Civil War Correspondence and Diaries of Lieut. James Litchfield, 40th Massachusetts Infantry, 1862-65

(Virginia; South Carolina; Florida), 1862. Very Good. A fascinating and detailed correspondence written by James A. Litchfield to a personal friend in Boston and to his parents and sisters in their hometown of Lunenburg, Massachusetts, together with Litchfield's two wartime diaries from 1863-64. Litchfield served in Company F of the 40th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, enlisting as a Private in August, 1862, promoted to 1st Sergeant in September, and mustering out as 1st Lieutenant in command of the Company. During his service Litchfield participated in several major battles and campaigns, including the siege of Fort Sumter and fall of Fort Wagner in Charleston harbor; the Battle of Olustee near Jacksonville, Florida; the horrific Battle of the Crater during the siege of Petersburg; and in numerous skirmishes throughout Virginia during the Richmond-Petersburg Campaign. Here, for example, is but one of his many vivid descriptions of being under bombardment, or caught up in the thick of battle:

"... the enemy's musket balls come over into our camp and the other evening one went through my shelter tent and passed me not six inches from me and went into a man's groin. The ball cannot be extracted and the wound will probably prove fatal."

The letters and diaries also document Litchfield's battlefield contacts with the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment (the famous African-American regiment), and other "Colored Regiments." The 54th had played an important combat role in several engagements at Charleston harbor and at the Battle of Olustee in Florida. In a letter from September 11, 1863, Litchfield praises "the Colored Regiments" participating in the siege of Fort Sumter and Fort Wagner; and a diary entry written just after the Battle of Olustee on February 20, 1864, indicates that Litchfield knew and was friendly with an African-American soldier, Enoch Saunders, serving in the 54th. Also of particular historical importance are Litchfield's impassioned and highly critical comments of the Black soldiers that participated in the Battle of the Crater on July 30, 1864.

The correspondence consists of 34 letters comprising a total of 125 pages, all but one letter written by Litchfield. Most of the letters consist of four pages, a few are shorter or longer, ranging from one to seven pages. The letters are mostly easily legible, all but one are written ink. Each of the diaries consist of 365 daily entries, used in full in manuscript by Litchfield and are also mostly easily legible, written in ink and pencil. The first letter dates from September, 1862 and the first diary commences on 1 January, 1863, both with Litchfield in camp in Arlington, Virginia, drilling, digging rifle pits, etc., and playing "base ball against the 22 Conn." By mid-April, 1863 "the whole Division [is] on the move" to Norfolk and Suffolk, where Litchfield's Regiment participates in several skirmishes with Confederate forces: [Friday, 1 May:] "... was out at Battery Ondoga building platform for 32 lb. guns ... skirmish outside | 52 of our men killed and wounded | we took 110 prisoners." Much of May through July is taken up with marches "pretty much all over the Peninsula" and skirmishing. In a letter from August 5th he writes:

"The Rebel guerrillas and bushwackers as they are called are a perfect torment to our army for every few days we loose two or three wagons that get behind the train | and the same with the men | when we march we most always have men fall out from fatigue | and not having ambulances enough they get taken by Moseley's guerrillas | one man has been taken out of our Company but he was retaken by our scouts ... ."

The number of battlefield engagements increases dramatically during the months of August and September during the Union siege of Charleston, South Carolina: [12 August:] "... passed Morris Island in morning in view of Fort Sumter and the Church spires of Charleston ... [15 August:] ... our Brigade went to Morris Island | in evening into the trenches | Rebel shells burst all around above and by us | one struck in bank over my head and covered a number of us completely | Purdy wounded." Here is how he describes the fighting and the fall of Fort Wagner in his letters:

[Morris Island, August 27:] "...we have been in the trenches before Wagner three or four times and have had some men killed and wounded, but I have not been touched yet although the Rebels fire shells and solid shot from their works in James Island ... the 24th Regiment Mass Vol. made a charge on Fort Wagner last night while they were relieving their guard and took 72 prisoners. The dead, wounded and dying are about us all the time but we have to keep a good look out for sharp shooters. Our Morter fleet and Monitors are lying a short distance from here and our own guns and the guns of the enemy are firing all the time ... I am acting Orderly now ... ."

