Research Arsenal Spotlight 81: Seth Bishop 4th Vermont Infantry
Seth Bishop was born in 1839 to Chauncey Bishop and Samantha (Stearns) Bishop of Readsboro, Vermont. On April 12, 1862, he enlisted in Company I of the 4th Vermont Infantry.
Seth Bishop in Virginia
Seth Bishop wrote the majority of his letters to his brothers and sisters at home. On June 16, 1862 he wrote a letter datelined from “Camp Fort Smith” and said that although his camp was under fire from Confederate artillery, he personally was not afraid because he believed that you only died when your time came so it was useless to worry.
“I hain’t been sick any since that I left home. I can lay right on the ground and sleep as well as I did when I was at home in a feather bed and don’t think anymore about being in danger than I did when I was at home. They throw their shells over in our camp every little while and the boys dodge so but I tell them that there is no use of their dodging for they won’t die till their time comes, so that if it is right for me to die here, I am satisfied & tell them that I don’t believe that ever there was any man ever saved by being afraid for while they are trying to get out of danger, they might get right in danger.”
In the same letter he also wrote about a joking exchange between Union and Confederate pickets about their plans for the 4th of July.
“Saturday eve their pickets were right in [sight] of us. They would talk back and forth to each other. They wanted to know where that we was going to the Fourth of July. I told them that I should call into Richmond and take [ ]. They said come on, they would treat us first rate but I don’t know I shall.”
On November 30, Seth Bishop wrote from Falmouth, Virginia. He talked about the recent meal he’d gotten after a church meeting and compared it to food at home. He hoped the war would end soon but didn’t think it likely.
“I have been to meeting today and have got back and had some baked beans for dinner and they were as good as you can cook at home. But the pies I like and ginger bread & puddings and rich things we don’t have out here but then I understand how to fare pretty well out here, I think, for I have plenty things to eat—rich as they be—but I should like to be there to take supper with you once in awhile. But then I think that I shan’t be this winter for we have got to settle up with the grey coats before we come home and we can’t tell how long it will take to settle for they are rough and tough [ ] to settle with. But I think that they will be glad to settle it before next spring for I think they are getting rather homesick of it by what they say. But I can stand it as long as any of them for when I am here, I shan’t be anywhere else and it agrees with me first rate.”
Winter near White Oak Church, Virginia.
The 4th Vermont Infantry spent early 1863 encamped near White Oak Church, Virginia. Seth Bishop wrote a series of letters from that location beginning with one penned on January 27, 1863, where he voiced his displeasure with politicians and citizens in Washington and hoped they would be sent to fight.
“I wish that them men around Washington were obliged to take their guns & [ ] and go into the field for as hard as [ ]. Then when they go into a fight, I wish that they would see them skirmish & I might like to be the reserve and if they undertook to run I would stop them.”
On February 25, Seth Bishop wrote about the snow in camp, though he seemed to mind it very little.
“We have had some snow here this winter but it don’t stay on long at a time. When it comes, it comes in a hurry. The other night I was out on picket. When I lay down the stars shone bright. But before morning it began to snow and when I waked up the snow were about all over us. So you see that we were very warm that night. Then in the morning we had to make us some coffee and east some hard bread & pork & then I packed up my things & went on post & had a good time.
But I suppose that you will say that you would not want such a bed to stay in. But it is white and nice as you please. I wish that you could have [been here] in the morning to see me & seen what a nice house we have got & nice furniture.”
Even into early spring, the 4th Vermont Infantry remained at White Oak Church. On April 11, 1863, Seth Bishop wrote to his sister about how he spent his day. (Seth Bishop’s handwriting is somewhat difficult to read and so there are a few omitted words.)
“I am well and have some good times but we are drilling every day. I will tell you what we had to do yesterday. In the morning I went on police, then we mustered, then came in to have roll call. Then we had barracks inspection, then went on brigade drill. Then came in & got some supper and then had roll call & then we went over to the ambulance train to [ ], & then had high times, We had plenty of lemon punch and everything went [ ]. Then I came home and found two letters in my tent for me and from home & the others from you so I had to read them before I went to bed.”
The 4th Vermont Infantry in 1863
After leaving White Oak Church, Seth Bishop wrote his next letter from a camp near Falmouth, Virginia, on May 24, 1863. His duty there seemed relatively light, and he mentioned having a swim in the Potomac River.
“Sunday two o’clock, we have had inspection but I have been down to the Potomac swimming and have got back and hain’t got anything to do [so] I thought I would write a few lines to you although you don’t never write to me.”
On June 18, 1863 Seth Bishop wrote home after the 4th Vermont Infantry underwent some heavy marching.
“I can’t write but a few lines this time for I have been marching lately and I am so tired now. I don’t know where we shall go for the rebels have got into Maryland again and I don’t care only they fix there handful. I want they they should burn up Washington and Baltimore for there is as more secesh there than there is in the South.
I can’t write any more this time for I am played out tired for we hain’t had much chance to stay hardly more rest much for the past all through twenty miles [and] with four days rations and all of our things besides.
I will close by telling you that there [were] forty men dropped down the day before yesterday.”
After the New York Draft Riots in July, 1863, the 4th Vermont Infantry was sent to do duty in New York City and made their camp in Central Park. The proximity to Vermont (relative to his usual distance in Virginia) had Seth Bishop hoping that his brother, Ransom, might be able to come down to visit, as he wrote in a letter dated August 24.
“I received your kind letter some days ago and would have answered it before now but I have been busy the most of the time so you must excuse me for not writing you before. I am well and enjoying life first rate and I hope that these few lines will find you the same. I would like to have you and Ransom come out and see me but I don’t suppose it will be so that you could, but if you can’t I hope that after the draft is completed that I might get a chance to come home on a short furlough.”
By September 5, 1863, Seth Bishop and the 4th Vermont Infantry had returned to Virginia.
“I am tough and hearty and I had a fine time in New York and I would like to have stayed my time out there but we have got orders for the front again. But I don’t care for I think that it will be all right for we hain’t got but eight months longer to serve.”
Seth Bishop reenlisted in the 4th Vermont Infantry on March 28, 1864. On June 3, 1864, he was wounded at the Battle of Cold Harbor. After the war, he returned to Vermont and worked as a farmer until he died at the age of 40 in 1879. He was married twice. First to Susan E. Whitney in 1864 and later to Harriet S. Hicks in 1868.
We’d like to give a special thanks to William Griffing of Spared & Shared for transcribing and sharing these letters.
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If you enjoyed this article, check out some of our other featured collections like Perry Farlow of the 29th Wisconsin Infantry and Joseph Patterson of the 90th Pennsylvania Infantry. [https://researcharsenal.com/joseph-patterson-90th-pennsylvania-infantry/]
