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Primary Sources for the 14th New Jersey Infantry
Figure 1: civil_war_letter_by_william_arrance, original found on ancestry.com
Figure 2: Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen
Figure 3: Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen
Figure 4: Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen
Figure 5: Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen
Figure 6: Upon the Tented Field, by Bernard A. Olsen
Figure 7: the_monmouth_inquirer_thu_sep_11_1862
Figure 8: monmouth_democrat_thu_sep_11_1862
Ocean Emblem, September 17, 1862
CAPT GOWDY.
We publish in to days EMBLEM a letter from W. McKean in Company F Fourteenth Regiment New Jersey Volunteers, and since it was in type we have been favored with another from George Bryan, of the same company. Lieut Baily, and also one from Capt. Gowdy relating mainly the same incidents and movements as that published. To show the moral of the officers and men of this company we make the following extracts from Gowdy's letter. It will be read with pleasure by all who feel truly conserned for the best good of our noble soldiers.
Camp Wool September 9th, 1862—
We are now getting settled away nicely and it seems more like living. The 12th New Jersey Regiment came on yesterday and encamped within 3 miles The officers paid us a visit to day~most of them are old acquaintances and friends. It will be quite pleasant to have them so near us—we shall be able to visit one another, besides they will share part of our guard duty and be within supporting distance in case of attack. I am almost sure we are to stay here some time. No one need go into the army thinking they will have nothing to do - there is something to do from daylight until 9 at night. It is evening and the men are amusing themselves some in one way and some in another. Singing seems to be the favorite method.
We have a prayer meeting in our company from half past eight until half past nine in which my 1st. Lieut, and myself take part. I think it is the only one in the Regt. Last evening the tent was full and quite a number kneeling outside. It would do your heart good to listen to some of the prayers offered—The wives and children at home are never forgotten.
I do not see that camp life is so demoralizing. If the officers do their duty there is a restraint over the men that there would not be at home even—we allow no profane language to be used in the Co. nor anything like gambling—I notice that those of my men who are professors of religion make the best soldiers and when the time of danger comes have the least fears' It is always pleasant thought to me to know that however distant we may be from our friends—the same God watches over and protects us and though families and friends may be seperated their prayers will ascend to the one Great Source Of All Good—
September 10th 1862.
We are fast becoming accustomed to Camp life and feel no inconvenience from it, our tents are tight and warm and we get up in the morning feeling quite as well as though we slept on a feather bed, The weather since we left home has been remarkably fine. It is raining today for the first time, I hear to night that McClellan and Burnsides are between us and Harpers Ferry —Burnsides pickets nearly join ours— One half of our Regiment are on picket duty extending eight miles from Camp. We have heard the booming of cannon at intervals all day. Newspapers are contraband with us—dont know anything outside the camp. Send the Emblem— how can we do without it—I would rather be put on short allowance than attempt it.
Ocean Emblem, September 17, 1862
Fourteenth Regiment N. J. Volunteers.
LETTER FROM W. MCKEAN JUN:
ELYSVILLE, Sept. 6th 1862.
We are now about encamping on a rising piece of ground in the rear of Elysville, situated about 100 feet above the level of the town. We have had a rough time of it, since we started. We left the Camp near freehold at about 11 o'clock a.m. on Tuesday. When we arrived at Camden we took the Ferry boat to the Navy Yard, and got there at 6 o'clock p. m. We were marched to the Union eating saloon and partook of a handsome supper. After the whole regiment had partaken we formed in line and marched up to the Depot of the Philadelphia and Baltimore Railroad. As we marched along we were greeted with thousands of hearty shakes of the hand, and “God bless you.” Some times our hand was not down by our sides for a hundred yards; for as soon as one released it another had hold of it, and every few steps could be heard the kind voice of some one wishing “the brave Jersey boys a safe return.” When we arrived at the cars it was an hour before we took seats, but we could not leave our places in the ranks, but we was greeted on all sides by the same good cheer, which made us all feel as cheerful as men could be who were leaving all their friends and going to fight the Rebels.
When they got the cars fixed we marched along in line and took seats in them. We had nice comfortable cars, with only two on a seat. We were in the cars about an hour before they started; during this time the ladies came along the cars and shook hands with all of us who sat by the windows, and nearly all as they shook hands gave us some good advice. About 12 o'clock we started for Baltimore, and the trip down was pleasant. We reached the Susquehanna River about 10 o'clock next morning, (Wednesday) there the cars were divided into three parts and ran on the boat and Ferried over the river to Harve de Grace, and there ran again on the tack and proceeded to Baltimore, where we arrived about noon. We had not been there long before one of the depots caught fire. It had a great quantity of government stores in it. We had to catch our guns and knapsacks and run. The four or five large depots would all have been consumed had it not been for the tin roofs upon them Two fire engines was speedly brought into action and soon put out the fire.