[Folly Island, September 4:] "... I can say now that I have smelt powder and felt the pressure of the air as the huge one hundred pound shells passed by and the whistling of the mini rifle balls from the sharpshooters has also come familiar. I have also seen some horrible sights ... ."

[Folly Island, September 11:] "... the shells of our batteries went about twenty feet over our heads and such a noise and the recoil and report ... would jar the whole island. Had it not been for the splinter proofs there would [have] been a great many wounded or killed ... At one time in front of me 2 men were killed and one lost his legs ... after Wagner fell Battery Gregg [Fort Gregg] could stand it no longer and so she caved in, and by this time the whole of Morris Island came in our possession ... You would be surprised to see with what energy the Colored Regiments work here. They are respectful and obedient and that is more than I can say of our white Regts."

It is worth noting that Litchfield is likely referring in particular to the 54th Massachusetts "Colored Regiment" famous for their July 18 assault on Fort Wagner. After the fall of Fort Wagner there is a gap in the correspondence (but covered in the diaries) until March 15, 1864, with Litchfield in camp near Jacksonville, Florida, about one month after the Union defeat at the Battle of Olustee on 20 February. The battle itself, and his meeting with Enoch Saunders of the 54th Massachusetts Regiment, is described by Litchfield in his diary:

[20 February, 1864:] "Marched at 7 o'clock to within 12 miles of Lake City [Florida] where we meet the Rebels and fought nearly four hours and were repulsed with heavy loss of men & horses | the fight was terrible | fell back to Barbour at night. [21 February:] ... the Rebels in pursuit | they outnumbered us three to one | stopped in Baldwin all night | our whole force gone to Jacksonville and the light Brigade cover the retreat."

The 54th, which had been held in reserve at the beginning of the battle, joined the fight when the Union lines began to crumble, and slowed the rebel advance long enough to allow the Union troops to retreat. Safely back in Jacksonville, on 7 March Litchfield "visited the 54 Mass Colored and saw Enoch Saunders | social chat with him | Co. went on Picket at 4 o'clock P.M." (Sanders is documented by *Moebs* as an African-American laborer from Cambridgeport, who enlisted in the 54th as a Private with Company A). In the aftermath of the defeat at Olustee, Litchfield writes to his parents: "I am all right and hope I remain so ... The enemy have their Videttes in sight of ours and we occasionally have a skirmish ... we are likely to move soon and probably shall have to fight our way ... ."

Litchfield's following nine letters from 1864 describe in detail his regiment's numerous engagements in Virginia with the Army of the Potomac throughout the Richmond-Petersburg campaign. These include the costly, unsuccessful assault on Fort Darling south of Richmond in May, and the even more horrific Battle of the Crater during the siege of Petersburg: Litchfield was in the front line of trenches facing the Confederate fort (Elliott's Salient) underneath which Union forces had dug a mine and filled it with 320 kegs of gunpowder. On July 30, 1864 Union forces exploded the mine, successfully opening a gap in the Confederate defenses of Petersburgh, whereupon a specially trained division of United States Colored Troops (USCT) under Gen. Edward Ferrero lead the ensuing assault. However, things deteriorated rapidly for the Union attackers, as several untrained units charged into the crater (instead of going around it), and Ferrero's men went in to help them. In the confusion the Confederates quickly recovered and routed the attackers: hundreds of Union soldiers, including many of Ferrero's Black soldiers, were killed in a "turkey shoot" inside the crater.

