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Left Grand Division camp near Falmouth, Virginia  Jan. 10th/63
                                                     Dear Parents
                                   With pleasure to me I take my
pen in hand to let you know that I am well and hope
these few lines will find you the same. I received
your letter dated on the 21st of last month and I assure
you I was glad to hear from you all. I allso received
the 2 papers you sent me through your kindness which
I thank you for. I have very little to tell you
of in the way of news. As our army is on a stand still.
The weather has been beauterfull since we recrosced the
river up to to day now it is raining and I think it is
the beginning of a big storme yet I hope not.
Johns signerture thear may be such a thing that his
wife can draw it if so I wish she would as Pa can youse
the money. If it can not be dun that way I would git
John to write on to you about it. That is if you hear
from him. It may be such a thing that John has been
ordered to Vicksburg. If so it will be some time before
you will be able to herr from him as every thing seames
to be very active in that quarter. I have heard of
the victory which General [?Rosecrants] has gained over
the rebels and I thank God for it. For it is just what
we wanted to chear us up a little for every thing looked
dark for our cause yet Ma that victory has caused
thousends of lives yet such is war and we can not help
it. Oh how I would like to be home out of this storm
setting around a nice pleasant fire and I hope I will
be before a great while for I am sick and tired of this
war. Yet I scorne to do a dishonest act.
I was apointed a Sergent in our company and I
will send to you my warent as quick as I can
The boys have every thing they could wish for
ownley tobacco which is very scarce. I wish you [??could]
send me some but it carstes to mutch to do so.
I was glad to receive that letter of Thomas and it
was read with pleasure by me. I wrote a letter to
Edmund the other day which I hope he received.
I have verry little more to say at present
ownly that I am well and in quite good spearets
and hope these fiew lines will find you the
same. Give my love to all the members of the
famerly all so to Pheabe and her children.
So now hopping you will excuse this short
note from me this time I will close by sending
my love to you.
                                         Yours with respect,
                                              Wm P. Allcot

P.S.
Write as soon as you can and
                              Oblige
                                  W. A
In Camp near Falmouth Virginia Jan 1863
                                             Dear Parents,
With pleasure to me I take my pen in hand to let
you know that I amwell at present and hope these
few lines will find you all in the enjoyment of the
same good health. I received your letter as also one from
Edmund, Anna Louisa, Henery, and Clarisa and I assure you
they were read with pleasure by me. To think allthough I
am far away from you all I am knot forgot by you
Dear Parents. I heardley know what to write ownley every
thing looks dark for our cause still I for one will never
give up as long as thear is a plank left of the Constitution
'to stand on. I do not blame the people of the North for
demanding a forward movement and finding fault with
the administration for they expect a great deal of them,
but I do blame for becoming divided and let party
fealings govern them instid of patreatism led on by frinds
in youman shape. Well may it be said that these is the
times to try men ho is true to thear country for we are ser-
rounded by traters on all sides. Even our generals ho we
have put confidents in has been found guilty of treasun.
Others has let persernel fealings govern them instid of patreartism
and it seames to me that the suner we git read of sutch men
the better. Oday it is raining quite hard, but as we are
in camp and the weather is quite mild we are all write.
We had quite an adventure the other day and we all expected
to have another fight with those that is trying to brake
up our Goverment, but we were [?dead] to diserpointment
for we had heardley left camp when it comments to rain.
It rained for 24 hours witch left the roads in such a state
as it was allmoste an inposibility to travill over. I saw no
less than 18 horses on one [casehorn] and it was as mutch
as they wanted to do to draw it. Out of one divisun amunition
train thear was no less than 80 mules droped dead. Our corp
was out in that pelting cold rain all the time with
heardley eney thing to eat. Still I did not hear a
murmer of discontent and if eney one should be discouraged
it is the soldier ho when wet and hungrey has not eaven
a house to go in. I see by the lass news Franklin has
been relieved from his command allso Burnside & Sum-
ner. And Fighting Joe Hooker takes command of the
Armey of the Potomac. All I hope is he will do some
thing to fetch this war to an end. We have the men ho
is willing to fight and anxious to do so if they will
ownley be led on by a good man. General McClellan
had never ought to have been removed from this armey
for we all had confidence in him and if eney one could win
with the armey it was him. In fine weather we have 4 drills.
