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A sample Letter.

Editor's Note--This is the third and last set of Civil War Letters brought to the Foundation by Mrs. Alta Musgrave. They were written by two of her ancestors, David Nichols and Robert Steel. The David Nichol letters were featured in the Fall 2005 Milestones. The first set of the Robert Steel letters were featured in the Spring 2006 Milestones.

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Beaver County native Robert Steel enlisted in Company "M" of the 6th United States Cavalry at Pittsburgh on September 10, 1861. The 6th Cavalry was a regular army unit consisting of 34 officers and 950 men that was recruited mostly in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Western New York. Originally equipped with only pistols and sabers, the regiment was almost continuously engaged in combat since its arrival in Northern Virginia in March of 1862.

The letters of Private Steel are written to his sisters Peninah Steel and Sophia Steel Nichols as well as her husband, Hampton Nichols, all living near Baden. In order to keep the spirit and historical flavor of the letters, I have left in the spelling errors, but have added some punctuation for ease of reading. Otherwise the letters are as we found them.

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 8, September 8, 1862

Robert Steel is penning this letter from Camp Harwood, a hospital near Washington D.C., following the failure of the Peninsular Campaign and the subsequent evacuation of all Union troops during the end of August. In this letter, Steel appears to be suffering from some unnamed illness which involves diarrhea.

September the 8 1862

My dear sister

I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am middling well at present. I am in Camp Harwood near Washington and the regiment has moved on towards Harper's Ferry. We had a very disagreeable since we vacuated Harrison's Landing. We came across from Harrisons Landing to Williamsburg and then we came to Yorktown and then we got on bord of a schooner and came to Alexandria and riding on the schooner made me a little sick and I thought I would rest a few dais [days] and then I will join the regiment again. There is 6 of our boys with me and we have a fine time of it. I don't take any medicine only for the diaree. Now Peninah I want to no the reason you don't rite atall. I rite so often and never along for I am ancious to here from them. And you you must rite often and don't forget I haint fixed to rite a good letter but I shall rite a good one the next time. Peninah tell me if any of the boys [unreadable] around home and tell me how Ben has got. I heard that he was verry sick. No more at present but still remain your affectionate Brother.

Robert Steel to Miss Peninah Steel
The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 9, September 18, 1862

Ten days since his last letter, Robert is still in the hospital, but feeling very well and talking about joining his regiment shortly. The victory that he refers to is most likely the battle of Antietam, Maryland where Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee were defeated and both sides suffered heavy casualties in the bloodiest battle of the war so far.

September the 18 1862
Camp Harwood

My dear sister

I take up my pencil to let you no that I am verry well at present and I hope these few lines may find you all in good helth. I received your leter last night and I rite this morning. I was verry glad to hear from home and to hear that you all are well. I suppose you all was scared when you herd that I was not well but there was not much ailed me. I feel bully after being here for two weeks. I think Peninah you need not rite any more here for I am going to the regiment next morning and I can't tell when it is but we must go to the Soldiers retreat in Washington. This camp is only a mile from Washington and they know where it is and they well send us in wagons to the regiment. I woulda liked to had a letter from Hamp here but he is a little like Hart he don't like to rite often. Peninah I think that this summer campaign will soon be over for this fall and then we will get in winter quarters and then we will have a good time riting. Maybe we will be in Washington and maybe not but they say that our regiment will have some good quarters this winter for all the regular cavalry had good quarters last winter and the volunteers have to stand Picket all winter over in Virginia. There is so much talk about drafting and I wish they would fetch every home guard out here a while and let them find something out.
Now Peninah you all wish to have me home and if I was there and had not listed [enlisted] when I did I would list right strate now but you see I had good luck and listing when I did. I don't want you to coax at me so much to come home for you no I can't. They won't give a furlo any more for there was so many diserted on furloes. For my part I haint uneasy about home I have very near a year in and the next 24 months will soon fly around and then I will get my discharge. If the lord spares me that long I will be verry glad and I hope he will. We must trust in the lord in every thing we do and then we can get along rite. Peninah I want you to tell me how the fruit was this fall the aples and if you made cider and apple buter like we ust to do or not and tell me about how the bees done this summer. I ust to dream nerely every night about beese and me and Pap and you and Mam getting swarms of the beese around the guarden and tell me all the particulars. Well I have not much more to say at present but if you should rite you would half to rite in great haste or I would not get it before I leave here and it might be 3 or 4 weeks before I will rite again. I won't rite till I go to the regiment. They say that there is a good deal of fighting agoing on about Harpers Ferry but I can't tell you anny thing about it. There was a couple of Union victories won they sey but I don't know how it is. No more at present but still remain your Affectionate brother

Robert Steel to Peninah Steel

Peninah if you no of anny of the companies that them boys went in tell me and I might have a chance to see some of them and rosy mouth Davy Morrison oter be [unreadable] most

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 10, October 18, 1862

Mysteriously Steel is still in the hospital despite his repeated assurances to his family that nothing was wrong and that he was about to be released back to his regiment. His war records simply list him as "sick" without any explanation.

