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UNION SOLDIER LETTER—1ST LIEUTENANT FRANK W. DAVIS, CO. “E”, 58TH PENNSYLVANIA INFANTRY, w/COVER

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Dated “Headquarters, 3^rd Brigade, 1^st Division / 18^th Army Corps Nov. 5^th 1864. Postmarked “Old Point Comfort, VA /Addressed to  Sylvester P.S. Golier / Bradford / McKean County / Penn.” .  4 pp. in ink on light blue unlined paper, 5” x 8. Exhibits fold-marks, else VG and entirely legible.

Frank W. Davis enlisted and was mustered in as a Private into Co. “E”, 58^th Pennsylvania Infantry, 11/8/1861. He was promoted to Corporal  and Sergeant (3/1/1862), and then to 1^st Sergeant and 1^st Lieutenant (12/22/1864). He was mustered out 6/14/1865.

A two year regiment, the 58^th PA was organized in March 1862 and attached to the 18^th AC serving operations in the Carolinas, and, after reenlisting in Jan. 1864, was attached near the end of the war to the 24^th AC. Following numerous small operations and skirmishes in Carolina it was engaged in the Battle of Drewry’s Bluff and operations at Bermuda Hundred in May 1864, and at  the Siege of Petersburg. Occupied Richmond May 2, 1865, and was mustered out in January 1866.

In the following letter written to “Friend Chester” shortly after sending him an account of the action of Chaffin’s Farm, Davis writes of staff clerical duties at Brigade command, to which he has been transferred, six weeks prior to his December promotion to 1^st Lieutenant.

Text: “Friend Sylvester...I have been quite busy for the last day or two and haven’t had much time to write to my friends although writing is my main business just now.

I am at present at the Headquarters of the 3^rd Brigade, Sam Finney of Lafayette is with me. We have been moving our quarters, building our chimneys, bed steads, tables, and such things and doing some writing for the Adjutant general, and upon the whole we don’t have much time to spare. You see that us soldiers have to make our own furniture which is rather troublesome but we manage to get along with it. The worst trouble is to find lumber to build with. We have to make our bedsteads out of poles and such things as can pick up. I wish I had a few of those slabs that lay around of the bank of the creek. Can’t you send me some?

We have got our chimney done and what do you think the matter is now? Why it is smoking like thunder. It puts me in mind of a piece that used to be spoken in our school, about “smoking chimney’s and scolding wives” etc., but of the latter I am not troubled with and I don’t no of anyone that is in this country. In fact it would be quite an oddity to see or hear a thing of that kind here...You spoke of Lyman Crop & starting for the Regt. Before you wrote before but he has failed to make his appearance yet. It seems to me he is a slow traveler or he would have been here before this time….

We was out on an expedition on the 27^th of October. We passed the famous battlefield of Seven Pines. Our forces charged on some Rebel works  in that vicinity but got repulsed.  We fell on the night of the 27^th.  Some of our men got picked up by guerrillas. I got tired and lay down in the woods when we were coming back and come the next morning, I was not disturbed by anyone. Mr. Haley of Bradford has not been seen or heard from since the 27^th.  It is supposed he got picked up by the bushwhackers….

I would rather not move around just now, for it is now too cold to sleep on ground  without much clothing. I presume that you have had snow before this time. We haven’t had nay here but it has been almost cold enough to snow. Thanks to my good fortune [Brigade clerical duty] I haven’t had to go on guard or picket but once since I came back.

As it is getting late….I must  post-pone….Hoping to hear from you / F.W. Davis

In all, a solid camp letter from a bright articulate soldier of the 58^th PA who got himself promoted from Private to 1^st Lieutenant before the end of the war. An interesting character, Frank W. Davis, perhaps inviting further research. In protective sleeve, accompanied by further documentation.  [jp][ph:L]

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