A Letter From The Civil War 

                                  
Emerson H. Bullard

  (original letter)                                                                                                                          Pine Grove Cemetery     

This letter was written by one of West Brookfield’s soldiers, Emerson H. Bullard

Emerson H. Bullard (or Henry E.) was born on July 5, 1844 in Holden, Massachusetts and was the son of Henry Bullard and Caroline Gilbert. He lived in West Brookfield and was listed as a farmer when he enlisted on July 12, 1861. He mustered into the Massachusetts 15th Infantry, Company F on July 12, 1861 as a private. He was 17 years old. 

On the census of 1850, Emerson Henry was enumerated in the household of Henry Bullard, a laborer, on September 24th at West Brookfield. On the 1860 US Federal census, he is listed as Henry E. on July 27, 1860 in West Brookfield. His father Henry is listed as a farmer.

SERVICE.--At Camp Kalorama until August 25, 1861. March to Poolesville, Md., August 25-27. Picket and outpost duty on the Upper Potomac from Conrad's Ferry to Harrison's Island until October 20. Operations on the Potomac October 21-24. Battle of Ball's Bluff October 21. At Harper's Ferry and Bolivar Heights until March 7, 1862. At Charlestown until March 10. At Berryville until March 13. Movement toward Winchester and return to Bolivar Heights March 13-15. Moved to Fortress Monroe March 22-April 1. Siege of Yorktown April 5-May 4. Battle of Fair Oaks, Seven Pines, May 31-June 1.  This is the service that Emerson H. Bullard would have seen with the 15th Regiment.

On October 21, 1861, the regiment took part in the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, VA with great loss; 32 killed, 78 wounded, 112 taken prisoners and 100 missing.  On April 28, 1862 at Yorktown, Virginia, the regiment had only two wounded, but at Fair Oaks, VA the regiment had 5 killed, and 16 wounded.

On June 2, 1862, Emerson H. ended his military service with the 15th Massachusetts due to disability. Thirteen days later on June 15, 1862, he died of consumption and is buried in Pine Grove Cemetery in West Brookfield, MA.

On 30 Aug 1867, Caroline Gilbert Bullard received a pension to surviving family member based on Emerson's service for Massachusetts; mother, receiving certificate number 137488. 

Typed letter: Spelling same as in original letter.

Poolesville Nov the 29 18–

Friend Edwin

I take this an opertunity to write you that I am
well and hope these lines will find you the same we are on
picket gard down clost whare we had our fight we have
a good time now you may believe that we yoused our guns
prety carlice over at Balls Bluff we are about 10 miles from the
camp on the bank of the Potomack we have huts built now
so that they are warmer than our tents we have about a
weak longer to stay our boys have wrote home from Richmond
that they are in an old tobbacko house they say that they are
comfortable all but clothes the rebels acrost the river have on
some of our coats that belong to the 15 regt which we had oter take
of and we will if we go over there again we will go beter perpared
for them you may believe that the bulets flew prety thick at
lest I thort that they did ther was a horse that was tied
to a tree that was shot and came prety nere faling on to me
we wer in the woods and the twigs were cut of clost to my
head and I did not now how soon that they would cut
my head of. but I got out of it with an hole head
and are ready to go again this is all I think of now
so good day but write soon as you resieve my
Letter                         Emerson H Bullard

The 15th Massachusetts Infantry was organized at Camp Scott in Worcester and Company F was composed of men from the Brookfields.

Letter courtesy of William Jankins.   Thank you, Bill.

 

Copyright © 2001   West Brookfield Historical Commission
 Last modified: January 05, 2008