Description

Civil War Letter We couldn't find a photograph of Jackson Potter but here is another member of Co. I, 84th Pennsylvania from the collection of Charles T. Joyce - as shown on Spared & Shared. The soldier’s name was Private William H. Frampton who was “taken off an ambulance during the march north to Gettysburg and placed in the ranks of Co. G, 26th Pennsylvania Infantry, where he was shot in the left knee joint on July 3rd, 1863, probably on the skirmish line. As the 84th PA was not on the battlefield at all, he is obviously the only member of the regiment that sustained any injury in the fighting, and because there is no marker for the 84th on the Pennsylvania monument, Frampton is one of the many men from the Keystone state who fought in the battle but is, sadly, not recognized. Note that he wears an artilleryman’s coat, an infantryman’s shoulder belt, and an NCO sword.” This historic Civil War soldier letter was written by 27 year-old Jackson Potter (1834-1862), the son of John Potter (1807-1880) and Mary Rishel (1813-1879) of Luthersburg, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. Jackson enlisted on 1 October 1861 in Co. I, 84th Pennsylvania Infantry and he died on 11 July 1862 at Alexandria, Virginia. Fantastic patriotic letter head !!!! Also, the cover is a significant postal history "demonetized" star die entire - worth $100 even without this awesome letter. Most of the letters were written to his father, or his sister, Jane Potter (1839-1905), and a few to other family members such as his brother, William Marion Potter (1842-1916). Potter died from typhoid fever on 11 July 1862. Of Potter’s service, his commanding officer wrote, “the company joins with me in [conveying to you, his father,] that they have lost a true soldier and a pleasant companion.” Transcription Headquarters 84th Regt. P. V. Camp Chase, Pawpaw Tunnel, Va. March 4th 1862 Dear Jane, The Keystone lads Are in the field, To make the boasting rebels yield. It is with the greatest pleasure that I take my pen to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well, hoping that you are all the same. On the 22nd was a great day here. We was all out on drill and our General Lander made us a speech. On the last day of February we was mustered in for pay and will get it in the course of twenty days. On the first we packed up for march to Winchester, thirty-five pieces of the artillery started and the General [Frederick West Lander] got sick and on the second he died and the artillery was ordered back and I do not know what was done at Winchester—whether Banks attacked it or not. It is reported here that Winchester is taken. They evacuated it. But I do not know how it is but there has been general move in the whole army. Yesterday was our General’s funeral. The whole division was here. Our regiment is in his 1st Brigade and we was on the ground first and had to stand a long time in the rain. It was the biggest funeral that ever I was at. We was sixteen columns deep and I could not see the end of it, besides acres of ground covered with artillery. At about 1 o’clock the cannons commenced firing and then we knew that the Corps was coming along the line. He was carried by sixteen colonels. He was put in the cars and sent to Washington. I could not tell you all about it now. General Shields is to be sent here for our General now. There is a General over every Brigade which has from three to five regiments, and then one over all of he Brigades. General Lander was and now General Shields. I must soon quit writing for this time. I am well and getting fat and lousy. They need not buy me any shingles for I suppose that I will not get home to tend to them. I sent you my likeness. I thought you would be the likeliest to get it. No more this time. Direct as you did before. Your brother, — Jackson Camp Chase Pawpaw Tunnel, Va. William, it is with the greatest pleasure to let you know that I am well, hoping you are the same. I received a letter from you a few days ago and had not time to write to you then. We are still here by the cause of our General’s death. But I do not know how long we will stay here now. You need not buy me any shingles for me now and I suppose that you will have to tend to them and get some body to run them for me for I will not get home to tend to them myself. I want you to write to me all of you and I think you might write longer letters than you do. Nothing more for this time. Direct as you did before. Yours brother Jackson Potter to William Potter TERMS: Postage combined for multiple purchases. Please wait for me to send the invoice, otherwise you will pay a higher rate. We are members of the American Philatelic Society, the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, the Manuscript Society and the Civil War Philatelic Society. We only sell genuine, original letters (no copies or reproductions). Some of our letters have been transcribed and nicely presented for future genealogists and history buffs on the Spared & Shared blog. We have been selling on eBay since 1998. BID WITH CONFIDENCE !