Erwin H. Flagg

CIVIL WAR LETTERS

Front of Peatersburg
Nov 26th 1864

Dear Sister,

By the time you receive this letter you will have learned that I have changed my place of residence for a place further south and much nearer rebeldom than before. I started for Fort Munroe the 18th and arrived at there at 12 oclock in the evening the 23rd and stayed there till noon the next day when we were sent to City point where we arrived the evening of the 24th and stayed aboard the boat till morning after staying there 5 or 6 hours we took the cars for this place arriveing here about four in the after noon yesterday we had no tents of our own bwe (sic) were provided for sleeping on the floor of the tents of the other boys there has been no fighting for some time in this part of the army but there is considerable picket fireing about half or thre fourths of amile from here. Yesterday while comming on the cars we saw the spires of Peatersburg and a shell exploded which was sent in that direction we came on the Weldon railroad which we hear so much about it is no great of aroad that they need to have so much fuss about it as it is so rough that we could hardly ride on it but it is the center of the lines where the most of the supplies are brought to us on We have been lucky enough to get into a good regimint and company it has good oficers and men as can be found in the army it is not verry warm here the ground froze here quite hard it snowed the day we left Baltimore it snowed considerable we shall draw tents today and get settled down in a day or two when I will write more about things in general and guve you a description of my journey and things I saw on the rout so I will close promising to write as soon as I have time and opportunity

From your brotherErwin H. Flagg
Direct to the Co E
7 Wisconsin Washington D C

Fr Jan 28th 1865

Dear Sister,

I received your wellcome letter yesterday and was glad to hear that you were all well and having such fine times I should think that the married people had taken a new start if they have got so as to have surprise parties I should like to know what Mr. Holmes thinks about. I should like to know what the people think about the next draft and if there is any that think of enlistin I hope there will be no need of a draft but I am afraid there will be as there is no sign of the rebels giving out yet they tryed to come up the James river a few nights ago but could not quite make it out besides loosing two or three of their boats after trying it two nights in succession thought it best to give it up. It is quite cold here now the ponds by the road side froze so hard that we could walk on them it is the coldest it has been since I have been here. We have plianty to do yet building bridges, stabels strengthening breast works and the like We have to drill one day and go on fatigue the next but we do not work vary hard while there some times only half a day and if we have to stay all day twenty or thirty men does the work that five could easily do if they had the things to do with the trouble is that they do not care wheather they do it or not as they have to detail just about so many men every day wheather a job is compleated or not. I have received those postage stamps you sent sexteen eight in each letter they will last me a quite a spell you need not send me any more unless you have a mind to. I hope you will get along with your school and glad that you have such fine times.

But I must close
From your Brother
Erwin H Flagg
Company E
7th Wisconsin
1st Brigade General Bragg
3rd Division General Crawford
5th Corps General Warren :

In camp near the Welden railroad
Feb. 14th 1865

Dear Sister,

Ere you receive this you will probily have learned that we have had a fight with the jonies and will be anxious to know how I am we had a pretty tough time of it. We left camp on Sunday the 5th and marched down the Weldon road about 15 miles from camp and halted for a while then went back two miles and stoped overnight in the morning we started and went about two miles more and stoped for a while and cooked our breakfast we then went into the woods and deploid as skirmishers we advanced through the brush till we came in sight of the rebel works we then lay down and three lines of battle charged over us we acted as provost guard to prevent stragling. The bullets flew pretty thick and some of our got hit we lost one Orderly sargent who was killed our captain was wounded and is now in the hospital the coronel of the 24th Michigan had his horse shot under him close where I stood This was in the first days fight the second day was cold and rainy whad(we had) to build 2 lines of breast works we then charded (charged) up to the rebel works the regiment marched left in front our company occupies the left and I was on the left of the company we got in sight of the works and fired a few shots when we broke and fell back and built another line of works and tryed to build a fire but the wood was covered with ice and snow which had froce(froze) to the wood forming a coat of mail so fire we had none I had to go on picket where I could see the flash of a rebel's gun and hear an occasional bullet whistle by from a neighboring picket I fired 15 rounds but wheather it done any good or not I can not tell I done my best however I only give you a brief account of what we went through to let you know that I came though all right I had the misfortune to loose what P S stamps I had and hope you will send some more and I will try and not lose them I have received those papers that was sent me but I must close

From your affectionate brother
Erwin H Flagg

In camp on the Weldon railroad Mar 8th 1865

Dear Sister,

I received a letter from you this morning containing five postage stamps We are having quite easy times at present we have to go on batalion drill in the afternoon. Yesterday we had a review the weather was fine and we had quite a nice affair of it there were some women present whom we heard laughing and talking it was the first I had heard since we left Baltimore that sounded any thing like feminine there are some out on the picket line but they are not like our sort of folks there four or five families in one house who have taken the oath of allegiance and have come for protection into our lines they seem to be of the higher class and are well educated but there is that peculiar look about them that if they should get outside of our lines in a safe place they would be as bad as ever. Our Colonel told us that he had orders to drill the regiment for special purpose but what that purpose was he did not tell us probily for either skirmishers or for provost duty but wheather it will amount to any thing or not we are not certain what ever it is we shall soon tell Everything indicates a move in this quarter as soon as the mud gets dried up which is vary deep at present it takes a six mule team to draw an empty wagon and six more to draw the rest out but it is getting a little better now I wrote to Pa last week and sent twenty dollars which was dated Wednesday March first it should you by the tenth I should have sent more but we have to have something aside from government rations once in a while everything is about double the price it is worth I will give you a list of the prices of a few articles which we get at the sutlers (?) Butter 80 cts pr lb chees 50 cts condensed milk pr can 75 cts apples 50 cts pr dozen I managed to get along with as little as possible so long as we have plenty ration which is not always the case. You must not think it hard if I do not write every week for if we should happen to move it is not always that it is convenient but this does not hinder you. I will write as often as I can and if any thing is the matter I will let you know. But I must close for the present.

From your affectionate Brother
Erwin H Flagg
Company E
7th Wisconsin
Volunteer 5th Army Corps
Washington D C

Mary Stahl Transcriptionist
Thanks to Bill Kewin for contributing these great letters.