This letter was written by Jeremiah (“Jerry”) D. Davidson (1844-1924), the son of John Miller Davidson (1816-1852) and Arabella (“Bella”) Anne English (1818-18xx) of New Albany, Bradford, Pennsylvania. At age 18, Jeremiah enlisted on 22 March 1864 as a private in Co. K, 50th Pennsylvania Infantry. He was promoted to corporal on July 1, 1865 just weeks before he mustered out on 30 July at Georgetown.
As Jeremiah joined the 50th Pennsylvania, presumably he was with the regiment during the Rapidan Campaign May 4-June 12 and through the rest of their service as follows: Battle of the Wilderness May 5-7. Spotsylvania May 8-12. Ny River May 9. Spotsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Ox Ford May 24. Line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864 to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Poplar Springs Church or Peeble’s Farm September 29-October 2. Reconnaissance on Vaughan or Squirrel Level Road October 8. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher’s Run, October 27-28. Fort Stedman March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee to Burkesville April 3-9. Moved to City Point, then to Washington, D.C., April 21-28. Grand Review of the Armies May 23, 1865.
TRANSCRIPTION
Addressed to Mr. D. P. Little, New Albany, Bradford county, Pennsylvania
Postmarked Georgetown, D. C.
Co. K, 50th Pennsylvania
Washington D. C.
May the 24th 1865
My dear mother,
It is with pleasure that I seat myself down to write to you. Know that I am well at present and I hope these few lines will find you the same. Yesterday I went down to town to be reviewed. Our Corps was reviewed and today Sheridan’s Army was is to be reviewed.
Well, there was an order issued that all these lines would be out by the 1st of October—that they would be discharged immediately and the western regiments would go home on a 60-day furlough with half pay and half rations and so I think that there will be a chance for me to get home too.
Well, I must close by asking you to write soon. Goodbye. This is from,— J. D. Davidson
To his mother, B. E. Little
Spared & Shared 16 