We have to turn out of our tents at day light and forme a
Regimentil line whitch is not verry pleasant as the mor-
nings is quite cold. We expect to git paid off in a little
while and I hope so for the men wants thear money.
I received a letter from Mother Jane the other day
she rights that all the folkes is all well she sayes
She was to visit Aunt Charlits.  They are all well.
Give my love to Edmund. Tell him I thank him
for the stampes he sent me. Tell Henery & Clarra I
thank them for writiiing to me and the first oppitunity
I git I will write to them. Allso give my love and best
wishes to Ann Louisa. Tell her I will write as soon as I
can to her. I am glad that you have heard from John
for I thought some thing had happened to him. I am
allso glad that Thomas has received your letters for
I know what it is to not hear from home.
I have verry little more to say this time ownley I am
quite well off for clothing and I have ernuf to eat. We do
not suffer in camp. It is on a march the soldier suffers.
Our company is under 1st lieutenent Davis. Our Capt.
Has been apointed Major in some other regiment.
Our present Brigadear General mane is Wheating. I suppose
by the time the weather alowes us to move we will have
some other man over us as we have had no less than 4 since
we have been in the survise. We go on pickit 3 days out
of 9. We can see the rebels and talk to them and exchange
papers with them, but enstid if giving us a hole paper
they cut all the news out of them.
Thear is nothing but a small stream of water that devids
our pickits from thears and they say if you will not
fire at me I will not fire at you.
Give my love to Pa. Tell him I am sorry to see things
they way thear are and I hope and pray after we git out
of this scrape we will be a wiser and a better people.
I will now fetch these few lines to a close so hopping
this will find you well and hopping to see you soon.
I will close by sending love to you all.
                            Yet I remain your son
                                  William Allcot
To my Mother
C. Allcot

Write soon as you can
In Camp near Falmouth Va. April 1st 1863
                     Dear Brother Edmund,

With pleasure to me I take my pen in hand to answer
your kind letter of the 22nd of last month. I am glad to
hear that you are agetting over your sickness and hope
before this reaches you you will be inturley well.
I am glad to tell you that I am in the enjoyment
of quite good health at present. The weather has been
very bad out here most of all lass month the day before
yesterday I commenced to snow & rain together and it
lasted most all night making the roads in a miserable
condishing. Our Colonal has been reliesed from under
arrest and is now acting Brigadear. He was under arrest
for more than 3 month. We are all glad that he is
released for the boys likes him as they know what
he is and have the fullest confidence in him as a leader.
We are agetting along first strate and what little I
have sean of the armey they all feal in good spearits
and are ready to meet the enemys of our common country
as quick as we git orders to do so. We expect to git
payed off in a little while as the government owes
us five months pay. They are gitting very strick in our
Brigade now we have to drill 3 times a day and
answer 5 roll calls a day. I suppose the Brigadear
wants to make regulus out of us. Well all I have got
to say we will halfter a bay orders.
