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Regiment: 5th Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Ambrose E. Burnside, George B. McClellan
Camp Michigan, Va
Jan 12th 1862
Dear Parents, it has now been
two weeks since I have writen to you but
Luther has writen to
[ ? ] + I to Horace
since which we thought would answer as
well. Christmas, as we informed
you, we spent on guard New Years we
went out on picket I had a good time
the weather being delightful. This day
our scouting party encountered some
rebels which held their ground.
The following day 60 men were taken
from the 5
th + 2
nd pickets for scouts
to accompany a Co of Cavalry. Luther
+ I volunteered + were of this number
½ days steady tramp through woods
(underbrush so close that a rabit could
hardly get through) took us over quite
a track of seceshdom but showed to
us no rebels. New arrangements have
been made concerning picketing
a Regt goes out to a time + stays
3 days and nights. Our turn will not come
again under 30 days + I think before
that time our line of pickets will be
nearer Richmond Jan 8
th this Regt.
went out + were stationed along
[ ? ] miles of our
picket line. 2 Companys were held as a
reserve (Co H + E) Co C was stationed at
the most exposed part of the whole line
Our Captains quarters (where Luther + I were
stationed) was at the house of a wealthy
farmer and a part of his house which con-
tained a fireplace was used for quarters for
the pickets on this post. 8 men + the Capt
stayed here. This farmer was a
seceshionist but he said but little +
kept very quiet but had he had the oppor-
tunity he would like to have killed us
all. his boys openly expressed their hopes of
our defeat +the success of the rebels. The
man himself admitted that he sympat
hized with the South. A female prisoner
was here who lived one mile beyond our
lines. About 4 weeks ago she was
detected taking salt to the rebels
both she + the mule were brought
in she was at Washington some time
+ then was sent back here near her
family. She is not allowed to see her
family unless accompanied by a guard
She does housework for her board
On the night of the 10
th we reenforced our
farther post on the telegraph road, fearing
it might be attacked. Three different
times have the pickets been driven
from this post in the night. Once
prisoners were taken + once the boys
of the Mich 2
nd lost their blankets
+ provisions by hastily retreating
when attacked by rebel cavalry
There is considerable jealousy
+ not much good feeling between the
Mich Regts. They are deserous of excelling
each other. If ever we wished
for any thing we wished to be
that night the 2
nd boys were driven
from this post, once was reason
With our 12 men here this night we
could have successfully opposed
any cavalry force the rebels could
have brought up on the road
The road here ran through the woods
the timber and underbrush so close that
infantry could hardly get through by
daylight + only a few paths which led
to the road. We had breastworks of rails
from behind which we could shout
40 rods down that road. We stretched
telegraph wires across the road fastening
them to trees on the roadside.
These were stretched across in several
places in sight of in different hights
from the ground. I think it would be
quite amusing to see a party of Cavalry
brush against these wire in the
night. The first was placed so
as to strike the rider across the breast
We would have gone scouting
on the 10
th had the weather permitted
continued from the former sheet
Last Thursday the 9th [ ? ] 2
of cavalry + co H of our Regt went out scouting
The first man killed in our regiment
occured this day + the loss falls on Co H
The party reached
[ ? ] Church about
7 oclock. The cavalry stayed here. Co. H
went a short distance farther. Capt
Quackenbush took 12 men from his Co.
(leaving the rest of his Co as a reserve)
+ sent them as skirmishers to see if
the rebels were
[ ? ] just below
the creek here where the road crosses it
runs through the woods. The rebels had
15 or 20 men on the opposite side of the
run which I believe was on advanced
post of their pickets. Capt Quackenbush
laid aside his sword + took a cartridge
box and a Minie rifle (th eonly one in the Co)
as they reached the banks of the run
the rebels fired on them one shot
struck a private named Rosecrantz in
the head killing him instantly
the fire was returned by our boys
with effect the rebels commenced
falling back as soon as they fired
Capt Quackenbush ordered his men
to assemble + by the time they had
done so the reserve had come up
they went back + brought away the body
of Rosecrantz + found 2 of the enemy
dead one of these was killed
by the Capt as he was retreating +
was shot in the back. On eof them
was wounded but was taken off. The rebels
had quite a force at a house beyond the
creek + were preparing to come on our
men + the Capt thought it expedient
to retire arriving at our pickets at 4
o clock the dead man brought in by
the cavalry. No one was touched but
this one + the shot was from a sporting
rifle. Neither Merryman nor I.T.