Harwood Hospital
October 18th 1862

My dear brother

I take this present oppertunity to let you no that I am well at present and I hope these few lines may find you in the same good health. I have not herd from you this long time and I am uneasy to here from you and Sophia and I want you and her to send me a long leter and all the news that is agoing on. I have received three leters from Peninah since I have been here and I sent her 4 and the last one I rote to her I told her to ancer soon but I have not got an ancer yet and I thought I might rite and let you no that I told her that I was going to the regiment soon but I think I will stay a week or too yet. I am very well but I can stay as long here as I like and it is a very nice clean place and lots to eat and a good bunk to sleep in. I herd from the regiment yesterday and they are near Charlestown and they are on the advance again and they are doing picket duty all the time and that is not verry pleasant these cool nights I tell you and every day still puts in the time and the [unreadable] slinks the beter for him. They have bin in several fights since I left them and I will soon join them again. I can't tell you much about the War at present for I don't know any thing only what I hear in the papers and you can hear all that yourself. I have been here now 5 weeks and I am pretty well rested by this time.
Hampton rite soon and tell me who all has listed [enlisted] about Baden and if they are draften [drafting] yet but I think draften is plaid [played] out until they make more men and then they might draft. Well Hamp I have nothing atall to rite at present but I think you and Sophia can send me some news. Sophia I want you to tell Peninah that I got that thing Pap sent me and I am verry much obliged to him and I want to hear how H. Linnenbrink and his old woman is agetting along and tell me how Pap and Mam is for sure. This letter is verry poorly riten but I think you can make it out. No more at present but still remain your Affectionate friend.

R. Steel to Hampton and Sophia Nichols

Direct to
R. Steel
Harwood Hospital in care of Dr. Owen
Washington, D.C.

Rite as soon as possible and Sophia tell our folks that I am well and tell Peninah to rite soon
No more good b

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 11, November 30, 1862

The references made in this letter are to the positioning of Union troops prior to the opening of the battle of Fredericksburg in December.

Harwood Hospital
November 30th 1862
Washington D.C.

My dear sister

I take this present oppertunity to let you no that I am well and I hope these few lines may find you all in the same good helth. I suppose you will think it a little strange when you here I am here in the hospital yet but it must not surprise you for the weather has been verry wet and disagreeable for the last couple of weeks and I did not think it necessary to go out for the army has been on the move all fall yet and our regiment is near Fredricksburgh and they say the hole army is agoing in winter quarters for this season. The rodes is very bad traveling in Virginia and they can't get along with the artillery. Burn Sides [General Ambrose Burnsides] army is lying on one side of the river at Fredericksburgh and a part of the rebel army on the other and they expect to have a bombarding at Fredericksburgh if they don't surrender but I think the fighting is over for this fall. Well Peninah I have no more at present worth while aspeaking of . You said in your last letter that you would like to send me some warm close [clothes] but you must not fret about me for the want of close for we are furnished with lots of the best kind of close all wool and verry warm and I do not need a hat you could send me. I received that letter you sent me and them 2 dollars Pap sent me and I was verry much obliged to him for them and all his kindness and I was verry glad to hear that Sophia had a young doter [daughter] for that will be great company for them and Hampton said that Mam was verry sick down there on Thursday night and when you rite again tell me what ailed her and tell me for sure how Pap and Mam stands the Winter. Well Peninah you need not rite anny more till I rite again. I don't know for sure but I think I will start next week for the regiment. I want to go the first chance I can get. They have sent no men from here for the last 3 weeks and if they send any more next week I will go to. Well I have no more to say at present and Sis I will send 10 dollars home in this letter for safe keeping and if you receive it you need not ancer till I rite again and you can tell me if you got it or not. No more at present. But still remain your affectionate Brother

Robert Steel to Peninah Steel

Good by give my best respects to all inquiring friends and best respects to Henry Hart Mr. Hamp Nichols Henry Linnenbrink

