1862 Civil War Letter — Private George W. Doughty, 17th Maine — Battle of Unison

Description

This letter was written by Private George W. Doughty of the 17th Maine on November 5, 1862, only a week after the Army of the Potomac recrossed the Potomac River following the Battle of Antietam in September, and the same day that General George B. McClellan was replaced as commander of that army by General Ambrose Burnside. In the letter, Doughty discusses a visit to a rebel hospital, a violent encounter between civilians and Union soldiers, and hearing the sounds of the Battle of Unison. Writing from “a church used as a hospital” at Leesburg, he relates to his brother how when he “left Edwards Ferry my knapsack was left behind and everything stolen out of it, so I had noting except what I had on my back.” “There is any quantity of secesh here,” he writes, adding that “there is but three union families in the village…but the men are most all in the rebel army.” He then describes seeing “a hospital full of sick rebel soldiers” and was surprised when one of the rebels “said ‘good morning’ as polite as could be” and that a “secesh girl last night gave [Private] Simon Jordan and I each as good an apple as I have eaten since I have been out here.”
Doughty then describes a violent incident between Union soldiers and rebel civilians:
There was two rebel prisoners brought in town here yesterday, and one rebel shot just out of town. As our brigade teams were passing along the road he came out from his house with his rifle in his hand and aimed at one of the men and snapped his rifle and it did not go, and one of the guard with the teams put a ball right through him, and served him right.
The incident Doughty describes may have taken place at nearby Haymarket, where on November 4 Union soldiers burned nearly the entire village after reportedly being fired upon from one of the houses. A 68th New York officer was later arrested and courtmartialed for ordering the destruction.
Of the anticipated campaign ahead, which culminated in the Battle of Fredericksburg in December, Doughty writes:
They are doing big business out here fighting now. They are driving the rebels toward Richmond and following them up as fast as they can. There is four or five hundred thousand men up here now, moving toward Richmond as fast as they can. Burnside crossed the river with his army this week and it only took them two days and half to get across. That was quite a string of men wasn’t it? I think they will whip the rebels all-out this month, and I hope and pray that I think right. They fought from last Friday to Monday night and only lost about thirty on our side, but our folks were driving them all the time was the cause, and they have been fighting ever since till today. I have heard no firing today, but perhaps they have got so far off that we cannot hear it now. We could hear them last night at eight o’clock.
The Friday-to-Monday fight he describes was the Battle of Unison, fought through Loudoun County as Confederate General JEB Stuart’s cavalry continued to screen the movements of General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.
The letter was written on four pages of a 5” x 8” bifolium letter sheet. It is in excellent condition with some very light toning and foxing. Creased at the original mailing folds. The full transcript follows:
Leesburg Va. Nov 5 / 62
Dear Brother,
I will write a few lines to let you know where and how I am. I am here in the hospital, or in a church used as a hospital. I have been here two days. I am getting quite smart now. I have been out this morning and traveled around two hours. When I left Edwards Ferry my knapsack was left behind and everything stolen out of it, so I had noting except what I had on my back. I bought some paper, pen, and ink this morning and thought I would write. There is any quantity of secesh here. There is but three union families in the village and it is a place as large or larger than Yarmouth, but the men are most all in the rebel army. There is a hospital full of sick rebel soldiers here. I have been up there this morning. I did not go in but I saw the soldiers that was able to be out. I met one on the sidewalk and he said “good morning” as polite as could be. There was a secesh girl last night gave Simon Jordan and I each as good an apple as I have eaten since I have been out here. We were in at her mother’s to buy some biscuits. The money that father and Royal sent me comes in play now, as we have nothing but hard bread to eat. The regiment marched Sunday and where it is gone I don’t know, but I think I shall be able to go on after it in a few days.
There was two rebel prisoners brought in town here yesterday, and one rebel shot just out of town. As our brigade teams were passing along the road he came out from his house with his rifle in his hand and aimed at one of the men and snapped his rifle and it did not go, and one of the guard with the teams put a ball right through him, and served him right. They are doing big business out here fighting now. They are driving the rebels toward Richmond and following them up as fast as they can. There is four or five hundred thousand men up here now, moving toward Richmond as fast as they can. Burnside crossed the river with his army this week and it only took them two days and half to get across. That was quite a string of men wasn’t it? I think they will whip the rebels all-out this month, and I hope and pray that I think right. They fought from last Friday to Monday night and only lost about thirty on our side, but our folks were driving them all the time was the cause, and they have been fighting ever since till today. I have heard no firing today, but perhaps they have got so far off that we cannot hear it now. We could hear them last night at eight o’clock. I have nothing more to write so I will close. Don’t worry about me. I am in comfortable quarters and doing well. Good bye for the present.
From your affectionate brother
Geo. W. Doughty
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