1864 CIVIL WAR Soldier Letter - 4th MICHIGAN INFANTRY - GREAT CONTENT - VA

Description

Lengthy, 3+ folio pg. letter, approx. 7-7/8" x 12-1/2", dated
"Camp 1st Mich. Infty, Near New Market, Virginia, July 13th 1864"
, from Joel H. Barnes, Co. K, 4th Michigan Veteran Volunteers, to his friend Samuel Gorton at Colon, St. Joseph County, Michigan.
[NOTE - the pages are longer at the bottom than appear in the photos].
Includes the original cover (envelope), with Joel H. Barnes name stenciled at the top left, and with July 15, 1864 Washington D.C. postmark and #65 3c rose tied by black circle of wedges cancel.
The writer of this letter,
Joel H. Barnes
, (1835-1909), was mustered into Co. K, 4th Michigan Infantry on June 20, 1861. He re-enlisted on Dec. 25, 1863. When the old 4th Michigan was mustered out on June 30, 1864, the veterans (those who re-enlisted like Barnes) and the recruits were transferred to the 1st Michigan Infantry - he writes about this in this letter, and this explains why the dateline says the camp of the 1st Michigan Infantry, but after signing his name, he writes that he is in Co. K, 4th Michigan Veteran Volunteers. Barnes was severely wounded in the shoulder at the Battle of Poplar Grove Church on Sept. 30 1864, and was discharged for wounds on May 17, 1865, at Detroit.
Barnes saw heavy fighting during his term of service in the 4th Michigan, including the Battle of 1st Bull, the Seven Days Battles, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville,
Gettysburg
, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg.
Superb content
, writing of the veterans of the old 4th Michigan being consolidated into the 1st Michigan. He writes of the Rebels shelling them when they are working on their fortifications, and at one point while writing the letter, the Rebels were giving them a terrific shelling, with one bursting over his tent; He also writes of the Rebel raid into Maryland - Jubal Early's raid on Washington - and predicts that they will find themselves in a trap, with more than a home guard to fight them, noting the various Union troops sent after them; He describes the bomb proofs the officers live in, which no shell can get to those inside, and writes that one can usually get out of the way of a shell, but the mortars drop straight down as if from heaven. More great content.
Includes (spelling corrected):
"Friend Gorton,
.... There has been quite a change in affairs since I last wrote to you and we have had a little hard fighting, but I think our boys have been rather too much for the Johnnies. There is one thing sure, we have got them into their fortifications and now comes the job of getting them out, but I think we can do that if the people of the North will only keep up good spirits. The enemy is strongly fortified at this point, but time will bring them out. We are now under a very good protection. Our works are getting stronger every night; that is the only time that we can work on them. In the day time if we work, they annoy us with their artillery and mortar batteries, but they cannot see us at night, unless the moon shines bright and then they cannot hit us one time out of fifty, for we can see the flash of their gun in time to lay down. Our men are busy all the time planting mortars and siege guns. Today our mortars have opened a pretty brisk fire, but the enemy does not make much of a reply to them. I don't think that they will find it quite so much fun to annoy us now as it was ten days ago. We had no works then that amounted to anything, but now they are very good.
Reckon
[when]
I last wrote to you I was a member of the old Fourth Mich., but there is no Fourth any more. We have been consolidated with the First and they carry the colors, as ours went home. It was hard to see the old flag go home without us after fighting under it three years without us poor fellows that came out with it, but I hope those that did come home will not be scorned because they are poor, poor old soldiers. They have many of them been the best men we had. I could not say all, for there is many of them that has never fired a gun...and if they get back home, they tell the damnedest yarns about their narrow escapes and brave actions in battle. There is none tho from Colon or any adjoining townships in our Regt. Yes, one, that is Kilmer of Live Oak. He is the only one that I know of. I have not heard from the boys yet since they got to Adrian, but I shall look for a letter tonight from some one of them.
Well Sam, I suppose the folks at home are getting scared at home now since the Rebs has gone into Maryland again, but they have not all gone yet. There is plenty here, but them fellows up there will get in a trap yet. If they don't look pretty sharp they will find something besides home guards to fight before they get out. Our old 6th A.C. has gone up there and the 19th, besides Hunter will give them a nip yet. For my part, I wish that they would all go North, then the people would respond to call for a few more troops and we can flog them better on free soil than we can here in Dixie, but I have no doubt but we will do it here yet.
I have been out to work carrying logs for bomb proofs until it got so hot that we could not work any longer and then the batteries opened on us and the shells are flying at the present moment like the devil. If they don't stop, I shall be obliged to get behind the breastworks or either a little close to them. Their rounds, one just burst over my tent and another round just on the other side of the street and nocked down 3 or four tents, but did not hurt anyone, for the boys hug the works when they are shelling. We don't mind the shell they throw from their cannon, for we can get out of the way of them, but mortar shells, they drop down onto a fellow as if they had come from the heavens, but I think they get the worst of it on the mortar trade, for we have got more of them than they have and they cannot tell one day where they will be the next. Our field mortars are very light; 4 men will carry one any where and they throw a 24 pound shell.
I wish you could be here some day and take a stroll along our line of works and see how we piled the dirt up and dig holes in the ground.
I will tell you how the officers are. Most of them have built their quarters. They have dug holes about 10 ft. square, 6 ft. deep and then covered them over with logs and after that, put the dirt over that came out of the hole. There is no shell or shot can get to them, and for my part I wish we was all as well off....
I don't know but I will go into the Sharp Shooters. They are around today trying to get up men for a new battalion of them...
Give my love to Aunt Dida, and Mrs. Gorton and Ball and in fact all enquiring friends and believe me to
[be]
as ever yours respectfully,
Joel H. Barnes
P.S. Hereafter direct your letters to Joel H. Barnes, 4th Mich. Infty
V.
[Veteran]
Vols., Co. K, Washington D.C."
Very Fine.
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[243]
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