Item No. 0214366

This letter was written December 15, 1862, by Lieutenant Mathias E. Richards while on the battlefield of Fredericksburg two days after the major fighting of December 13.

A lawyer from Pottsville, Richards had originally served with the 25th Pennsylvania (3-months) in 1861, and that September became adjutant of the newly formed 96th Pennsylvania. In 1862 he would join the staff of Brigadier General Joseph J. Bartlett, commander of the 6th Corps brigade to which the 96th belonged. While Bartlett would miss the Battle of Fredericksburg, Richards served during the fight under the brigade’s temporary commander, Colonel Henry L. Cake of the 96th. The brigade would occupy positions in the center of the Union line, generally in the area of the Deep Run ravine, during the main portion of the battle.

In the letter Richards writes to his sister Sophie. With the battles heaviest fighting having taken places two days earlier on December 13, Richards reasons that at home “there may be some anxiety on account of the recent events.” He then begins his account with the crossing of the Rappahannock River on Thursday, December 11:

Our brigade crossed the river on Thursday afternoon toward dark, but for some reason or other were ordered back, and again we crossed on Friday morning, the first brigade and first division. We advanced steadily after our skirmishers until we reached the old Richmond road about 2 o’clock, in which neighborhood where we have remained up to this time.

The bed of the “Richmond road”—the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad—was raised a few feet above the surface of the earth, as Richards describes in the following passage that illustrates how important the grade became as protection against the rebel guns perched on the hills beyond:

We have been shelled severely before we got here, and the rebs on the hills before us shell us whenever they take a notion, and keep it up very lively when they commence. But the Richmond Road is a-pretty deep, and forms a natural rifle pit, so that all the men have to do is to lie on the bank next the rebel fortifications, and shot and shell pass over our heads. Just over to be sure, but a miss is as good as a mile, and we have only had one man killed by their artillery. Up to this time we have lost in our brigade three killed and sixteen wounded, all belonging to the 121st New York Vols. on picket by rebel sharpshooters. The 121st is a new Regt. and this was their first experience in picket duty, and they consequently did not know so well now to take care of themselves. We have lost none from the 96th.

He continues with commentary about their position relative to the army’s other grand divisions, and discusses the fighting of the 13th:

The position of our brigade in line of battle is the right of the right division of the Centre Grand Division in position. You would suppose because we belong to the Left Grand Division we would be on the left, but we are really on the right-centre. Sumner is on our right and Hooker is on our left. There has been some desperate fighting both on our right and left, but our division has only had one skirmish. We have not attacked the rebs, and they have only attacked us that once when we drove them back. We are lying right in front of a long line of rebel entrenchments on the hills in easy artillery range. They have a very strong position, and I should judge from the appearance of things here that the centre will not attack, but that the fighting will be done on the right and left. We will be required to hold this position, and I have no doubt we can do it.

In their advanced position, he writes, “we have been entirely without tents since we crossed the river.” He adds that “even the men cannot put up their shelter tents, but men and officers—generals and privates alike—have nothing but the sky to cover them day or night.” He continues:

I thought you might suppose that we were on the left, where the hard fighting was on Saturday, and after looking around got hold of this paper and envelope. The hardest fighting was done on Saturday. Sunday was pretty quiet. Very little artillery and no musketry at all, except the pickets. Today we have had no musketry up to this time—1 o’clk P.M., but considerable artillery on the right and left, and a few shells in my neighborhood.

Richards briefly discusses other war news, mentioning the expedition under General Nathaniel P. Banks en route to New Orleans. “We are all anxious to know what Banks is doing,” he writes, “and as we have had no newspapers since we crossed we are in the dark as to what is going on. The papers no doubt can tell you more general news of the fight that is goin on than I can. I have to write this on my knee, and this is noisy place to write in.”

The letter was written in pencil upon four pages of a 5” x 8” letter sheet. It is in excellent condition with light toning. Creased at the original folds. The full transcript can be found below:

Head Quarters, 2 Brig, 1 Div
On battlefield, December 15, 1862

Dear Sophie
I drop you a few lines to let you know that I am well, as there may be some anxiety on account of the recent events.

Our brigade crossed the river on Thursday afternoon toward dark, but for some reason or other were ordered back, and again we crossed on Friday morning, the first brigade and first division. We advanced steadily after our skirmishers until we reached the old Richmond road about 2 o’clock, in which neighborhood where we have remained up to this time. We have been shelled severely before we got here, and the rebs on the hills before us shell us whenever they take a notion, and keep it up very lively when they commence. But the Richmond Road is a-pretty deep, and forms a natural rifle pit, so that all the men have to do is to lie on the bank next the rebel fortifications, and shot and shell pass over our heads. Just over to be sure, but a miss is as good as a mile, and we have only had one man killed by their artillery. Up to this time we have lost in our brigade three killed and sixteen wounded, all belonging to the 121st New York Vols. on picket by rebel sharpshooters. The 121st is a new Regt. and this was their first experience in picket duty, and they consequently did not know so well now to take care of themselves. We have lost none from the 96th.

The position of our brigade in line of battle is the right of the right division of the Centre Grand Division in position. You would suppose because we belong to the Left Grand Division we would be on the left, but we are really on the right-centre. Sumner is on our right and Hooker is on our left. There has been some desperate fighting both on our right and left, but our division has only had one skirmish. We have not attacked the rebs, and they have only attacked us that once when we drove them back. We are lying right in front of a long line of rebel entrenchments on the hills in easy artillery range. They have a very strong position, and I should judge from the appearance of things here that the centre will not attack, but that the fighting will be done on the right and left. We will be required to hold this position, and I have no doubt we can do it.

We have been entirely without tents since we crossed the river. Even the men cannot put up their shelter tents, but men and officers—generals and privates alike—have nothing but the sky to cover them day or night. Up to this time we have had remarkably fine weather, and not cold. But it looks as if a storm was brewing, when I expect it will get rough. We are all anxious to know what Banks is doing, and as we have had no newspapers since we crossed we are in the dark as to what is going on. The papers no doubt can tell you more general news of the fight that is goin on than I can. I have to write this on my knee, and this is noisy place to write in.

I thought you might suppose that we were on the left, where the hard fighting was on Saturday, and after looking around got hold of this paper and envelope. The hardest fighting was done on Saturday. Sunday was pretty quiet. Very little artillery and no musketry at all, except the pickets. Today we have had no musketry up to this time—1 o’clk P.M., but considerable artillery on the right and left, and a few shells in my neighborhood.

Give my love to all. If you could mail a few newspapers from day to day, I would get them, and it would be very gratifying. We only see a newspaper man now about once a week.
Your affec. bro.
Mat Richards

Richards put there in case name rubs off from envelope.