“Our Veteran Volunteers” is the beautiful patriotic letter sheet that this 3 page letter is written on.  The writer William Crawford, Co. B. 155^th Regt. Ohio National Guard is kind in that he provides his full I.D.  Writing in a dark pencil, Crawford begins the letter talking about his camp duties then quickly goes into the exciting news of the week:

“…While in Washington I went through the capitol of our nation and it is a most beautiful sight to see.  We sailed on the Spaulding a very large vessel.  We passed City Point and Yorktown where Cornwalace surrendered to Washington and Smith… The sight that I have beheld since I came here is not so beautiful.  The day after we landed I saw about four hundred secesh prisoners and one of the secesh was shot by a Negro guard.  The secesh told the Darky that he was not going to be guarded by a D. Negro and the Darky leveled his gun and shot him through the body; that served him right.”

Condition is good overall with some separations at the folds.  Very readable and a highly interesting antidote about the role of the Black soldier. 

#B5

Transcription of letter:

White House Landing                                                                                               June 14^th 1864

Dear Wife and Children,                I am in my tent just after finishing washing my towels and socks.  I am well hoping you are the same.  I received a letter from you dated on the 7^th of June that was the day that we started from Washington.  I wrote to you when we started from Martinsburg and when we was in Washington and when we landed here but I suppose you have got these letters before this.  The present week has been very exciting week to us while in Washington I went through the capitol of our nation and it is a most beautiful sight to see.  We sailed on the Spaulding a very large vessel.  We passed City Point and Yorktown where Cornwalace surrendered to Washington and Smith; if you will get the history of the United States you can find the picture of the surrender.   The sight that I have beheld since I came here is not so beautiful.  The day after we landed I saw about four hundred secesh prisoners and one of the secesh was shot by a Negro guard.  The secesh told the Darky that he was not going to be guarded by a D. Negro and the Darky leveled his gun and shot him through the body; that served him right.  There has been over one thousand prisoners shipped from this point since we come here.  Part of the army is swinging round to the James River.  I was on picket yesterday and I suppose there was 20 thousand troops past where I stood and a train of wagons 2 miles long and Elizabeth, I watched close for the 9^th Army Corps and the one hundred regiment came within 3 miles of where I was standing.  I would have given 5 dollars to see Smith Semple, but I was on duty and I could not leave my post.
Miss Maggy Gilgey, I received your Epistle with much gladness and I hope you will enjoy yourself as well as you can and write as often as you can every letter is great joy to the soldiers.  There is I suppose 20 thousand troops here.  They have been shipping them around to Harrisons Landing on the James River as fast as they can and it is a curious sight to see a army on the move.  We are in hearing of the cannon.  They are still firing and throwing shells into each other and good bye to you all.  Direct to

                Wm Crawford
                White House Landing
                East Virginia
                Co B – 155 Reg.
                O     N     G