Both in his diary and a long letter written to his parents the next day, Litchfield put the blame on the Black troopers which, as he writes in his diary: "After charging and taking all the rebel works they were panic stricken and run to the rear ... the white troops repulsed the Johnny several times but finally retired ... ." Of particular importance, in the letter to his parents, Litchfield writes that "we" - Union soldiers, fired on the Black troops. Here is a long extract from this letter:

[Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Petersburg, Va., August 1, 1864:] "... On the 29th of July at ten o'clock at night we were relieved from the front line of trenches on the extreme right of our line at Appomattox River and marched ... to support a charge which was to be made by the Ninth Corps ... at day break the signal gun was fired and the train of powder which led to the mine underneath the enemy's fort which was about [700?] yards in our front. The ground began to roll like the waves of the ocean, and the sound was like distant thunder. The whole fort was blown into fragments and went up heavenward over one hundred feet - broken guns and gun carriages, timber, and pieces of the body, arms, legs, and everything pertaining to garrisoning a fort ... Just as soon as the explosion took place 80 of our cannon opened all at once and such a tremendous thundering I never heard, at the same time our men went forward on the charge and drove the enemy from their works and they scattered in every direction. And up to ten o'clock in the forenoon it was a glorious victory and we had not lost but comparatively few men in killed, wounded & missing, and we had captured over a thousand Johnnys ... / At ten o'clock the n---r Div. went in and drove the enemy away to the city, and there got frightened and panic stricken and run back as fast as their legs would carry them and the Johnnys taking courage from seeing them run started after them and fought hard | the darkies come in and we could not stop them. We shot some of them ourselves but we could not stop only them that we stopped by death. Our white troops repulsed the enemy from their old works three times, but having no support they could not hold them for the 15 thousand n----rs had gone and I don't believe but what some of them are running now ... ."

Later that month Litchfield was caught up in a particularly severe "freshet" that destroyed his camp in a ravine off the Appomattox River:

[August 18, 1864:] "... Since I wrote we have had a freshet in our ravine. Our Corps the 18th occupy the right of the line in front of Petersburg running east & west from the Appomattox River about a mile and joins on to the 9th Corps. In the ravine is the whole Corps camp ... The ravine is about 200 feet wide and a small brook about 2 feet wide and as many deep passes through the center. At two o'clock a heavy thunder shower arose and in a very few minutes the water rose nearly to our tents and we thought it would come no higher | but it seems that brush and logs about a mile above had formed a kind of breakwater or dam which gave away and the water come down with a rush & carried with it men that were endeavoring to save property ... and a railroad bridge or a part thereof. There was about fifty men drowned and some recovered but the most I think were carried into the Appomattox & James River ... the whole was a very serious affair and probably we shall be moved farther to the rear as we cannot camp on the hills on account of the Rebs shelling us ... ."

A remarkable and historically important collection of letters and diaries, charged with immediacy and containing eyewitness accounts of several dramatic and heartbreaking battles between Union and Confederate forces.

A complete descriptive list of all 34 letters and both diaries follows, with quoted extracts:

1. ALS. Octavo. 7pp. Camp Ethan Allen, Near Washington, September 15, 1862.

Dear Mother / I know you think hard of me for not writing before but you cannot think how busy it keeps a soldier on the move all the time, especially a Sergeant ... [I] receive 17 dollars a month ... I live the army very much and why should I not. I receive more pay than a Private and get better grub and last of all and best of all I have got a good Captain and 2 good Lieutenants which is the main thing in the army ... we are now situated right on the Virginia side of the Potomac river at a place called Fort Ethan Allen or Chain bridge. There is a large Fort right here ... and we are all surround by rife pits ... there are about ten thousand troops in sight of our Camp ... Your son with much love ...

2. ALS. Octavo. 4pp. Camp Ethan Allen, Chain Bridge, Va., October 5, 1862.

Dear Sister Emily ... I am very busy all the time ... drilling the men and looking after them ... I received a letter from Charles ... he is well and on Maryland Heights and as the papers say he has had rather a tough time ...

3. ALS. Octavo. 6pp. Camp at Minor's Hill, October 29, 1862.

My Dear Sister Emilie ... I wish you would not be so down hearted about Charley for I can tell you that I believe he is happy ... I also know that there are young men in this Company that are happy that were married just before they come away ... You spoke about State aid from me to mother | in the first place I signed my age 21 yrs. on the roll so as to gain time and more for the sake of getting the extra 125$ ...

