Family Civil War Letters

George Gilbert Potter in later life. He enlisted as a boy with his father signature.

Sample of his Script, age 22. This is a description of the battle below.

Letters and text of these letters may also be be viewed on the Sullivan County, Pennsylvania Historical Pages. George Gilbert Potter is the GG-Grandfather of Ernest A. Hatton Jr. aks 2nd.

Camp on Chapens Farm, October the 29th. 1864 Dear Brother,                     I take this opportunity to write to inform you of my health which is very good at preasent and hope these few lines will find you the same. I received your letter on the third, it came to hand the 26th. and before I had time to answer we had marching orders. We started the morning of the ( errand?), We'd marched two miles then haulted that the order came down ( cooaks? ) should have three days rashions. Coosked we did not starte until the next morning, but the night seemed short fir we  was roused up at three or four the next morning. We marched about ten miles breakin to the right of these lines but the wat we went around it was about fifteen miles. We haulted and was ordered to ly down, by that time the 10 Corps was a skirmishing quite lively. The Cannons was a roring, and on our left ,a long while before then, had not commensed until where these Corps was until then Seckond Div had to do the charging that day for ours was in the advance when we took these lines on C. Farms, but it was a sorry Charge . They was repused when they had got within a short distance of the ( fourt?), the 92 N.Y.  was in Charge, they did belong to our division but were taken out two weeakes ago. I do not know what other Regts. was in the Charge besides those after the seckond Div Eng, ? have they most to the Rebs.....marks and could not one........? or other the Rebs charged and took most of them runners that was one of our................?, the Officers pays...........? which was held in reserve, was not all that sorry that we did not charge for that is what we calculated to do when we started. Iwas consurned about my money along the rout it seemed to me that the Rebs was going to take our Corps prisioners before we got back. I do know what made me think so, but I could not keep it out of my mind, but alass it was true, our loss was large according t the men engaged, that is of the seckond Division. I've marched back, or fel back in the night. It had been raining all afternoon, which made itvery muddy. It was very darke we had to feel our way, we went tunbling a long like may day worn out soldiers for we were chafed by our equipment and all so our load on our shoulders which consisted of our haversacks, gun blankets, overcoats. About one third of the ness droped out along the road, but the rest was in good spirits as could be expected under the dire circunstances. Capt Cecil Clay, Capt R........? and Cat Blakely killed. I will finish..........? another she........? Direct to Geo. G. Potter ...............? Monroe Va 58 Regt, B Co, Penn ................? Div and............? Corps. This from your affectionate Brother, George G. Potter, Please write soon

Transcribed below. This letter is not as clear as others. I tried to use the spelling as I saw it, but the script is quite good and I might have added or made mistakes on some words. E.A. Hatton

More to follow.............They number of fallen or wounded soldiers related to these families over the centuries is beyond an attempted count.

In a letter written  in winter he becomes ill and lives with the complications for the rest of his life. He begins to inquiry about the folks at home and the various nearby farmers. He seems weary of the war and concerned that he may not return, although he never mentions it,  so he says little about the war and concentrates on the business of the farm. Instructing his older brother as to what needs to be done and the method of payment for needed sheep etc. He does survive the war but in poor health. Still he has a sense of humor and the stories told  by him are also recorded. His grandsons preserve what they can and now his Great and GGreatgrandson.

Consent from George Whitefield Potter born 1806 Forksville August 4 1861 To whom it may concern. This is to certify that I have given my consent to my minor son Geo G Potter to enlist into the army of the Unites States.                      Geo W.Potter

According to records that I've found thus far Captain Cecil Clay lost one arm on September the 29th. one month prior to this battle., or perhaps this is the battle G.Gilbert Potter is writing about. It's possible that the wound reported was likely to result in death. I have not found record of him being killed during the battle mentioned, but did find the name of the other Captain mentioned above. He was Captain Reynolds. I also discovered a number of Potter cousins from New England including General Potter.