Charles Sidney Sheaff enlisted as a Union soldier Corporal during the Civil War. On June 4, 1861, Charles, one of 12 children and a school teacher, enlisted for three years and served in Company F of the 30th Regiment, 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry until August 12, 1862, attaining the rank of First Sergeant.
While in the service, Charles sent letters to his father, Philip Sheaff, who died May 23rd, 1870, also buried in the Lower Merion Baptist Cemetery. Phillip Sheaff joined Lower Merion Baptist Church in 1832 and served as a deacon. A Sheaff descendant, Flo Rutherford, donated the letters to the Haverford Historical Society. According to the letters, Charles served with the Army in Manassas and Fredericksburg. Here is one of the later letters.
Camp near City Point, Virginia, Sun. July 6th, 1862
My dear Father,
I take the first opportunity I have had for the past ten days to write you a letter. On the 26th of June we began to fight. We have been fighting and marching ever since. I have been in 3 of the fiercest conflicts of the war and thanks to an Almighty God am today unhurt and able to fight again. The battles were severe and the slaughter most terrible. I have been where the bullets and shell were flying like hail. I have seen my comrades fall by my side. I have seen the battle field strewn with thousands of the dead and dying. Oh! Tis awful to contemplate. The 1st Pennsylvania reserves are badly cut up. I don't suppose we will have much more fighting to do as we are in sad condition and Richmond will be taken before we can recruit. We threw our knapsacks away the first day, and we have now nothing but what is on our backs. It is now no trouble to go to bed. Just throw yourself down on the ground anywhere and go to sleep. If it should be raining, get a couple of rails to lie on so the water will run under. I have not had my shoes off for ten days, have gone 3 and 4 days without washing my face and hands, have gone 2 days on crackers and water. So you see I am pretty well acquainted with a soldier's life. I wish I could get home to see you. Give my love to all and believe me to be your affectionate son,
C.S. Sheaff.
P.S. I forgot to tell you that a ball cut my ear. Yours etc., C.S.S.
Charles Sidney Sheaff, age 25 and married six months, died of chronic dysentery at Hammond General Hospital, Point Lookout, MD on August 12, 1862.
The full article is in The Haverford Herald, the newsletter of the Haverford Township Historical Society:
http://haverfordhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/hths_2013_spring_newsletter.pdf.Philadelphia Inquirer 1 Sept 1862 pg 5
SHEAFF In the Hammond Hosptial, Point Lookout MD on Tuesday August 12, Charles S Sheaff, O. S. Company F First Pennsylvania Reserve Corp. in the 23d year
While in the service, Charles sent letters to his father, Philip Sheaff, who died May 23rd, 1870, also buried in the Lower Merion Baptist Cemetery. Phillip Sheaff joined Lower Merion Baptist Church in 1832 and served as a deacon. A Sheaff descendant, Flo Rutherford, donated the letters to the Haverford Historical Society. According to the letters, Charles served with the Army in Manassas and Fredericksburg. Here is one of the later letters.
Camp near City Point, Virginia, Sun. July 6th, 1862
My dear Father,
I take the first opportunity I have had for the past ten days to write you a letter. On the 26th of June we began to fight. We have been fighting and marching ever since. I have been in 3 of the fiercest conflicts of the war and thanks to an Almighty God am today unhurt and able to fight again. The battles were severe and the slaughter most terrible. I have been where the bullets and shell were flying like hail. I have seen my comrades fall by my side. I have seen the battle field strewn with thousands of the dead and dying. Oh! Tis awful to contemplate. The 1st Pennsylvania reserves are badly cut up. I don't suppose we will have much more fighting to do as we are in sad condition and Richmond will be taken before we can recruit. We threw our knapsacks away the first day, and we have now nothing but what is on our backs. It is now no trouble to go to bed. Just throw yourself down on the ground anywhere and go to sleep. If it should be raining, get a couple of rails to lie on so the water will run under. I have not had my shoes off for ten days, have gone 3 and 4 days without washing my face and hands, have gone 2 days on crackers and water. So you see I am pretty well acquainted with a soldier's life. I wish I could get home to see you. Give my love to all and believe me to be your affectionate son,
C.S. Sheaff.
P.S. I forgot to tell you that a ball cut my ear. Yours etc., C.S.S.
Charles Sidney Sheaff, age 25 and married six months, died of chronic dysentery at Hammond General Hospital, Point Lookout, MD on August 12, 1862.