4. ALS. Octavo. 1p. Minor's Hill, Va, February 8, 1863.
[To Emily]

5. ALS. Octavo. 3pp. Minor's Hill, Va., February 8, 1863.
[To Mother & Father]

6. ALS. Octavo. 4pp. Hunter's Chapel, Va., near Arlington Heights, February 22, 1863. [To Em:] ... It seems queer that so many are discontented. I don't believe there is one of the kind in this Regt ... the best news in your letter is that Father still keeps his pledge ...

7. ALS. 3pp. Hunter's Chapel, Arlington Heights, March 22, 1863.
[Note: the bottom (blank) third of the second leaf has been neatly removed]

[To Emilie:] ... soon I am an Sergt. of the guard at General Cowdin's Headquarters. There are six forts in sight and we are just outside the entrenchments that surround the City of Washington ...

8. ALS. Octavo. 3pp. Suffolk, Va., May 4, 1863.

[To Lorin Peterson, a friend from Boston:] ... I am on guard at Headquarters today. We had a battle here yesterday and a very severe one too. We gained the day so report says and drove the Rebels some ten miles. Fifteen rebel prisoners just passed here | they were fine looking fellows but their clothes were miserable. We asked them if they had not rather be where they are than be back again they said not that they had rather be fighting. We lost quite a number yesterday, several officers. The reason of this was that they were in the woods and we had to advance over a mile across a plain right against their artillery and muskets and it is a wonder that we did not lose more than we did ...

9. ALS. Octavo. 4pp. West Point, Va., May 23, 1863.

Dear Sister ... We left Suffolk the 7th of this month ... [arrives at Norfolk:] that place is nearly all inhabited by Secesh. We stopped there a few hours and I had a pretty good chance to look around ... [arrives at West Point] ... the 40th Regiment as soon as landed went forward about three miles scouring the country as we went so as to be sure that no Rebels are in the rear of us. After we had advanced about three miles we established a line of Pickets ... the Capt. gave me my choice to remain with the inner Pickets or go to the Vidette line which is our outside line. I chose the Vidette line and have charge of four posts ...

10. ALS. Octavo. 4pp. Mountville, Va., July 22, 1863.

Dear Sister Emilie ... we have been marching, long and weary marches ... I have been pretty much all over the Peninsula. We started July 8th on our return after having a skirmish with the rebels. They fired railroad iron at us ... you probably [will] see an account of it in the papers ... got orders to go to Berlin which lies on the Potomac river below Harper's Ferry. We to there ... we laid a pontoon bridge across the river, the old pier bridge being destroyed by the Rebels last year ...

11. ALS. Octavo. 4pp. Catlett's Station, Va., August 5, 1863.

[To Lorin Peterson:] ... it is very foolish for our army to wait and let Sec [esh] get reinforcements. It cannot be avoided for the horses of our Cavalry and Artillery are entirely used up much more so than the men are. The Rebel guerrillas and bushwackers as they are called are a perfect torment to our army for every few days we loose two or three wagons that get behind the train | and the same with the men when we march we most always have men fall out from fatigue | and not having ambulances enough they get taken by Moseley's guerrillas | one man has been taken out of our Company but he was retaken by our scouts ...

12. ALS. 4pp. Morris Island, S.C., August 27, 1863.

[To Emilie:] ... we were out in the trenches before Fort Wagner last night ... we left the Army of the Potomac and come out here to the siege of Charleston some time ago ... we have been in the trenches before Wagner three or four times and have had some men killed and wounded, but I have not been touched yet although the Rebels fire shells and solid shot from their works in James Island ... the 24th Regiment Mass Vol. made a charge on Fort Wagner last night while they were relieving their guard and took 72 prisoners. The dead, wounded and dying are about us all the time but we have to keep a good look out for sharp shooters. Our Morter fleet and Monitors are lying a short distance from here and our own guns and the guns of the enemy are firing all the time ... I am acting Orderly now and have been for some time as the Orderly is sick ...

