griffing@fnal.gov

The Civil War Letters of William Beynon Phillips

       

Camp Curtin
[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]
August 20, 1862

Dear Mr. [Thomas] Richards,

I am happy to say that I have received your (??) as shipped and am also glad to find that (??)…..not be given less. You see that (??) the daily Camp Curtin, doing our duty to the Quarter Master. You would be inclined to smile if you were to see Davis falling upon fat pork. We get up about 5 o’clock A.M. with faces as long as a bean pole. The soldiers dare not go down town as they will be roughly dealt with if caught. Last Saturday, [Billy] Davis and me succeeded in running the guard and put for town. After we went past town a little we went to the hotel and put for our room, congratulating ourselves for having a soft bed for the night. Anyhow, after I slept for about an hour, Davis got up, lit his candle and bellows out, “Bill, surrender the bed. We’re being attacked.” I came and there they were on all fours, thick as hops. We surrendered at discretion, but it was too bad that two United States Volunteers had to capitulate to a few bed bugs. The result was we had to lay on the floor, after dreaming of soft beds and pillows. Next morning (Sunday) we went to the Presbyterian Church, a magnificent building I can assure you. We were treated there to a good sermon and glorious singing. It did us good. We felt that peace and rest that man naturally feels on Sunday. But that night we put for camp fearing being caught.

Yesterday I was in the Governor’s room in the State House. We saw there a great many relics, portraits of the founders and Governors of State of Pennsylvania; William Penn, Keith Gordon, Sojan Franklin, B. Moore, Ex-Governor Porter, Andrew G. Curtin, 2 Search flags, 2 Rebel swords captured at New Orleans [and] very rough made homemade knives. We saw some ancient documents in a glass case; the veto of [King] George III, autographs of William Penn, George Washington, Morris and some very curious signatures of Indian Chiefs such as a Pistol, Skeleton, Turtle, [and] Snake. The Mohawk Chief’s signature was thus ( / / ). We saw also a piece of the Rebel flag from Ft. Pulaski, [6] the Declaration of Independence, also the grants of land by [King] Charles II to William Penn, also the Constitution of Pennsylvania. I can assure you that Davis and me were paid well for our trouble.

Dear Mr. Richards, we leave for Fort Delaware tomorrow at 1 o’clock. Thank God for that, and we hope soon that we will have a chance to display some of our courage and skill.  We go knowing that there is some heavy and hot work before us, trusting in God to give us the victory. I believe we will yet see a happy and united country.

Dear friend, I have no news for you. As you know, we are in camp, and what happens in Camp Curtin I would not try to entertain anybody with it. One thing of interest happened though yesterday – a coward was drummed out. The fellow would not stand muster, so he was left to the mercy of the crowd who went after him with drums, sticks and feet, yelling and hooting like beasts. The poor devil suffered, I tell you.

Please give my best respects to Mrs. Richards and kiss dear little Nettie for me. Give my respects also to Henry and Joshua, Susan and all the folks, big and small. Accept, dear friend the highest regards of yours truly, -- William B. Phillips

William [Davis] endorses the whole of this so you can take it from the both of us.

Footnotes

William "Billy" Davis was born in Wales in 1840. In the US Census of 1860, he is shown as residing in Hyde Park, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. His occupation is given as "Clerk." According to troop records, William Davis entered Company M, 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery as a Corporal. He left the service as a Sergeant, though he served as a Second Lieutenant while attached to the "Provisional Heavies from April to August, 1864.

The hotel where Privates Phillips and Davis encountered bed bugs was probably "Herr's Hotel" (see envelope image in banner above). Daniel Herr (born about 1795) established his hotel in Harrisburg's East Ward sometime in the 1840's. It appears that the hotel closed about 1864-5. While staying in the hotel, perhaps Privates Phillips and Davis also encountered seventeen year-old John Quincy Adams, a Black servant who was employed by the establishment. In his memoirs, John Q. Adams wrote that he was given a letter of recommendation which read, "The bearer, John Q. Adams, was in our employ as bell-tender, and dining room waiter, during the years 1862, 1863, and 1864, and always performed his duties with promptness and entire satisfaction to ourselves. We, therefore, cheerfully recommend him to any one who may desire his services as honest, trustworthy, and fully competent to fulfill any duties to which he may be assigned. -- Coyle & Herr, Former Proprietors of Herr's Hotel." 

The Presbyterian church Phillips and Davis attended was probably the Paxton Presbyterian Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This stone church was erected in 1740 and is the oldest of its denomination in Pennsylvania in continuous use.

Fort Pulaski, a coastal fort near Savannah, George, was surrendered by Confederate Colonel Olmstead to Federal forces on 11 April 1862. The rebel flag was lowered at 2:30 in the afternoon.

Nettie Richards was the 3 year-old daughter of 28 year-old David Richards -- a son of Thomas Richards, to whom the letter is addressed.

Joshua Richards was a 23 year-old clerk living in Hyde Park, Pennsylvania. He was the second eldest son of Thomas Richards.

Susan Richards was the 21 year-old daughter of Thomas Richards. In 1860, she also resided in Hyde Park, Pennsylvania. She would eventually marry William Davis, who is mentioned in this letter.

griffing@fnal.gov