Letters of Pvt. Robert Bunney, Co. B 173rd NYVI

[mississippian]

All,

A few years ago my grandmother who lives in Pendelton SC (burial place of Bernard "There stands Jackson like a stone wall" Bee.) told me that her neighbor had a collection of civil war letters that had passed down her family. Much to my surprise, these letters weren't from a South Carolina Confederate soldier, but from one Robert Bunney, a private in the 173rd New York Infantry, who lived in Brooklyn with his family. It seems that the neighbor was descended from the Bunney families' Irish maid servant. Somehow the letters Robert sent his wife ended up in the maid's possession and were passed down the family line. She was kind enough to make copies and send them to me. I am just now getting along to posting them. They are somewhat hard to read, so I will be posting them all over a period of time.

Will MacDonald

Baton Rouge
State of Louisiana
January 5th 1863

My dear Wife,

Having a few chance moments take the opportunity of having them writing a few lines to you and wish immediately if you have not received my other letter dated Dec. 26th 1862 to write to me and tell me whether you received the Captains Certificate of my being on Rikers Island so that you could present it with your Relief Tickets and get pay immediately if you did not recive it and have any trouble go to Captain Waylons at the Station House in 4th Street near Grand where you got your papers for Riker's Island. He came with us all the way in the transport Steamer and has returned, tell him your name and that I am in Captain Dobb's Co B 173 Regt NYV stationed at Baton Rouge and he will see you get all money due you that is back and tell you how it will be paid. Send me work what you receive a week if paid and if everything is not right I will enclose a letter to him so that you can give it to him. We last week got our muskets and can tell you they give us plenty to do we are drilled with them 8 hours a day and with 40 round of cartridges and caps weigh about 42 pounds, we are hourly expecting an attack with so much dread are our officers of the rebels, the they post double pickets on the lines about 3 miles from our camp and we every day get 4 or 5 of them shot by the guards as they do not come to fair fighting but get behind trees and logs and shoot our men when they cannot be seen. I was on guard yesterday round the camps for 24 hours, 2 hours walking with musket and 4 hours off, when we can be in the general way lay down or do as we like, but yesterday our orders where when off duty not to leave the guard house, neither to lay or sit down but keep or muskets in our hands all the time as they expected an attack every minute. Talk about Thunder, Lighting, and Rain, I never saw or ever was in so terrific a storm the 2 hours from 9 til 11 at night, the weather is very hot indeed and getting plenty of Bilious fever. 25 cents shirt washing, we walk about 2 mile for water to cook with and drink, I am getting sleeply so goodbye.

Robert Bunney
of Capt. Dobb's
Co. B 173 Regt
NYS Vol.
Camp Banks
Baton Rouge
Sate of Lousisana

[Ross L. Lamoreaux]

Great stuff. Its always good to see previously unpublished primary accounts, no matter what side they are from.

[Quickstep]

Fascinating reading--can't wait for the next installment!

[Fenian]

I love these personal anedotes......please keep them coming.

[mississippian]

Thank you for the kind words. I found it interesting that his regiment wasn't fully outfitted until they actually got to Louisiana. Now for letter #2.