Give my love to Ma & Pa, Ann Louisa & her husband,
Henry and Clarra not forgetting to reseive a due share
your self.  I am glad that Thomas writes to you
so often. I am glad to hear that he is well and in
a little while he will be home once more if nothing
happens to him. It is strange that John does not
write, but you must bear in mind that he is on
the move and a man has not the chance to do so
when so situated. I hope and pray nothing has happened
to him for in that case God ownly knowes what
is to become of his wife and little ones ho is depending
on him for serport. As for me if God should so order
it that I should be caried away I am like a blited tree in a
desert there is nothing that lives under my shelter
and I thank God for it.  So let come what will I
am ready to meat it and if I fall I fall with the
proud counsince of having done my deauty to my
country & my God. I do not dispear of the Union
nor will I as long as thear is a plank of the old
consitiution left to stand on. All we want for
those to do that told us to go to the war is to take
care of the home treaters (and I consider all treaters
that is trying to imbarress the government by speaches
againtes the government) and we will do the best we
can with the Rebels that is pited againtes us in the
field. Edmund, as I feal my heart & soul is in this
cause for I believe it is the deauty of every man
to give what little he is able in support of the best
government that was ever givn to man. It is all very
well for men to cry peace when thear is no peace. These men
if the truth wer told is in thear hearts rebels to this government
and they have done more to imbaress the government
than the rebels that is in armes in my estermation.
I was up to the 10th Regiment the other day. This is the
regiment Frank Allen belongs to. They seam in high
glee because they are agoing home the latter part of
this month. Thear is no news of importence out hear
at present. As the weather is bad one day nice the
next eather raining or snowing the Officers has got
to carry thear tents on thear backs the same as the
high privates. This, in my estermation, is a verry good
thing. They will not march the men quite so
hard on a long march. The officers did not care before
as they had nothing to carry, but it was different
with us as we have got 40 rounds of cartridges and
a heavey knapsack to carry besides other things,
I am glad you got the fiew tooles that was to [Pheats]
as they were in the way to her house. I wrote a letter
to Phebe and allso one to Ma. I hope they both git
them. Edmund, you need not send me eny paper
as it will cost to much. I thank you for offering
to send me a paper, but as you are situated it would
be a great deal of bother to you.
You must write oftin to me and I will try and do
the same. So, hopeing this will find you all well
and hopeing to hear from you soon. I will close
by sending love to all of you.
                        From Your Brother,
                           Wm. P. Allcot
718N.Y.S.V. Near Falmouth Va. April 13th 1863
                                    Dear Parents,
With pleasure I take my pensil in hand to let
you know that I am well and hope these few lines
will find you all in the enjoyment of the same
good health. I received a letter from Thomas yesterday.
The letter is dated Key West March 17th so if you
have not heard from him since then it will be
news for you he is well. He says he received a letter
from you the same time he received one from me.
I received a note from a friend of John in New
York. He informed me that John had received
the apporntment of Major and is doing [Pruovoce]
Marshells deauty near [Bater] Roads. If it is true
he has got a very good situation. I hope that
Phebe has heard from him before this time.
I understand from this friend that Phebe has
went to your house to live. You may think it
strange in me for not wayting for an answer
to my lass letter before I wrote this, but it may
be some time before I can have an other oppitunity
to do so as we are under marching orders
and I expect to move to marrow with out fail
if we do so it may be some time before you
will hear from meo We have every thing in [rear]
ernefs to move rations and all. Our orders is to
cary 5 days ratcin in our knapsack and 3 in
our haversack making in all 8 days provisions.
I heardly know how we are to cary so much
with the resr of our things. I will tell you
what we have got to lug on this march 60 rounds
of cartridges, 8 days rations, 1 blanket, 1 overcoat,
a change of clothing and a gun besides a canteen
to carry water. If that is not a lode for a man
to lug on a long march, I would like to know
what it is that constitutes a lode for a man.
We have got allso to carry one peace of tent.
Still, it is the order and we have got to obay it.
I can not tell where we are ging at present,
but if I git a chance I will keep you posted.
All I hope is that Hooker when he meets the
enemy he will defeat them. The army is in good
spearets and I think they will fight to the
last. There was a grand review the other day
of the whole army and what I saw of it it beet
all I ever saw in my life. It seamed to me that
there was men enough to eat the rebels up
with out peper or salt. We have had good
weather fer a week and the roads is in good
cendishen so dear Ma you may expect eny day
to hear of us doing something to wards crushing
this rebellion. God grant we may be succesfull.
