Centre County Library and Historical Museum - P. Benner Wilson Letters

Capt. Wilson is only about a month into his enlistment. Capt. Wilson is hoping for an appointment to Major with the help of Governor Curtin. Capt. Wilson wants his brother to order him two heavy blankets with his name on them and his rank; he will let his brother know whether it should be 'Capt. or Maj.'. Capt. Wilson is staying at a boarding house.

B&W photograph of Captain P. (Philip) Benner Wilson of Company F, 59th PA Regiment, 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry Volunteers by J. E. M'Clees, 910 Chestnut St., Philadelphia. Photograph taken between September 1861 and March 31, 1862 when Company F was located at Camp Patterson in Philadelphia, PA.

Capt. Benner Wilson is the Officer of the Day at camp and he experienced issues with a soldier cutting a 4 ft. section of tent, a group of 40 men who went dancing without authorization, and a bloody Sergeant Major. Capt. Wilson is pleased with the hotel in the Point Breeze Park for its meals. Capt. Benner wants his brother to buy a horse and send it to him so he can get around Philadelphia.

The 2nd PA Cavalry had just arrived in Baltimore and a bullet 'passed between the legs of one of the men'. Capt. Wilson's regiment had no firearms. Capt. Wilson thought it 'imprudent' being sent to a place with many rebels without 'something to protect us'. Only a Maryland company had weapons. People were 'hissing their dogs at you and throwing stones'. 'About two thirds of this end of the City and around us are South'. They were likely fired upon for raising a flag. A Union army captain from Maryland said he would hang his two rebel brothers if they were taken prisoner.

Capt. Wilson's company received their horses; he got a 'white & brown spotted' piebald horse for his bugler. Capt. Wilson was officer of the day and he went with a guard unit and destroyed 300 - 500 gallons of liquor (in four houses) that was being sold to the men in his regiment. The 2nd PA Cavalry ate well in Washington.

Capt. Wilson was busy sorting horses by color so that each company of the regiment had the same color. Capt. Wilson was almost shot by a drunk, fellow Union officer in front of the Willard Hotel who shot 4 times at a 'hackman' for not obeying orders; Capt. Wilson jumped him and had him arrested. 'It created quite an excitement in Washington.' Capt. Wilson had a passing romance with a Senator's daughter.

Captain Wilson and the 2nd PA Cavalry moved from Washington, D.C. to Clouds Mills, VA. Captain Wilson got sick along the way and was hauled to camp by a wagon. Captain Wilson dreams of being home and thinks of the people of Bellefonte, PA. Captain Wilson lost 20 lbs in two weeks.

Capt. Wilson celebrated July 4th by marching his men into the woods, treating them with lemonade and cakes, reading the Declaration of Independence, making a few remarks, and singing some songs. Capt. Wilson states that 'it is a grand sight at night to see the difft. [different] camps around lights up.' Capt. Wilson mentions a 'terrible battle in Richmond'.

Capt.Wilson's unit marched from Cloud's Mills, VA to Warrenton, VA in 2-1/2 days. Men were shooting animals along the way to subsist on. Three ladies along the way said that 'all the northerners would bite the dust and that the south would never give up.' Capt. Wilson joked about marrying a southern lady and one lady said 'no southern lady of any honor would marry a northerner.'

The regiment moved from Cloud's Mills, VA to Little Washington, VA. Capt. Wilson's unit marched past the Bull Run battlefield and saw 'where the trees were cut by the bullets and cannon balls, one passed through a stone house'. They expected to get into a battle soon. Capt. Wilson noted 'if I should happen to be killed I wish you would have my remains brought home and buried in a lot in the cemetery', and if he got wounded he wanted to be brought back to Pennsylvania.

Capt. Wilson and the 2nd PA Cavalry arrived late for the Battle of Cedar Mountain only to see the killed and wounded on the battlefield, and the surgeons removing arms and legs. They had marched to the battle over '3 or 4 days with but one meal a day and some days none. Our horses having no grain for 3 days'. Capt. Wilson has been sleeping on the ground for 20 days 'experiencing soldier's life in reality'. Two of Capt. Wilson's men were taken prisoner in a separate skirmish.

Captain Wilson asked his brother to have the deserters of his company arrested and their names published in all the county papers. Captain Wilson also wants his brother to bring them to Harrisburg, PA and probably to his regiment in Washington; he wants him to act immediately.