Thirty two letter grouping, dating from October 21, 1861 to May 28, 1862. Twenty nine from Private Reynolds to various family—eighteen to his mother, five to brothers, four to a sister, two to father and mother, one to father, and one to a friend. Plus, a letter from an unidentified Union soldier in Tennessee to a brother Jacob, dated July 20^th 1862. Also, a carte de visite of “Rev. G.M. Rhodes/ taken while in service soldier [backmark: “W.S. Lukenbach/ Newport, PA], and a damaged fragment of an albumen image of unidentified Union soldiers on parade.

All letters but two are written in ink, all on lined paper, generally measuring 7.875 x 5”; Seventeen feature patriotic letterheads. Two or three are somewhat faded, but all entirely legible.

Alfred Reynolds was a resident of Montour County, PA, who mustered as  private in Co. “H”, 93^rd PA Infantry, 10/21/1861. These letters are loaded with camp routine  details of the 93^rd PA mustering at Camp Coleman in Lebanon, PA. The prose level reveals a soldier of medium-level education, and are fairly articulate. And also affectionate, where family was concerned; a wide circle of folks, for whom his death at Fair Oaks must have been devastating.

The 93^rd PA moved from Lebanon, PA, though Baltimore into Washington City, passing the winter of ’62 at Camp Mary, and then at  Camp Edward. Writing to his sister, Reynolds comment optimistically  the Union victory at Ft. Donelson [Feb. 15, 1862]and  humorously of the distinction on the differences between Virginia and Pennsylvania winter weather.

“…the time is near at hand when I will be once more among the loved ones I left so far behind for a few more victories like that at Fort Donaldson will soon bright the war to a close & establish once morea Union that cannot be severed……..Grandmother she say that the streets have been covered with ice & snow and hail. Down here we have rain & mud instead of snow and ice….your affectionate brother/ A. Reynolds”

In march the 93^rd PA moved to Camp Tennally, and from here  Reynolds writes to his mother of   “2 losses”:

“The one was the loss of our band. They got tired of playing in the army so they went home. We miss them a good deal on dress parade & guard mounting but still I guess we will to get used to doing without a Band. The other loss was exchanging our old Belgium guns for springfield muskets which pleases us very well but we had a hard time a getting them. On Tuesday last we marched to the Washington Arsenal for to exchange our guns the distance being 7 miles. We had a hard march of it as we went down & back in about 6 hours the distance being 14 miles & we did not stop over ½ hour through the hole march & when we got to camp we received orders to march the next morning at 7 so we began to think wanted to kill us right away but before 9 o’clock the orders were countermanded & we not a bit sorry. I close by subscribing myself your affectionate son/ A. Reynolds….Write soon.”

By May 1862 the 93^rd was on move, engaged  in McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign, participating in the fight at Williamsburg en route to the Battle of Fair Oaks. Below are two excerpts from Reynolds’ final letter, dated May 28^th, three days before his death:

To mother—“..we had hardly got our suppers when we were ordered out to where we were in the afternoon& stand Picket, so out we went & we lay all night within about 50 yards of the Rebs. Early next morning we heard them a leaving, so we advanced about 1 ½ miles where we are still laying there no Rebs near. Some of our boys went to a house near us & they got talking with and old woman & she sayed that Gen. Johnston was to take breakfast with her on Monday Morning but got in such a hurry to leave that he forgot it, but she says that 12 cavalry men came along & ate the breakfast that she had prepared for the general & after they had eaten they took her husband together with a lot of chickens & pigs, as many as they could carry & then left…..The likeness you sent me looks very natural but I would sooner see the original. I would like to have Annie’s in a smaller plate so I can carry it in that pocket book that Harriet gave me….I subscribe myself you affectionate Son, A. Reynolds…..PS give my love & respects to all enquiring friends (write soon)

To a brother: “We are encamped not more than 3 miles from a large force of the Enemy…we are out on Picket & have been out since Sunday night…..we expect soon to have some hard fun. Yesterday we received 20 extra rounds cartridge which we have to carry in our pockets for our knapsacks have been taken back about five miles. I now close by subscribing my self your affectionate brother/ A.R. (write soon)”

In one undated note to a brother,  Reynolds close with the following “PS”: [tell] John never go soldiering.”

An extraordinary cache of 93^rd PA soldier letters. Private Reynolds’ correspondence deserves a good home.   All in protective sleeves in vinyl ring binder. Accompanied by brief amount of research material; invites further investigation.  [jp]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.

THANK YOU!