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James
M. Pettit from Versailles, New York, enlisted in the 64th New York Volunteer
Infantry Regiment on September 2, 1861 when he was 28 years old. His letters
written during his three years of service reveal the hardships of camp
life, the horrors of battle, and his gritty determination to survive despite
illness and injury.
This exhibit highlights portions of the many letters written by James to his family during the Civil War. Part I will take you from the outbreak of the war through his first few months in the Army of the Potomac. Part II examines James' struggle with an illness that takes him away from the battlefields for a long period of convalescence. Part III covers his experiences during the Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg campaigns. |
In order to read the entire text of a letter
highlighted in this exhibit, you need the Adobe Acrobat plug-in.
This can be downloaded for free from
Adobe
Systems.
Please Note: The letters
were transcribed faithfully. Captain James Pettit's spelling and grammar
differs from modern usage.