If we are not I will commence to think that
the South can not be counkered but let come
what will I am prepeared for the worse. If I
fall I hope I will fall with my face to the
enemy. Give my love to Edmund, Ann Louisa
and Henry. Clarice also to Phebe and the
little ones. Tell Phebe to answer that letter
that I sent her and ask her ho Guss got
married to. She may think me inquisitive
but never mind that is nothing as a person
to find out eny thing must ask. I have very
little more to say in this letter as I heardly
know what to say, but Ma let me know if
you have heard from John. If you have not
I will heardly credet the story of him being
Proovace Marshell still it may be so.
Give my love to all inquiring friends and
receive a share yourself. Thomas says he
wishes he was home. He says if he was he would
take the sloop as he thinks as I think that
Pa is too old togo a boating. I told him in
           as I have wrote to him
my letter / that Pa thanked him for them
words as it was all of our deauty to help
you boath a long all we could. I hope he
will reach home safe to carry in to affect
what he says he will do. We have got the
latist papers from Richmond. No news from
Charlstons ownly the sinking of one of our
gun boats that is nothing. All I hope is our
men will be succesfull. I will now close
as I am writing this after taps and it is
time to go to bed. So dear Ma plese excuse
this writing and by so doing you will confur
a faver on your son.
                       Wm. P. Allcot

I will write as often as I can so do not
feel uneasy about me. Tell Pa to write me
a few lines as I would be much pleased
to have a word from him.
April 14th 1863
P.S. Ma it has rained all night and
it has rained all day to day making it impossible
to move. The weather is quite cold with this
storm, but I think we will move as quick
as the weather permits. I have know news
of importance to tell you of ownly we
expect to git payed off very soon. I hope
we will not be disapointed as the boys
is getting very heard up. I was on picket
the other day and I had a very nice time
of it as it did not rain and the weather
was very nice. We exchanged papers with
the rebels and they seam to be very friendly
to us. There is not that bitter annermosity
that existed between the pickets when
this war first broke out and I am glad
of it for to fire on a picket in my es-
termation is willful murder and I
am glad it has stoped. I will now
close by sending love to you.
                        W. A.
At Bankesford May 6th /63
                         Dear Parents,
                   I have passed through one
                 of the worse battles I ever saw
in my life with only a slite flesh wound.
Oh. my parents how my companionds did suffer.
Out of about 150 men in our regiment that
made a charge on Sunday morning on the farm
stone wall, 70 were eather wounded or killed.
Ownly for my haversack I would have got
a very bad wound as the ball that struck
me nocked my tin cup in to three peases
and then passed through my haversack then
through my coat pants and every thing and
gave me a wound about a ¼ of an in deap
in my leg. This happened early in the morning
our regiment being the ownly regiment that
made the attack. We having no serport we
were repulsed. The hights was taking
in the afternoon by our men and reta-
king again by the rebs the
next morning. Our division has
[loped?] about. I can not tell yet but
they got a fearfull cutting up.
I do not know what to think of
this battle as in the commencement
every thing seamed to favor us, but
now in the end, we have been drove
back across the river defeated
and disheartened. Oh my God how
my heart achkes fer my country. No
men could fight better, but we were
overpowered by the arcursed rebels.
I do not know but what we will
have to fight our way to Washington.
If we do there will be fearfull
slaughter. I hope this will
reach you as you may feal
anxious about me.
I have had no sleep for 4 nights
and it has rained all night lass night
and today and I can tell you I do
not feal very good.
                  Yours with respect,
                Wm. P. Allcot

Excus this and write soon.
Camp near Falmouth Va May 9th 1863
Dear Ma & Pa,
I wrote to you on the 6th but thinking the letter would not
git to you I take this oppitunity of writing you a gain when
the excitement of battle is over and we once more come to our
sober thoughts. I came out of the battle of Fredericksburg
with a slight wound which ownly disableded for a little
while as I went to the rear as I did not know how bad I had
been hurt. Some may blame me for this but I do not care. I
was hit once and I was bound not to get hit the secund time.
