These letters were written by Pvt. Cornelius D. Waldron (1834-1923) of Halifax, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, where he worked as a merchant and served as the postmaster prior to the Civil War. He enlisted in Company E, 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry on 17 October 1861 and mustered out on 24 December 1864 after three years and four months.
He was the son of William Waldron (1813-18xx) and Deborah _______ (1810-18xx). He married Margaret Agnes Lodge (1838-1915) in 1865. His sister was Hannah A. Waldron (1844-Aft1900). On 23 July 1890, Cornelius D. Waldron applied for an invalid pension based on his Civil War service. He received the pension and collected benefits until his death. He died on 7 July 1923 at the Pennsylvania Soldiers’ Home in Erie, Pennsylvania and is buried at Halifax.
The 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment fought against the famous Confederate leaders Forrest, Wheeler and Morgan, among others. Even early in the war when Confederate cavalry was normally superior to most Union forces, the regiment won most of its encounters with the enemy.
After the war, Cornelius D. Waldron openly supported the white supremacist views of Heister Clymer by signing a call for denial of equal rights to African Americans, both those who were previously slaves and those who were previously freemen. The statement was published in the Harrisburg Patriot of 24 July 1866 and included his name, regiment, company and rank. Heister Clymer was a white supremacist candidate for Pennsylvania Governor on the Democratic Party ticket in 1866. [See Cornelius Waldron—White Supremacist]
Letter 1
Camp Andy Johnson
January 7, 1862
Dear Mother and Sister,
Your kind and very welcome letter containing two dollars duly came to hand this evening which I was very happy to receive. I am still enjoying very good health with the exception of a slight cold. We are losing a man now and then out of our regiment and [crease in paper makes writing illegible] our company from Perry county deserted on New Year’s eve.
We was called upon on Friday last to witness a sad and painful scene. The whole regiment was drawn up in line when a man was marched by a file of men with drawn sabers and pointed at his back and in front of him was a drummer playing the Rogue’s March. His head and beard was shaved half off—that is, one side of his head, and whiskers was shaved off, and the other left one. In this predicament he was drummed in front of the whole line consisting of over eleven hundred men. He was then drummed out of camp as being unfit for a soldier. He would obey no commands or do any duty. He was from Mt. Joy and at one time was very wealthy and belonged to Capt. [John] Wise’s Company [F] from Lancaster. Hannah. I pitied the poor fellow indeed when he was out on the road and in that situation.
The weather has been cold here indeed but we do not [ ]. We are kept busy attending our horses and our other duties which are many. I cannot see how people can say that a soldier’s life is a lazy one. We at least are almost always busy although the work is not hard. Night is the only time we have to write and even then we dare not have a light burning after 9 o’clock P. M. At the time of my writing it is snowing and pretty cold but we are quite comfortable in our little Sibley tents thanks to Hugh Urich who built us a small chimney which we can heat it up first rate although we could not freeze hardly, there are so many of us together—eighteen in ours. A person has a very poor chance to write where there are so many in such a small space.
Bottomstone has become very unpopular with the company and woe be to him if we get into action—but say nothing to any person. We have now got all our teams—thirty in number—and six mules in each team. We are now under marching orders and perhaps ere this letter reaches you we will be on our march into Kentucky. However, address your letters as before until you are ordered otherwise. We may not march for sometime yet and if we do, the letters will be sent after us.
I am glad to hear the hogs weighed so well. They must have been fat. Do not harbor the thought of this regiment being disbanded nor listen to any of their silly talk and do not go into that arrangement of sending that box for it will cost more than it amounts to and when it is all it will be the same as before. If they sa anything again, tell them to send us the money which will do us more good than the box. I merely mention this as Miss H–berger said in Sam’s that you had a notion to join together and send a box. Keep out of it. It will do me as much good to know you wished it to me as though I had it. These two dollars you sent me will last me awhile. I can get a loaf of bread now and then. We do not get any soft bread anymore—all crackers.
You ask who has my arithmetick. I sold it to George Singer. You can buy it of him again as I suppose Asbury is through with it. I have written twice to Aunt Hannah and have received one in return. I have been in Kentucky several times for horses and when in Louisville, how I wished you there to see the fine city and splendid buildings. But it is the darndest place for Negroes and Mules I was ever in. You can see little Begro passing out through through the iron fences and hear them calling, “Soldier! Soldier!”
Tell Uncle George I will write to him when we get into our new camp. It is said we are going to Bardstown, Kentucky. Capt. [Griffith] Jones [of Co. A] from Duncannon [Wales] got married on New Years to a lady over in Louisville. Tell Uncle George he perhaps is acquainted with him. I am glad to hear you have rented so well but be sure and bind him up to keep the stable in repair and reserve room for the wagon and carriage and also keep Dick’s stall. Be sure and do it for it might be possible I would get home before the year would be up and I would want it. Do not let the sleigh out but if you can get seven or eight dollars for it, sell it. If you can’t get that, take six for it is out of date anyhow.
Look after all the things as I told you before. You are improving very fast in writing which I am glad to see. I am writing tonight on the bottom of Mother’s little trunk which is not a very good desk. However, excuse my bad writing when you know the circumstances. Tell Lute and Ned to write as I have nothing to write as regards camp life but what they know. Give them and the family my compliments. Also all enquiring friends, Aunt Polly and all.
Hannah, I wish you could see the regiment drill. It is a fine sight and hear the clanking of sabers and the thunder of horses hooves on an imaginary charge. You [know] our drill is the same as though we was going into battle—sometimes running, other times on a slower gait. As yet we have not got our revolvers. [Co. George C.] Wynkoop’s [7th Penn. Cavalry] Regiment is encamped two miles south of us—the same that was at Camp Cameron. When you write, give me all the news for it does me good to hear from home. Write often. Try and learn all you can. What is Lodge doing or going to do? I must now close hoping to hear from you soon. I remain your affectionate son and brother, — C. D. Waldron
Letter 2
Russellville [Kentucky]
June 3rd 1862
Dear Mother & Sister,
I am happy to sit down this rainy morning to inform you that our orders were countermanded. We are now fixed up again in military style. The reason why we did not march was the citizens of this place and vicinity — both Union and Dis-union — when they heard we was under marching orders, petitioned to Gen. [Ebenezer] Dumont for us to stay. Their request was granted by the old General and we are now settled down again for some indefinite time. You see Hannah, our regiment has a splendid reputation — particularly Co. E. I do not know whether we are deserving of it or not, but we all — with several exceptions — endeavor to conduct ourselves as well as we can. Our regiment is concentrating at Bowling Green and perhaps ‘ere this reaches you, we will be on our march or again we remain here some time. I tell you, Hannah and Mother, it is uncertain when we may be ordered away. I, for my part, am well satisfied we remain for a time yet.
I received a Harper from you. I am glad to hear the fences are made but what fences you have reference to, I do not know. There is no news of any importance. It is reported that there are guerrilla bands forming in this state but none in this vicinity.
Enclosed please find fifty dollars. Do with as you wish. I will wait anxiously to hear from you.
Your son and brother, — C. D. Waldron
P.S. Excuse my abruptness. I am going on a scout today.
Spared & Shared 9 