Gettysburg Experience
NPS College Green Barracks Brother Jim 
NPS the Rebs halted us just as I got to the steps so I tore a leaf from any diary + wrote father’s address + requested him to inform our folks of my capture + that you were wounded. I suppose you would like to know how I knew that you were wounded well you remember when we were going double quick up that knoll in the Wheat field I thought I heard somebody cry oh! So I looked around + saw you standing leaning on your gun + I concluded that you were wounded I believe that is all the news this time I want you to write as soon as you receive this + tell me how are getting along + how H Jenzyck is in fact I want you to tell me all you know about the boys for I do not know anything about who were killed or wounded I heard that Ira was wounded when you write tell me all about it Now Jim I want you to write just as soon as you get this + direct it as before hoping to hear from you soon I remain your Brother Robert Roantree Treatment of a Prisoner
NPS College Green Barracks
NPS I presume of course you have heard that I was captured at Gettysburg on the 1st ultimo I will not weary you with a description of my trip I will wait until after the war + then I will come + visit you + tell you all about it. I will simply say that we marched from the battlefield up through the Shenandoah Valley to Staunton a distance of 160 miles We arrived at Staunton on the 18th ult., where we staid 18 days when we went to Richmond We were marched from the cars to an old tobacco house where we were paroled in the afternoon of the 5th inst we left Richmond for City Point about daylight on the morning of the 6th We arrived at City Point about 11 ½ AM + found a boat sailing to convey us to Annapolis We passes Fortress Monroe about 7 PM arrived here about 7 AM of the 7th inst We had pretty hard fare while in Rebellion We drew a pint of flour a spoonfull of salt + about two ounces of bacon per day for about three weeks after that we got half rations of hard bread + bacon. Our tents + rubber blankets were taken from us when we got to Staunton so we had to live for 18 days without any shelter but that’s nothing after you get used to it. There are several of our Regiment at Bell Island yet + two of 
NPS our company. I was lucky to get away so soon as I did for the boys have pretty hard fare on the Island I had a letter from James a short time since he was getting along well, I saw him when he was wounded but we were advancing to attack a brigade of rebels + I could not look I saw that was not wounded seriously for he did not fall I did not know any of the rest of the company until I came when I received the sad news of my tentmate Harrison Whitman I suppose you think that I can get a furlough but I can not unless I take a French one + I do not want to do that I should like to come home but I do not think I can. Now look here! I want you to write me a good long letter just as soon as you get this for I said before I am lonesome + a letter is hailed with joy hoping to hear from you soon I remain your brother Robert Direct to Robert Roantree Life as a Prisoner 2nd letter
NPS And lousy set of fellows Well I presume you would like to know how we were Well the privates most of them used us pretty well but we were pretty short of grub we got about ½ pint of flour a spoonful of salt 2 ounces of bacon per day + when we got to Staunton our rubber blankets + canteens were taken from us so we had to lay out more than two weeks with nothing to cover us We were also searched and all our money that they could find taken from us with the promise that it would be refunded when we got to Richmond but they forgot to refund it 
NPS I sold my watch at Williamsport for $25.00 + bought another one for $20.00 this I sold while at Staunton for $30.00. I lent about $16.00 to the boys the rest I spent for grub for J Seabrook G A Miller + myself Well Jim I believe I have told you all the news so I guess I will close I want you to answer this as soon as you can+ I want you to tell me all you know of the boys Ira Harrison and all the rest of them Father sent me a list of the draft in Madison Co George Cady M D Bligh CB (Unknown*) Mclean McGreggor Gerard (Unknown*) + a good many other that we know are drafted Charles Near and John Miller are the only ones of Co. J that are here Johny + Son are at Richmond on Bell Island the rebels that they did come with us was that we got separated + I happened to be in the lucky squad that was sent here we are not at Parole camp We are right close to the city in quite nice Barracks there is about 900 of us here we have mail twice a day + we can go to Camp Parole by getting a pass from the Major The boys at Parole camp are not as lucky they are guarded and are not allowed to come 