13. ALS. 4pp. Folly Island, S.C., September 4, 1863.

My Dear Sister ... we have been camped upon Morris Island in plain sight of Fort Sumter which is nearly battered down by our continual firing of 200 pound balls at it ... the only batteries that the Rebels fire upon us are at Fort Johnson and one other battery called Battery B ... upon James Island. I can say now that I have smelt powder and felt the pressure of the air as the huge one hundred pound shells passed by and the whistling of the mini rifle balls from the sharpshooters has also come familiar. I have also seen some horrible sights ...

14. ALS. 5pp. Folly Island, S.C., September 11, 1863.

[To Lorin Peterson:] ... I can tell you what was official to Gen. Gordon the Commander of the forces on this Island ... our Monitors went up the harbor and took Fort Sumter as it was in a heap of ruins and next come Fort Wagner. Our mortar boats men of war vessels and Monitors played into it with such skill that the Rebs could not lift their fingers to help themselves | they evacuated the fort shortly, leaving about 300 dead in all manner of shapes unburied and mutilated horribly ... [he describes the bombardment of the fort] ... the shells of our batteries went about twenty feet over our heads and such a noise and the recoil and report ... would jar the whole island. Had it not been for the splinter proofs there would [have] been a great many wounded or killed ... At one time in front of me 2 men were killed and one lost his legs by [an artillery shell] coming through the top [of the splinter proof]. After Wagner fell Battery Gregg [Fort Gregg] could stand it no longer and so she caved in, and by this time the whole of Morris Island came in our possession. After this the new Iron sides and some of the Monitors or cheese boxes as they are called here went up the harbor and got aground under the fire of Fort Moultrie and they must fight or surrender | they concluded to fight and had good luck | seven shots struck the old fort in one place and the 7th one went through into the magazine and blew up the whole concern | after this the tide came in so that our victorious boats came off ... You would be surprised to see with what energy the Colored Regiments work here. They are respectful and obedient and that is more than I can say of our white Regts. ...

15. ALS. 4pp. Camp near Jacksonville, Fla., March 15, 1864.

Dear Parents ... an Orderly Sergeants berth is the hardest and most tedious berth there is in the army | always on this feet and has all the Company property & men to look after ... I am now acting 2nd Lieutenant ... I am now playing the gentleman and have nothing scarcely to do. I have a man that takes all the care of my horse ... I have nothing to carry now on a march but a change of underclothes and a sabre which the Captain's Darkey cleans when rusty. ... I suppose you have read all the news in the papers concerning the Battle [of Olustee] and the casualties. I am all right and hope I shall remain so. Our Regiment are now at the front and our Company have to go on Pickett one night and day out of every five. The enemy have their Videttes in sight of ours and we occasionally have a skirmish ... we are likely to move soon and probably shall have to fight our way. But if I get into a tight place I have got a good horse to get me out ...

16. ALS. 3pp. West Point, Va., May 2, 1864.
[To Emilie:] ... we are in the army which is to attack the doomed City of Richmond ...

17. ALS. 4pp. Army of the Potomac, 18th Corps, near Cold Harbor, Va., June 10, 1864.

Dear Father & Mother ... in Butler's department at Bermuda Hundred south of Richmond on the James river [here] we done some more fighting and marching and lost in killed and wounded about one third of our Regiment. Our Major was taken prisoner and we had three in our Company wounded beside the Captain | he lost his left arm close to his shoulder ... this was at Drury's Bluff near Fort Darling. We arrived here in the army of the Potomac June 1st and made a charge the first night and here we lost about 75 men, in our Company one killed and six wounded. Our Colonel is in command of the Brigade ... I think my prayers have been answered for I have been through all and not got a scratch yet, although I have had men shot in front and behind me and on every side top and bottom and very near to me ... I think we have got the right man at the head now, that's Grant ...

18. ALS. 3pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Petersburg, Va., July 6, 1864.
[Note: the bottom (blank) third of the second leaf has been neatly removed.]

