Never Saw a City More Thoroughly Sacked: A Pennsylvanian at Fredericksburg

The discouragement and war-weariness that gripped the North following the defeat at Fredericksburg permeates the pages of one Pennsylvania soldier's letter home written just a few days after the battle. 

    "The two great armies are resting, as it were, from their excessive labors of the past few days," he began. "Resting, did I say? No, rather renewing their energies with even more determined vigor for a still more desperate struggle. Hostilities have ceased for the present at least for a few days, in order not to “change base” exactly but the manner of attack. After sacrificing a few thousand lives, the “powers that be” have deemed it advisable to sacrifice a few thousand more by changing the mode of attack. Perhaps if this mode does not succeed, they will “change base” with a change also in commanders."

    The letter, written by Corporal William Blain of the 62nd Pennsylvania, first saw publication in the December 23, 1862, edition of the Altoona Tribune. 

Writing from camp across the river from Fredericksburg just days after the battle, Corporal William H. Blain of the 62nd Pennsylvania expressed his astonishment at the losses and foolhardiness of the effort. But the pillaging and destruction of Fredericksburg by his comrades in arms proved to be "heartrending sights such as I hope to never see again. Never was a city more thoroughly sacked in so short a space of time than the ill-fated city of Fredericksburg." 

Camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia

December 15 and 18, 1862

          Silence, comparative silence reigns throughout the army at present, but very portentious of a dark and bloody future.  The two great armies are resting, as it were, from their excessive labors of the past few days. Resting, did I say? No, rather renewing their energies with even more determined vigor for a still more desperate struggle. Hostilities have ceased for the present at least for a few days, in order not to “change base” exactly but the manner of attack. After sacrificing a few thousand lives, the “powers that be” have deemed it advisable to sacrifice a few thousand more by changing the mode of attack. Perhaps if this mode does not succeed, they will “change base” with a change also in commanders.

          There never was a finer army- better conditioned and spirited than the one which made the attack on Fredericksburg on Thursday last. Not a man in it, officers or privates, but felt himself fully equal if not superior to any emergency that might befall him in the coming contest. How eagerly they pressed forward when word was given to cross the river and many, in their anxiety to be first, leaped into the boats and pushed out into the stream and landed on the other side long ere the last plank was laid on the bridge. I myself saw two boatloads of prisoners brought across long before the bridges were completed and while this was going on, the enemy’s pickets were continually firing upon the foremost, bringing down many brave and fearless men.

          On Thursday morning, the bombardment commenced, merely for the purpose of completing the pontoon bridges which had been stopped by the enemy’s sharpshooters picking off the men engaged on the bridges. The Rebels did not fire a gun that day. A great many of our troops crossed over that night, your humble servant was so fortunate as to be one of the first 8 or 10 men who crossed over on the bridge. This was just at dark and as I hurried up from the river to the first street, I could hear the exclamations “there he goes! Shoot him! That’s him!” made by some of those who had preceded me in the boats. Several were shot and others taken prisoners. Fredericksburg is situated on a small hill along the foot of which the Rappahannock runs; when I reached the street on the top of this hill, the first objects which met my gaze were two Rebels lying dead at full length across the sidewalk.

Corporal Blain was among the first to cross the pontoon bridge into Fredericksburg. "When I reached the street at the top of the hill the first objects which met my gaze were two rebels lying dead at full length across the sidewalk," he wrote. It was the first of many horrific sights he would witness over the next few days. 

Those troops (about two companies) which crossed over in the boats at once formed themselves into a patrol for the purpose to arrest all Rebels who might be found. I volunteered to assist them. So, picking up a dead Rebel’s gun I took my place in the ranks. I did not march far, however, before I heard cries of distress and leaving the ranks, I proceeded in the direction of the sound. I soon ascertained the cause: several females with their families had assembled at a house and were weeping and moaning over their misfortunes. Being ever ready to lend a helping hand to the distressed, I volunteered and was immediately accepted to accompany a loyal widow lady and quite handsome daughter to their home.

