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| Bennie Sumner's letter, written on the pages of an old account book. |
Camp Pitcher
Near Falmouth VA Dec 24th '62
Dear Uncle
If my memory serves me right, I am owing you a letter, though I have to use an old account book for paper. Have received no money & can get no paper. So further excuses are useless. The weather has been most bitter cold, but is quite comfortable today. We have log huts built up some two or three feet & plastered or mudded up & then put our tents on the logs, a number have fireplaces in them.
Dec 25th Wish you all a merry Christmas. Nothing very special going off today as I know of. Our regiment went on picket duty yesterday morning, to be gone three days. There are some thirty six in this company that are on the sick list. We were over the river at Fredericksburg 14th instant, had to double quick it some two or three miles through the mud shoe deep nearly, then had to lay flat on the ground so long we nearly all took cold. I have had a pain in my left side since and considerable of a cold. So that I have not done anything since I came back. We went over the river Saturday & came back Tuesday before day light. We were on picket the last twenty four hours within fifteen rods of the rebels, had to hide behind a bank not more than a foot and a half high, but we agreed with them (the rebels) that neither side should fire, went half way and shook hands with them & had a chat with them. Said if it were not for their officers they could soon settle this war. We exchanged the dead with them & they did not leave a pair of shoes or pants, cap, or socks, or coat, if they were not wore too bad, on to our dead men. Our men did not bury all the dead that we exchanged, were in such a hurry to retreat. The pickets that were put around the pontoon bridges fired two or three times when we came up, but no harm done. I have not heard from home since 4th instant, guess they have run away or expect me to soon. Our Capt & 2nd Lieut has resigned I believe the captain had our muster roll & we could not draw our bounty, all the other companies in the regiment got theirs. I wrote to Cousin Annie Bannatyne this week. Hear Cousin C. H. Bunnel was home, wish I could see him. I had an apple this morning, never had one taste better, wish I could get in your apple bin, I would do a smashing business.
Dec 27th Moderate sort of weather today. I received a letter from home yesterday dated Dec 7th, got a vest, mittens & night cap from home. I got a letter from Bro J.B & Alma today, were well. Write soon as convenient and ever remember your Soldier nephew.
Bennie E. Sumner
Sumner enlisted on August 18, 1862 in Co. A of the 141st Pennsylvania Infantry. He was killed at Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863, where the regiment lost 37 killed, 101 wounded, 17 captured, and 4 missing out of 419 engaged.
The 141st PA served in III Corps, Army of the Potomac from Fredericksburg to Appomattox. Their losses were as follows.
Officers Killed in Action: 6
Officers Died of Disease: 3
Enlisted Killed in Action: 161
Enlisted Died of Disease: 76
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| Pontoon Bridge over the Rappahannock, Fredericksburg VA |
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| Soldiers of III Corps in their winter huts. Camp Pitcher, Falmouth VA |
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