This letter was written by private William McCully (1837-1913), 4th Pennsylvania Reserves (33rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry) who enlisted on 29 May 1861 and served until 12 September 1863 when he was discharged on a surgeon’s certificate of disability.
The roster of the 33rd P. V. Infantry does not include a McCully in Co. H, as he has indicated in this letter, but in Co. I, so there is a discrepancy in the record somewhere.
William wrote the letter to his cousin, Robert L. McCully (1831-1914), the son of Jesse McCully (1800-1887) and Elizabeth M. Long (1809-1885).
Transcription
Camp near Fort Corcoran
Arlington Heights [Virginia]
September 26, 1861
Mr. R. L. McCully
Respected Cousin,
I now take a few minutes to address a few lines to you to let you know how we are getting along in this part of Uncle Sam’s Farm. I am well at present and have had very good health. I can’t say that I have had a day’s sickness since I left Pittsburgh. It’s true some days I didn’t feel very well, but then it was nothing more than the headache or some like disease.
I suppose you have been looking for a letter ever since I left. I have not forgotten you but to tell the honest truth, I have not much time to write unless I take it at night (as I am doing now). And as lights are to be put out at 9:30 o’clock which leave very little time even then to write.
The health of the camp is just middling. I can’t tell how many are in the hospital but not a great many as those that are not very bad stay in their tents. The doctors say this is a very good place for to take the fever and ague. The camp is handy to the river and the malaria that comes up the draft in the evenings makes it very unhealthy. And then the days are warm and nights very cool though I think with proper care that we will get along as the Colonel has given for no man to be seen on the street without his overcoat. And also we have fires burning in the streets all night.
We have our tent fixed so that we sleep about 2 feet from the ground. We have pine branches for feathers and when we lay our overcoats and blankets down, we have a nice bed. I believe we sleep better on them than we would on feathers. I don’t believe if I was to home I could sleep in a bed. And as for our eating, it would be fun for you to see us. We take almost everything in our fingers. We have knives and forks but seldom use them. We get plenty to eat and drink.
We got some money on Tuesday which in play very nicely as we can buy a little butter and other little dainties. We got paid from the 4th of July until the 31st of August and will get our pay regular after this every two months so that in about a month we will be paid again. We had our choice to take in gold or Treasury notes as we seen proper. As for my part, I took in gold.
We have not been in any fights yet although we were drawn up in our alarm post on two occasions to be ready to march at a moment’s warning, but then this was all the far we got. I can’t tell as much about the war as you hear in the newspapers because I don’t get to hear nor see a great many things that are printed in your papers. In fact, I believe the most of them are false.
I don’t think there is much danger of the rebels taking Washington as there are an immense number of soldiers in [and] around it. And then the forts and breastworks are astonishing. If you would see them, you would [think] it would be in vain for to attempt it. Fort Corcoran is just the breadth of the road from our camp and has some very heavy guns mounted besides some smaller ones, and then there are several other ones just in sight.
We have been reviewed twice by Gen. McClellan and once by Gen. Porter and it is a nice show to see the whole brigade out at once. We have the largest (and I might say the best) regiment in it. Gen. Porter says [it] looks very natural and he would like to command such a regiment. It puts him in mind of the blues in Mexico.
I will have to draw to a close promising to write again soon. Answer as soon as you get this and address to Company H, 33rd Regt. P. V., Washington City, D. C. Give my best respects to your father and enquiring friends and keep a good portion for yourself. Tell Bec & Sarah to write to me.
— W. McCully
Spared & Shared 22 