In this 10 page letter to his sister, Capt. Edgar A. Burpee, Co. I 19^th Maine, relates the horror that he participated in at the Battle of Gettysburg several weeks earlier.  Burpee is an excellent writer and this letter makes for fascinating reading!  He uses very colorful language.  He relates that the Confederate Color Bearer “kept dipping his ‘infernal rag’ at us” and “we gave the rebs a few pills that made their heads and stomachs ache” and “could I have got a hold of that fellow who carried the flag I would have knocked his head off.” 

Now to the amazing part of the story:  In the 19^th Maine Regimental, the author relates the following about what Capt. Burpee wrote in a letter prior to Gettysburg.  Burpee was talking about his best friend, Capt. George D. Smith. 

“When night came we had marched thirty-two miles, and a portion of the Regiment was ordered out on picket.  You remember Captain Smith, yourself and myself lay in a little shelter tent together.  Captain Smith said, ‘I think we are on the eve of a terrible battle and I feel that I shall be killed or wounded.’  I said, ‘Don’t think that way.  We all feel as if we might get hit.’  He replied, ‘No; but I have a presentment that something is going to happen to me and I hope I shall be prepared to die.’”

Now, back to our letter:  “I could hardly keep from crying… our much loved Capt. Smith was dying… how much I miss him.  All along our march I am reminded of him.  All he has ever said to me keeps coming to my mind.  I cannot realize he has gone forever.  All this spring he has kept telling about going home in September on a furlough and what he was going to do and when we arrived next to Gettysburg he said he hoped we were going into a fight so he could say he had done something for his country.  I have his account book and his blood is on some of its leaves.  Every time I look at it I almost shudder to think it was the life blood of my dear friend.”  There is much more great content in this letter including a great story about the men stealing some pigs and the scheme they came up with so they would not get caught.  “The other night the boys worked nicely so not to get caught.  Our camp was near a house where there were plenty of pigs and hens running about.  So in the eve, they laid in with the band to go up to headquarters and play so loud Generals shouldn’t hear the squeaking and everything.  Well, the band struck up and the boys took after the pigs and more the noise the louder the band would play until some 10 or 15 piggies were mustered into our service.  Wasn’t that cute?  Soldiers are funny boys, ain’t they?”

Fine condition, a remarkable letter!

# S4 - Price $3,750