Dear Mother ... This war is a cruel concern and I hope it will end soon ... we are smashing the enemy in every direction and now our noble army of the Potomac has got Richmond, Petersburg, and Old Lee's army where the wool is short for they can't get to their resources and must suffer as our line of battle extends west ... It pleases me very much to know that you have got a place of your own ...

19. Lorin Peterson to Litchfield. ALS. 4pp. Boston, July 19, 1864.

20. ALS. 4pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Petersburg, Va., August 1, 1864.

Dear Father Mother ... God has yet spared me life, health & strength. On the 29th of July at ten o'clock at night we were relieved from the front line of trenches on the extreme right of our line at Appomattox river and marched ... to support a charge which was to be made by the Ninth Corps. We were marched to the front line there and at day break the signal gun was fired and the train of powder which led to the mine underneath the enemy's fort which was about [700] yards in our front. The ground began to roll like the waves of the ocean, and the sound was like distant thunder. The whole fort was blown into fragments and went up heavenward over one hundred feet - broken guns and gun carriages, timber, and pieces of the body, arms, legs, and everything pertaining to garrisoning a fort. Nothing descended on our own men but thick dust. Just as soon as the explosion took place 80 of our cannon opened all at once and such a tremendous thundering I never heard, at the same time our men went forward on the charge and drove the enemy from their works and they scattered in every direction. And up to ten o'clock in the forenoon it was a glorious victory and we had not lost but comparatively few men in killed, wounded & missing, and we had captured over a thousand Johnnys ... / At ten o'clock the n----r Div. went in and drove the enemy away to the city, and there got frightened and panic stricken and run back as fast as their legs would carry them and the Johnnys taking courage from seeing them run started after them and fought hard | the darkies come in and we could not stop them. We shot some of them ourselves but we could not stop | only them that we stopped by death. Our white troops repulsed the enemy from their old works three times, but having no support they could not hold them for the 15 thousand n-----rs had gone and I don't believe but what some of them are running now ...

21. ALS. 2pp. 40th Mass. Vol., August 13, 1864.
[To Father & Mother]

22. ALS. 4pp. 40th Mass. Vol., August 15, 1864.

Dear Father & Mother ... the armies are suffering considerably this season but cool weather is coming ... the coming election may create some kind of a change. I blow for olde Abe ...

23. ALS. 7pp. 40th Mass. Vol., near Petersburg, Va., August 18, 1864.

Dear Father & Mother ... There has been no general engagement since I wrote until last night ... with artillery the enemy opened their batteries across the Appomattox River at one o'clock upon a new fort which we are erecting on this side ... our batteries opened [in response] ... our guns kept up the fire till daylight, the enemy firing a shot once in a while ... but there is no such thing as random shots here for if they fire anywhere in this direction the shots will go among troops, and consequently we were awoke by the explosion of shells in our camp. Tis no pleasant thing to have them coming among us in our sleep. In a heavy engagement where infantry are engaged shells are not minded even if they burst within ten feet of you because your whole mind is upon the advancing or retreating enemy - this may seem queer but it had proved so in several battles with me ... Since I wrote we have had a freshet in our ravine. Our Corps the 18th occupy the right of the line in front of Petersburg running east & west from the Appomattox River about a mile and joins on to the 9th Corps. In the ravine is the whole Corps camp ... the ravine of which I speak runs parallel with the [rifle] pits and is about one quarter of a mile from them | the enemy's musket balls come over into our camp and the other evening one went through my shelter tent and passed me not six inches from me and went into a man's groin. The ball cannot be extracted and the wound will probably prove fatal - I will now tell you about the freshet.

The ravine is about 200 feet wide and a small brook about 2 feet wide and as many deep passes through the center. At two o'clock a heavy thunder shower arose and in a very few minutes the water rose nearly to our tents and we thought it would come no higher | but it seems that brush and logs about a mile above had formed a kind of breakwater or dam which gave away and the water come down with a rush & carried with it men that were endeavoring to save property ... and a railroad bridge or a part thereof. There was about fifty men drowned and some recovered but the most I think were carried into the Appomattox & James River ... the whole was a very serious affair and probably we shall be moved farther to the rear as we cannot camp on the hills on account of the Rebs shelling us ...

