Fellow Sharpshooters;

On October 19, 1861, Frank Cobb, J. Wirts, C.C. Caldwell, and William Colwell, (the first replacements to join Co. C, 1st USSS), boarded a train bound for Camp of Instruction and the “Seat of the War”. Like most of his comrades, Frank had rarely traveled beyond Hudson's town limits. Since August, Cobb had followed the adventures of the first Michigan Sharpshooter recruits, whose letters had been published in the Hudson Gazette; beginning with their boisterous departure from Detroit, sailing Lake Erie (and passing time by shooting at floating hardtack), marching through New York City and describing their idyllic quarters at Camp Assembly along the bluffs of Weehawken.

After arriving in Washington DC, (and being “nearly being shaken to pieces” by his enthusiastic Hudson comrades), Private Frank Cobb wrote the following letter to his brother, Harvey.

Camp of Instruction Oct 22d
Washington DC

Dear brother Harvey,

It is raining here today so I thought that I would write a few lines home. I have been writing to Durf. As I told mother that I would write about our journey I will com(m)ence. I wrote last from Cleveland except yesterday I wrote mother. We left Cleveland at 9 o’clock and 15 minutes for Cleveland Pittsburgh. It was a roughest road on the rout(e) and what piles of rocks on the road. I asked the engineer if I could ride in the engine, he said yes so I piled on and rode most to Pittsburgh. I rode some 40 miles and most of the way by the side of a river. I don’t know its name. The river was on one side of the railroad and high hills or mountains as they were very high. On the other, in some places, the rocks were up some 25 or 30 feet above the cars one place in particular where it was 50 or 60 feet right up over the train, couldn’t see the top from the car window without putting your head out. I was on the engine so I could see the top, it was perpendicular. On the right side of the track was the river on the left was the rocks. We got in Pittsburgh in the fore PM about 1/2 3 or 4 o’clock and for all the dusky dusty, Smoky City Town or village was Pittsburgh. It might have looked better uptown, but it looks rather Tuff down by the depot. We didn’t stop in Pittsburgh long, only long enough to change cars and was glad to get out of it. We all took the sleeping car so in the evening we got out on the rear platform. The railroad followed the river a good part of of the way it has to travel nine miles to get there. The hills are very high along there. Could see a great many ironworks along the side of the mountains. The most extensive was there at Johnstown, where they were at work along this side of the mountain. Could see a blaze from a factory chimney. We passed through a number of tunnels. The longest one was 7/8 of a mile long. The Pennsylvania railroad is mostly double track and while going through the tunnel, we passed another train. We got in Harrisburgh about one o’clock and 1/2 in the morning, and had to stay there about two hours then left for Baltimore, which road the cars run very slow. Before we got in Baltimore we could see squads of soldiers guarding the RRoad. We got in there about 3 o’clock. We went through the city as the railroads don’t connect in about 2 miles. We had to walk. I seen where the riot was in April. We got up to the Depot just in time to take the train and had to double quick a little ways. There is lots of soldiers lying around the city mostly around the Depots all ready to stop any riot that might rise We got in Washington about 10 o’clock in the fore noon and started strait for the Camp didn’t think of going up to town. The boys are feeling first rate today it rains and they don’t have to drill. That is a fiddle and a bango (banjo)in camp it makes for fun the whole Regiment. I can hear the booming of Cannon over towards Fairfax Court House and down the river. They are practicing I guess. We here (hear) more as less every day. I have got the diarrhea. The water is all soft that we have to drink, each one has to have his own turn. Bill is complaining a little. I am with Armstrong yet. Don’t know when we will get together. I have all I want to eat and can eat all my rations. We have first rate bread and beef twice a week have pork most all the time that tea that mother put up came in play last night as I couldn’t eat anything so I steeped up some tea and got some hard bread and it went first rate. I feel all right today. Tell all the folks to write and not wait for me. Give my love to all write often all of you.

From your affectionate brother

Frank H Cobb

Direct all letters to Frank H Cobb
Co. C 1st Regiment Berdan’s SS
Washington DC

Mustered: October 16, 1861
• Frank Cobb
• Calvin C Caldwell
• J. Wirts,
• William Colwell

Mustered: October 25, 1861
• Truman ‘California Joe’ Head
• John R Wirtz

Map of Railroads Pvt. Cobb traveled from Michigan to Washington DC:
https://loc.getarchive.net/media/map-of-the-pittsburg-sic-fort-wayne-and-chicago-cleveland-and-pittsburg-sic

Illustration of the Pennsylvania Railroad ‘On the way to Pittsburg: [url]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Line_%28Pennsylvania_Railroad%29#/media/File%3AOn_the_Way_to_Pittsburgh_--_Great_Bend_on_the_Alleghenies.jpg
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Illustration, from a Pennsylvania Railroad engine (Cobb’s view during the 40 mile ride between Cleveland to Pittsburg): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Line_%28Pennsylvania_Railroad%29#/media/File%3AOn_the_Way_to_Pittsburgh_--_Great_Bend_on_the_Alleghenies.jpg

Illustration: Pittsburgh factories from the Monongahela River: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Pittsburgh#/media/File%3AMonongahela_River_Scene_Pittsburgh_PA_1857.jpg

Photo: Rail Depot, Harrisburg, PA in 1860:[url] https://hd.housedivided.dickinson.edu/node/24187
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Civil War Washington, D.C.: B&O Railroad Station, New Jersey Avenue and C Street NW This is an an excellent little blog describing the history of the B&O Depot in Washington DC during the Civil War; the final stopping place for Frank Cobb and his comrades:

Bill Skillman
Berdan Sharp Shooters Survivors Association