CIVIL WAR LETTER - 84th Pennsylvania Infantry - Ready for Battle of Kernstown !

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
Winchester, Virginia
March 16th 1862
It is with the greatest pleasure that I take my pen to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well, hoping that you are all the same.
I am now in Winchester—the place the big fight was expected to be. The day that the fight would have been was on the 16th [12th] and it was a very nice day and warm all day but Jackson got scared and left on the 11th. He undoubtedly had allowed to fight and if he would a have fought, there would a have great many of our army have fallen for he had every advantage of us for he was sheltered by breastworks and on high ground and we had a dead level [ground] for three miles and nothing in the way to shelter us. On the 11th when he had drawn his men up in line of battle, there was a small fight with our advance guard. There was eleven of them killed. We found them in a rail pile. They had not time to take them along for they got scared when they found the plan of the battle that was was coming up on [them from] four points and that raised a panic among them and Jackson thought he had better [leave] when he could. And so he left that night—all but his rear guard—and everything was ready to commence that morning.
It is reported here that he is surrounded now. There is a great many folks here that is for the Union now. There must be one hundred thousand men around here camped on the Sech farms. Their rails makes good fire wood. The Rebels took the Union rails and wood and now we are taking the Sesh rails.
I got a letter today from S. J. Horn. He says that he has got a raft to run my shingles on at two dollars a thousand and that is cheap enough. He says that money is scarce and he wants some for men that owns rafts. Has not the money to run them. He wanted me to send him an order for some money if I ha it. I want you to take it in your own hands and if he runs them, give him some money. And I want you to get the pay for them and keep it for me. If you have not the money of mine, you must get it from R. H. More. He wanted me to write to him but I have hardly time to write now and I thought writing to you would do. Do the best you can.
Nothing more. Yours on, — Jackson Potter
Write soon.
[to] John Potter
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