“This War is for the Rich”

“This War is for the Rich”

Pvt. Joseph Louiselle

Location: Camp near Harrison’s Landing

Date: August 3rd, 1862

Unit: 6th Vermont Infantry Regiment

Camp near Harrison’s Landing

August 3rd, 1862

Dear Brother,

Your letter I got yesterday and was glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well. As for myself i just this morning came out of the hospital. I have been sick three or four days. I had the Colary morbus (Cholera?) but am well now and hope the Lord will spair (spare) my health to return to my friends. But what is one man’s life here is not considered as much as a good dog’s in Vermont. I hoap (hope) to the bottom of my heart that some (?) power will

step in and settle this wicked Rebellion. All that is kept up for is for some few big men to get big names and presses also bringing down them men to twenty dollars per mouth and see how soon this war will close. And for my part if I was free once more the Union might go up and i never would stir one foot to help. For it is all officers and nobody else but i trust and pray that we may all get back for there is some men in our company that won’t feel so big then.

I don’t mean our comishand(commissioned) officers for they can’t be any better than they are but JP Hatch is sergeant(sergeant) and all the boys call him McClellan he was mean before he came out here but he is as much worse now as can be. Well my pen can’t describe him and as for mother i would like to know what she does with his money that she I cannot spair(spare) any to send me a paper. She goes on the boat and then can’t live out of seven dollars per month. I know of women that has three or four

children and live and don’t use it all but let her work. Perhaps she will see the folly of it before long and let the paper go. I will close by fitting you goodbye.

Joseph Louiselle

P.S.

Here is Gen Brookes picture(picture).

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Biography:

Joseph Louiselle was born on April 25th, 1841 in Swanton, Vermont to his parents Mary and Louis Louiselle. Both of his parents were from Quebec, Canada and moved down to the United States in the 1820’s from what, as his older sister was born in New York in 1823; the family decided to settle down in Vermont right before Joseph was born. Swanton looked to be a small town, and Joseph made his money as a sailor before the war broke out as stated on his enlistment. When the war broke out, Joseph was around 20 years old and answered the call to war, enlisting on October 15th, 1861 for three years. He joined Company K of the 6th Regiment of Vermont Infantry.

The 6th Vermont were called straight to Washington around 30 days after the Governors called for volunteers and would join the second, third, fourth, and fifth Vermont for the winter. Throughout the winter the Brigade suffered heavily from sickness, more specifically Typhoid Fever. On March 10th, 1862 the 6th Vermont wasted no time getting into action as the unit entered the Peninsula Campaign. The 6th Vermont would receive its first Baptism of Fire at Lee’s Mill where they would cross Warwick Creek under heavy fire from the Confederate forces, and as they reached the enemy's works, the attack was called off and the 6th Vermont retired from the engagement. They later would be involved in the Antietam Campaign at Crampton's Gap, where they would have some soldiers wounded and would later have involvement in parts at Fredericksburg and continually skirmishing with the enemy. The unit's greatest loss would be at the Battle of the Wilderness where they would lose 69 men and 127 wounded; this was almost one-half of the unit in this battle alone including Col. Barney. The 6th Vermont was also present at Cold Harbor, placing them near the Battle of Gettysburg and for the siege of Petersburg.

This letter would be written on August 3rd after their engagement at Malvern Hill at a time when the unit was experiencing a wave of sickness. Joseph himself had just gotten out of the hospital at the time that this letter was written, and he seems to be very sick of the leadership of the Unit and is ready for the war to come to an end like many other soldiers. After the war, Joseph would go back home and marry Esther Baird at the age of 23 years old and have 14 children. He lived a long life and passed away at 77 years old in Newport, New Hampshire.