Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/pointon-mair/
Regiment: 6th Wisconsin Infantry
Battles Mentioned: Baltimore, Maryland
Historical Figures:
Camp Atwood
Baltimore Aug 5/61
Dear Brother
I received
your kind letter
in Milwaukee We
had left for
[ ? ] six
[ ? ]
same day The papers you sent
I did not see Mr Jenkins
our Commissary got them out
of the post office in milwaukee
and the colnel wanted to see
one and Mr Jenkins let him
have them We had a very pleasant
journey from our State here We
stoped at Harrisburg Pa to receive
our arms We encamped about 1 mile
of town in an oatfield it was about eleven
oclock at night so we did not pitch
our tents but laid down on the
ground I never slept better in
my life for I was very tired for we
had rode three days and two nights
on the cars some citizens wanted the
Cap. to go and stay in the
[ ? ] close
by he said wherever his boys staid
was going to stay with them We left
Harrisburg for Baltimore without arms
Something that no other regiment has
done We would have had old muskets
but the Colnel said he would not
insult one of the boys by offering
them to them so we had to go with
out arms We arrived in batt
about nine oclock and in about
two hours started for camp 2 ½ miles
off We marched through the hart
of the city everything was still
on a few streets There was some people
but not many one or two ladies if
I may call them so hurrah for old Jeff
we made no answer to anything they
said but marched along quietly
I heard some wonder where our
arms was they though we would
be afraid to go through there for
they have stoned so many troops
the city is full of Poleice and the
city is under marshall law so it
is a little quieter here now But yesterday
one man got a little mad at one of
the sentinel because he would
not let him in camp so he said
he would go down town and get
200 men and some and toke no
shot was about noon and at
3 oclock the colnet got 500 standing
arms so if there was any fuss we
could be ready for them About 5 oclock
the colnel was standing by his tent
and aball struck within 6 feet of him
it was shot from a hill about 160 rods
off A scouting party went out
to find the one that shot it but
could not at night we had
a skirmish with them We do not
know how many rebels there was
they did not intend to take the
camp but to shoot some of the
sentinels the result was one killed
on their side and none hurt on
our side. The first shot was fired
about eleven oclock I was on guard
that night We are on guard 2 hours
and have four to rest in and then
go on and releive those that are on
we was just falling in ranks to
go and releive the guard when we
heard the report of a gun and
then guard fired his gun to arouse
the camp We being ready we started
for the fireing We got where the
guard was the firing had
changed to another place the
sentinel he saw a man coming
towards him and he told him
to halt and the man fired
at him but5 did not hit him
so we started for the place where
we heard the firing last the
guards all said they saw a squad
of men and five or six fired at them
But could not tell weather
they hit any or not we could not tell by that
time three companies
got out and was acting as
scouts they fired several shots
at the rebels which was returned
by thien three balls passed in
our company one after the other
the captain thought they
company was to good a mark
standing up we being on the
higher ground So he had
them all lay down and watch
for them While that was going
on the relief whent around to
see that all the guns was
right then we whent on the
other side of the camp to
see what we could and we
whent all around the camp
but could not get a shot
One of the companies got
them almost surrounded they
got in amongst some cattle
But the boys shot at them
and I guess they hit one for
we did not see any more of
them afterwards In the morn-
ing the Poleice came and
reported to the officer of the
day that they found a man
with his thigh broken by
a musket ball and he
died this morning He was
a Sargent in some rebel camp
I think they will station
picket guards after this around
the camp 12 Poleicmen came
from town the guard halted
them a good way off and
one advanced and told what
he wanted the rest of them
staid untill called for
one of the guards was fixing
his gun and it whent off and
the Poleice all called out not to
fire on them The colnel told
them to come along it was
an accidential shot They came
in and staid until morning
and then they whent and looked
the ground all over and they saw
some blood Then they whent down
town to see what they could find
they came back and reported
that they found one man
killed by being shot with a
musket ball an d one wounded
The fifth reg. is but about two
miles off the officers had hard
time to keep the men from
coming over to our camp they
knew we did not have many
arms the first gun that
fired was answered by Fort
McHenry to let us know that
if we wanted assistance we could
get it there Fort McHenry is
in the cheasapeake Bay it commands
Baltimore our camp and the Bay
our camp commands the city
there is old fortifications made
in 1812 there is an old breast
work and a magazine and a
nice park joining not far from
here the Battle of Baltimore was
fought the Bay is blockaded
By the Fort and a man of war that
is stationed in the Bay to stop all
ships they stopped a steamer
the other day and examined
her and found powder and Revolvers
in a false flour She is laying
by the side of the Fort now I
do not know what they will
do with her.
Mr. Wyman is a young
man about my age he
is a single man of good
steady habits He was in
minasotia when you was
at home he worked by the
month for a man and
earned 160 acres of land
and 200 Dollars in cash
clear of all expenses in three
years He worked for Haitley
and Charles Wood in Baraboo
Wood owes him 40 Dollars so
you can se by that that he
is steady You wanted to
know if I received money
enough to get a long I gave
mother 20 Dollars when she came
Madison to see us off
and then have enough
left to buy nesesities our
camp is avery pleasent
place there is a nice sea
breeze all the time last
night we could hear heavy
cannonadeing to the south
of us I expect to hear of
abattle to day I gorgot to
tell you that Emily and
George came over so I do not
know of anything more to
tell you now
Receive my best love
both of you from
your loving Bro
Mair Pointon
P.S. I think we will
go to harpers Ferry
Direct your letters
Company A 6th Regt Wis
Volunteers Care Capt. A.G. Malloy
Camp Atwood Baltimore
Md. Mair Pointon
