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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC08913.07 |
| From Archive Folder | Letters from Grove Bell |
| Title | Grove L. Bell to friends at home explaining that he is sick of the war and expressing his anger that he has not yet received his boots |
| Date | 16 January 1863 |
| Author | Bell, Grove L. (1844-1863) |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | So angry he "can hardly write." Had to wait a long time in the cold. Angry because he has not received favorable news about his box. Instead was advised to get some good boots on because they would be marching the next day. Had his friends done as he said, Bell would have the boots right now. Will "never [write] for anything" else. Upset because he does not have a decent pair of shoes. Soldiers only have three days' rations. Discusses the difficulty of pulling horses out of the thick, deep mud. "Everyone is sick of this war… I don't blame anyone for skedadeling" One soldier named Geer "is but just alive" and might not make it through the night. Sending some money that they received from the State of Connecticut. The money isn't worth anything to him but will be "good as gold" to his friends. |
| Subjects | Civil War Military History Soldier's Letter Union Soldier's Letter Union Forces Friendship Clothing and Accessories Military Uniforms Military Rations Military Provisions Diet and Nutrition Desertion |
| People | Bell, Grove L. (1844-1863) |
| Place written | s.l. |
| Theme | The American Civil War; Health & Medicine |
| Sub-collection | Papers and Images of the American Civil War |
| Additional Information | Private Bell enlisted in the 20th Connecticut Infantry on August 4, 1862. He was mustered into D Company. In 1862 and 1863 the 20th Connecticut fought as part of the Army of the Potomac and saw action in Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. Although Bell survived extensive action in both these battles, he died on December 4, 1863. Highlights of the collection include a letter describing his action in the battle of Gettysburg, including a harrowing experience where a shell landed within inches of his leg and descriptions of some of the wounds his comrades suffered. The letters also include Bell's doubts about the course of the war: "There [are] a few big men with scraps on their shoulders that are making all of the money. They are the ones keeping this war going." |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |
| Civil War: Recipient Relationship | Friend |
| Civil War: Unit | 20th Connecticut Infantry |