We left Baltimore about 9 o'clock p. m. and of all cars those used to carry us from that place was the poorest I ever saw. They were old boxes with holes knocked in the sides and a bench all around and one down through the middle, and then stowed so full of soldiers that they could scarcely get seats, in which condition we rode all night. We crossed several streams and two rivers before we reached our destination. Several miles of our route was through the mountains where they had cut through solid rock from 60 to 75 feet deep, in many places for nearly half a mile.
We arrived at Fredrick Station at the Baltimore and. Ohio railroad about 7 o'clock on Thursday morning. This place is situated about 54 miles from Baltimore and 22 miles from Harpers Ferry and 9 miles from Fredrick City. We was sent here to guard the railroad bridge and two bridges on the Turnpike. We pitched our tents in a field where there had been wheat, being a splendid place for a camp. We got all of our baggage into the camp and our tents pitched, and fixed everything all nice before night. There are some very high hills all around the camp, most of them from half to one mile off. Just at dark the Col. detailed all of company F. and Company K, to go out on picket duty. We marched over the railroad bridge about a quarter of a mile from camp and sent out ten pickets for two hours, with orders to stop anybody they saw come within 30 yards of them, and if they did not stop after the second command to halt to fire on them. About 10 o'clock p. m. we was aroused from sleep by the pickets firing and coming in amongst us. One of them had spied a man sneaking around and ordered him to halt twice; but the stranger jumped into the bushes, and our picket fired on him but did not hit him. Our pickets fired on three different persons before two o'clock in the morning.
About that time the Col. received a telegraphic despatch to get all the baggage together and march over the rail road bridge to where we we stationed as the rebels had crossed into Maryland. We rested on our arms the remainder of the night and the next morning we marched over into the Camp and eat our breakfast, and then returned over the bridge again.
About 11 o'clock A. M. on Friday we were again ordered over to Camp, to to strike tents and get everything down to the cars in a hurry. The cars arrived in about an hour and we soon loaded up our freight and in very short time we had everything across the railroad bridge and started for Elysville, where we arrived about 11 o'clock.
That night we slept on the side walks. Next morning we unloaded the cars of our baggage and marched out where we are now encamped.
Elysville is a pleasant village, built mostly of brick, contains a large cotton factory and about 20 houses. The factory is busy making duck for tents.
Sunday morning Richard Skirm, George Bryan and myself took a walk down to the village and went in the stream to bathe, then we went to one of the houses and took dinner, which was excellent and cost us only twenty-five cents.
Yesterday about noon there was great excitement in our camp. The cars came in from towards Frederic Junction and a report circulated that the rebels had possession of our Camping, ground and had cut the telegraph wire; that there was about 500 rebel cavalry and 2 brass field pieces, with 8000 Infantry at Frederick city. When we went to Frederic Junction there was one Company of the 1st Maryland Regiment, who had been encamped there about four months. They had orders to leave there the same day we left but they did not do it, and that night they fired a lot of wheat stacks, sufficient to make 600 or 700 bushels of wheat and then they laid in ambush until the advance guards of the rebel cavalry came up, when they fired a volley into them, and then skedadled, some of them arrived in our camp last night.
There is several large secession farmers around our camp today a union man also come into Camp and told the Col. that one of these secessionists had a lot of arms and ammunition concealed in his house. The Col. sent a guard forthwith to search the house, but they have not yet returned, They told us where we eat our dinner that there were a good many secesh around through the country but that there it none in the town. They are very much afraid the rebels will come there. All the Ocean county boys are well.
The guard sent out by the Col, to search the rebels house have returned, They found two Cavalry swords and equipments for two cavalrymen, and ammunition sufficient to last them six months; three revolvers well loaded a bowie knife about 10 inches long.
Towards night three men came into Camp and wanted the Col. to send four companies of men to a point on the Baltimore and Harpers Ferry turnpike called Edicots Mills' as they expected a raid of rebels on the Mills. The Col. detailed four companies, our company being one of them. We started about 7 o'clock and marched some 8 or 9 miles to our destination, and was stationed about three fourths of a mile from the Mills, and about 9 mills from the Relay House, in a corn field near the road, so that if the rebels came along we could gives warm reception. Our men all kept cool.
The corn referred to was the tallest I ever saw. I could not reach the tops of it with my gun. We stayed in the field all night but the rebels did not come. We arrived in Camp about 8 o'clock this morning all ready for another trip if wanted to go.
Figure 9: monmouth_democrat_thu_sep_18_1862
Figure 10: monmouth_democrat_thu_sep_25_1862
Figure 11: ocean_emblem_1862-10-01
Figure 12: monmouth_democrat_thu_jun_25_1863
14th_new_jersey_infantry_primary_sources.1560341176.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/06/12 12:06 by admin