Baton Rouge,
State of Louisiana
January 28th 1863

My dear Wife,

I have this minute received your letter of January 8th, twenty days after your writing it. I cannot see how you can blame me for not writing to you before and as you say forgetting the duty of a husband to his Wife and children. The very first day I ever set my foot on land or knew where we were going to be located for any time, I wrote that letter to you and since that have sent you another one which I suppose you have by ere this received as was wondering very much as I had not heard from you as some of the men received letter from Williams burgh a fortnight ago, there must have been some mistake in the Post office. I believe the mails for New Orleans only leave once a week. We have moved our encampment three different times since we have been near Baton Rouge, the ground we are now on is near the Mississippi River, earth works thrown all around us and cannon planted as regular intervals, our work is very heavy here when we are not on Picket or camp duty and it comes very hard on our Regiment there only being 5 companies here, the other 5 companies were to leave New York the day after us and we gave them up as lost but we heard to day they were at Fortress Monroe, put in there in distress and are coming on as soon as they get another ship to bring them. I shall be glad when they come as we have to do double duty twice as much as we should have to do were they here. Picket duty comes every day they take so many out of each company and we are marched 4 or 5 miles out in the country with 24 hours provisions with us when we get to our post, we are distributed in squads of 4, distantce about 5 hundred yards from each other in the woods or surgar cane fields keep a look out for the Rebels advancing on the city, there are three thousand pickets our every day and we reached all round the ciy our duty is to all keep watch in the day time and 2 hours on and 2 off in the night I came off yesterday morning drenched to the skin and had been wet thorough for 8 hours in case the enemy come it is our duty to fire on them and keep retreating and firing if not killed till we reach the main army in Camp when we shall have to give them battle. There are in and about Baton Rouge about 40 thousand soldiers, we had one long roll sounded about 3 o'clock in the afternoon where every Regiment turned out and formed a line of battle ready for action but the enemy thought us too strong and did not show fight. Picket duty comes on as every other day so we only get sleep every other night, the days we are in camp they give us 9 hours drill with musket and the other morning I awoke after going to bed very sleepy awoke in the morning laying in the water wet through in rained all night and the ground is all clay and instead of the water sinking in the ground it runs on the surface and is sure to flood us. There is a good deal of sickness about the camps, Diarrhea, Dysentery, and Bilious fevers we have to use the Mississippi water for every thing and it is as thick as mud we lost one of our men last week Corporal Whitlock of Williams burgh he died of Bilious Fever we have several more in the hospital Dr Leighton is not liked at all and the men would almost sooner die than go to him. The weather is very warm in the day but the night are cold and the rainy season is now commencing and we expect a great quantity of sickness after that. Long before most likely this letter reaches you we shall be in a great battle perhaps one of the longest and bloodiest on record either at Baton Rouge, Port Hudson or Vicksburg, the enemy is now within about 10 miles of us, we sleep constantly on our muskets when in Camp. I was pleased you sent a box on Xmas day and hoped you enjoyed yourself with the children who I hope with yourself are well, give them a thousand kisses. I do not expect without some foreign nation interference we shall be home a day before the 3 years and with sickness and those killed in battle there will not be a dozen return with each company. i hope you will write as often as you can and if they do not give you your relief throw yourself on Ripley and the Poor Law Compassion (?) will see you righted. We have not received a cent of pay yet and cannot hear when we shall get any I will send you it immediately I receive it. I have not a cent of money myself and was in very great want of our pay. I sent you work in my last what I wanted the babys name will write again as soon as I hear from them. I must conclude with Kind love to you and the dear children also kind regard to Mr. Southend, Bobs people and all neighbors. Goodbye, God Bless you all,

Your affectionate husband
Robert Bunney.

[mississippian]

Letter #3

Hospital, Baton Rouge
March 11th 1863
State of Louisiana

My dear Wife,

I am sorry to inform you I am now so sick I am obliged to be in the Hospital. I am so weak can scarcely crawl with Chronic Diarrhea and Yellow Jaundice, my skin is as yellow as Saffron. Dr. Leighton and Dr Baldwin both tell me they never can cure me as it will remain on me as long as I live but they hope to get me strong enough before the hot weather sets in to stop some of the rebel bullets which is poor consolation for me. Long before this reaches you there will be about 15 mile from here at Port Hudson one of the greatest and I am afraid bloodiest battles that has yet been fought. We were brought up here from Plaque mine four days ago to join General Banks division, there are now about 80 thousand men her with 4 batteries and 3 regiments of cavalry. 1 regiment of cavalry, a section of the battery and 2 thousand infantry are just ordered off to drive in the rebel pickets and try to get perpendicular of the Jackson railway and the rest of the troops have orders to get 7 days provisions cooked ready to march at any moment all of the gun, mortar and men of war are in readiness to start up the river and the Batteries, cavalry and Infantry march by land to surround them. I expect there will be some thousands of lives lost as the rebels are very strong at Port Hudson and it is thoroughly fortified. The whole of the barracks here are being converted into hospitals for the wounded which will be brought down here. I do not know yet whether they will compel me to go or not but if I am able to carry my musket and 60 rounds of cartridges shall have to take my chance with the rest. Billy Southard has not received the Box yet and beginning to think it is lost as there was one vessel wrecked about the time with Express goods so Adams Express will have to pay you for the lost so mind and charge them full price for it. We are promised pay next week but it is so old an story lace no reliance in it. I have received only 2 letters from you and have written you 6 also one to W. Southard and to John Robertson and one to Henry Norton with a sheet with a note for you enclosed in it. Hoping you and the dear children are well and if I never see you more accept the kindred love and best wished for your welfare, write to me soon for I am miserable and so weak cannot write now.With a thousand kisses knowing you must be in want of money as I am not being able to pay for a thing to be washed and am lousy. Billy Southard is well,

I remain,
your affectation husband
Robert Bunney.

[captdougofky]

Great stuff. Its always good to see previously unpublished primary accounts, no matter what side they are from.

I'll second that, Great reading and real. Unlike some of the discussions here. Thanks for posting. Look forward to the next installment.


Always
Doug Thomas
Lyons-Kentucky

[Quickstep]

Things aren't looking too good for Mr. Bunney. In letter #3 it sounds like he's contracted Hepatitis and dysentery--god, what a combination, either one could be fatal. These letters touch on so many things these poor souls had to contend with--disease, inadequate rations, fetid drinking water, overwork, lack of sleep, lousy mail service, problems with pay, losing colleagues to disease and sniping, inadequate shelter, stress over the coming fight, oppressive weather conditions, homesickness, poor hygiene, dislike of the doctors...and he hasn't even gotten to the battle yet.

