American Historical Ephemera and Photography Online

Letter written by Roland E. Bowen, 15th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment.

4pp., on bifolium, 4 5/8 x 7 1/8 in., creasing, staining, toning. With envelope addressed to Davis Guild of Millbury (Worcester Co), Massachusetts (upper right portion lost). Original date, place, and greeting crossed out.

Bowen writes to his "Friend Guild," that there was "a terible [sic] fight on the 17th the 15th went in with 550 men. the battle lasted from 18 to 25 minits [sic] and we lost 330 men."

He records the death of Henry W. Ainsworth, who had only "been with us but a few days when I heard he was dead," and asks his friend to inform Ainworth's father of the tragedy, and to let him know that "if [he] wishes to know the full particulars I will write them so far as I know." Bowen says that unfortunately, whatever Ainsworth carried in his pockets is likely now in "Confederate hands, as we were driven back."

He continues: "Our own men are not all buried yet, and I should think 12 or 1500 dead rebels lay in this lot now. the stench is awfull...This battle lasted 12 hours and must be the greatest ever fought on this Continent. I believe our Regmt. counted 216 men yesterday. Please inform all the folks that I came out without a scratch. I believe I am the most fortunate fellow in the World..."

Bowen harangues Guild for not writing, and asks him to tell someone named Chase to send Bowen "the spys [sic] that have an account of this fight." Interestingly, Bowen indicates that he spoke with a Confederate soldier of the 18th Mississippi regiment the previous day. He writes: "I had a talk yesterday with one of the Miss 18th boys. this is one of the Regmts that fought us at Balls Bluff. said his Co fired a whole volley at Baker. thinks we can't never whip them (which ain't [sic] very far from the truth)."

In an attempt at gallows humor, Bowen ends his letter with an invitation to his friend to enlist and join the 15th regiment, "so that I can Bury you. I don't know of any body that can do it quicker or with less cerimony [sic]. Joe Hastings can't begin." (Joseph Hastings was a known undertaker in the town of Millbury).

The man whose death is recorded in this letter, Henry W. Ainsworth, died at Antietam only a month and a half after mustering into the 15th Regiment of Massachusetts Infantry.

The 18th Mississippi Infantry, referred to above, reported 186 men engaged at Antietam, nearly half of whom were killed or disabled in that battle.

A 24-year-old craftsman living in Millbury, Massachusetts, Roland E. Bowen enlisted as a private on 30 July 1861. He was mustered into Company B of the 15th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment the same day. After Antietam, Bowen would be listed as missing at Gettysburg, and as a POW at Petersburg, VA, where he was paroled.

Letter published in Gregory A. Coco's From Ball's Bluff to Gettysburg...And Beyond: The Civil War Letters of Private Roland E. Bowen, 15th Massachusetts Infantry 1861-1864. Gettysburg, PA: Thomas Publications, 1994.