Letters from War: 1861 | A Schuylkill County soldier watches the largest US fleet ever assembled

Posted on by Jake Wynn

"It was a fine spectacle, especially at night, when all the vessels were lighted up, giving the Roads the appearance of an American Venice." In October 1861, the Schuylkill Regiment - the 48th Pennsylvania - watched a vast US fleet leave Hampton Roads in Virginia, bound for Port Royal Sound in South Carolina. A letter writer described the largest fleet yet assembled in American history. Read the full letter.

Letters from War: 1861 | Captain Oliver Bosbyshell and the 48th Pennsylvania arrive at Fort Monroe

Posted on by Jake Wynn

In a letter written in October 1861, Captain Oliver Bosbyshell of Pottsville, PA described the arrival of the 48th Pennsylvania at Fort Monroe in Virginia. Bosbyshell described the camp, the regiment's drill, and the events happening around the important Union base on the Cheseapeake Bay. Read the full letter.

Letters from War: 1861 | An account of the first US Army/US Navy joint operation at Hatteras Inlet on North Carolina’s Outer Banks

Posted on by Jake Wynn

"Now commenced the really grand spectacle." In a letter to a friend in Wilkes-Barre, PA, Sgt. Louis Roth described the Battle of Hatteras Inlet on North Carolina's Outer Banks in August 1861. He described the fighting, the Union victory, and the terrible conditions as follows. Roth also writes a great passage about his regiment's consumption of lager beer, a favorite among the German regiments. Read the full letter.