What do you suppose he means by this:

"...we sleep constantly on our muskets when in Camp."

Is this literal? Are they sleeping on them to elevate them off the wet ground (can't image that would be allowed), or is this a usage that refers to something else, like constantly being at the ready?

Looking forward to #4.

[flattop32355]

What do you suppose he means by this:

"...we sleep constantly on our muskets when in Camp."

Is this literal? Are they sleeping on them to elevate them off the wet ground (can't image that would be allowed), or is this a usage that refers to something else, like constantly being at the ready?

Looking forward to #4.

"Sleeping on arms" means that the men bed down without taking off their cartridge boxes, belts/scabbards/cap boxes, etc and with their weapon next to them instead of stacked or otherwise placed away from them. That way they are ready to fight/move at a moments notice without having to "gear up" first.

I've done it before at certain reenactments, and it can be difficult to get much rest so encumbered, unless you are already dead tired.

[mississippian]

Baton Rouge
State of Louisiana
March 20th 1863

My dear Wife,

It is with great pleasure I write to you to inform I am now much better but can sit very weak my Jaundice is better but far from well and I am troubled dreadfully with hearalgia(?) I think if I had remained under Dr Leightons care he would have killed me but luckily for me he had to take all the artillery and battery men that were going to fight at Fort Hudson under his care and was obliged to go off with them to attend the wounded. Dr Mather our second Dr was in charge of the brigade Hospital and Dr. Baldwin, with the Hospital Steward have charge of teh sick in call all the Drs belong to one regiment when Leighton went away I told Dr. Baldwin who is a very nice man from Flatbush Hospital I was too sick to lay on the wet ground in tents, although Dr Leighton had ordered me in camp he told me he would ask Dr. Mather as a favor to let me go to Baton Rouge under him he did so and I am now there and Dr. Mather has made me nurse here, and if profitable he intends keeping me I shall get more money a month and always a dry place to sleep in. I have two rooms to attend to six men in each room I have 3 very bad cases of fever and dysentery that are not able to throw themselves in there beds and have to be lifted to do everything. Dr. Mather has 500 patients to attend to and I tell you it keeps him going hard from morning till night I told him this morning I thought it would make him worn out he say I am young and can stand it, but you and the steward keep up as well as you can and I will get along. They doctor in the south very different to the north for Diarrhea, here they give them nothing but Whiskey and Quinine with Bowel powder at night to sleep them. I have one of my men so much yesterday he was drunk and is better this morning after it and a blister on his stomach. I hope Dr. Mather will have me read in as Dress Parade as Brigade nurse I know he will do all in his power for me and his word goes farther here than the Captains with the regimen. Last Friday was the day the Battle co minced at Port Hudson, sixty Thousand men left here for there on Friday night we heard the cannon roaring all night it is but 15 miles from here on Saturday we saw the sailors coming down to Baton Rouge from the man of war Mississippi who got aground opposite the fort and got peppered, imagining there were a great many men killed and wounded and they were obliged to set fire to to her to prevent her falling into the enemies hands she blew her magazine up and all the sick and wounded on her either burned to death or drowned, while I am writing I can hear the cannons bombing away but although so near to the fight do not know how they are getting along any more than you do in Williamsburgh, there are plenty of rumors about our army retreating back but we give on credence to the report you will know the particulars in the New York papers sooner than we shall. Think and write often and send me some newspapers. Our 173rd Regt refused to go into the Battle till we were paid which caused a great disturbance but it was of no use they would not go till they received their pay they are left here with 4 other regiments to guard the town. Billy Southard received his long looked for box on the 17th of this month. He have me the relief pills newspapers and sock but was very much disappointed you had sent me no Tobbaco as you mention in your letter there was some for me but to my disappointment (nary bit) for poor me without money, friends, or tobacco. I cannot tell you when we shall get any money. Our Lousy Coward of a Colonel, when he heard we were likely to have to fight resigned his position he has never acted like a man to us or we should have had our money long since he will be in Williamsburgh before this reaches you. All the soldiers wives belonging to the 173rd Regt ought to surround him and pelt him with rotten eggs a greater coward or scoundrel never walked the streets. Jimmy Murphey is quite fat and well asso Billy Southard Jim Donahue and the Jimmy that used always to be in Charley are here they are in the 2nd Metropolitan (I think he means the 162nd NY), Charles Jimmy is in our Hospital I see him every day. Think and write oftener and more of it as you must have some time to share and should think the trouble would not be much. Give my kindest love to the darling children with a thousand kisses for them and tell them Papa will send them his likeness when he gets money no money goes here but greenbacks. Remember me to all friends and with kindest love,

Your affectionate husband
Robert Bunney

Brigade Hospital
Co B 173rd NY Vol
Baton Rouge
State of Louisiana
or Elsewhere

P.S. There are 7 officers in our regiment sick and want to resign if they can, they are poor fools.