New York State Library

Letters describing the Battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg

Related Page:

• Civil War Collections at the NYS Library

The Library's Manuscripts and Special Collections Unit has many collections related to the Civil War. In 2013, in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of two major Civil War Battles, Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the Library digitized the letters below, which contain some descriptions of the battles.

There is much material in this site but we have chosen to present research on only the 93rd NYV.

From a letter from Waters Whipple Braman to his Uncle on July 5, 1863: (1.36 MB)

Camp of 93d N.Y.V. 
Near Gettysburg Pa.
July 5th, 1863

Dear Uncle,

… We have had an awful fight here, but thank the Lord, our Army has given the Rebels an ever-lasting thrashing. The heaviest fighting was yesterday, and to-day they are in full retreat, and our army entire is after them. This is the first time since the organization of the army of the Potomac that the rebels have met our men in open field, fight, and I don’t believe they would this time but that (as the prisoners say) their officers told them they were to fight the militia, but they found to their cost that the old army of the Potomac was around. We must have taken about 8,000 prisoners. The loss in killed and wounded on both sides must be 25,000, and some say the rebels alone have lost that number. Gen’l Lee tried to come the flag of truce game on Gen’l Meade, but it failed to work. Gen’l Meade sent back that he would bury their dead for them.

We are encamped about ½ a mile from Gettysburg, right on the Battlefield which is very large. I have seen but very little of it, as we have been momentarily under orders to be ready to move …

The 93rd's monument at Gen. Meade's HQ, which suffered badly during the big bombardment

The 93rd's location during the bombardment. Most artillery fire went over the troops on the main line, doing most damage near Taneytown Road and on the widow Leister's house and really ticking her off when she returned home. Dead soldiers and animals, no problem; it was just that her house was a mess. TD

Leister house. After the battle. Note the dead horses though the human casualties have been taken care of. This looks north along Taneytown Road towards Gettysburg.