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 12, February 13, 1863

Having been released from Harwood Hospital, Steel rejoined his regiment on February 3rd at its encampment near Falmouth, Virginia.
Feb. 13th 1863
Camp near Falmouth

My dear sister

I take this oppertunity to let you no that I am verry well at present and I hope these few lines may find you in the same good helth. I joined my company the 10 of this month and I was verry glad when I got back and my company is on picket and they have 16 miles to go on picket here from camp but the boys is all well at present and I herd that some of you sent me a box of eatables and it came to the company before I did and there was 25 cents frait [freight] on it and Bart paid the frait him and [unreadable] opened it. And Peninah I want you to tell me in your next letter all the things that was in it for I did not see them yet being as they are on picket and won't be releaved for 8 dais [days] and I am verry sorry I was not here to get the box for that is the seckoned time you had the trouble to send me stuff but I think that third time will be the charm. I sent you a letter from the Distribution Camp and that was about three weeks ago and I told you to rite soon and I guess you sent me a letter there but if you did I will get it for I told the Post Master to forward it to the regiment. I heard you had a great party not long ago so John Collins told me last night and he just sets smoking of the pipe like old [unreadable] White with the spit drop. Well Peninah I have not much to say at present more than I am well but the next time I rite I will tell you a good deal more. I want you to give me pretty good information what is going on amongst the youngsters and I suppose they will dry up about me beein crazy and shot and sick when they hear that I got back to the regiment and Peninah I had the hardest kind of work to get a stamp to send this leter with the settlers [sutlers] don't keep them and I can't get them here at all and Peninah if you or kind Dear Polly sends me a few I will pay you dearly when I come home for them. You had better not tell Pap bout them for he might think hard [unreadable].

Well Peninah I will send home 10 dollars and tell me in the letter if you get it or not and rite as soon as possible and tell me how Henry Linnenbrink and Margaret stands these times and Hart and Sarah and Hampton and Sophia in particular is agetting along this long and dreary winter. Well Peninah I have no more to say at present but still remain your
Affectionate brother Robert Steel

Miss Peninah Steel

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 13, March 7, 1863

Camp near Falmouth
March 7th 1863

My Dear Sister

I take the present oppertunity to let you no that I am well and enjoying good health and I hope these few lines find you all in the same good health. I received your kind leter and it found me well and I got them stamps you sent me and I was verry much obliged to you for them and I think I will soon be able pay you for them.
I sent the Linnenbrinks a leter and it was the time I rote to you first and he has not ancered it yet and I would like to no the reason why Peninah you said that you would like to send me a box of eatables but I think it is not worth your while to bother with it for I do not no how long we will stay in this camp and if we would move it would be lost so I would just be as well satisfied if you would not try to send one atall for I think I could not get it atall. Well Peninah I had the pleasure to see some of the Beaver County boys Jim Anderson and [unreadable] Anderson and W. Creps and John McManemy and James Lockard and a lot more is lying near our camp and John McManany and Jim Lockard came over to see us and they are verry tired of the Servis [service] already and all the drafted men is in another regiment close by but I have not seen them yet. The weather is very warm and mudy and lots of rain but no snow this winter. Well Peninah I have not much to rite at the moment for there is nothing agoing on here but picket duty. We have the times pretty good as long as we will stay in this camp but I can't tell how soon we will leave for the wood is getting verry scarce. Well sis you said that you wanted to no if Mag Barts was riting to C. Belar but she is not now. Any other girl as I know of there is no girles riting to our boys but Arbutons[?] is riting to a Dick boy by the name of George Fieht and H. Donly and for my part I will not correspond with any youngsters at all but you can tell me all I want to no about them and be sure and tell me how all the youngsters is agetting along and tell me how market is these times oats, potatoes and flour and all such things. I think [unreadable] must be pretty dear. Well I must bring my letter to a close for this time tell me in particular how father and all other is agetting along this winter. No more at present but still remain your Affectionate Brother
Robert Steel

Peninah Steel rite soon rite in haste don't delay good by by by

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 14, March 17, 1863

Here Steel is talking about his time on picket duty and trying to describe the Rebel defenses in front of Fredericksburg.

