This letter was written by 17 year-old Harris B. Fortner (1844-1862), the son of Benjamin P. Fortner (1811-1891) and Mary C. Davis (1814-1884) of Catawissa, Columbia county, Pennsylvania. Aside from being a farmer, Harris’ father served as the Justice of the Peace in Catawissa in 1860. During the Civil War, President Lincoln appointed him to be the internal revenue assessor for the 13th Congressional District of Pennsylvania.
Harris enlisted as a private on 12 November 1861 into Co. H, 93rd Pennsylvania Infantry but served only about seven weeks. He died on 3 January 1862 at Washington D. C. Harris had three other brothers that served in the Union army during the war but he was the only one that did not survive.
Harris wrote this letter just after his enlistment while encamped at the fairgrounds near Lebanon, Pennsylvania. The regiment, called the “Labanon Infantry, ” proceeded to Washington D. C. on 21 November 1861 where they were attached to Peck’s Brigade, Couch’s Division, Army of the Potomac.
Harris wrote the letter to his friend, Albert Yetter (1843-1904), the son of Lewis Yetter (1811-1880) and Sarah Sharpless (1816-1847) of Catawissa, Columbia county, Pennsylvania. Albert’s father worked as a surveyor, part-time justice of the peace, settled estates, and served as the guardian of orphans.
[To read about the 93rd Pennsylvania’s journey to Washington D. C., see 1861: Alfred Reynolds to Susana (Reber) Reynolds on Spared and Shared 18]
Transcription
Camp Lebanon
November 15, 1861
Dear Friend,
I sit down this evening to let you know how we get along in camp. I like camp life. I would like to see you down here. I suppose you are agoing to school. I suppose that you and the widow will go a sleigh riding this winter. Has Molly and you got good again? If I was up there, I would make you g___. Tell Betts that I send my best respects to her. I want you to feel her legs in my place this winter if you can. Tell Snyder to keep on the right side of sis or she will give him the sack. Boys, hunt your holes this winter.
Pap said that brother had traded the old horse for Henteples’ black horse. I suppose that you and John will have your good old sleigh rides this winter. Go it while you can. I don’t think that you will have as much fun as you and I had last winter. We had some [good] old times.
We had some snow here this morning. It snowed some all day. The boys slept around here like fun. It was nasty. We did not drill today—only on dress parade—and when we was dismissed, our men run to get their supper. There was another company trying to beat us and you ought to seen them fall. It was fun. We have a great lot of fun here.
I guess that you don’t forget the time that we went to the farm. I will never forget that. I guess that Gowdy does rub his ass again [at] the store, don’t he? I guess that him and pets is thick together. Tell him to hunt his hole. They have a negro [minstrel] show here most every night.
Nothing more at present. Tell the boys that I send my best respects to them. How is Stumpy a getting along? Oh! I cannot stand it. They are a playing Roaring Creek with the fiddle and banjo. Nothing more at present.
— Harris Fortner
Spared & Shared 22 