Veteran's Day 2011

Blogger's Note:  In honor of all the 7th Maine men on Veteran's Day I post a letter written by Corporal John Babson Jennings of Leeds Maine who belonged to Company K.  John's letter is a wonderful piece of history that keeps him and the people he writes about alive.  Their role in history is recorded for future generations to appreciate the sacrifices they made to preserve our country.

               Griffins Hill Va Nov 8 1861

                      Dear Father

I now take my

pen in hand to write you a

few lines I am well and are

having a good time we left

Washington yesterday and came

acrost Chain Bridge into Va

we are clost to Fairfax Court

House the 6 Maine Regt is here

by the side of us we are in

General Smiths Division we

are clost to Munson hill

you ought to see the regt here

the tents are so thick that it

looks like snow for as far as

you can see It looks like

War, the report her[e] is that the

fleet has taken Charleston S.C.

page 2

whether it is true or not

I do not know I here enclose

ten dollars of the of the United States

bank you never saw one did

you it is good as gold. I

wished that you would take

Mother and Sis and have your

miniature taken in a thin case

and send it to me it will not

cost more than a quatter¹ to

send it to me I would

like to have them first rate

Direct to Washington DC Company K

7 Maine regt

                                     Your Son

                                     J.B.J-

1 - quarter

(Pension file of John B. Jennings)

The 7th Maine crossed the Chain Bridge into Virginia on November 7, 1861. (Courtesy of the Library of Congress).