Wheaton were in the skirmish
Merryman was was picket but probably
his health would not permit him
to go out with the Co. I know of no
other reason. He has been sick
some time but has now returned to
duty nearly recovered. Wheaton was
in the reserve but was on the ground
of the fight after it was over.
If the rebels have advanced their
line of pickets there may be some
fighting on a small scale in that
neighborhood. We returned to
camp yesterday T. M. + a nights
rest was very welcome having not
had my shoes off in over 4 days
+ during this time did not average
over 2 hours sleep each night.
2 of these nights having none besides
I had my accountrements on all the time
which with the 40 rounds of cartridges
weight 12 lbs. Luther and I stood sentry
2 hours out of 6 the day before we went
out. With a nights rest we would
willingly have remained
on picket the man at
whose house we stayed gave
us the praise of having conducted
ourselves better than any who
had yet been there on picket
but had he examined his bee
hives places so close to his window
+ found the number that were
minus both bees and honey I think he
would not have had quite as
good an opinion of us
Soldiers like honey + they also endorse
[ ? ] Blairs message where
he gives his plans of carrying on
the war and says on the South let
the burden of the war fall. Fee our
soldiers from their granieries mount
them on their horses + (etc) It fairly
makes me mad to think that we
must protect the property of men who
are disloyal. We protected his honey +
we would have protected his chickens
had he not kept them in his Chamber. E. F.
continued from 2nd sheet
The policy of our Government
to conquer the South + at the
same time preserve the property
+ resources of the south
will never succeed. Out officers
are instructed to allow no depre-
dations on the property of the
citizens of the rebelious states but this
is almost a “dead letter”. Persons
who are known to sympathize with
the rebels should have no protection
for their property from the hungry
soldier. Nor do they have it. If
complaints are made the Officer
in comand of the men against
whom the charge is made is sure
to find his men “not guilty” + some one
else must have done it.
Officers on picket in fact encourage
now the “feeding of the soldier from
the graneries of the rebels”
the soldiers are generally
dissatisfyed with the policy of
McClellan. The eyes of the world
are on us + unless more energy is
displayed by the North in the prose
cution of the war I fear some of
the European nations will recognize
the Southern Confederacy.
If the principal resource of
the South was to be (slavery) distroyed by this
war much more willing would the
soldiers fight here. The news that the
Government had changed its policy in
regard to the emancipation of Slaves
would be received with joy by the soldiers
I do hope that the war will be
pushed forward with more vigor +
have for one of its objects the destruc-
tion of slavery. It is nothering unusual
to hear firing down the river in
the night but this A.M. cannonading
was heard nearly all the time from
very heavy cannon + from the fact
that the Pensacola (an armed
boat carrying 27 guns) went down
yesterday + it is supposed to co-operate
with the Burnside Expedition we
think there has been an engagement
with the rebel batteries below. There was
canonnading nearly all night. (so those
say who were awake) but sleep prevented
me from hearing it. We expect new
arms in a few days, which will be rifles
purchased in Europe. Our new uniform
is now at the Quartermasters + differs
considerably from that we now wear.
Sky blue pants, dress coats are the
clothes arrived. We found a letter at
camp from you when we returned from
picket dated Dec 31
st also a courier
I did not note down the reception of the
courrier in my Diary only that I send to
you I may have forgotten this some
times. The last 5 weeks I have missed
but one number + that week before last
before that I did not receive more than one
3 weeks at one time I had
none in 4 weeks. I sent
illustrated papers home 3 weeks
in succession + a couble weeks
ago Luther sent one to Lydia
We generally get one when they are
in camp + send it. I have seen
non lately. In a few weeks
I shall send my Diary for 1861
home, as it will find a much
safer place in my trunk than here
where I would be very apt to lose it
We have had nothing from Uncle
[ ? ] since we sent our daguerrotypes
I have writen a much longer
letter than I expected to when I
commenced + it will require
several of fathers long
to read it + I think it will make up
for not writing last week. Reports
that we are to attack the rebels in
front in a few days are current
to night. Yours affectionately
E. Franklin
