history in our backyard: a soldier writes home

History in OurBackyard

a soldier writes home

Farm boy, Joe Shaner, grew up in Rockbridge County, Virginia, so named after the natural bridge located there. Citizens of the county formed an artillery unit. Once formed in 1861, it became the Rockbridge Artillery. Shaner "jined up" as a private. Being part of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, his battery saw action in most major campaigns in the eastern theater of the Civil War.

Soldiers' letters home lent a personal touch to hard duty. Since the Confederate clothing depots were often

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lacking, women back home provided many items. Shaner writes about this in his numerous letters home to his family. On Sept 23, 1861, Shaner writes "Dear Sister . . . I wrote . . . to mother for a new pare of pants and if I dont soon get them I will be naced for the want of them." On October 11, 1862, "Dear Sisters . . . I wold be very glad if she (mother) would make me a suit of cloths for I cant get any pants or coat down here or any socks . . . the Yankee coat fits me very well and that she can make mine by that and . . . take the buttons off . . . and put them on my new one . . . put some artillery trimeng on my coat . . . red tape around the collar and the cufs on the sleaves and a red stripe down the leg of the pants." On October 27, 1861, "Dear Sister . . . ask Father wheather he can get them boots made or not . . . and tell her (Mother) that I shall look . . . for my over coat for it is a getting very cold down here now and I need it . . . "

Due to the shortages, theft of clothing is a problem. Some interservice rivalry shows here. On October 22/63: "Dear Sisters, I had very bad luck on this last march . . . my napsack with every stitch of cloathing I had exept that I had on stolen from me right from the head of my bed I had all these shirts and socks that you all sent me in my knapsack and a nice new gray jacket that I had just had trimmed and all my draws and paper and envelops and everything thit I had in the world exept the worst cloathes that I had . . . for I allways put on my worst cloathes to wear on a march it was some stragler infantry man that was passing through our camp that night that stole it."

In camp at Blue Run Church Sept. 10 1863 Shaner writes " Dear Sisters . . . I am very well pleased with my hat and

By paul t. scott

Shirts they fit me first rate . . . I shall have enough of socks now to last me nearly all winter fo a yong Lady in Rockbridge sent me a very nice pare a few days ago . . . "

In camp near Battery Alexandria March 14, 1865 Shaner writes "Dear Sister . . . I bought myself a good pair of shoes this morning. I had to pay $60.00 dollars for them but I was oblige to have them as I have bin nearly bare footed for some time."

In less than a month Lee surrendered at Appomattox.

Paul Scott is a member of the Board of Directors of Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, Inc. The mission of CVBT is to preserve land connected with the Campaigns of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House. For more information, see www.cvbt.org. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian