Howard County, MD in the Civil War

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Primary Sources for the 12th New Jersey Infantry

Figure 1: glc04189.01

West-Jersey Pioneer, September 13, 1862

The Twelfth N J. at the Post of Danger.

The Baltimore American, of yesterday, says that on the previous afternoon the Twelfth New Jersey Volunteers, commanded by Col. Johnson, and mustering one thousand men, left the Camden Station, Baltimore, in a special train, for the Relay House, in the vicinity of which they will be stationed. Colonel William D. Whipple, chief of Gen. Wool’s staff, accompanied the command for the purpose of selecting a good place of defence for them. This position is very near the scene of the impending battle, and within fifteen miles of the rebel pickets.

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Figure 2: the_philadelphia_inquirer_mon_sep_15_1862

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/1862-ellicotts-mills-md-camp-johnson-520881591

Ira C. Hall. The dateline is Camp Johnson, Ellicotts mills, Sept the 15 / 62.

Some abstracts: “Dear sister Ida, you must not think hard of me for not riting soon for i have benn very busy … had to go out on pickett and did not git back untill last night and i was to tird to rite then …”

“I was out on pickyet and i liked it first rate i had all the milk and peaches and roasted chicken that we could eat.” “thir was 2 of us at or post and we tooked 5 prizners thir is plenty of Slaves hear out where i was on pickyet is a man ho has 75 slaves he ses that he rais 5000 bus of wheat last yar and that he has got 600 acers this year redy to sow i seen his corn and it looks nice the country around hear looks about as hilly as it does in luzern.” “Thir has benn a big fite at fredickburg that is about 20 miles fro hear i was out on pickyet about 5 miels and we cood fiel the ground shake quite hard and the cannons roar as plain as i wanted to bee.” “I got a letter from on of Ellas baughs [i.e. beaus] and he said that thay was all well.” “tell Clark that i will rite to him soon and tell Edwin Hall that i will rite to him as soon as i can but …” “Thir is sum new york Regments around hear and the next time that you rite to me tell boath the regment thay ar in [???] it may bee that i may see them no more …”

The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 16, 1862

FROM THE TWELFTH NEW JERSEY.

Correspondence of the Inquirer. ELLICOTT'S MILLS, Md., Sept. 11, 1862.

Our regiment, Twelfth New Jersey, has been here Nearly a week, and since that time it has had some active service. On Monday the “boys” scouted through the village, properly known as Ellicott's Mills, deriving its name from the large number of cloth mills, flour mills, &c., owned by the family of the above name. It is a pretty village, of the ancient order, comprising some five thousand inhabitants. While scouting around, some Union men pointed out a rebellious F, F. M., in the shape of a decrepid, miserable form of humanity. Naturally a break was made for said Secesh's house, and the “old flag” soon floated, fanned by the mountain breeze, over his domicile.

On Wednesday our boys captured from a Secessionist sixty bags of salt, besides some horses and wagons. Secesh looked downcast, and saluted us soldiers with the popular epithet used by refined Southern chivalry, “—— Yankees.”

Our regiment is now on detached service, some companies being on picket six miles from camp; others are guarding bridges, railroads, &c. This kind of service does not appear agreeable to us, for we expected to go into more active service, but, “there is a time for all things.”

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