Pennsylvania
Historical and Museum Commission
Bureau of Archives
and History
Pennsylvania State Archives
MG-95
Daniel Musser Collection
Container Listings
{series #95m.1}
MG-95
Daniel Musser Collection
CIVIL WAR CORRESPONDENCE AND MISCELLANEOUS FILES, 1861-1882. (28 folders)
GM-0444 box 1
Following are English translations of the 7 German letters found in Manuscript
Group 95. For a listing of all the correspondence, see the pdf
table.
folder 2
- Name of correspondent: Robert Baur
- Unit: none given
- Date: July 13, 1866
- To: Joh. Geo. Ripper (envelope addressed to "John Musser")
- Location: Harrisburg, PA
- Summary: This letter, addressed to John Musser, is about the possible
employment of a type setter by Robert Baur. Attached
is a poem in English, "The Keystone Volunteers"
- Full translation: From the above correspondence,
which I cut out of your sheet, I conclude that you have an application for
employment from a setter. If he also would be an English [Fol] setter and
understands to print on hand-press and mainly on the Gordon [Fol] rapid press,
then he could get a permanent position from me. I ask to convey these lines
to this Mr. F. B. H., so I can get in correspondence with him. Ready for reciprocal
service. Sincerely your, Robert Baur.
folder 14
- Name of correspondent: Louis Klein
- Unit: Reg. 152, 3rd Artillery Battery H
- Date: December 31, 1862
- To: Daniel Musser
- Location: Camp Ruff
- Summary: This letter from Louis Klein to Daniel
Musser depicts predominantly negative impressions of a military camp.
- Full translation: Camp Ruff, Dec. 31st, 62
My friend D. Musser, you will excuse me that
I did not write to you for so long. You might have thought that I forgot you,
but far from that. The reason is that I had no money left and the cost was
[?], otherwise I had written to you already. I only received some money from
Gerti this week. We received no money by now and we also don't know when we
will receive it. The whole Comp. is impatient and everybody wants to go home
and if we don't get it soon, we will lose patience. I tell you that I'm, thank
god, healthy and I wish that you and your parents stay healthy, too. I want
you to know that I like it so far. We have enough to eat and to drink, but
we don't have much to do, 4 hours drill each day, but I don't want to make
up something, because all of them are brought here with lies, and because
bounty promises are made and none is kept. But I have to say that we have
more luck than many others, we are in the dry in a huge house and every Comp.
is alone and we have a big stove, so we can sleep in the warm. I think we
will stay here for the winter, although many think that we will come to Fort
Delawar soon. But one must not be believe anything, there is so much lying
up in here. The Comp. is not yet complete, it consists of about 130 men, but
it should be 142. Dear friend, if I hadn't enlisted by now, I would enlist
never again, because we also have such bad officers. They know nothing about
drill, they just whore and curse, that is all they can. I don't know how we
should win. It was already said that if we come to the battlefield, the officers
will be the first target, to eliminate them. Now I want to end with the wish
to [?] soon. I greet you and yours and also G. Debold and everybody who asks
for me. I remain your friend. Louis Klein. Camp Ruff 152 Reg. 3rd [?] artillery
batt. H [?] N J. P. U. You will excuse me for my bad writing. I can't see
well at night. Adieu until we meet again. Louis Klein.
- Name of correspondent: Louis Klein
- Unit: Reg. 152, 3rd Artillery Battery H
- Date: April, 1963
- To: Daniel Musser
- Location: Fort McHenry, MD
- Summary: In this letter to Daniel Musser, a
frustrated Louis Klein complains about army life.
- Full translation: Fort Mc Henry, April 63
Mr. Daniel Musser, I want you to know that I'm
in good health and I wish the same for you and yours. I also want to tell
you that I received your letter and that I was very happy because you were
writing to me immediately. I've already sent a lot of letters to friends,
but I've got no answers so far. If I don't receive answers soon, I will no
longer write. Dear friend, it would be my wish to chat with you intensely
face to face and I would have a lot of things to talk about with you concerning
my situation. I'm counting the long weeks and months until I get free. The
army life and my situation in general are a curse to me. We have to be on
guard duty every or every second day and 4 hours drill every day. It is said
that we will come to the light artillery, but we don't want to, because we
enlisted in the heavy artillery. I also tell you that it snowed yesterday
and that it is relatively cold in Fort Mc Henry McHenry all squished together?
I also have to write that large [?] of rebels come into prison almost every
day. John Echelberger [...?...] is in our company. I want to come to an end.
I greet you and yours, also Debold. Write an answer soon, your friend Louis
Klein.
[...?...] Artt. Batt. H Fort Mc Henry Baltimor
M. D.
- Name of correspondent: Louis Klein
- Unit: Reg. 152, 3rd Artillery Battery H
- Date: November 13, 1963
- To: Daniel Musser
- Location: Camp Rank, Baltimore, MD
- Summary: This letter from Louis Klein to Daniel
Musser deals with some journeys of the former and an exchange of periodicals.