March 17th 1863
Camp near Falmouth

My dear brother

I take this opportunity to let you no that I am well at present and enjoying good helth and I hope these few lines may find you in the same good helth. I have rote to you twice and received no ancer and if you don't think worth the while riting to me I will not rite so often either. Well Hamp the times is very dull here and I think it will remain so till the mud dries up and then there will be a move. Yesterday we had a verry heavy thunder storm and a heap of rain and Hail. Well Hamp there is nothing adoing only Picket duty we are lying nerely in sight of Fredricksburg and we are on Picket on the one side of the river and the enemy on the other but the river as they call it is not wider than Beaver Crick. Our pickets and the rebs can talk back and forward easy. We just came in off Picket and a being as it is a fine afternoon I thought I would inform you of what is agoing on here. Well I seen Abe Brown about a week ago he is well and John McManery and James Lockard has been here also and your brother David [This would be David Nichols the writer of the first set of letters seen in an earlier Milestones] is here too but I did not see him yet but I hope to see him soon. I herd yesterday that he is well at present.
The Butter assed Holsingers is doing poor business. They have them all in the guard house for deserting and I can't tell you what they will do with them. Well Hamp I hear that they are agoing to draft again and that will finish out our part of the county I think they have enough for the present time. I think if we had all the men that the North could raise we could not cross the river here. My god Hamp I wish you was only here to see their fourts and rifle pitts all along the river as far as we go on Picket for 10 miles down the river. The first is close to the river and as far back as you can see they are thick. As soon as they would be drove out of one they fall back in the other. Well Hamp you said that Hen Campbell and Sam Hendrickson was in our company but Campbell is not in the regiment and I herd Sam is at home. Well Hamp soldiering here where you can see the rebs all the time is not what it is cracked up to be. Well Dear Hamp and Sophia I want you to write soon and often and tell me what is agoing on and be sure and tell me how Pap and Mam stands the times. No more at present but still remain your affectionate Brother Robert Steel

Rite soon. I send my love and compliments to all my inquiring friends and Dot in particular. Rite soon.

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 15, April 19, 1863

The subject of this letter is an abortive attempt of the 6th Cavalry to cross the Rappahannock River at Kelly's Ford, and their subsequent withdrawal.

April the 19th 1863

My Dear Sister

I take this oppertunity to let you know that I am well at present and I hope these few lines may find you in the same good helth. I received your kind letter and it found me well and harty and it gives me great pleasure to hear that you all have such good helth. The weather is pretty fine and the rodes is drying up. We have left camp near Falmouth and have moved up the Rappahanick River 28 miles and we had a skirmish with the rebels at Kellies Ford when we was agoing to cross the river and took 18 prisoners and then there was a heavy rain came on and raised the river so that we could not cross. We moved up the river 10 miles to another ford by the name of Peters Ford but the river has fell and we are waiting on artillery and infantry to come up. Then I reckon we will have another Brush with them for we are bound to put them throu this spring if possible for I think it is nessasary [necessary] but they are as spunky as ever for they shelled us affectionately but when our artillery came up they soon silenced their batteries but I hope to the lord that this summer will finish the war. Well Peninah our boys is all well at present. I have not much time to rite a long letter at present but give me all the information that is agoing on about home. Well Peninah I will send home in the letter 10 dollars and as quick as you receive it tell me in your next letter if you get it or not and rite soon. No more at present but still remain your affectionate brother

Robert Steel to Peninah Steel

Address your letter
Robert Steel
Co. M 6 U.S. Cavalry
Washington, D.C.
Or elsewhere

Rite soon Dear Peninah and give my best regards to all inquiring friends. Good By.

The Civil War Letters of Baden Native Robert Steel
Letter No. 16, June 11, 1863

Following the last letter, between May 1st to May 9th, the regiment participated in "Stoneman's Raid" deep into the rear of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia to destroy railroads, telegraph wires, bridges, store houses and machine shops. Although the raid was very successful, the regiment was forced to swim a swollen and dangerous Rappahannock on their return.
On June 9th, Union cavalry crossed the Rappahannock River at Beverly's Ford and became engaged in one of the most ferocious cavalry engagements of the entire war. Out of a compliment of 254 men and officers involved in the battle, the 6th lost 67 men killed, wounded and missing.

