This collection features the wartime correspondence of Regimental Band Leader Thomas McKean, of the 10th Pennsylvania Reserves. After the regimental band was disbanded – it’s members were absorbed into the various companies in the regiment. McKean can be found on the muster rolls of Company G, of the 10th Regiment.
This digital collection share was contributed to us back in 2011 by the donor of the transcripts, Roland J. Gallo. We’d like to specially thank CW5 Russell J. Houser, DMA for his work in prepping the digital record, and to Brendon Stead for editing the final copy for publication. Thanks to everyone who was involved in getting this project completed.
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, September 13, 1861
TENNALLYTOWN D.C.
SEPT. 13, 1861
DEAR RACHEL- I GOT HERE YESTERDAY NOON, BUT WAS TO BUSY ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND SHAKING HANDS TO WRITE. I SUPPOSE WHISTLER GAVE YOU NOTICE THAT WE HAD LEFT HARRISBURG SAFELY. WE GOT TO BALTIMORE AT 6 O’CLOCK I...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, September 15, 1861
CAMP TENNALLYTOWN, D.C.
SEPT 15TH, 1861
DEAR WIFE - ACCORDING TO PROMISE, I WRITE YOU AGAIN, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM WELL, AND ENJOYING MYSELF. I WRITE THIS BEAUTIFUL MORNING UPON THE BANKS OF ROCK CREEK, A PRETTY LITTLE STREAM,...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, September 19-20, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY DC
SEPT 19, 1861
DEAR RACHEL- A WEEK AGO TODAY I REACHED THIS PLACE, AND A WEEK’S EXPERIENCE OF CAMP LIFE HAS ONLY INCREASED MY BELIEF THAT IT FITS ME ADMIRABLY. THE WEATHER HAS BEEN TOLERABLY GOOD. WE HAVE HAD TWO SHOWERS- O...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, September 24, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY D.C.
SEPT. 24. 1861
DEAR WIFE - I GOT YOUR LETTER YESTERDAY MORNING, AFTER ALMOST GIVING UP ALL HOPE OF HEARING FROM YOU. I AM STILL IN CAPITAL HEALTH, AND STILL ENJOY MYSELF. ON SATURDAY LAST WE HAD A GRAND REVIEW OF...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, September 25, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY D.C
SEPT. 25TH 1861
DEAR WIFE - I RECEIVED YOUR LETTER THIS EVENING., IT BEING THE SECOND ONE I HAVE RECEIVED FROM HOME.
I AM VERY SORRY TO HEAR THAT DIPHTHERIA HAS BROKEN OUT IN MERCER. WE HAD ESCAPED IT SO LONG...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, September 29, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY, D.C.
SEPT. 29, 1861
DEAR WIFE - THIS IS MY THIRD SUNDAY IN CAMP, AND LIKE THE OTHER TWO, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL BRIGHT DAY. LAST SUNDAY I SPENT IN THE CITY, BUT TODAY NO ONE IS
ALLOWED TO GO OUT OF CAMP UPON E ANY PRETEXT....
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, September 26, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY, D.C.
SEPT. 26, 1861
DEAR RACHEL -
THIS BEING A FAST DAY, THERE IS NO DRILL IN OUR BRIGADE, AND I TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHANCE TO WRITE YOU, ALTHOUGH I WROTE LAST NIGHT. THIS MAKES THE FIFTH LETTER I HAVE WRITTEN TO YOU...
Letter from Thomas McKean, probably from Camp Tenally, September 30, 1861
MONDAY MORNING SEPT. 30, 1861
DEAR RACHEL -
CONTRARY TO ALL OUT EXPECTATIONS, WE WERE NOT CALLED OUT LAST NIGHT. THERE WAS NO FURTHER FORWARD MOVEMENT ON THE PART OF GEN. McCLELLAN YESTERDAY, BECAUSE IT WAS SUNDAY. TODAY OUR...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, October 2, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY, OCT. 2 1861
DEAR WIFE -
WE ARE STILL HERE, AND THOUGH STILL UNDER PRECAUTIONARY ORDERS, THE FEELING EXISTS SOMEHOW, IN MY MIND, THAT McCALLS’S DIVISION WILL STAY HERE UNTIL WE GO INTO WINTER QUARTERS. YESTERDAY T...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, October 5, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY, OCT. 5, 1861
DEAR RACHEL -
I RECEIVED YOUR LETTER ENCLOSING ONE FROM WILLIE AND ELLIE, YESTERDAY EVENING, AND THE WHOLE THREE WERE VERY ACCEPTABLE. I WILL WRITE TO THE CHILDREN SOON. I AM GOING DOWN TO THE...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, October 7, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY
OCT. 7. 1861
DEAR WIFE - I DID NOT WRITE YESTERDAY, BECAUSE I WENT OVER TO LEASURE’S REGIMENT, AND WHEN I GOT BACK I WAS TIRED ENOUGH TO REST. I SAW MANY OLD FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES , AND HAD RATHER A...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Tenally, October 9, 1861
CAMP TENNALLY OCT. 9TH, 1861
DEAR RACHEL -
THE REGIMENT MOVED OVER THE RIVER THIS EVENING AND THE BAND REMAINS IN CAMP TILL MORNING, WHEN THE WHOLE WILL GO OVER INTO VIRGINIA. WE CANNOT KNOW WHAT IS ON HAND, BUT I SUPPOSE A GENERAL...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, October 12, 1861
CAMP PIERMONT
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA.
