May 1864 Civil War Letter — Wounded Soldiers — 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery

Description

This 1864 letter was written from Fort Monroe during the height of Grant’s Overland Campaign by a member of the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. Writing to a girlfriend back home, Private Benjamin F. Landan describes how he:
...came off guard this morning and then I went out to the wharf and was sitting around there till I got tired of seeing the vessels coming in with wounded soldiers. It is a horrible sight to see so many men that have lost their limbs in this cruel war, and so many lives lost, and it will take thousands more till this rebellion is over.
Landan then relates that “the news came to me while I was on guard the other day that I was dead.” He explains that a relative had overheard in their hometown of Sunbury that he had been killed, but that another relative “told him that he saw me standing on my post…and as for health I am as well as ever.” After writing how another soldier “wishes that he was at home every time that I see him,” Landan writes that this is not the case with him:
I have a pretty good little cabin to live in and our victuals are tolerable good so that you can’t complain about it, although the talk is that there will be barracks built this fall and if they do that I can live happy the three years I have to stay.
Like most soldiers, Landen also considers the chances of a furlough. “Some says that they will get furloughs,” he writes, “but I don’t make any calculations of such things. I might meet with some accident and never come home, and if that should be the case I hope to meet my friends and relatives in the better world above where all is ‘love to meet to part no more.’” He then relates another story about a “very wicked” captain who “would curse some of the men and would threaten to knock them down with the butt of the musket and would call them blackheads.” Landan writes that another soldier “had a great notion to write to Gov. A. G. Curtin how the captain used his men” but that the man’s brother “told him that he ought to know better than to go into the army as a private soldier and that he should cheer up and try to please his officers and then he might be promoted….”
The letter was written on four pages of a 4 3/4” x 7 3/4” bifolium letter sheet. It is in very good condition with moderate toning and foxing. A couple places along the mailing folds were reinforced with tape by a previous owner. The letter’s full transcript follows:
Fortress Monroe, May 25, A.D. 1864
Miss Lana G. Morgan,
I take the opportunity this afternoon to inform you that I am well at present and I hope that these few lines may find you enjoying the same blessing. I came off guard this morning and then I went out to the wharf and was sitting around there till I got tired of seeing the vessels coming in with wounded soldiers. It is a horrible sight to see so many men that have lost their limbs in this cruel war, and so many lives lost, and it will take thousands more till this rebellion is over. The news came to me while I was on guard the other day that I was dead. The news came from my brother-in-law. He wrote to William Weaver stating that he had been in Sunbury and he heard that I was killed, and if it was the case that he should let him know immediately. And he wrote the same day and told him that he saw me standing on my post and that was the case, and as for health I am as well as ever and have been since the ear ache has left me. And all the Boys that left Sunbury are in tolerable good health. Francis R. Hickok wishes that he was at home every time that I see him. He will say “Ben don’t you wish you was at home?” He is sick of soldiering. He says that it is so lonesome here but that is not the case with me. I feel very well contended here now. I have a pretty good little cabin to live in and our victuals are tolerable good so that you can’t complain about it, although the talk is that there will be barracks built this fall and if they do that I can live happy the three years I have to stay.
The talk is that the war will soon be over and then we would be sent home, but I think not. Even if the war will be over I think that we will haft to stay the balance of our time. Some says that they will get furloughs, but I don’t make any calculations of such things. I might meet with some accident and never come home, and if that should be the case I hope to meet my friends and relatives in the better world above where all is “love to meet to part no more.” But there is so much wickedness here. One captain is a very wicked man. When we first came in the Company he would curse some of the men and would threaten to knock them down with the butt of the musket and would call them blackheads. There is a good union man from Sunbury that used to tent with me. He would say to me that he had a great notion to write to Gov. A. G. Curtin how the captain used his men, and then he wrote to his Brother how he was used and his Brother told him that he ought to know better than to go into the army as a private soldier and that he should cheer up and try to please his officers and then he might be promoted, but I think that will not happen with him, nor me. And now I must draw my letter to a close. That photograph sent you isn’t very good but it is as good as they take them down here. There is one for you and one for Joseph. Tell him that I hadn’t time to answer his letter yet. I wish you would be so kind as to send me your photograph or ambrotype, whichever you like. I must close. I send my love and best respects to you and all inquiring friends. Write soon. Yours truly
B. F. Landan
Good-Bye
Direct
Benjamin F. Landan
Company K 3rd Pa Art
Fortress Monroe Va
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