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| James Willson (1842-1863) Killed at Gettysburg |
"Dear Mother, I rec’d your letter of the 21st May, Friday night, was very glad to hear that you were all well. I have been rather hard up for me for a few days but am as to be on duty today. If I am careful, I shall be all right in a day or two. There is nothing that ails me more than has at home a hundred times. My stomach was out of order so took a good dose of salts and it has done the cure or nearly so. Will quiet in a day or two.
"You wished me to write when I should come home. Now I will not answer you like Dana of Fayston did his Wife, when she asked him. He said he did not know but probably should come when the rest of the Regt. did. If nothing happens, I think that in just about five weeks from now, we shall be in Brattleboro or on our way there. Perhaps, we shall not start from Va. till the 10th but I can’t see any prospect of such a thing. I wish I could though. I should like to spend the fourth in Vt. But don’t expect to.
"There is going to be a general inspection today. Guns, Equipment, knapsacks, and everything. I have been to the captain and got excused. I do not know why it is that some of the boys dislike Capt. Wilder. So far as for my part, I don’t want a better Capt … He is obliging as a man can be. I never ask a favor of him in my life but what I got it, unless something extraordinary was going to happen. Then I always got a promise for some other time. Not on duty, I have gone where I pleased. Only have been in camp at parade, as every soldier is required by the Col. to be here or his orderly is to report him (the orderly of his company, I mean).
"Oscar has gone on picket today. The men have to be on duty once in three days but as it is warm and pleasant, it is not very hard and another thing is a great consolation to think that every time they are out it is one time less they will have to be on duty. Today, when they came in from inspection, they said that they could not only four more such in War and some thought the fourth one would be in old Vermont."~ James Willson, 13th Regt., pvt, Co. B. , Letter #46, June 7, 1863 (VHS)
"June 7. Nothing new the past week, save that news came a day or two ago, that Gen. Lee was advancing up the Shenandoah Valley with a large force, when Col. Nichols received orders to make this place as formidable as possible.
"Whereupon new rifle pits were dug, the regiment inspected, roads blockaded again, and cannon placed in favorable positions to give the enemy plenty of grape and canister, but no enemy came that night, although we still remain in readiness for him." ~ John C. Williams, Corporal, Co. B, 14th Regiment, Life in Camp 125 (1864)
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June 7, 1863
RR Bridge at Union Mills
William Henry Jackson
Pvt. Co K, 12th Vt. Regt.
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