Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest

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Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

September 17, 1862

Moncachy (Monocacy) Junction	*& camped on the Ground, fully*
Md	*expecting an attack, in our front*
*Sep 17th 62*	*& that they would Shell our Camp*
*Dear Father*	*At 9 PM we were again called*
*I know you must be very*	*into line and marched back to the*
*anxious to hear the particulars of*	*Camp again, At 3,30 AM on Sun*
*our late Battles at the Ferry.*	*Morn, we we were called into line*
*On saturday morning last, we*	*& ordered to get 48 hours rations*
*heard firing on Maryland High*	*ready, & be ready to move at a mo-*
*commencing about 8 AM, lasting*	*ments notice. Everything went along*
*two or three hours, Our Regt was*	*all night until 1,30 PM, when the*
*not engaged in that fight*	*Rebels opened on us from 4 different*
*About two PM, we observed Sig-*	*Batteries three in the opposite moun-*
*nals on the mountain opposite*	*tain & one on Maryland Heights,*
*called Lowden Hights [sic], to the Rebel*	*The shelling was terrific, the Shells*
*at the west of us. Our Siege*	*bursting all around us. We were*
*Guns commenced shelling them*	*then ordered to retreat to the Side*
*from all points, At 4,30 the [Long]*	*of the hill, at the rear of our Camp*
*Roll was beat, & we were ordered*	*This had been a thick woods*
*into Line, at 6 PM, we marched*	*but had been cut down since*
*behind the Breastworks on two the*	*we camped there. About 3 [the]*
*Ferry. There we loaded our Gun*	*Batteries opened on us from that*
	*side, And the way the Balls*
	*whistled, was a caution, If ever I*
	*was afraid it was then, balls burst-*
	*ing within a few feet of you &*
	*coming from all sides, At 6 PM*
	*we marched to the foot of the*
	*hill, in an open lot, & formed*
	*in a line of battle, Expecting to*
	*be attacked in the course of the*
	night. About 8 PM we changed
	*our position a little, moving*
	*to the right when some Rebel*
	*Cavalry charged from the woods*
	*down on us, causing a complete*

stampeed [sic], the whole Regt broke	*stay here, we can not tell, prob-*
*some of the Companies [turned], &*	*ably not long. We have got to*
*fired into the others, It was an*	*go either in Balt or Washington*
*awful time, I fired my Gun & then*	*& report, then what, I can not*
*ran a short distance & fell on*	*tell, We were paroled with*
*back & loaded & fired again*	*the understanding that we*
*The firing lasted about 20 minutes*	*should go home, it is doubt*
*when order was again established*	*ful whether we go or not.*
*Some say it was an Infantry*	*It is a wonder that our Regt*
*Charge & others it was nothing*	*escaped with so little loss*
*at all, but more say that it was Cavalry. There*	*I saw Jackson, he does not*
*was about 10 killed & 15 woun-*	*look as I expected he would*
*ded, two were killed out of our*	*he dresses so poorly. I never*
*Company. Knight & [Disbro]*	*saw such a miserable set*
*We were not disturbed through*	*in my life, to call themselves*
*the night again. The next*	*Soldiers. To day we are all*
*morning about 6 the Rebels*	*here except Crowl he is*
*again opened on us, right in*	*nurse in the General Hos-*
*front, Shells were flying & burst-*	*pital, most likely he will*
*ing all around, I never shall*	*[come] on, I told you about*
*forget it. About 7, Colonel [ ssi]*	*having lost my watch, I*
*Came and ordered us to form in*	*have got it again all right*
*line of Battle one [sic] the hill, stack*	*Waters was taken prisoner & was*
*our arms & Surrender, as they*	*paroled,*
*had no flags of Truce up.*	*[J ] as soon as I*
*Talk about swearing, I never*	*get settled I will let*
*heard more, than when the*	*you know where to write*
*Boys were told that we had*	*to me. I have not heard from you in two weeks*
*surrendered, some acctualy [sic]*	*very anxious to hear*
*cried, We then rested on the*	*Best love to all*
*Ground and in the evening*	*Manley*
*they paroled us. At 9 AM*
*we left the Ferry for Fredrick MD*
*we marched 16 miles yesterday*
camping about 5 miles from
*our present Camp, we arrived*
*here this morning at 10 AM*
*together with the rest of the*
*12000 prisoners that were*
paroled, how long we shall

Facsimiles of this letter

Sketch of Harpers Ferry battle ground

Links to other information on the Surrender at Harpers Ferry:

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyontari/126thny.htm

http://byrd.senate.gov/speeches/byrd_speeches_2003september

http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/civwar/html/cw_003001_harpersferry.htm

What is "paroled"? It is a release, or exchange, of prisoners of war.

http://humwww.ucsc.edu/gruesz/war/history.htm

http://www.civilwarhome.com/prisoners.htm

http://www.us-civilwar.com/aldie/dix-hill.html

Web site created by Marty Hackl m_hackl@ameritech.net

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