24. ALS. 1p. 40th Mass. Vol., December 6, 1864.

25. ALS. 3pp. 40th Mass. Vol. Infty., Spring Hill, Va., March 28, 1865.

26. ALS. 3pp. Richmond, Va., April 6, 1865.

Dear Mother ... We are in Richmond the Rebel Capitol. Our troops occupied the city last Monday morning and every one is in high spirits here ... I have been all through the place and seen the Libby prison, Castle Thunder Jeff. Davis Mansion ... there is a great many pleasant places in it although a great portion of the city is in ruins for the Rebels set fire to all the government property and stores there was in the city, the arsenal and other public buildings ...

27. ALS. 2pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., May 1, 1865.

My Dear Mother ... I have been transferred from the command of "G" Company to F Company, the one that I come out in. The change is made so that the officers can go home in the same Company that they came out in - quit an honor you know for I started a Private and will now come home 1st Lieutenant commanding the Company. We have all met with a terrible loss in the President ... I have not been paid a cent and don't expect to be until we are mustered out of the service ... now there is over five hundred dollars due me ...

28. ALS. 3pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Manchester, Va., May 2, 1865.

My Dear Cynthia ... now Company "G" had been counting om having me take them into Chelsea and now they are to loose me after my being in command of the Company four months | they feel very bad for they don't like the officer that took my place - but "F" Company boys are glad ... I shall probably take them into the city of Boston myself ... I have visited Hollywood cemetery and ex President Monroe's grave, the Virginia State Penitentiary nearly all in ruins, Bell Isle ... I have made no acquaintances about here and don't think I shall as they are nearly all strong Sesesh ...

29. ALS. 3pp. 40th Mass. Vol., May 8, 1865. [To Cynthia]

30. ALS. 3pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Manchester, Va., May 9, 1865.

My Dear Cynthia ... I dined yesterday at a Gentleman's House in Richmond - he has a wife, three little boys and two little girls. They are very nice people - only think of having a little negro girl to keep the flies off with a large light thing for that purpose. One thing is certain that southern people rich and poor are the laziest people in my opinion of any I ever saw ...

31. ALS. 3pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Manchester, Va., May 13, 1865. [To Cynthia]

32. ALS. 4pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Manchester, Va., May 14, 1865. [To Mother]

33. ALS. 3pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Manchester, Va., May 24, 1865. [To Cynthia]

34. ALS. 6pp. Camp 40th Mass. Vol., near Manchester, Va., May 30, 1865. [To Cynthia]

Pocket Diary for 1863
Leather over flexible card covers with wrap around front flap and expanding pocket. In ink on front free endpaper: "Sergt. J. A. Litchfield, Co. F. 40th Mass. Volunteers". All [365] daily entries covered in full in ink and pencil. A few leaves at the back (following the final December 31st manuscript entry) have been removed. The diary commences on 1 January with Litchfield: "in Camp at Minor's Hill, 8 miles from Washington ..." Excerpts follow, including entries from August written during the siege of Charleston, Fort Sumter, and the fall of Fort Wagner:

Wednesday, 1 April, 1863. / ... 40th quartered in unoccupied houses in the village of Vienna. Co. F quartered in foundry | good cover and chance to build fires. Company in good spirits | news of skirmishing ... about 7 miles from here. Inspected by Col. Dalton ...

Monday, 13 April. / Company drill from eight to ten | went washing clothes in woods | the 40th boys played base ball against the 22 Conn | 40th got 51 - 22nd got 11 ...

Wednesday, 15 April. / Marched at 7 o'clock in A.M. to Alexandria and took transports for Norfolk | the whole Division on the move ...

Friday, 17 April. / ... went into shelter camp at Suffolk. Gun boats fire shells into the woods at the Rebels at intervals | two prisoners taken by our skirmishers ...

