Museum Quality Americana
A graphic 4 full page letter in very legible pencil from William J. Murphy, Capt. Co. H; 109th PA. Vol.; written on July 9th 1863. Murphy relates the Battle of Gettysburg starting at 4am and 8 hours of hard fighting regaining their trenches. “The fighting continued all that day and the cannonading was terrific and they were shelling us from all quarters.” “They made 4 charges that night but were repulsed each time with great loss and they also found out it was the Lone Star Corp. that had possession of them… the loss of life on their part was truly awful to witness… the ground was literally covered with them and most of them had been shot in the head, some of them close up to our breast works.” “One of our men was struck by a piece of shell who was only sitting about 2 feet from me and it took the top of his head off and scattered brains over several of us that were sitting close to him.” More good content about the greatest battle ever fought on American soil.
Camp near Boonsboro, Md. July 9th, 1863 Dear Sister, It is with sincere pleasure that I sit down to answer your kind letter of June 25th. Dear Charlotte, we have had some pretty rough times since I wrote to you from Leesburg, VA, and we have also had some pretty severe fighting since as well as marching. WE arrived in Littlestown, PA, on the 30th of June having marched some 150 or 175 miles. We rested there that night and took up the line of march for Gettysburg where there was pretty heavy skirmishing. We encamped that night some seven miles from Gettysburg where they put our Brigade to support some batteries. Started again the next morning for the battlefield when we commenced to build entrenchments and also to send out skirmishers. That evening we had to leave our entrenchments to reinforce the left wing of our line of battle and after we got out into the road we found out that they could get along without us so we had to go back to our entrenchments. And when we were going in we found out that the “Rebs” had got possession of our works, and the first intimation we had of it was them firing into us by which they wounded some of our men and we had to drive them out. We were skirmishing all that night. That morning about 4 o’clock the battle commenced in earnest and after about 8 hours hard fighting we got possession of our trenches again. The fighting continued all that day and the cannonading was terrific and they were shelling us from all quarters. The Rebel Officer told their men that they would have to take our trenched at all hazards and also told them that it was only the 11th Corps has possession of them and that one good charge would take them that night so they made four charges that night but were repulsed each time with great loss and they also found out it was the Lone Star Cords that had possession of them. Dear Charlotte, the loss of life on their part was truly awful to witness. I walked over the battlefield in front of our works the next morning, and the ground was literally covered with them and the most of them had been shot in the head, some of them close up to our breast works. We lost three killed and some seven or eight wounded. One of our men was struck by a piece of shell who was only sitting about two feet from me and it took the top of his head off and scattered brains over several of us that were sitting close to him. But thank God for His mercies to me. I came off safe. Chancellorsville battles was no circumstance to the battle of Gettysburg. We have got “Johnny Reb” in a pretty nice trap. I hear that our men captured today the biggest portion of the train along with a large lot of prisoners and I hope and pray that this will settle this unholy war and it appears that there is glorious news from all parts of our Army. The people North through that the Army of the Potomac was good for nothing but they have found out their mistake for there was never better Army in the world so will have to bring this letter to a close. Give my love to Mary, Deanna, Margaret, and the old gentleman, also to my youngest sister and John Diel. Give my respects to all inquiring friends. So no more at present but good bye and God bless you all in the fervent prayers of your Affectionate Brother, Wm. J. Murphy I am well and in good spirits. Send a few postage stamps as I am completely out. Your Brother, WJM
# G2 – Price $1795
Transcript of the letter:
