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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp near Schneckers Gap Va.
Nov. 4th 1862
My Mary.
My last prophecy
did not prove correct. as you
see by “the papers.” Thursday
night we broke camp at Sharps-
burg and came down to Harpers
Ferry and some three miles this
side by the next day night. We
were some what in doubt whether
Washington or Manchester was
our destination. Arriving at
Harpers Ferry we found the
question settled and I assure you
it suited my views. I should
not have been satisfied if the
Autumn had passed away and
the Grand Army of the Potomac
had gone into winter quarters
without one more effort to suppress
this Rebellion. About the position
of “Sacred Soil” we now occupy I
only know if connectes by way of
Schneckers Gap with the Shenandoah
Valley. We climb the mountain
Sunday evening after marching twenty
miles to get here and as we were
feeling for the enemy all the way
you may imagine we were tired.
and when we got a chance to lie
down we’d nothing but jagged
rocks to lie on. say what you
will but I enjoy it. It is really
laughable to see the different char-
acters brought out and as he
tumbles down cursing the rocks
another with stoical indifference
making the remark that if one
should break his neck it would
not be so bad as though it was
a mule. Friday noon Nov. 7th.
Camp near Thoroughfare Va.
As I got thus far with this. We were
ordered to get ready to march which
we did immediately but did not
move until the morning of the 6th when
we moved off rapidly and came twenty
miles by four oclock P.M. this morn-
ing we were off again before day-
light and reach here two or
three hours ago. It began snow-
ing soon after getting here and snows
yet like an old Michigan Nor Easter.
The Rail Road connects here direct
to Washington. I suppose this to be
Thouroughfare from its being on the
Rail Road but for any thing I can
find out it is White Plains. a soldier
dont know where sleeps over night.
The country through which we
have passed is rabid “Secesh.” You
should see the women they look mad
enough to bite one. and I believe
if they did recovery would be out
of the question.
I received both these
pictures. Thank you. I think I
would know the original without
difficulty. What the future will
bring to us, who can tell. I only hope
the advance will not be stopped un-
til Richmond is reached and
Rebeldom given such a blow as they
will not recover from this winter.
But its cold and I’ll not
write any more today.
My love always.
Gardner
[On Envelope:]
Miss Mary A. Baxter
Grand Rapids Mich
