I am working on a site dedicated just to Joseph's service in the civil war. I'm attempting to upload his diary in posts that appear in order, with newspaper clippings and articles interspersed, so that you can read it in order. It's a daunting project that I work on from time to time, for the past few years. I honestly don't know if I will ever finish it, but I have not given up yet. Each of the letters appears on that blog in their entirety, with scans. I will link to each of those under each letter. You can see whatever progress I have made on this project here: https://lumbard147thcog.blogspot.com/
In this particular post, I am compiling just the transcripts of the letters, with my research notes on who the people are that are mentioned, and the time line. Perhaps in doing so there will be a clue as to who is father was, or who his mothers family was. Both have been difficult for me to document.
For the timeline and genealogy of Joseph Asher Lumbard, go here:
Currently I have 4 letters. I believe there is a 5th that I may receive a copy of soon.
The Letters:
The first letter is from Camp Rapidan, written in Septemer 22 and sent to his mother in the care of Mrs. Davis.
The second is from Leesburg VA, written June 20 1863, sent to Sallie Scharf
The third is written from "Near Ellis Ford" in the summer of 1863, to Sallie.
The fourth is written from Bridgeport Alabama, March 10 1864, to Sallie.
Letter from Camp Rapidan
Questions:
- Who is Mrs Henry Bright?
- Lock Haven - who was he writing to there?
- I wonder who this refers to? "Don’t alarm yourself about my writing to that girl I have written my last letter and am satisfied. I just wanted to find out something and; when that is done, I am done also. I did not think she was such a darn fool as to blow about it but would keep it a secret since it has turned out as it did I have written my last to her."
- Who is Katy?
- Is Ms. Davis Captain Davis' mother? Or wife?
Camp on the Rapidan Sept. 22nd 1863
Dear Mother,
Your very long looked for letter at length arrived and was received with great pleasure and satisfaction I am very pleased to hear that you are all well and that things are going so well. We are encamped in sight of the govnt Rebels. We are laying on one side of the Rapidan River and they are on the other. Our Pickets are within shooting distance of each other but since the first day they do not fire on each other. I was down to the river yesterday and there had a very good sight of the rebel soldier big as life on the other side of the stream which is not near as wide as Penns Creek and our pickets are on this side of it. They are very strongly fortified and will make a pretty good show of a fight but I have no doubt but that we will be able to drive them from the mountains upon which they are fortified: There is no telling when the fight will take place as we have had orders to be ready to fall in at a moments notice for the last week, but I think that a fight will very shortly take place. Well, I think that we are ready and will be more than a good match for them. You told me to obey Capt. Davis. There is no danger that I will disobey him I like the Captain very much. He is a brave and good officer and all the boys are very proud of him. He is _________________ and is very kind to me. I am sixth corporal and soon will be fifth. Theodore Parks Is 2nd Lieut. I also like Nel Byers. He has been very kind to me and used me as well as could be expected by ones own brother, but I like the Captain best. I get letters most every week from Mrs. Henry Bright In Sunbury and: you can __________________ and 20 miles around. she has sent me paper and postage stamps. Several times I wrote a long letter to Lock Haven but did not get an answer. I do not know whether she got it or not. I would very much like to hear from her often and if she would answer my letters I would write regular to her. Tell her this in your next letter, give her my address and then she can send: them right on to me. Tell her to address J. .A Lumbard Co. G, 147th PV ft Brig. 2nd Div. 12th Army Corps, Washington, D.C..
I got the postage stamps and all the things you have even sent. Shirts, tea, chocolate, paper, envelopes, handkerchief and so forth. Leut. Byers has not arrived here yet, consequently I did not get the things you sent by him, but will when he comes. ______ told me to keep ____________________________________________________________________ as there is no telling. If I live you will never suffer but should be killed
It might go very hard with you but we will hope for the best. It is all in the hands of the Ruler of the Universe and: as he wills it so it goes and we must think all is for the best. Should I fall it will not be in a Disgraceful manner _____________________________ ______________________that is right and just. Just think what would have become of the people if we had not whipped the Rebel Army at Gettysburg. I seen dozens of
people turned out of their homes and their grain destroyed and houses burnt and in some instances men, women and children killed but we sure drove them out of the old Keystone state and soon hope to see them conquered. Don’t alarm yourself about my writing to that girl I have written my last letter and am satisfied. I just wanted to find out something and; when that is done, I am done also. I did not think she was such a darn fool as to blow about it but would keep it a secret since it has turned out as it did I have written my last to her.
I must bring my letter to a close. Give my best respects to Mrs. Davis. Tell Katy to write another big letter like the last one. Tell me what
Became of______________________________________________________________
you can send; me some this week. Write soon. I remain your affectionate son
J. A. Lumbard
Ms. Davis
Madam
Please hand this to .Mrs. Mary Duck. I direct this letter in your name so that mother gets it immediately for fear that she might not send to the office. Am obliged.
Your soldier friend.
