“Lincoln is a fine smart looking man, dark eyes, dark complexion, dark hair.  
             He is tall and straight.  He don’t look much like a rail splitter.”

This letter is 3 large pages, 8 ½ x 11 inches, with a glorious full page engraving of “view of Washington City”, and in color “military map of Maryland & Virginia” on the front.  The letter is written by Corporal Daniel Pendell, Company F of the 22nd New York Infantry.  PENDELL WOULD BE KILLED ONE YEAR LATER AT THE BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN, MD.   


Talking about marching through Baltimore:

“We marched through the city.  We passed some crowds hooraying for the Union
and more that was hooraying for Jeff Davis.  As we got into the depot we was fired into. 
All was ready for them and returned the fire.  We lost one man.  The report was the next
day that we killed 15 of them.  We took the cars there for Washington.  There
was 6 or 7 shots fired at the cars as we was leaving.”

“It is a large marble building.  There I saw General Washington’s coat & pants, vest, sword, cane,
writing case, shield case, his tent cloth and his camp tools that he had when he resigned his commission
in 1793.  His pants and vest are made of buckskin.  His coat of blue broadcloth not so good as ours. 
His tent cloth looked like an old salt sac, burnt full of holes.  His camp tools are copper.”

It is rare to find nice descriptions of firing Baltimore Secessionists and President Lincoln… let alone on a letter on this type of stationary that by itself is a solid $300!  Condition is very good, not faded at all, a few stains and a few holes at the folds – overall a super displayable piece! 

#L341 - Price $450

            

    Transcription:

                                                                                                                                July 10th, 1861

                     Maria it is with pleasure that I write this letter to you and hope it may find 
        you well – my health is good.  I was glad to see so many of my friends as I did when 
        I was at home.  I got to Albany that day I left home it is a nice one.  I wish you could 
        see it.

                    Friday we got our equipment and took the steamboat for Pa.  We past some 
        nice places.  We got to N.Y. Saturday one o’clock P.M.  We stopped there 4 hours.  It
         was a grand sight to see so many ships for miles they were packed in as thick as they 
        could be. 

                    We went from there to Elizabeth Port in New Jersey.  There we took the cars 
        about 11 o’clock at night at day light the next morning we was in Pennsylvania.  In 
        the course of the day we went through many grand placed and everyone as we went 
        through it looked new to me.  We stopped to Harrisburg and took dinner.  We crossed
        the line into Maryland about 3 o’clock.  We passed over 4 bridges that had been burnt
        down by the Rebels and fixed up with the pieces that was left.  The cars had to go very 
        slow passing over these places.  There was picket guards placed at each end of the
        bridges.  There was an incident happened on the cars that delayed us so we did not 
        get to Baltimore till dark.   We expected to have a fuss there for heard that the 30th 
        Regiment was fired into the day before and was cut all to pieces.  We marched 
        through the city.  We passed some crowds hooraying for the Union and more that 
        was hooraying for Jeff Davis.  As we got into the depot we was fired into.  All was 
        ready for them and returned the fire.  We lost one man.  The report was the next day 
        that we killed 15 of them.  We took the cars there for Washington.  There was 6 or 7 
        shots fired at the cars as we was leaving.  We got to Washington city 2 o’clock Monday
         morning.  It was a grand city.  In the afternoon I went up to the capital and went all
         through it.  It was a grand building. 

                        Thursday we marched to our camp 2 miles north of the city.  The 4th the 
        President ordered all of the N.Y. State Regiments to come down to the White House to 
        pass in review of him and General Scott.   Lincoln is a fine smart looking man, dark eyes,
        dark complexion, dark hair.  He is tall and straight.  He don’t look much like a rail
        splitter.  There was 22 regiments.  There was the greatest fireworks here that ever was 
        here of all kinds.

                        Last Monday I went down to the city and went in to the Patent office.  It is a
         large marble building.  There I saw General Washington’s coat & pants, vest, sword, 
        cane, writing case, shield case, his tent cloth and his camp tools that he had when he
         resigned his commission in 1793.  His pants and vest are made of buckskin.  His coat
         of blue broadcloth not so good as ours.  His tent cloth looked like an old salt sac, burnt 
        full of holes.  His camp tools are copper.  

                      The Colonel gives orders that no one must not go out of the camp unless he is sent
         out on an errand.  The Captain lets me go when I want.  He tells the guard that he has 
        sent me on an errand.  It is so very warm here.  Monday the thermometer said one 
        hundred and two degrees above zero in the shade.  They cut their hay here in June.  
        Black berries are all ripe here.

                        I think we shall leave here in a few days.  We have orders to get ready at sixteen
         hours notice to march to Virginia.  We ain’t got orders yet to march but to be ready to
         march when we get the orders.  Troops are leaving here every day and going to Virginia.
          There ain’t been much fighting here yet but they will be soon.

                       We fear about Middling.  Tell Obe Brooks that Pistol wasn’t loaded when we come
         through Baltimore but it has been since.  Tell Lauren - I shall take up with his advice.  
         Give my respects to all who inquire. 

       Good bye, Dan Pendall

        Camp Graham

       Washington City, D.C.

       22nd Regt. N.Y. V. in care of A. W. Holden