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+----
-{{:{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130700.jpg |img}}
-<caption>Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen</caption>
-</figure>
-<figure label>
+Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen\\
-{{:{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130708.jpg |img}}
+Letter of Albert C. Harrison
-<caption>Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen</caption>
-</figure>
-<figure label>
+Alberton, Howard County, Maryland\\
-{{:{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130715.jpg |img}}
+September 6, 1862 5 1/2 P. M.\\
-<caption>Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen</caption>
-</figure>
+My Dear Mother You see that we are now about 12 miles west of Baltimore. We were at Monocacy Station about 3 miles south of Frederick from which place I sent you a few lines and I have only time now to tell you that I am safe well through. I have slept in the open air on the ground for the last two nights. The people here are in a great excitement. The rebels, 5000 strong, have taken the same camp ground that we yesterday vacated. We left about an hour before they came. We are expecting a cavalry raid tonight. Tell my dear Father not to be afraid but that I will act gallantly for I have experienced the hour before the battle several times and can stand the test. I will write fully as soon as possible.
+One meal a day and riding all day and sleeping in the open air agrees with me. The Colonel says you would not know me I am so brown. I have not arranged my things yet until we get settled because we expect the rebels all the time. I will write fully as soon as possible.
+Your Affectionate Son Peter
+Elysville, Maryland\\
+September 6, 1862\\
+Dear friends at home I wrote you one letter while at Monocacy and as we left there the same night I will have to write again to let you know where I am so you can send a letter to me. We had orders to move here as the rebels were advancing on the place which we were at. There were about 30,000 of them coming so General !God thought it would be useless for us to stand against so many. And therefore ordered us away. from Elysville is 10 miles from the Relay House and 20 miles all Baltimore. This is a splendid spot I can tell you. We are well but sleepy tonight. When we were at Monocacy we
+{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130700.jpg?linkonly|}}
+----
+Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen\\
+Letter of Albert C. Harrison
+were out all night expecting to see the rebels but nary one did we see. We are on the railroad 40 miles from the old place and our duty will be to scout around the country from here to prevent the guerillas from committing any outrages. I believe this is all as I only want to let you know where we are. After we get settled I will let you know all the particulars.
+Write soon as I want to hear from home. All the People here are Union. I slept in one of the houses last night and got my supper and breakfast and they would not take a cent for it. Remember me to all my friends and tell them I like this business better than anything I have ever been at yet. I believe this is all at present so goodbye and write soon.
+Burroughs
+Verdenburgh
+Camp Wood, Elysville, Alberton County, Maryland\\
+Sunday September 14, 1862\\
+My Dear Father
+How glad I am to know that you are apprised of our true situation and know that the many exciting rumors which have circulated in the Philadelphia press of disaster to our regiment are false. They were not entirely though, without foundation. The bridges over the Monocacy which we were sent to protect we have since learned from reliable authority have been blown up and we would have taken the same elevating tour if we had remained there. We heard heavy cannonading all day yesterday and understood last evening that our forces were shelling the rebels from Maryland Heights. We do not apprehend any sudden danger where we are now. Lt. Col. Hall has just returned from Washington this morning and says that a great battle is expected near Frederick today. There is no use in my writing war news though, because you know from the New York Papers, before we do. We arrest all travelers and make them give an account of
+{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130708.jpg?linkonly|}}
+----
+Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen\\
+Letter of Albert C. Harrison
+themselves, and thereby gain sometimes a little news in advance, but we can hardly ever depend upon what we gain from such a source. We are very pleasantly located a mile southeast of Elysville in a beautiful orchard. The greatest obstacle to our enjoyment being the difficulty of getting supplies. I feel so thankful Father, that I did not accept the Quartermaster appointment. Poor Mr. Cowart cannot complain about the monotony. He has to keep on the go all the time, and even then owing to the tremendous influx of soldiers into Baltimore he meets with poor success. The men have been without bread and fresh meat for two days. I would not be Q. M. for five thousand dollars a year. Don't trouble yourself Father about my wants. I really want nothing more. I have too much to take care of now especially if we should have to take French leave again. My horse has apparently recovered from his lameness and both are looking fine and fat.
