ORIGINAL CIVIL WAR SOLDIER LETTER
ALEXANDER McCLELLAND
2nd PENNSYLVANIA CAVALRY / 59th PENNSYLVANIA VOLUNTEERS
CAMP DISTRIBUTION, VIRGINIA
CIRCA 1863-1864
Original handwritten Civil War letter written by Union soldier Alexander McClelland to his brother, John McClelland.
This is an original period manuscript, not a reproduction.
The letter is headed:
"Camp Distribution
Virginia
Mr. John McClelland
Dear brother"
McClelland identifies himself at the conclusion of the letter and gives military mailing instructions that appear to read:
"Direct to Company
M. 2. P.V. Cavalry
in care of Lieutenant Ferguson
Washington, D.C."
The abbreviation "2 P.V. Cavalry" is consistent with the 2nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, also officially designated the 59th Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Extensive historical research was conducted on the writer and military context of this letter.
A soldier recorded as "M'Clelland, Alex." appears as a Private in the surviving published Pennsylvania roster of the 59th Regiment / 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry.
The combination of the writer's name, the military designation written in the letter, his instructions to direct correspondence to the cavalry regiment, and his presence at Camp Distribution provides substantial evidence identifying the writer with Alexander McClelland of the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry.
The precise company assignment should nevertheless be regarded as based primarily upon interpretation of the handwritten return address rather than represented as independently confirmed by a complete federal service record.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT:
The 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry, officially the 59th Pennsylvania Volunteers, was a Union cavalry regiment organized in 1861.
The regiment had an extensive combat and operational history during the Civil War and served in the defenses of Washington, Northern Virginia campaigns, and with the Army of the Potomac.
By June 1863, the regiment was attached to the Provost Guard of the Army of the Potomac.
On June 29, 1863, the regiment was assigned to headquarters duty under Major General George G. Meade.
The 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry was present during the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863.
Approximately 575 men of the regiment were present at Gettysburg.
The regiment served with Brigadier General Marsena Patrick's Provost Guard at Army Headquarters. On July 3, elements operated behind the Union lines near Meade's headquarters, helping control stragglers and return soldiers to the line.
Following the fighting, the regiment escorted approximately 3,000 Confederate prisoners toward Westminster, Maryland, and continued provost duties in and around Gettysburg.
IMPORTANT:
This letter itself DOES NOT mention Gettysburg and is not being represented as a Gettysburg battlefield letter.
Earlier research of the handwriting initially confused the place name "Waterford" with Gettysburg. Examination of the high-resolution photographs shows that the letter refers to a valise left at WATERFORD.
The Gettysburg association described above is therefore the documented history of McClelland's regiment and should not be interpreted as proof from this letter alone that Alexander McClelland personally participated in the Battle of Gettysburg.
CAMP DISTRIBUTION:
The heading "Camp Distribution, Virginia" provides important historical context.
Camp Distribution was a Union Army facility in the Alexandria, Virginia area used to receive, organize and forward soldiers to their commands.
Contemporary records describe large numbers of soldiers passing through the Camp Distribution / Convalescent Camp system.
Soldiers who were separated from their commands for various reasons could remain there while awaiting orders and transportation back to their regiments.
McClelland's own words correspond remarkably well with the documented function of Camp Distribution.
He states that he is still at camp, that he does not know when he will get back to his regiment, and later writes that he has been there for approximately three weeks.
He also instructs his brother to write directly to his company because he expects eventually to rejoin the regiment.
The letter therefore provides an excellent firsthand glimpse into the administrative side of Civil War military service: a cavalryman separated from his command, waiting at a Union distribution camp, corresponding with family and arranging his personal affairs while awaiting his return to active service.
CLEARFIELD COUNTY / PENNSYLVANIA CONNECTION:
One of the most useful passages for identifying McClelland geographically occurs on the second portion of the letter.
He writes approximately:
"I have been all over the United States very near since I left Clearfield County..."
This provides a direct connection between Alexander McClelland and Clearfield County, Pennsylvania.
The letter also contains Pennsylvania references to Pittsburgh and Kittanning while Alexander discusses recovering a valise and money and arranging for them to be forwarded.
FAMILY CONNECTION:
The letter is addressed to:
"Mr. John McClelland"
Alexander immediately addresses him:
"Dear brother"
The manuscript therefore provides direct primary-source evidence that the recipient John McClelland was Alexander's brother.
Alexander signs his own name near the conclusion of the letter.
Interestingly, "John McClelland" is also written beneath Alexander's signature, apparently identifying the recipient.
CONTENT:
This is considerably more than a simple one-paragraph "I am well" soldier letter.
McClelland discusses:
- His health
- Remaining at Camp Distribution
- His uncertainty over when he will return to his regiment
- His preference to be back with his regiment
- The possibility of being kept away from Confederate fire while at camp
- A valise he left at Waterford
- Arrangements to have the valise taken to Pittsburgh
- Instructions to express it onward to Kittanning
- Money and instructions concerning that money
- Correspondence with several individuals
- His experiences traveling since leaving Clearfield County
- His expectation that he will see still more places before his "trip" is finished
- Having been at Camp Distribution for approximately three weeks
- His expectation that he will eventually rejoin his regiment
- His hope that the army will not keep them much longer
- His expectation of leaving the service when his three-year term expires, provided nothing happens to him
The latter comments are particularly evocative of an enlisted Civil War soldier contemplating the remaining length of his service.
