning when about five we took up the line of march. We marched ‘til about six in the evening when by the firing in the advance, we knew that we had come up with the Rebels. There was some excitement when the order came for the 44th to advance to support the battery. Some of the boys thought that the Regt. would be held as a reserve, but they were mistaken. We advanced in fine style I can tell, marching to the music of the booming of the cannon. When we got so near the Rebels that the balls would pass over our heads, we were ordered to halt there. We stood for some time and all that time we stood there, the balls would fly over our heads thick and fast. It was sport to some, but for me, I don’t see the point. Some of our boys did and felt it to. The order to advance was soon given again, and at the same time, it was told [to] us that we had…to ford a stream—a small one they said. Some of the boys thought they would be smart, so they rolled up their pants above their knees, but the water turned out to be up to their waists, so their labor was all in vain. When we got into the river where the water was about up to my waist, we were ordered to halt. That was the time when it was enough to make one think of home and all that we had left behind us. It was perfectly frightful to hear the shells come crashing through the woods and pass over our heads and hear them strike on the other side of the road. After standing in the water [for] forty-five minutes, we were ordered to advance. The Rebels were then retreating. It was said we advanced with pretty good spirits considering they [had had] such a good chance to get cooled off a few moments before. We had gone but a few rods when, from the sides of the road, we received a volley in our ranks with telling effects. One of our officers was wounded in four different places. He had nine bullet holes in his coat alone. He was the only one who was wounded or hurt in action, but I can tell you that the bullets did whistle around our legs, but I think we gave them as good as they sent. I then had a chance to fire my gun in defense of my country. We went in to camp that night, or rather Monday morning, on the field…the Rebels had held a few moments ago. We were routed up at about five and ordered to fall in. We started, or soon after as possible, and marched about 100, or 125 miles, further on. We were surprised on falling in the next morning to begin to return from the direction that we had come the day before, but it was soon found out that the picket guard had found out by some means or other that the Rebels had about four times the number of men that we had. We marched that day 17 miles without stopping one to rest. We went to a place called Hamilton in a hard snowstorm with the mud up to the tops of our boots. We slept in houses—that night being the first night that we had slept under cover since we left New Bern. We started the next morning and marched a distance of about twenty miles to a place called Williamston. We arrived Friday night and stopped there until Sunday when we started for Plymouth where we were to take the boats…home or what is a home to us now. It was about 30 miles to Plymouth. We arrived there Monday noon and stayed there until Tuesday when we went aboard…the boats and left for this place. When we arrived Thursday morning, [it had been] just two weeks almost to a minute [since we had left]. We lost on the expedition 2 killed and eight wounded.
Hoping to hear from you soon again. I will now close. Remember me to all the folks.
|Direct as before| From your cousin,
Tom