James Rumbaugh wrote this letter while serving in Co. F, 76th Pennsylvania Infantry (a.k.a., the “Keystone Zouaves”). He was drafted into the regiment on 13 July 1863 as a private and was discharged on 23 May 1865.
James was wounded on 7 May 1864 when participating in Butler’s operations on the south side of the James River near Petersburg. According to the regimental history, the brigade in which the regiment was placed, commanded by Col. Barton, embarked upon transports, and headed as if for an expedition to West Point and White House; but suddenly changing direction proceeded down the York, and up the James, landing at Bermuda Hundred. It moved towards the Petersburg and Weldon Railroad, destroying several miles of the track, under heavy fire. The rebels were forced back to Drury’s Bluff, where they were reinforced, and the object of the reconnoissance being accomplished, the brigade was withdrawn. The Seventy-sixth lost sixty-five in killed, wounded and missing.
James wrote to David Henri Dunmire (1844-1901) of Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. He was the son of David and Sarah (Heffelfinger) Dormire.
TRANSCRIPTION
Hilton Head, South Carolina
March 28th, 1864
Well Henry, I thought it time I would write a few lines to you to find out how you was getting along. This leaves me in good health and I hope it may find you enjoying the same blessing.
They have got me on an island down here and if the rebels get after me, I can’t run like I could when I was stealing apples. I haint got so much room to get out of the way.
Last Sabbath a week ago about four o’clock in the morning, they heard boats in the stream and sent in for the companies and the men got out and it is supposed that the rebs thought it was too late for them [to] make an attack, and was about leaving and they challenged them and they gave no answer and we opened fire on them and they were rather far out in the stream but we wounded some of them for we heard them groan. If the moon had set about two o’clock, they would have made landing and give us a hot time of it. There was five boats come up there and about 25 lying back in May River, but our gunboats run up and shelled them back. We are looking for them every night.
The company all along the picket line has to fall out at three o’clock every morning and stay up till daylight. We don’t get much sleep at night for we are on guard every third night. I have been on picket every third night since I came down here and that is about five months. They come over in little boats to capture a picket post nearly every night but we always see them before they get landed and they are on the water and we are on land behind a tree and they have a poor show. There never was any of this regiment captured yet until the other night and we have pickets out in little boats—five men in a boat—and the rebs captured one of the boats the other night. [It] is the first ever was captured on picket. We are expecting them to make a raid soon.
Well Henry, we have very nice and warm weather. Everything is green here—only the niggers and they are black as you please. There is towns of them here and they have a few chickens now but not many. If a chicken wants to live out half its days or have good health, it musn’t crow before daylight or it will lose its feathers. We have stole all the chickens, all the ducks, and sweet potatoes that we wanted and that ain’t all we got. But the other I won’t tell you about.
Well Henry, I am tired writing till I see whether you get this or not, and if you get this, please answer it, and then I will let you know more about things the next time. Excuse bad writing and spelling. So l will close by sending my best respects to you and all enquiring friends. Please answer my letter. Tell me all the news. Henry, write soon. — James Rumbaugh
Direct your letter to Hilton Head, S C., Co. F, 76th Regt. Penn. Vols.