.

Here, gathered in our beloved South Dakota, are a few members of our Williamson / Mattson Clan. Charles and Luella are to be blamed (be kind, they didn't know what they were doing). We're generally a happy bunch and somewhat intelligent (notwithstanding our tenuous grasp on reality). I'm also proud to say that most of us still have our teeth.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

A Letter Written in 1862 giving an Account of Joseph Phlegar's Injury

Joseph Henry Phlegar. Confederate Soldier

Relationship Chart


From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

Hello All,
In an earlier post we read the story of our 2nd cousin four times removed, Joseph Henry Phlegar.

http://atropesend.blogspot.com/2010/04/joseph-henry-phlegar-confederate.html

From somewhere in cyberland the post was read by Melanie Crain, a distant Phlegar cousin. She sent the following information that I'd like to share with everyone tonight. First, thank you to Melanie for taking the time to type and send it.

Secondly, you'll notice that this was typed just as the soldier wrote, misspellings, run on sentences and all. This gives you the flavor of the times. It was written by someone that fought beside Joseph Henry Phlegar. It was a letter written by a Mr. William Walters home to his wife with an account of the battle that took Joseph's arm.

Melanie wrote:
With the compliments of Robert Phlegar, dec'd, one of our family's (Phlegars) avid genealogists and a close cousin of mine. "Bob" discovered this letter by belonging to the military group which today honors the Stuart Horse Artillery. I don't know if the group is still active.

And now the letter dated December 17, 1862


Caroline County Va.
December the 17th 1862 Dear wife it is withe the greatest pleasure I have this oportunity to write you a few lines to inform you that I am harty but am vary near layed up with the rumates I have not bin able for duty for 2 days I can inform you that we had a hard fite saturday 13 of this month at fredricksbirg our batery was in all day and our loss was severe we had 2 men ciled [illed] and 8 wounded there were 3 floyd’s [Floyd County] boys wounded Joseph phleager Samuel Ivins and henderson Boothe the other 5 was all slitely wounded but 1 man lost his arm pheager lost his rite arm Ivins was struck on the breast the docktor dont think he will eaver git well boothe was struck on the shoulder but not brake the skin it was a hot fite the canons at day lite and went on till dark bothe sides stood there ground we was under a shour of shells all day our loss was greater than all our loss before since last spring put to geather our company has bin in many hard places before but all ways come out safe before but we art to be thankfull that we come out. [Four words illegible because of crease in paper] for it looked to me like there was canon balls a nuff [enough] shot at us to cill [kill] the hole army the shells few as thick as haill--burse all around me but but thank god they never struck me yet. they struck so close to me that several times they threwed my fase full of dirt we had 14 horses ciled [killed] 2 of them was ciled in 3 or 4 feet of me there aint no fun in this sort of wirk [work] so I wont say any more about it and I expect this is more than you want to heare the yankys has gon back on the other side of the river again and we moved 15 milds [miles] down the river to port royal the yanks and longstreet are shelling one another every day across the river the yankys has nocked fredricks. [Fredericksburg] all to peases and burnt it vary near all up. you all must do the best you can and I will try and git a furlow and come home this winter it is vary cold to day I think it will snow before nite so no more at present but gave my love and respects to all tell molly and sis that I want to see them vary bad hoping these few lines will find you all wel I will quit for this time I remain your loving husband till death excuse my pencil for I have no ink
Wm. P. Walters


Taken on the Union Side during the Battle of Fredricksburg