John Keller to Agnes VanLiew, 30 September 1864
Mount Crawford (Va.
Sep. 30th 1864.
Dear Friend.
To day finds me enjoying good health as usual and I hope these few lines may find you the same and haveing a little leasure time on my hands this morning I thought I would improve the opportunity to write you a few lines.
We reached our Regiment on the 27th inst. after a march of five days from Harpers ferry.
Our Regiment looks verry Small they Suffered Severely at the battles of Winchester and Fishers hill. thare has been much hard fighting in the Shenandoah Valley this year. the country here has been so long overrun by armies of both / Parties that thare is little left to destroy or save. the Country would scarcely present a more dessolate apearance if it had been overrun by fire.
Old Virginia has sufferd terribly for her treason.
The Shenandoah valley has once been a beautiful place looked in as it were by two lofty ranges of hills and is still beautiful in its dessolation.
Genneral Earleys army has been so completely broken up and demoralized by our forces under Sherridan that I hardly think he will try to make another stand unless he can get heavy reinforcements from Richmond but I dont think that Genneral Lee has any men to spare at Richmond.
Our troops are burning all the / Barns that are filled with wheat and also takeing all the cattle and driving them of towards harpers ferry for the use of the army.
We are now camped just to the west of a little village called Mount Crawford which is situated on the north Bank of the Shenandoah river.
I saw Chester Smith a day or two ago he was well as usual.
you wished me to write wheather I would come and stay at your Fathers this winter or not you may tell him that he may make Calculations on my being thare if nothing happens to hinder me but I must close with an apology for bad writing and spelling So good day for this time and write soon. And I remain your friend
John Keller /
Please Address
John Keller
Co. B. 75th Regt N. Y. Vols.
1st Brigade 2nd Division 18th Corps
Washington D.C.
DATABASE CONTENT
| (2881) | DL0597 | 49 | Letters | 1864-09-30 |
Letter From John Keller, 75th New York Infantry, Mount Crawford, Virginia, September 30, 1864, to His Friend Miss Agnes Vanliew, Plainville, New York; Accompanied by Cover
Tags: Crops (Other), Destruction of Land/Property, Fighting, Foraging/Theft, Marching, Nature, Philip Sheridan, Robert E. Lee
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 2
SOURCES
John Keller to Agnes VanLiew, 30 September 1864, DL0597, Nau Collection
