Item No. 5669226

Private Thomas D. Peck of the 5th Vermont wrote this letter home to friends on May 22, 1862—just a month before he would be killed during the Battle of Savage’s Station. In the letter, Peck writes about his regiment’s role in the reserve at the Battle of Williamsburg, relates how only a portion of the Vermont Brigade was “badly cut up” at the Battle of Lee’s Mill, and gives praise to the generals of the 6th Corps.

Peck first describes marching for days before finally getting a day to rest, while also discussing how his regiment had avoided danger in April at the Battle of Williamsburg. He writes:

I don’t know how long we may be in this place. We march at any moment, as we are within 8 miles of the defenses of Richmond. We, the Vt. Brigade, & I might say all of Smith’s Division, are about 5 miles in the rear of the Advance Guard. We are kept back as reserve about so many miles in the rear all the time. I don’t believe we shall have to fight much unless the Rebels are too many for the Advance. We have not been in a fight yet, but as I wrote before, we was only a few rods in the rear of the Contending Armies. At Williamsburg we was reserved for a rear guard and reserve at that place.

Peck continues to ponder about the regiment’s record of good luck, noting that only four companies of the Vermont Brigade had been “badly cut up at Lee’s Mills”:

I think we have been quite highly favored as soldiers for as yet we have not had any dangerous post assigned to us. We have not as a brigade ever had to participate in an action, as only the 4 Companies of the 3d & 6th Reg. has had anything of the kind to do, but they had an awful hard time of it. They were, as you have heard, badly cut up at Lee’s Mills. Our Regiment was out on the field in the same line with them, but we were so far on the right that the bullets all passed on our left a number of rods. Perhaps as we are rear guard here that we may have as good luck this time. Would it not be curious if we should take Richmond and not have to be in any battle at all? We have some Bully Boys in our Division. NY, Penn. & Me. & Vt. & Wisconsin boys. We are all brothers, and if we do get into a fight the rebels will have to catch it. We are no cowards, if we are in the rear. We have had to do all the fronting & all the Picketing ever since we came to Virginia until now, & our general thought we ought to be spelled by those that have been in the rear. So I understand that we are to have 60 days rest in regard to those duties.

Peck is full of praise for the commander of the Vermont Brigade, Brigadier General W. H. T. Brooks, as well as the other Union commanders:

We have a good General, our Brigadier Gen. Brooks. He is the man for us. He is not afraid of Rebels or D___ C___. He says (so reported—I do not vouch the truth of it) that with the Vt. Brigade he could storm the very gates of H___, if the Rebels were ahead, and drive them all into the northwest corner and keep them there. I have heard this statement repeatedly, and shows his spunk and courage, and I think it quite characteristic (of the man). He is as calm, cool, and stern as a Rock under all circumstances. Such only is the one for a General. With such men as McClellen, Halleck, Franklin, Hancock, Fremont, and Banks and a few others for leaders that I might mention, our Country need never fear with her Volunteers to follow them. Our Union will soon be safe again, and we hope to all be at home in a short time.

At the close of the letter, he writes, “I want to see you all very much and I hope to see you about the 4th of July. Providence permitting, the war will be over & we will be at home.” Unfortunately it would not be so. Peck would be killed June 29 in the fighting at Savage’s Station—a battle in which the 5th Vermont lost over half its number in an attack.

Note that two other Peck letters can be read online from Spared and Shared.

The letter was written on four pages of a bifolium letter sheet measuring about 5” x 8”. Some toning, particularly at the centerfold. Some minor splitting at the bottom of the centerfold. The full transcript follows:

Camp 12 miles from
Richmond Virginia May 22nd

Ever Dear Friends, once more I take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you, although it has been only a few days since I wrote you. Yet, as I have an opportunity, I think I will improve it. We have got a day of rest today. We have not had one before for two weeks. We have marched a few miles every day and a day of rest seems good. I don’t know how long we may be in this place. We march at any moment, as we are within 8 miles of the defenses of Richmond. We, the Vt. Brigade, & I might say all of Smith’s Division, are about 5 miles in the rear of the Advance Guard. We are kept back as reserve about so many miles in the rear all the time. I don’t believe we shall have to fight much unless the Rebels are too many for the Advance. We have not been in a fight yet, but as I wrote before, we was only a few rods in the rear of the Contending Armies. At Williamsburg we was reserved for a rear guard and reserve at that place. I think we have been quite highly favored as soldiers for as yet we have not had any dangerous post assigned to us. We have not as a brigade ever had to participate in an action, as only the 4 Companies of the 3d & 6th Reg. has had anything of the kind to do, but they had an awful hard time of it. They were, as you have heard, badly cut up at Lee’s Mills. Our Regiment was out on the field in the same line with them, but we were so far on the right that the bullets all passed on our left a number of rods. Perhaps as we are rear guard here that we may have as good luck this time. Would it not be curious if we should take Richmond and not have to be in any battle at all? We have some Bully Boys in our Division. NY, Penn. & Me. & Vt. & Wisconsin boys. We are all brothers, and if we do get into a fight the rebels will have to catch it. We are no cowards, if we are in the rear. We have had to do all the fronting & all the Picketing ever since we came to Virginia until now, & our general thought we ought to be spelled by those that have been in the rear. So I understand that we are to have 60 days rest in regard to those duties.

We have a good General, our Brigadier Gen. Brooks. He is the man for us. He is not afraid of Rebels or D___ C___. He says (so reported—I do not vouch the truth of it) that with the Vt. Brigade he could storm the very gates of H___, if the Rebels were ahead, and drive them all into the northwest corner and keep them there. I have heard this statement repeatedly, and shows his spunk and courage, and I think it quite characteristic (of the man). He is as calm, cool, and stern as a Rock under all circumstances. Such only is the one for a General. With such men as McClellen, Halleck, Franklin, Hancock, Fremont, and Banks and a few others for leaders that I might mention, our Country need never fear with her Volunteers to follow them. Our Union will soon be safe again, and we hope to all be at home in a short time. I want to see you all very much and I hope to see you about the 4th of July. Providence permitting, the war will be over & we will be at home. Give my love to all enquiring friends and keep a good lot of it in your own Family. Write Soon & Often, for I get all of them, I think, & Accept this from your Son, Bro. & Uncle
T. D. Peck

Jerome, write whether you got my Orders on the States Treasury or not. I sent you an Order for 35Dollars. We have not been paid. Day after tomorrow wil be 5 months pay due.