On April 21, 1861, a 41-year-old printer-turned-recruit for the United States Army took us his pen to write to Benjamin Bannan, the editor of Pottsville, Pennsylvania’s Miners’ Journal newspaper as the Civil War quickly escalated.

James McLaird was chosen as the correspondent of a militia unit, the Scott Artillerists, from Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania and was writing from the company’s new home at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg. McLaird and his comrades had been mustered into the army as Company F, 5th Pennsylvania Infantry a day earlier on April 20.

In his letter, McLaird describes the unit’s journey from Schuylkill Haven to Harrisburg via the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad and the Lebanon Valley Railroad.

The correspondent also shares their experience with the residents of the communities they passed through and the situation at Camp Curtin as volunteers for the Union cause poured into Harrisburg in the days after the Confederate capture of Fort Sumter and the initiation of the Civil War.

From the Pottsville Miners’ Journal, April 27, 1861:

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Harrisburg, April 21st, 1861.

Sunday, 5 o’clock, P. M.

Friend Bannan: 

Having had the honor of being appointed the Correspondent and Secretary of the “Scott Artillerists” of Schuylkill Haven, I will endeavor to give you, as near as possible, the details of what has taken place since our departure from home. 

With many regrets at leaving our families and friends behind us, we still had the consolation to know that we have enlisted our lives and honors in the most noble cause that ever it became necessary for true, noble and brave men to engage in. 

In starting from Schuylkill Haven, the citizens of that place, en masse, crowded the streets, and houses with the stars and stripes floating from every point, and in the hands of all true lovers of the Union, and the ladies, God bless them, gave us a hearty departure, and hopes for our safe and speedy return, we left them with one loud, long and hearty cheer. 

The railroad up to Harrisburg, was almost a perfect phalanx. At 6 o’clock, P. M. the cars started from Reading, amid the most deafening shout it was ever our honor to hear.

At Lebanon, (as all through the valley route,) we were received by her citizens in the most hospitable manner; they provided us with provisions which were carried through the cars and distributed to our men; buckets of water were also passed along, which was very acceptable to the thirsty soldiers.

In leaving those noble people, it would have made your loyal heart beat higher than it has ever done since you entered upon the political campaign of 1861. It was indescribable; language cannot be found to express or describe the scene. 

While upon this part of my letter, I would return thanks to the ladies of that patriotic town, through Capt. [Francis] Medlar, on the part of the entire company, for their generous bestowal of refreshments on that occasion, and that they, to a man, have pledged themselves to fight for them, the Union, the Stars and Stripes, and for the ladies of our entire North.

Arrived in camp at 11 o’clock, P. M., after marching through the City of Harrisburg, led and followed by several companies, accompanied by bands and martial music. This was a grand and imposing sight; our hearts thrilled at the scene before us. 

The perfect sea of human heads, soldiers at that, and the great city of white canvas, that was presented to our view, inhabited by the true and brave sons of the “Old Keystone State,” ready and willing to lose their lives for her rights and the preservation of our once glorious Union. 

Companies are arriving by every train, and others leaving for the seat of war; it certainly beggars anything that ever took place in our noble State and Capital. Drilling constantly going on, and while writing, our ears are deafened by the loud tramp, tramp, tramp of the soldiers, and the command of the officers. 

Mr. Bannan, I must go on drill, our Captain calls: “Fall in! Fall in!” and I must to duty. I must be excused for any discrepancy in this letter, as I sit upon the straw in my tent, and write this on the bottom of a tin pan. We leave here by 5 o’clock to-day. Good bye!

J. McLaird.

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Read the previous letter from the Letters from War: 1861 series.

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This is part of an ongoing series called “Letters from War: 1861” that will share correspondence written on the front lines during the turbulent first year of the Civil War.

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