I remained in the city until Sunday and was witness to many heartrending sights such as I hope to never see again. After partaking of breakfast the next morning, I started out to take a look at the city. The inhabitants had nearly all left their homes the day previous, removing some of the most valuable goods a few miles from the town and thus awaiting the fate of the city. Many families who were loyal remained behind hoping to be able to protect their property from the ravages of our soldiers. How sadly they were disappointed!

Not a house in the city but was broken into and everything conceivably valuable appropriated. Churches, stores, and private dwellings were completely sacked of everything valuable. Tobacco seemed to be most earnestly sought after and hundreds of pounds of the nasty weed, which had been stowed away and hidden from view for months, was brought to light and many a soldier luxuriated on tobacco that day who had well nigh famished from want of it the day before.

In some cases of the houses, the tables were spread indicating that the occupants had just risen from the engagement of a luxurious meal. In others I observed soldiers all black and begrimed with dirt with an overcoat on and the blanket around their necks seated at handsomely furnished pianos, playing away for dear life and quite professionally, too, while other rummaged through bureau drawers or inspected the contents of well selected libraries. witness to many heartrending sights such as I hope to never see again. Never was a city more thoroughly sacked in so short a space of time than the ill-fated city of Fredericksburg. 

Corporal Blain witnessed the wholesale sacking of the town by his fellow Union soldiers, tobacco being a particularly prized article. "I observed soldiers all black and begrimed with dirt seated at handsomely furnished pianos, playing away for dear life," he stated. "But soon the shells began to fly back and forth over the town which soon put a stop to the pilfering." 

The noise and destruction of property that day was terrible, almost beyond description. But soon the shells began to fly back and forth over the town, many of them alighting in the streets and houses which soon put a stop to the pilfering. The streets were lined with our troops waiting to relieve those already engaged with the enemy. One poor fellow who was sitting with his back against a house directly in front of the one I was in had his head taken off by a ball from the enemy which came rushing through the house. Another man I observed passing along the street stopped at a crossing and while there a ball from the enemy’s cannons knocked both of his legs off, leaving him rolling in the mud.

I remained in the city that day and all the next and never did I see or hear balls and shells fly so thick and fast as they did on Friday and Saturday. On these two days our infantry was engaged, fighting most manfully at terrible disadvantage, which told fearfully in their ranks. They maintained their ground, however, until Sunday night when it was determined to evacuate the place.

It was on Saturday when the contest was the hottest that the brave Lieutenant Potts was wounded above the right eye by a Minie ball. He was reclining on the ground, his head resting on his left hand awaiting the attack when the fatal messenger of death came. On the evening of the evacuation, his remains were conveyed across the river by Fred Wenchell and three others, all members of the company. Fred was ardently attached to Lieutenant Potts and but for his untiring energy on that eventful night, in all probability the body would have been lost beyond recovery. Thus, was suddenly terminated the brilliant and honorable career of one of Blair County’s most noble sons.

 The troops have all returned to this side of the river and occupy their former campground there to await, as patiently as possible, the progress of coming events. Some say that the next 48 hours will develop astonishing results but as this war has already developed some ‘astonishing results,” I shall not be surprised to hear that Congress is “about to take measures for the vigorous prosecution of the war”, even “on to Richmond!” A close estimate here places our loss entire at 12,000-15,00 men. Anxiously awaiting “the progress of events,” I subscribe myself yours and c., Blain.

William Blain (also listed in the rosters as Blair) enlisted as a 31-year-old printer from Altoona in Co. M of the 62nd Pennsylvania in August 1861. He wrote frequent letters to his former employer who shared them in the pages of the Altoona Tribune, this letter being his last as army records indicate that he deserted shortly after writing the above letter.

Source:

Letter from Corporal William Blain, Co. M, 62^nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Altoona Tribune (Pennsylvania), December 23, 1862, pgs. 1 and 2