2nd PA PROVISIONAL HEAVY ARTILLERY LETTER – JUNE 26, 1864 – COMBAT CONTENT

2nd PA PROVISIONAL HEAVY ARTILLERY LETTER – JUNE 26, 1864 – COMBAT CONTENT

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Item Code: 2026-502

This letter was written by Frank Ditslear of the 2nd Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery (Provisional) on June 26th, 1864 from camp in the field near Petersburg, Virginia.  He had been in the volunteer service since only April 4th of the same year and was in the midst of a baptism by fire.  The 2nd Pennsylvania was the largest regiment of the Civil War, numbering approximately 5,000 men cumulatively.  The 2nd was too unwieldy in combat due to its size and was divided into several provisional battalions.  As Frank details, the regiment moved south of the James River and became immersed in the death and destruction of the Overland Campaign and the continued drive on Richmond.

Frank writes, “I have had a tolerably good time for some days as our Corps has not been engaged for some days and we have not had any wounded to haul from the front, but we have to take them to City Point and from there they go aboard the boat… Our Corps lost in wounded on the 17th about 3,000 men beside the killed which was about one third of the amount wounded.  The regiments that came out this Spring look like companies. You may judge from our regiment which left Alexandria 1450 strong and now numbers about 400 officers and men and all other regiments in like proportion.”  He goes onto to recount a rumor that the men of the Heavy Artillery and Dismounted Cavalry will be transferred back to Washington after 60 days on campaign, and expresses his disbelief given the situation in Virginia and lack of immediate threat to the District. He continues, “This being Sunday there is not much going on in front except some siege pieces which open occasionally to prevent the rebels from entrenching stronger and I assure you that Petersburg is strongly fortified and will take some work before it is taken… General Grant has… dug them out of one of their forts already.”

Not long after writing this letter, Frank and the rest of the battalions of the 2nd took part in further assaults against Petersburg and lost well over 200 men killed in action, making the 2nd PA HA one of nine regiments to lose over 200 men during the Overland and Petersburg Campaigns within the span of less than 3 months.  Frank survived and was discharged in July of 1866 at Culpeper.

A remarkable frontline accounting of one of the bloodiest chapters of the Civil War.  [cm]  [ph:L]

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