OCT. 12TH, 1861
DEAR RACHEL-
WE HAVE HALTED AND PITCHED OUR CAMP AT THIS PLACE, WHICH IS
CALLED CAMP PIERPONT, IN HONOR OF THE WESTERN GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA. IT IS ON THE DIRECT ROAD FROM...
Letter from Thomas McKean, probably from Camp Pierpont, October 20, 1861
Oct 20th 1861
Dear Rachel- our regiment advanced to Vienna, together with McCall’s entire division. The band went with it, but it was necessary for me to go to the city to get some instruments and some new music, so I was left behind. The camp i...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, October 21, 1861
Camp PierpontOct 21 1861
Dear Rachel- We are in Camp Pierpont again. Saturday McCall’s division moved up he road toward Leeburg some six or eight miles. I did not go with them but went out yesterday. No enemy appearing and having found out that mo...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, October 24, 1861
Camp Pierpont Oct. 24 ,1861
Dear Wife- We are still here but are to leave in a couple of hours for Leesburg, we suppose. The whole division is to move a 8 o’clock this morning. Our brigade will be in the rear and our regiment in the r...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, October 26, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Oct 26 1861
Dear Wife- I find a sheet of paper lying loose in the tent already dated by someone else and I appropriated it to my own use. We are still at PIerpont and the prospect is that we will be here for ...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, October 29, 1861
Camp Pierpont Oct 29, 1861
Dear Rachel- This morning is pretty cool and we have no fire in our tent, so that I will not write a very long letter. We had a heavy frost this morning as we have had for several mornings past. We sleep warm, however,...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 2, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Nov 2 1861
Dear Rachel-I received a letter from you yesterday evening, containing Sammy’s mark. You may believe me when I say that the dear little fellow’s scrawl or splatter done me more good than even your welcome letter. It rain...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 3, 1861
Camp Pierpont Nov. 3rd 1861
Dear Rachel- I wrote the letter enclosed with this day before yesterday, but the mail was gone before I got it into the letter box. Yesterday, I missed the connection again, and this morning no mail went out. So I have...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 13, 1861
Camp Pieront,Dec 13th, 1861.
Dear Rachel – I write this morning merely to let you know that I am in sound health, as usual. It is a sharp morning, and I am writing with my gloves on, in Capt. Warner’s tent. His fire is not as good as we keep up ...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 13, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Nov. 13, 1861
Dear Rachel -
I was down in Washington yesterday, and gave Wm N Francis Esq. of Wilmington $100 to take to you. He promised to take it to you himself. Many of the boys sent money home with him. I staid in the city...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 14, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Nov. 14 1861
Dear Rachel
I received an unnecessarily severe letter from you yesterday evening. I have written very often - never less that twice a seek- sometimes every other day. During the past two weeks there has been such...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 18, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Nov 18th, 1861.
Dear Wife – I did not write on Sunday because Tom Rogers started for home on Saturday, and he promised to go and see you, and tell you how I was. etc. He should have reached home on Monday, and I have no doubt his v...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 19, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Nov. 19th 1861.
Dear Rachel - I wrote you last night, but a new movement appearing to be on foot. I think it proper to let you know at the earliest chance, all that is going on. Today an order was received by Gen. McCall, directing...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 24, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Nov 24th 1861.
Dear Rachel,
I received a letter from you last night, a acknowledging the receipt of the money I sent by Mr. Francis. I am glad you got it safety for I hear some complains about money miscarrying. I knew it would...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, November 29, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Nov. 29th, 1861.
Dear Rachel – Whistler and Shifler are writing, and having nothing else to do for a short time before we got to bed, I have concluded to scribble a few lines to you. We are still in camp and I see no indications o...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 1, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec 1st, 1861.
Dear Rachel - Although you only require me to write twice a week, yet as I have time and opportunity, I write oftener. We are here yet, and no more evidence of a movement than there was three weeks ago. There is to be...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 9, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec 9th, 1861.
Dear Rachel - I promised you, and I promised myself that I would write to you on Sunday, but if you had seen what a glorious day yesterday was, you would not have expected me to write, or do anything else, except walk...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 14, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec, 14th, 1861.
Dear Rachel - I take my chance to write to you tonight, for fear tomorrow might be too pleasant for me to stay in the house, thus cheat you our of a letter, as last Sunday. The Weather still continues fine, but nobody...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 16, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec 16th, 1861.
Dear Rachel – Tom Rogers got back this evening. He left his trunk in Washington so that I have not yet received the pictures. His trunk will be up tomorrow. I am very impatient to see them. He has told me all the n...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 19, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec. 19th, 1861.
Dear Rachel – I am writing this in our new quarters – That is in our new Cabin. We have a very comfortable house, and we can stand any amount of cold weather. We have a little sheet iron stove with two holes in the...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 22, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec. 22nd, 1861.