- Full translation: Camp Rank, November 13th,
63
To Daniel Musser. I want you to know that I'm
in good health and I wish the same for you. The next day I was sent from Philadelphia
to Baltimore and from there to Washington and Alexandria. And I already was
there for 8 days as I was sent to the battery. So, you will excuse me for
my bad writing, I am on guard duty. I send you "Der Baltimorer Corresbodent"
(Correspondent?). As soon as you are able to, send me "Der Wahre Demokrat
von Lebanon" and the next time I will send you "Der Wecker"
or "Clipper" and write to me [?] and the news from Lebanon and [?]
soon. I received no letter from Gorleb by now and write to me how Debold will
arrive. I will come to an end now. Please excuse me for writing so little.
The reason is that I have to write at your cost soon, I can't afford it. I
greet you, your father and mother very cordially, and also Debold. The address
is Louis Klein Camp Rank 3rd Pennsil Artt. Batt. H Baltimore MD.
- Name of correspondent: Louis Klein
- Unit: Reg. 152, 3rd Artillery Battery H
- Date: February 7, 1964
- To: Daniel Musser
- Location: Camp Rank, Baltimore, MD
- Summary: This letter from Louis Klein to Daniel
Musser is about newspapers the author sent to Daniel Musser and Hennri Hartman
and a moving order.
- Full translation: Camp Rank Baltimore, February
7th, 1864
Dear friend D. Musser, I take the quill in my
hand and tell you that I'm in good health and I hope the same for you. The
reason why I'm writing is to ask if you received the newspaper "Der Baltimorer
Clipper". I sent it to you about 3 weeks ago and I don't hope that you
had to pay for it this time again. I paid the first and the last for you,
because you had written that I don't need to send you newspapers without having
paid. But I want to ask you for one more thing. Last week I sent a letter
to Hennri Hartman to do him the newspaper, because of the 700 [Haller] bounty
which are given in Lebanon Co.. Because we still need more people, because
the Lebanon Bik Boks [a Swedish derogatory term?] would like to [?] the poor
people, and that because [...?...] still from our winter habitat and other
ridiculous [Gesbasse], but my name is not on there. I would read it immediately
as soon as he prints it, probably it will be published until next Friday.
Additionally I let you know that we received movement order last week, but
we are still here by now. We don't know when we have to go, maybe we remain
here again. It is said we would go to Eastern Shore, Maryland. You also wrote
in a letter that I should write the address more clearly. I guess the person
who can't read this one, can nothing at all. I received answers to all my
letters and nobody has blamed you by now. Only one was not good, but only
[Gesbas]. I come to the end now. I send you my best respect and father and
mother and siblings and also Debold and everybody who asks for me. Your friend
Louis Klein.
Camp Rank 3rd Pennsylvania Artti. Battery H Baltimor
MD. A soon answer wishes L. K..
Camp Rank 3rd Pennsylvania Artillery Battery
H. Baltimore M. D.
- Name of correspondent: Louis Klein
- Unit: Reg. 152, 3rd Artillery Battery H
- Date: May 27, 1964
- To: Daniel Musser
- Location: Camp Rank, Baltimore, MD
- Summary: In this letter from Louis Klein to
Daniel Musser the author asks why he didn't receive a newspaper and states
that he became a cook and that his company is about to be completed.
- Full translation: Camp Rank, May 27th, 1864
Dear friend D. Musser, I received your last letter
and read therein that you are in good health. As far as I'm concerned I really
can't lament, too. But I couldn't praise it 3 weeks ago, I had problems with
my back. But everything is fine again. As soon as possible, write to me what
the reason is, because you wrote that you would send me the newspaper from
Hartmann. Was it not printed or what is the reason? I also tell you that I'm
a cook now. Our company is complete now, 147 men. The rest will come soon,
now we are still only 133. I have a lot to do, there are only two people including
me. We have [?] very much rain. Excuse me for my bad writing, I have a bad
quill. How you all are, are you healthy and how about Debold? Write me an
answer soon and a lot of news, I'm also greeting everybody very cordially,
your friend Louis Klein.
Camp Rank 3rd Pennsylvania Artt. Batt. H. Baltimore
MD.
folder 19
- Name of correspondent: J. George Reipper
- Unit: none given
- Date: May 4, 1969
- To: Daniel Musser
- Location: Harrisburg, PA
- Summary: In this letter from J. George Reipper
to Daniel Musser the author asks the recipient to give a printer, who wanted
work from Reipper, a letter.
- Full translation: Harrisburg, May 4th, 1869
Dear friend Musser. I received a letter from
Mr. _ _ _, a printer in Lebanon, whose name I state as L. R. H. in the "mailbox".
Because I don't have the letter to hand right now, I don't know his name.
Maybe you know who it is, he wanted work from me. Please have the goodness
and give the attached letter from Mr. Baur from [?] to him.
Your, with respect, J. George Reipper