Beschreibung:

19 letters, 1861-1897. William Hamilton Grape (called Hamilton by his family) was one of a minority of Baltimoreans who remained loyal to the union when the Civil War broke out. During the fall 1861, Grape enlisted in the Maryland Legion, raised by William Henry Purnell, an unusual outfit comprised of nine companies of infantry, two of cavalry, and two batteries of artillery. After Purnell resigned in Feb. 1862, the Legion was disbanded and the soldiers were assigned to other branches of the service, with Grape ending up in the 1st Maryland Infantry. Throughout his service, Grape was one of a relatively small number of union soldiers who could say he was fighting on his own home ground, but that did not make the experience easier. During the summer 1862, the 1st Maryland squared off against Stonewall Jackson in the Shenandoah Valley, learning why the Confederate general was rapidly acquiring mythical status for his tactical prowess. From Harpers Ferry, June 7, 1862, Grape wrote: I suppose you would like to know something about how we got allong here while Jackson was coming down on us... I was at a point beyond Bolivar well Old Jackson drove us in about a half a mile when our army formed a line of battle on Bollivar Heights when he made his appearance in the woods about one mile distant. He opened with his Artillery on us which did us no harm (shell fell short). We returned it with interest and held him in check for a while... we sleept on our arms untill about one o’ck when the whole army fell back to Harpers Ferry our Legion bringing up the rear. Things began to look bad. Jackson with 20 thousand men and our forces not more than 8 thousand... Grape continues at length and with detail about one of Jackson’s more significant achievements in the Valley of 1862, including a frightening account of receiving friendly fire from regular troops held in reserve. I tell you what the bullets went close to us they put me in mind when you get into a hornet’s nest. It was not very pleasant mind. I tell you they took them regulars and made them go in there tents that was the first fire we were ever under. The boys stood well as soon as I saw that the regulars were firing on us (in mistake) I dropped like a flash in the ground as well as the rest and most of the balls went over without doing any harm. After the danger was removed from behind we turned our attention to the danger in front. The enemy’s cavalry were at the foot of the hill that is we thought they were... Getting so trounced during the summer took its toll on Grape’s morale, who was worn out by campaigning: It is a hard life to make the best of it in. our Legion is in a bad way just now having no Quartermaster with us to look out for our comfort. Some of the men have no shoes to put on and a great many are sick and what makes it worse, we have no tents to sleep in. But the officers take good care to have their tents with them. Ah they don’t think much of us Marylanders...Grape, however, soldiered on. Apparently, his brother George shared some of the same complicated feelings toward the war and sacrifice. Unable to serve, he wrote in Feb 12, 1864: I don’t want to be like the man... who was willing to shed the last drop of his neighbor’s blood, in behalf of the Union, and if necessary sacrifice his brother-in-law, but I really would be willing to enlist myself if the family could spare me. I think I would go with pleasure in spite of my health, and in spite of the privations, in order to have some part in putting down the accursed rebellion, but as you know I cannot be spared... During his service, Grape was taken as prisoner twice, surviving Libby Prison and Andersonville to return home to Baltimore, though neither experience is reflected in the collection. He died there in 1912, age 77. About a third of the Grape collection pertains to Grape’s military affairs after war, including materials relating to his pension and four Maryland National Guard documents. Condition: Some wear