Friday, 1 May. / ... was out at Battery Ondoga building platform for 32 lb. guns ... skirmish outside | 52 of our men killed and wounded | we took 110 prisoners.

Wednesday, 12 August. / ... passed Morris Island in morning in view of Fort Sumter and the Church spires of Charleston ...

Saturday, 15 August. / ... our Brigade went to Morris Island | in evening into the trenches | Rebel shells burst all around above and by us | one struck in bank over my head and covered a number of us completely | Purdy wounded.

Sunday, 16 August. / ... laid in trench all day in front of Wagner ... 9 men shot by sharp shooters ...

Tuesday, 25 August. / ... 22 men detailed to go in the trenches all day | advanced our line at night | the firing at night severe from James Island | relieved at 8 ...

Wednesday, 26 August. / ... John Ford of the Warren [Zouaves?] visited us from the 24th Mass Regt ... 24th Regiment made a charge [on Fort Wagner] and took 65 prisoners ...

Pocket Diary 1864
Leather over flexible card covers. In ink on front free endpaper: "Orderly Sergt. James A. Litchfield, Co. F. 40th Regt. Mass. Vol. Infantry". All [365] daily entries covered in full in ink and pencil. A few leaves at the back (following the final December 31st manuscript entry) have been removed. Excerpts follow, including the Battle of Olustee in Florida (20 February) and the Battle of the Crater during the siege of Petersburg, Virginia (30 July):

Saturday, 20 February, 1864. / Marched at 7 o'clock to within 12 miles of Lake City [Florida] where we meet the Rebels and fought nearly four hours and were repulsed with heavy loss of men & horses | the fight was terrible | fell back to Barbour at night.

Sunday, 21 February. / Marched to Baldwin | the Rebels in pursuit | they outnumbered us three to one | stopped in Baldwin all night | our whole force gone to Jacksonville and the light Brigade cover the retreat.

Monday, 7 March. / ... went to town and made out the descriptive lists of S.C.R. & A.M. visited the 54 Mass Colored and saw Enoch Saunders | social chat with him | Co. went on Picket at 4 o'clock P.M.

[Reference: *Moebs* p. 493: Sanders, Enoch (laborer, 38): He enlists in the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment on February 19th [1863] going on to serve as a private with Company A. He will serve until October 9th, 1865. He is a resident of Cambridgeport, Massachusetts].

Tuesday, 8 March. / ... on Picket out about four miles from town | a flag of truce come to convey a lady to town ... I was appointed acting 2nd Lieutenant.

Saturday, 2 April. / ... Regiment went out scouting on the several roads to Cedar Creek. | had a skirmish of 3 hours | Walsh wounded in hand | J. Richardson's horse wounded.

Monday, 16 May. [Near Fort Darling, a Confederate fort located on the James River south of Richmond]. / A terrible battle fought and lost by our forces at or near Fort Darling | we were driven with heavy loss | I arrived on the field during the fiercest part of the battle | Corp. Lovett was wounded and taken prisoner ... Purdy wounded & taken, Flynn taken, Kennedy missing.

Tuesday, 17 May / ... arrived in camp last night | very tired and foot sore | very quiet | I visited the Gen Hospital | its sights I never shall forget without any remarks, unwell.

Friday, 29 July. [Near Petersburg, Virginia] / ... Made a few good shots at J. Rebs and had them returned | at 10 o'clock night was relieved from the pits and went to support a charge on the left of their line.

Saturday, 30 July. [Battle of the Crater] / Day fine and warm | the mine under the enemy fort on the left was exploded and such a sight was unimaginable | the broken wheels and bodies went up over 100 feet | the [?] was terrible - 8 men lost in our Regt. | the Colored troops behaved themselves badly. [MS continues vertically:] After charging and taking all the rebel works they [the colored troops] were panic stricken and run to the rear | the white troops repulsed the [Johnny?] several times but finally retired | We took a great number of prisoners and lost a great number ...

Sunday 31 July. / ... we went to camp near the center after counter marching several times. A great many men played out ....