Camp Near Warrington Junction
June the 11th 1863

My Dear Brother

I take this present oppertunity to let you no that I am well at present and I hope these few lines may find you in the same good helth. I have not hered from you this long time nor the folks at home. I have written you and them 4 or 5 leters and received no ancer yet and I want to no the reason why for it gives me great plesure to hear from you and Dear Sophia. Well Hamp I thought I saw hard fighting last summer but I can tell you the day be four yesterday the 9th we had the hardest cavalry fighting ever has been in Virginia. On the 9th we crossed over the Rapahanick River at Beverleys Ford and the rebs attacked us rite strait and the 6th New York was in the advance and they got their Major shot crossing the river and they drove them back 1 mile and then the rebs got reinforced and charged upon the 6th New York Cavilry and drove them clean back to us and then we charged them and drove them about 3 miles and then they got their artillery to play on us. That was the first charge our regiment had and that was about 7 o'clock in the morning and then our artilery silenced their battery and then we charged on their cavalry again and they gave us regular Hell. They shot our Lieutenant and orderly sergent and second duty sergeant and 1 corporal and took our beaugler [bugler] a prisoner and there is 9 more missing out of our company and we can't tell if they are killed or taken prisoners and we had 6 horses shot in our company but my god that was nothing for they pored the grape and canister rite in to us like hell and we lost our best officers that was in the regiment. Lieutenant Ward of Company G was shot dead in the second charge and our agutent [adjutant] was taken prisoner and Lieutenant Stoll was shot in the 3rd charge and was left on the field and Captain Cram was wounded and his horse shot under him and he lost 9 of his company. Our men allways thought that their cavilry would not fight us but I can tell you they gave us anough to do. Well Hamp if we had not all come back in the evening they would acaptured us every one for some of the prisoners that we took told me that Longstreet's whole core of infantry was acoming up from Kellys Ford like hell and they would have driven us all in the river but we fell back and saved our meat shop.
I see a sketch today in the paper about it and they don't tell the half that we lost and what was killed for they are ashamed to tell the truth. I can't say a thing but that we got whipt for we had to leave all the dead and wounded on the field. Well Hamp my good old friend I have not much more to write at present but I am mighty thankful to the lord that I got throu safe again but it was the narrowest escape that ever I made in my life. P. Kreps is safe yet and C. Belar was not in the fight at all his hource [horse] was sick and he did not go over and Heckerd was back to but I tell you there is no fun in a cavalry charge for it does make ones eye winkers jingle. Well Hamp I want to no how the draft comes along these times and how the 9 monthers men seems to segashnate[?] since they came home and be sure to tell Father about the grand charges we made. The weather has been mighty dry and warm here we had not had any rain for the last two months and crops look verry short and I reckon it is just the same at home. Hamp be sure and tell me how the old man stands the hot weather. Cheer him up and keep him a good humor and I will be home next summer and then we will have some fine times I tell you and give me some information about the girls also. Rite me a long letter and often and I will ancer promptly. Well I reckon I will bring my letter to a close. I wrote home two or three days ago and you can go out on a nite and tell them what I have went throu. We must keep our spirits and live in hope. I think all will come out safe yet and we will have some fine sport yet talking about the War but don't let them draft you if you can avoid it at all. I wish to God that the war was over but I think that they fight like hell. I tell you when we were over there was a Lieutenant and 17 men drove in a squadron of the 8th Pennsylvania Cavilry within 6 hundred yards of our regiment where we was in the Pine and our company and company F charged on them and took them every one prisoner but 5 that got sabers run throu them. They would not give themselves up. They seem very spunky and I tell you indeed they will be shot sooner than taken prisoner. Well Hamp I reckon you will get tired reading this letter but I thought abeing as I had nothing to do this morning would rite to let you no how I am agetting along these times. No more at present but still your Affectionate Brother. Robert Steel

Hampton Nichols rite soon. Good by.

Editor's Note: This is the last letter that we have from Robert Steel, and very possibly the last letter that his family ever received from him. We know from his war record that Steel and his regiment fought in several engagements while on the road to Gettysburg and later pursued the Confederate Army following the conclusion of that battle. During the pursuit of the Confederate Army, the 6th Cavalry clashed with the Rebel rear guard at the battle of Funkstown, Maryland on July 7th . Against superior numbers, the 6th lost their Captain and 85 men killed, wounded and captured. Among those taken prisoner was Robert Steel.
Following his capture, Steel was sent to Belle Island prison near Richmond, Virginia. Consisting of only tents, the prison camp was situated in the middle of the James River and surrounded by dangerous rapids that strongly discouraged any attempt at escape. The camp was designed to hold 3,000 prisoners, but in 1863, the number had swelled to over 6,000 starving, ragged, and sick scarecrows, that were exposed to the elements and without the basic necessities for survival. In 1863, one survivor estimated that anywhere from fifteen to twenty five men died at Belle Island each and every day from exposure, starvation and disease.
Despite his repeated assurances to his family that he would see them soon, Robert Steel would not survive his captivity. After several months of imprisonment, Steel fell ill with Erysiphelas, a highly contagious and deadly strep infection of the skin that claimed many lives during the war. As the disease progressed, Steel was sent to the prison hospital where he succumbed to his illness on November 27, 1863.