I will tell you how it was. Our regiment at day light on Sunday
or at lease 6 Co. Of us was ordered by General Wheating to charge
on the famis stone wall right back of the city of Fredericksburg
our troops having crossed thE river about 2 miles belough the
town on the night of Saterday and marched into the town the
next morning with slite loss our regiment taking the lead
into the town. It was just at the brake of day when we was
ordered to charge and charge we did. The rebels wated untill
they thought we had came near anough when they opened a merderus
fire on to us. We had ownly time to fire one voly into them when
our Colonal gave us orders to fall back or we would all have
slaugtered as the fire was so hot we couild not lode our peases.
Out of about 200 men in our regiment 70 was left horse de combat.
9 of my companions in the Co. I belong to ownly 4 or 5 will git over it.
This all happened when you undoutedly was in your bed asleap little
thinking we were fighting so desperately on the banks of the Rapperhanock.
About 12 O'clock the hights of Fredericksburg was taking by a division
charging on to it. The rebels fighting every inch of ground. We captured
I should think about 1500 priserners hear. Our men, after taking the
hights run the enemy about 6 miles when they came and consentrated
there hole forse on to our Corps and drove us back like sheap. Would
to God we had had ownly reinforcements to help us but they were
not there. I can not tell how things has went. All I know is our Corps.
Was surrounded and we had to fight our way out the best we could.
Two Companies of our regiment was taking prisoners as they were sent out
on picket when our corps was on a retreat across the river at Bankesford.
Our regiment went into the fight with 393 muskets and now we muster
230 men making 160 men killed wounded & priseners. That is doing very
well for one fight I think.If this reaches you I wish you would send me
a paper with the full perticculers of this fight for I think it has
been the bluddest that has been fought through this war. I do not
know what to think of it for every thing seamed to faver us fer a hole
[?week] and fer it to turn out as it did in more than I can tell. Still I                                                                                                           will
not say eny think untill I git the official report of General
Hooker. We had ought to have been succesfull for his planes was
good as far as I could see. I heardly now what is to become of us as a
People and there is nothing left for the government to do but inforce
the conscriptun as our army has been weakened considerable and
will be weakened still more by the 9 months men going home
in a few days. All the trubble is we have not got men enough
in the field and to cary this war to a succesfull close we have got
to have men. If men will not come out, conscript them. If they resist
the draft, blow them to peases for they are unworthy to be called
americans. Give my love to Pa. Tell him I received his letter and
was verry glad to hear from him. Give my love to Edmund, Henery,
Clarra, Phebe and her little ones. Also to Ann Louisa & her husband.
I want you to write as soon as you git this letter so I will know
that you got it. Also, let me know if you got that money yet as
that worries me a little. It has rained fer the lass 4 days making
it feal eney think but cumfortable for us as we was out into it most
all the time. Today it is very warme and nice, but I feal the affects
of the late storm a little as the rumertism has ketched
me in the ankles a little, but I gess it is all right. I have
very little more to say this time ownly do not feal uneasy
about me fer the wound I got is allmost healded aready. [?It is]
I will be all right. Do not fail to right as soon as you
git this for I will feal very anxius to hear wether you
have heard from me. I have very little more to say at present
ownly do not feel anxius about me. So hoping this will
find you all well. I will close by sending my love to you
all. Give my love to all enquiring friends and write soon
                                 From Your Son
                                 Wm. P. Allcot
                                 Co D. 62nd N.Y.S. Vol.
                                 Wheatings Brigade
                                 Washington
                                     D.C.
Please answer this.
July 12th. I received a letter from John today
he is all right. Date of the letter June 28th

On Pickett – 2 miles from Boomsboro July 11th 1863.