Dear Rachel – I wrote you a few hurried lines night before last, after our return from the field of battle when I was almost too tired to think. I have not got over the fatigue yet, for my legs ache as though they h...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 27, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec. 27th, 1861.
Dear Rachel – I got a letter from father tonight giving me information of your great good luck. I am exceedingly glad the affair is over and safely over. I would give a great deal to be at home a little while just t...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 31, 1861
Camp Pierpont, Dec. 31st, 1861.
Dear Rachel – I very unexpectedly got a note from you last night, and you may be sure I was glad to get it. [We were] pleased with Col. McCalmont’s behavior. I never saw him any calmer than he was in the hottest of ...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, December 31, 1861 (2)
Camp Pierpont,Dec. 31st, 1861.
[This date may be incorrect, as we have a different letter for Dec. 31st; however, the date may be correct, it is hard to say.]
Dear Rachel – I very unexpectedly got a note from you last night, and you may be s...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 2, 1862
Camp Pierpont,Jan. 2nd, 1862.
Dear Rachel
I got a letter from you last night along with one from father. I am very glad you are getting along so well. Yesterday was new year’s day, and it was as warm and balmly as we usually have at home in M...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 3, 1862
Camp Pierpont,January 3rd, 1862.
Dear Rachel,
I did not go to the hospital yesterday, though I wrote to you would, it was too cold to venture out in the morning, and when it got warmer I felt so much better that I concluded to try it another...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 5, 1862
Camp Pierpont,Jan. 5th, 1862.
Dear Rachel,
I am still in camp and getting along as well, I suppose, as I would in hospital. At any rate, my progress is satisfactory to myself, and to the doctor. He says I must take care of my appetite, and be...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 7, 1862
Camp Pierpont,Jan. 7th, 1862.
Dear Rachel,
I am still in my quarters, in camp, and getting along, slowly but surely. I got a letter from you last night, the first I had got for three days. In the one before the last you had spoken of Sammy being...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 9, 1862
Camp Pierpont,Jan. 9th 1862.
Dear Rachel - I received a doleful letter from you last night, written in answer to the one where I announced my purpose of going to the hospital. I was afraid you would imagine things to be much worse than they really...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 11, 1862
Camp Pierpont,Jan. 11th 1862.
Dear Rachel, I received a letter from you last night in which you indulge stong hopes of seeing me shortly. You surely know enough of the uncertainty attending army regulations, to know better than to build hope of my...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 16, 1862
Camp Pierpont,January 16th 1862.
Dear Rachel, I wrote you a very gloomy letter on the 14th . I believe I told you in it, that I was better and worse every other day. I am very glad to tell you that this, which should have been my bad day, has passed...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 19, 1862
Camp Pierpont,January 19th, 1862.
Dear Rachel – In your last letter, which I received night before last, you hint at the possibility of your soon wanting money. I enclose you five dollars, which will keep the wolf from the door till we are paid o...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp Pierpont, January 30, 1862
Camp Pierpont,January 30th, 1862.
Dear Rachel – I am still here, patiently biding my time. I have not seen Col. McCalmont since I will go to see him about tomorrow. He is so strict a disciplinarian that he don’t like to let me off except in the reg...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Washington, D.C., April 29, 1862
Washington,April 29th, 1862.
Dear Rachel – I rec’d yours of the 25th this morning. You may be sure I was glad to hear from you. It seemed an age since I had heard from you. I am no further on in business matters than when I wrote you last. I hav...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Washington, D.C., May 11, 1862
Washington,May 11th 1862
Dear Rachel – I am glad to have it to write that I am at work at last, though not in the Government Office. I could not make the connection there, although I was able to bring considerable influence to bear upon the superintendent. H...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Washington, D.C., May 17, 1862
Washington,May 17th, 1862.
Dear Rachel – I have concluded to write tonight instead of tomorrow. I have taken boarding permanently at the St. Charles Hotel. I have to pay five dollars a week, but I have good accommodations, and it is close to the o...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Washington, D.C., June 21, 1862
Washington D.C,June 21st, 1862.
Dear Rachel – I have not written to you since last Sunday, chiefly because I had scarcely time enough to do it, and when I could have stolen time enough to do it, and when I could have stolen time enough, I felt t...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Washington, D.C., June 25, 1862
Washington,June 25th, 1862.
Dear Wife – I have just come from the hospital, and find an alarming chance in Jim Henderson’s condition. About day’s light his arm commenced bleeding again, not as it did before from the artery, but what the Surgeon calls...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Washington, D.C., June 27, 1862
Washington, D.C.,June 27th 1862.
Dear Rachel – It is now two o’clock p.m. I have been at the hospital since a little after Ten. James Henderson feels more comfortable today, but I can see that he is weaker. His arm is still bleeding a little spi...
Letter from Thomas McKean, from Camp near Hagerstown, MD., September 20, 1862
Camp near Hagerstown MD.,Sept. 20th, 1862.
Dear Rachel – We reached this place yesterday afternoon, after a fatiguing ride by railroad. We left Harrisburg on Thursday morning and were some 30 hours getting to Hagerstown. There are said to be over 5...