TRANSCRIPTION:
The following is my best-effort transcription from the original handwriting.
Spelling, grammar and capitalization have generally been preserved or approximated where practical.
A few words remain difficult to decipher. These are marked [illegible] or [?] rather than inventing wording.
Camp Distribution
Virginia
Mr. John McClelland
Dear brother
Once more I have the privilege of scribbling you
a few lines to let you know that I am well
and hope that these few lines will find you
in the same state of health. Well I am still
in the camp yet where I was when I
wrote to you before. Well
I have [illegible] times here and if they keep me
here I think that the "rebs" won't shoot
any more [?] but still I would rather be with the
regiment.
Well there is one thing that I
forgot to tell you and that is to see if my
valise I left it at Waterford and the
man that took me there was to fetch it
to Pittsburg and express it to Kittanning to
you in care of James M. Cones. The man's
name that was to see to it is [Miel/Mil?] A.
Frank. I paid him three dollars to send it
there to Kittanning. You can write a few
lines to Mr. Cones and see if it came there
and if it is not there why I will write a
few lines to Mr. Frank to see where it is and
if he don't tend to sending it there I will
tend to him some time when I git out of
the service.
I think I will git out of the
service when my three years is up if
thar is nothing happens me. Well see to
[SECOND SIDE / CONTINUATION]
gitting my valise and git that money
& sent to you. Put it out on interest for
me and be [illegible] and come out safe if
I can.
Well I have been all over the
United States very near since I left Clearfield
County and still expect to see more yet
before I get through with my trip. A sad
Virginia but I am the one that has to
[illegible] for that [illegible] calculate that
[illegible]
Do it too and calculate to see to that part too
and to that well too.
Well you can write to the company when
you write again. I don't know when I'll git
to the regiment but it will be all write
when I git there. I don't think that they
will keep us here long any more. I
have been here about three weeks now.
Well see to that valise and git it git
that money too and you can write to the
company if you write.
Direct to Company
M. 2. P.V. Cavalry
in care of Lieutenant Ferguson
Washington, D.C.
Alexander McClelland
to
John McClelland
TRANSCRIPTION NOTE:
Some portions of the handwriting are difficult to decipher and the transcription above should be regarded as a good-faith reading rather than a certified scholarly transcription. Please use the photographs of the original document as the definitive reference.
RESEARCH NOTES:
Published Pennsylvania military records contain an Alexander / "Alex." McClelland as a Private in the 59th Regiment, the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry.
The 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry was organized beginning in 1861 and ultimately served extensively with the Army of the Potomac.
Its documented service included:
- Defenses of Washington
- Northern Virginia operations
- Chantilly
- Antietam campaign
- Gettysburg campaign
- Army of the Potomac Provost Guard
- Bristoe Campaign
- Mine Run Campaign
- Wilderness Campaign
- Cold Harbor
- Trevilian Station
- Petersburg-area operations
- Later service through the closing stages of the war
During the Gettysburg Campaign the regiment served with the Army of the Potomac's Provost Guard and Army Headquarters.
Again, this regimental history is provided as historical context. The present letter is not represented as a Gettysburg battle letter, and Alexander McClelland's individual presence in every action of the regiment has not been independently established.
The most compelling provenance is contained in the manuscript itself:
1. The writer identifies himself as Alexander McClelland.
2. He addresses John McClelland as his brother.
3. He writes from Camp Distribution, Virginia.
4. He explicitly discusses waiting to return to his regiment.
5. His return instructions appear to identify the 2nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry.
6. He directs correspondence through a lieutenant in Washington, D.C.
7. He specifically references having left Clearfield County.
8. An Alexander McClelland independently appears in the published Pennsylvania roster of the 59th Regiment / 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry.
Taken together, these details provide a substantial historical basis for identifying the writer as Union cavalryman Alexander McClelland of the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry.
DATE:
No written date has been located on the surviving letter.
Based upon the military context and the operation of Camp Distribution, the letter appears consistent with the Civil War period, likely circa 1863-1864.
I have therefore not assigned an exact date that is not written on the document.
CONDITION:
Original antique handwritten letter showing expected age and storage wear.
Paper has overall age toning/yellowing.
Original fold lines are present from the manner in which the letter was historically folded.
There is minor edge wear with small edge nicks/irregularities.
Ink remains remarkably dark and legible for its age.
No modern restoration is known.
Please examine all photographs carefully for the exact condition, handwriting, wording, folds, edges and completeness.
Only the original manuscript shown in the photographs is included.
No envelope or additional military paperwork is included unless specifically shown.
This is an unusual surviving piece of original Union Civil War correspondence with an identified writer, identified family recipient, military-unit connection, Pennsylvania geographical references and firsthand Camp Distribution content.
It would make an excellent research piece for a collector of Civil War manuscripts, Pennsylvania military history, Union cavalry, the 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry / 59th Pennsylvania Volunteers, Camp Distribution / Alexandria history, Clearfield County history, or original 1860s correspondence.
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