Bud (fl. 1863) to his sister
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00653.08 Author/Creator: Bud (fl. 1863) Place Written: Bunker Hill, West Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 18 July 1863 Pagination: 2 p. ; 19.8 x 14.6 cm. Order a Copy
Writer is identified only as "Bud." The letter-writer calls Gettysburg "one of the Bloodiest Battles of the war." He reports on people from home and describes damages. Letter is considerably damaged by water staining with slight text loss in center.
18, July 1863, Camp Near Bunker Hill
My Dear Sister,
I seat my self to drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well at this time. We have had a hard time of it for the last six weeks. We left Fredericksburg on the 2nd of June, and marched at the rate of twenty miles a day until we got in to Pennsylvania, and fought one of the Bloodiest Battles of the war. We passed through some of the prettiest country I ever saw in my life, they have the finest land in the world, and some of the ugliest women that I ever saw, they are mostly Dutch. They have the finest houses you ever saw, all made of brick and there is a house every half mile. Our Generals would not allow us to touch a thing, and the consequence was we had to live on one pound of flour to the man for four days. I would take it and boil it in a cup, and salt it, and then eat it, and it was good, at least it was good to a hungry man. I received you letter of the 21 of June on the 10th of this month, and was glad to learn that you were all well. I wish that I could have been at home during commencement. You must give my love to all the girls.
Sis, I am (Bare Footed), haven't got a Shoe to my name. Sis you must excuse my short letter this time, for this is all the paper that I have got in this world. I have not seen Jim on the march, I heard from him since the fight, he was not hurt. Cousin Ben is well at this time. Willie Gunnels was left in the hands of the enemy, he was hit in the side with a grape shot, and it broke three of his ribs, but the shot did not go through the skin. Joel Anderson was wounded, but he was not left. We lost (80) men in our Regt. in all, killed and wounded and missing. I did not get hit, but I thought that they would hit me every time they shot. There was not one man in our company that was badly hurt, there was four of them got slightly wounded, but are with the company at this time.
Sis, you must excuse my short letter, but this is all that I have to write on, this time. I will give you all the news the next time I write, which will be in a few days. Nothing more at this time. Give me love to the rest of the family.
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