NPS to the city without a pass Father writes that you are going to try to get a furlough I hope that you will succeed I do not think that I shall be able to get a furlough for they grant none now If you can make it convenient just come around this way + see the folks I want you to write soon + all the news + how badly you are wounded direct your letters to R Roantree Honor in the Civil War
NPS U.S.A. Gen Hospital Dear Father + Mother 
NPS things a little regulated so that I can get an hour or two in a day for myself. They are going to have a hundred hospital tents across the road from here large enough to hold fourteen men in each tent and to be under command of the same surg in Charge as this is that will make a very large hospital if they fill it full it will hold about seventeen hundred patients I had a letter from Ira Northrup a few days since he was at Fairfax Court House Va and was doing picket duty. He belongs to the 214 Co 1st Battalion V.R.C. I think if things come to a pinch they will have something to do. I learn via Beall that the 137th is doing provost duty good thing. I read in the paper that Col Brown had been appointed Provost Marshall Gen of the Southern Department if so I think he can keep his Regt on provost duty as long as he was he to. I hope he will keep them on. News from the Army has rather beaten Gen Lee but I am not as sanguine in my calculations of capturing the Rebel capitol as some although I think it must fall yet I think we have to fight for it yet I hope it may be soon I wish towards the final success of our cause but staying here seems a mockery to the name of soldier You say you are glad that Rob + I are not with the Army of the Potomac Well I don’t know for my own part I certainly should be more 
NPS contented if I was there than I am to stay here. I am like a fish out of water as unsettled as it is possible to be it seems as though I am never going to be appointed. If I was only with the Reg’t I would be satisfied but I cannot get even there. Well I suppose I must do as they say and be as contented as possible I do not think of more this time so I will close with love to all Form your son P.S. Had a letter from Will this A.M. Have not heard from Robert at all wrote to Maggy about a week since More (unreadable)* Recuperation in Philadelphia
NPS Summit House Hospital Major Respectfully your Obd’t servt Major W.C. Foster Summit House U.S.A. Gen. Hosp Return to War: Petersburg
NPS To all whom it may concern. Know ye, that James Roantree a Corporal of Captain ______Company, “(B,)” 157th Regiment of New York Infantry Volunteers who was enrolled on the eighth day of August one thousand eight hundred and sixty two to serve three years during the war, is hereby discharged from the service of the United States this nineteenth day of September, 1864, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by reason of special order 298 A. G. O. 8 Sept. 1864, to accept appointment in the U.S. Colored Troops. (No objection to his being re-enlisted is known to exist.) Given at Philadelphia this nineteenth day of September 1864. Witnessing Emancipation
NPS Charleston S.C. Dear Parents 
NPS the Plantation slaves were when they saw us the danced + sung + shouted for gay + one old man got down on his knees + thanked god for deliverance. I asked one old man what made them feel so well he asked me if I shouldn’t feel good if somebody should give me 10000 dollars in gold I told him I should but that no one had given them any gold he answered me Masser you give us more than gold you give us our freedom + tears of joy filled the old mans eyes. I have no news of account the boys are all well. Pettit + sergt Hollenbeck have got commissions in the 103 USCT I should have gone with them but I thought it would make you feel bad so I guess I will stay with Co “B” I received a letter from Loren today I have answered it he writes that they are all well I also received a letter from John Reese which I am going to answer today. Six Companies of the regiment have gone to Georgetown a small town on the Peesee *** River + we expect to go soon We are waiting transportation I was glad to hear that you are all well I was also glad to hear that Will had engaged to work for Mr Button I think that the wags are very good. Perhaps you will think it strange that I do not send home any money. But 
NPS we have not been paid in six months I have run in debt some to the sutler but shall be able to send you $50.00 if we get six months pay I owe $25.00 over my clothing allowance for last year I received a letter from Mr Chaffer a few days since I have about ten regular correspondents + shall want some more stamps soon I can think of nothing more this time so I will close with respects to all my friends. Hoping to hear from you I remain your affectionate son R. Roantree P.S. Inclosed find a specimen of the old continental money which was taken from a building in this city Also some spears of Clover which will show that the snow is not three feet deep here We have seen no snow this winter + weather is quite warm RR |
Last updated: September 18, 2024