0524----Josiah Lepley Civil War letter 142nd PA Inf - Wellersburg Somerset PA

Description

0524----Josiah Lepley Civil War letter 142nd PA Inf - Wellersburg Somerset PA
0524----Josiah Lepley Civil War letter 142nd PA Inf - Wellersburg Somerset PA
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Description
Nice original letter from Josiah Lepley of Somerset County PA.   Great patriotic letterhead.
Writing to his brother John Lepley on May 3, 1863 from "camp in the Field Va." Lepley was a member of the 142nd PA Infantry. Lepley writes of his hard fighting near Fredericksburg. It appears he is right in the middle of it. If you research the PA 142nd his company was engaged during the early part of May. And of course, this regiment did fight
at Gettysburg.
Josiah Lepley was a longtime resident of Somerset County PA. He apparently lived in the village of "Deal" near Wellersburg and Meyersdale. The township of Southampton is listed in his census records.
Josiah had two brothers (John + Jacob) serving in the Civil War. Jacob was also in the 142nd who was killed in 1864 due to battle wounds suffered. Brother John was in the 61st PA Volunteers. (I have two letters from John to his wife available in other listings).
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO VIEW ALL OF THE IMAGES
This is a two page letter in VG condition. The letter is separating from the natural mailing folds.  I am not sure if this is a partial letter or if Josiah simply ended the correspondence and did not sign. However, he did stop writing before he got to the bottom of the page.   Also included in the letter, is a separate handwritten note from Josiah to his father Valentine. He is letting him know that he has sent 0 with the letter.
Not sure what is more amazing, that Josiah has 0 in camp or the chance he is taking in sending it through the US Mail.
Finally, I have added a cover I found while going through the Lepley letters I acquired. It is not related to the letter in this listing. The postmark is Washington DC and has a pre-printed address of John Lepley. Date appears to be in the 1860s.
Camp in the field Va
May 3, 1863
Brother John.  We have been at it now for 5 days and pretty hard fighting.   Our division crossed the river three days ago and has been on front now for the last two days.  So far there were only a few men of our regiment wounded + our Col  had his horse shot under him.   There was some hard fighting to our left for the last two days, we are now in the right wing, had not much fighting to do as yet but looking for it every minute
(page 2)
Our line extends some ten miles along the main road running from Fredericksburg to Gordensville.  We are on that road some twelve or fifteen miles from Fredericksburg.  So far we have had the best of the Rebels + have no doubt will keep it.   Our company is all safe yet so far, I heard this morning that the heights of Fredericksburg were taken yesterday and their supplies cut of.  If that is so it would about settle them, there has not much fighting been done to day yet, nothing more than picket firing.
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