+[no signature]
+Stults
+Elysville, Maryland Sunday, September 14, 1862
+Dear Pa & Ma
+I hardly intended to write sooner but better sooner than never. Since leaving Freehold the 14th has traveled a good ways and have had a hard time of it. We landed at Monocacy Thursday morning (by the way Monocacy is on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, a distance of 60 miles from Baltimore) and pitched our tents and was calculating on a stay of a month or two. But at night we received word that a strong force of rebels was crossing the Potomac at Point of Rocks, a distance of 11 miles above us. Company H was thrown out on picket and during the night nearly all expected we would be attacked. The next morning we got a dispatch from General Wood ordering us to fall back to Elysville a distance of 20 miles from Baltimore. We got out of the way just in time for the rebels reached our camp within 3 1/2 hours after we left. The health of the Regiment is good considering we have not had but one good nights sleep since we left Freehold. We have had plenty to eat but most of the time not of very good quality. All hands are in good spirits and looking ahead to better times which we will have when we get settled. I must not forget to add that I am very well, and I would like to hear from Grandpa and the rest of you.
+Yours, Marcus P.S. Just as I finish a train from Frederick Junction brings the news that the rebels are in strong force in and around
+{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130715.jpg?linkonly|}}
+----
+Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen\\
+Letter of Albert C. Harrison
+Monocacy and Frederick City.
+Harrison
+Alberton, Howard County, Maryland.\\
+Sunday night, 1862 past 7 o'clock September 14
+My Dear Mother
+As I will have more time tonight I will commence scribbling you a few lines with my pokeberry ink, my own manufacture, in answer to your letter which I received this morning. I was glad to hear that you could say you were well, only a little nervous. But thank God you were well enough to write to me, and by his kind Providence may you continue so. Dear Mother I rejoice to think that I am a soldier not only in this glorious union army, but in the army of God, where there will be no fighting. And I thank God that there are some sol- diers in this, our own Regiment, that feel their need of a savior. We have a great many members of Churches of different de- nominations in the Regiment. We hold Prayer meetings every successive night until the taps of the drum to turn in. There was a happy time last night among us for our chaplain had just arrived, a finer young man you don't often crop or a smarter one. His name is Rose, he is from Trenton. We held a meeting this afternoon before the Colonel's tent, and had a reviving time. The boys are all in good health and excellent spirits, They are all anxious to Say a few words to the Rebels in the shape of bullets. But as things look in the land of Dixie, I don't think they will have a chance to Satisfy their wishes. There has been an old fashioned battle fought since last Friday. You will see it likely in the papers before you receive my letter. But I will tell you all I know about it.
+The Colonel sent 105 men yesterday to guard the provision train as far as Frederick Junction. When I wrote to Libbie the Rebels were 30,000 strong instead of 10,000 at that place, but three hearty cheers for the union. McClellan has given them Hail Columbia assisted by the Noble Burnside.
+The took 2000 Rebel Cavalry and 800 infantry at one haul and have the remainder of them surrounded without a doubt. Our boys returned tonight and said the provisions went through all right. There were about 3000 wagons ready to take the supplies on to McClellan. The bridge I spoke about in Libbies letter that we guarded is blown up. The battle was fought on our old camp ground. They said it was a sorry old spot. Some of the boys brought back swords, pistols, bayonets and all quantities of rubbish. There was immense excitement in the camp tonight when the boys returned. We heard they were all taken prisoners. But they came in all sound and whole.
+I suppose Libbie told you all the particulars of our leaving Frederick so I will only state to you that we are en-
+{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130721.jpg?linkonly|}}
-<figure label>
-{{:{{ :14th_nj:20190127_130721.jpg |img}}
-<caption>Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen</caption>
-</figure>
 ----

Howard County, MD in the Civil War

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