CIVIL WAR LETTER - 84th Pennsylvania Infantry, Expects HARD FIGHT Cumberland MD!

Description

CIVIL WAR LETTER
Civil War Letter by Soldier in Co. I, 84th Pennsylvania Infantry
This Civil War soldier letter was written by 27 year-old Jackson Potter (1834-1862), the son of John Potter (1807-1880) and Mary Rishel (1813-1879) of Luthersburg, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. Jackson enlisted on 1 October 1861 in
Co. I, 84th Pennsylvania Infantry
and he died on 11 July 1862 at Alexandria, Virginia.
Most of the letters were written to his father, or his sister, Jane Potter (1839-1905), and a few to other family members such as his brother, William Marion Potter (1842-1916).
Of Potter’s service, his commanding officer wrote, “the company joins with me in [conveying to you, his father,] that they have lost a true soldier and a pleasant companion.”
Transcription
Camp Kelly, Maryland
January 20th 1862
It is with pleasure that I take my pen to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well, hoping that you all enjoy the same blessing.
We have now moved six miles from Cumberland to Camp Kelly. We are on the Maryland side of the [Potomac] River. We was ordered last night to cook three days rations to be ready to march at any minute. The Potomac is very high today and it is still raining. We expect to be in some hard fighting before many days. We have not all got over our hard march. There is a good many sick with a bad cold and some with measles.
I don’t know what is the reason that none of you do not write. I have not got a letter from any of you for more than two weeks, The last letter I got was from Jane. Everything as far as we can find out is on a move but we can not hear as much as you can.
We have not got our pay yet and I do not know how soon we will get it. As soon as I get it, I want to send it home and I want to [have] my likeness [taken] to send home. I would have had it taken long [ago] if I had the money. I want you to write to me about my things and I want you to write to me about my shingles and if you can buy a good lot, have them hauled. If you can buy any, buy good ones. Cut out the narrow and crooked ones. I do not know what price to give but get them cheap for the money—likely for five dollars—but you can tell better than me if you can buy a small lot together from some good shingle maker. But do the best you can. Write to me about my house—who is living in it?
We are kept on the move all the time and have not much time to write and expect to be kept so for some time for we are in the right [place] for something to do. There is something going [on] for soldiers are coming here all the time. There is talk here that we are to go to Manassas Junction but I think not. But there is something to do.
I want you to write to me now. Get some of the rest to write for you. I want you all to write to me and they need not be so particular not to write till I write first. Nothing more, — Jackson Potter
to John Potter
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