Dear Ma, As this is the first lasure time I have
had in allmost a mont, I improve it by telling you
a little of my expeareance as a soldier in the Army
of the Potomac. We left Centersville where the first
fight of Bull Run took place on Thursday June
25th and marched to a place called Dranesville in
a pelting storme a distance of 22 miles. On the 27th
we left Dranesville and marched to Poolsville 18 miles.
We left Poolsville the next day and marched to what
they called the Newmarket road a distance of 22
miles. The next day we left the road and marched
22 miles to a town called Ridgeville. The next
day we marched to Westminster. The rebel cavelry
had been there at 5 O'clock in the morning and we
got there in the afternoon. When we got to this place
we was compleatly wore out and we could not go eny
further as we had been marching night and day getting
little or no sleep. So we stade here all night and the
next day untill just before night. When we herd
that General Reynolds had been killed at
Gettiesburg and his men drove back. So we
took up our line of march to Gettiesburg a distance
of 42 miles. We marched all night and did not stop
untill we got there which took us untill 1 O'
clock the next day. When we got to Gettiesburg
the fight was going on very hevy. We rested 2 hours
when our division was ordered into it as the
rebels was driving our men back like sheep.
Our brigade led the division allthough [wise]
[our] we went in with a cheer which checked the
rebels and then we yoused the baynout on them
which was more than they could stand. Would
to God we had had one hour more day light we
would have gave the rebels a chastisement they
would not fer get in some time. As it was we
recaptured 2 guns the rebels had taking from
our men that we relieved. We wanted to follow
them, but our General would not let us.
We lade in line of battle all night among our
wounded and killed men, but we slep fer all
that fer we was tired out. The next day the Rebels
drove in our pickets which fell back to our line and we
poared in a volly which sent them back. Then they massed
there troops and made a desperate charge on our right.
Our men stood there ground and repultes them hamsomly.
They charged and re-charged on the fathfully squad of
men but it was no youse. Our men sent them realing back
with fearfull sloughter. There slane lade in heapes. We
captured 3 or 4,000 of them which could not get back
and some 25 stand of flags. Our men suffered, but
not one fell where 10 of the rebels bit the dust. Just
before dark on that memorible Friday, July 3rd our
line was ordered to charge which we did in fine stile
the Bucktailes a head and my regiment supporting
them. The Bucktailes being a head they captured
a flag from the 15 Georgia and about 150 of there
men. The rebels was taking by supprise as they were
berring there dead. They left everything in there flight.
That night we stade on Picket it raining and we had not
eaven a blanket with us as in the charges we left every thing
behind. We was relieved in the morning which was the
4 of July and we went to look for our blankets and [Co?]
but some other party had taking them. Well, we had
to make the best of it. So as it was raining I went over the
battle ground and I picked up a blanket for myself
a[nd] Kelly. And although I was wet as a drownded rat, I
lade down on the ground and went to sleep
a[nd] slep all day with nothing but this wet blalanket
over me.  We stade on the battle ground untill Sunday
then we took up our line of march (as the rebels had
retreated under cover of night) after the rebels.
The first day we marched ownly 8 miles when our cavelry
came up with the rebels rear guard in teir 8 miles
march. I saw all of the rebel wounded which they
had left behind. Every house and barne (and they were
pleanty of them as there [???] ?thickly [???] ?but
I was [???] of the rebels. We stade over night
in line of battle. Monday July 6th at a place called
Fairfield – a nice little place. Our cavelry harres
the rebels all the time. On the evening of the 7 th
we took up our line of march over the mountains
this allthough ownly a few miles was the wors
march of all as it commenced to rain and as we had
ownly a path to walk it was very hard. It took us
all night and part of the next day to do it.
Still for all that our boys had no complaints.
Never saw them in better spearits in my life than
on this march for we was chasing a flying enemy
that was agont to eat us up with ouut pepper or saly.
After we crossed the mountains we came to a place
called Middletown. From there we marched to
Boomsboora and keched up with the rebels. The
day bwfore yesterday we arrived at Boomsboro.
Since that time we have been up in line of
battle three times as our cavelry has made life......