J. A. Lumbard
Letter from Leesburg
In Camp near Leesburg, Va June 20
Friend Sallie,
Often have I thought of penning a few lines to you but the duties of the soldier life are so very numerous that whenever I thought of doing so duty called me elsewhere, hoping you will excuse me I will not endeavor to make amend for my former negligence. The day was a remarkably fine one and for the first time since I bid adieu to old Pennsylvania had I the pleasure of listening to the sweet and heavenly music of the Sabbath bell. You who live in the old Keystone State cannot imagine the desolation that on every hand meets the eye. Scarcely any person is to be seen and I never in all my life seen such wretched looking people. The female portion of them indeed present a sorrowful aspect. They are pale and hagard life to them seems to be anything but a pleasant one. Yesterday I witnessed a very heart rending sight. Three deserters belonging to the first Division of our corps were shot one of them was a married man and had a wife and five children. They were brought into the field in an ambulance seated upon their coffins. They had their eyes tied shut—and their hands were [pinioned?] behind their backs. Six men stood before each one of them with loaded rifles at the word fire the guns were fired together and three human souls were launched into eternity. Today there was a very heavy battle fought in the direction of Snickers Gap. The cannons can be distinctly heard here where we lay and we have orders to be ready with fourty rounds of cartridges in case our men should need reinforcement. But now the firing sounds farther from us and there is a report current here that the rebs have been driven four miles. Our boys are all well with few exceptions. Uria Hafley is not with the company at present we left him in the Hospital at Aquia Landing and have not heard from him since. Give my respects to the two Miss Stanfers likewise to your family reserve a full share for yourself. Excuse writing as it is done on my knapsack When you answer direct J.A. Lumbard Co G 147 Pa 1 st Brig. 2 nd Div. 12 th [AC?] Washington DC
Letter from Near Ellis Ford, Summer of 1863
http://lumbard147thcog.blogspot.com/2015/03/letter-from-near-ellis-ford-summer-of.html
Transcription of letter from J. A. Lumbard
Near Ellis Ford 1863 Summer
Camp of 147th Pa
Near Ellis Ford ca[?]
Friend Sallie,
Your very welcome and long looked for letter at length arrived. I had almost thought that I was forgotten but I am very glad to find that I was slightly mistaken on this subject. Since my last letter to you I have taken part in a hard fought battle and was slightly wounded in the head but I am very happy to state that it was only a slight scratch though it caused the blood to flow quite freely and caused me considerable suffering.
When this cruel war is over I hope we may be permitted to see each other and speak face to face. The poor soldier will be able to tell a tale of suffering and adventures that will make the bravest heart turn pale. Many are the times that I think of the many happy hours that I passed seated on the bench in front of the old “Union House.” But they are past never perhaps to be re-called but I trust for the best. We poor soldiers are out here in the field exposed to all kinds of dangers and privations at one time suffering hunger at another time thirst and then perhaps both to add hard and long marching through a hot mid-summer sun. Before the hard fought fight at Gettysburg we marched a distance of three hundred miles in 20 days. When we fought the entire Rebel army and put him to rout and then turned round and marched to our present camp. I am very well pleased with a soldier's life and must say that it agrees very well with me. I have not missed one days duty nor taken one grain of medicine since I left old Selinsgrove. I am fat and hearty. I would very much like to see you friend Sallie and have a few hours of conversation with you I hope the time is not far distant when we shall be victorious and the Rebels will be forced to acknowledge that we are the victors and that their case is hopeless. But not until then would I be willing to return Sallie you should just be here to see us get our victuals we will all turn out to be good cooks and also very fond of our cup of coffee. A soldier drinks three quarts of coffee per day regular and in many cases one gallon will not satisfy his thirst. Coffee is the greatest part of his diet. I must bring my letter to a close as the mail leaves immediately. Answer as soon as possible. With a heartly good-bye and a wish for your future welfare I remain your soldier friend
Joseph A. Lumbard
Direct as before
Co. G 147th [Pa V?] 1st Brig 2nd Div 12th Army Corp Washington, DC
Bridgeport, Alabama March 10, 1864
http://lumbard147thcog.blogspot.com/2014/03/b-ridgeport-alabama-march-10-1864-camp.html
Camp 147th
Bridgeport ALA
March 10th
Friend Sallie
Your very interesting and welcome letter was received and its contents were devoured with the greatest pleasure imaginable. You say you “think that I have made a poor selection in choosing a lady correspondent.” But let me assure you that I would rather receive a letter from you than any one I know of, for this reason, I know that you are a warm friend of the poor soldier, consequently I hope you are a friend of
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this poor soldier boy, so to the writing I can assure you it is no object to me, it is the tone in which the missive is written and as your motto is “to do your best” I can assure you that you cannot fail to make your letter interesting to me. Hoping to hear from you regularly I will pass to something else. You speak of the depressed looks of many of the soldiers who frequently surround your table, especially of the drafted men. I just wish you could see company “G” this minute, if you were to judge them from their looks and the noise they are making you would think that they
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were the happiest beings on the face of God’s footstool. But they are not always thus, at times they are pensive and sad our thoughts wander to our far off northern homes, to the beloved friends and companions of our childhood, ‘tis then we wish “this civil war was over” and peace and prosperity once more restored to our present distracted country. I trust the time is not far distant when our arms shall prove victorious and the supremacy of the Government admitted by the Rebel hordes now in arms again the best and freest Government the world has ever contained A soldier’s life is full of danger and exposure, he must
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suffer hunger, cold, heat and thirst. How many poor soldiers have I seen fall down dead or exhausted on the march from sheer fatigue. I have passed over the battlefield after the bloody struggle and have seen sights that my pen is not able to describe. I have seen thousands of dead men litterally covering the ground with dead men for acres. All of them were cut down in the prime of life. But as the mail closes I must halt for this time. I will write more next time. The boys are all well and hearty. With my best reguards for yourself and family I remain your soldier
Friend
J.A. Lumbard
[in corner]
To Sallie Sharf
Write soon
J Lumbard
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