The full article is in The Haverford Herald, the newsletter of the Haverford Township Historical Society:
http://haverfordhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/hths_2013_spring_newsletter.pdf.Philadelphia Inquirer 1 Sept 1862 pg 5
SHEAFF In the Hammond Hosptial, Point Lookout MD on Tuesday August 12, Charles S Sheaff, O. S. Company F First Pennsylvania Reserve Corp. in the 23d year
Charles Sidney Sheaff enlisted as a Union soldier Corporal during the Civil War. On June 4, 1861, Charles, one of 12 children and a school teacher, enlisted for three years and served in Company F of the 30th Regiment, 1st Pennsylvania Reserve Infantry until August 12, 1862, attaining the rank of First Sergeant.
While in the service, Charles sent letters to his father, Philip Sheaff, who died May 23rd, 1870, also buried in the Lower Merion Baptist Cemetery. Phillip Sheaff joined Lower Merion Baptist Church in 1832 and served as a deacon. A Sheaff descendant, Flo Rutherford, donated the letters to the Haverford Historical Society. According to the letters, Charles served with the Army in Manassas and Fredericksburg. Here is one of the later letters.
Camp near City Point, Virginia, Sun. July 6th, 1862
My dear Father,
I take the first opportunity I have had for the past ten days to write you a letter. On the 26th of June we began to fight. We have been fighting and marching ever since. I have been in 3 of the fiercest conflicts of the war and thanks to an Almighty God am today unhurt and able to fight again. The battles were severe and the slaughter most terrible. I have been where the bullets and shell were flying like hail. I have seen my comrades fall by my side. I have seen the battle field strewn with thousands of the dead and dying. Oh! Tis awful to contemplate. The 1st Pennsylvania reserves are badly cut up. I don't suppose we will have much more fighting to do as we are in sad condition and Richmond will be taken before we can recruit. We threw our knapsacks away the first day, and we have now nothing but what is on our backs. It is now no trouble to go to bed. Just throw yourself down on the ground anywhere and go to sleep. If it should be raining, get a couple of rails to lie on so the water will run under. I have not had my shoes off for ten days, have gone 3 and 4 days without washing my face and hands, have gone 2 days on crackers and water. So you see I am pretty well acquainted with a soldier's life. I wish I could get home to see you. Give my love to all and believe me to be your affectionate son,
C.S. Sheaff.
P.S. I forgot to tell you that a ball cut my ear. Yours etc., C.S.S.
Charles Sidney Sheaff, age 25 and married six months, died of chronic dysentery at Hammond General Hospital, Point Lookout, MD on August 12, 1862.
The full article is in The Haverford Herald, the newsletter of the Haverford Township Historical Society:
http://haverfordhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/hths_2013_spring_newsletter.pdf.Philadelphia Inquirer 1 Sept 1862 pg 5
SHEAFF In the Hammond Hosptial, Point Lookout MD on Tuesday August 12, Charles S Sheaff, O. S. Company F First Pennsylvania Reserve Corp. in the 23d year
While in the service, Charles sent letters to his father, Philip Sheaff, who died May 23rd, 1870, also buried in the Lower Merion Baptist Cemetery. Phillip Sheaff joined Lower Merion Baptist Church in 1832 and served as a deacon. A Sheaff descendant, Flo Rutherford, donated the letters to the Haverford Historical Society. According to the letters, Charles served with the Army in Manassas and Fredericksburg. Here is one of the later letters.
Camp near City Point, Virginia, Sun. July 6th, 1862
My dear Father,
I take the first opportunity I have had for the past ten days to write you a letter. On the 26th of June we began to fight. We have been fighting and marching ever since. I have been in 3 of the fiercest conflicts of the war and thanks to an Almighty God am today unhurt and able to fight again. The battles were severe and the slaughter most terrible. I have been where the bullets and shell were flying like hail. I have seen my comrades fall by my side. I have seen the battle field strewn with thousands of the dead and dying. Oh! Tis awful to contemplate. The 1st Pennsylvania reserves are badly cut up. I don't suppose we will have much more fighting to do as we are in sad condition and Richmond will be taken before we can recruit. We threw our knapsacks away the first day, and we have now nothing but what is on our backs. It is now no trouble to go to bed. Just throw yourself down on the ground anywhere and go to sleep. If it should be raining, get a couple of rails to lie on so the water will run under. I have not had my shoes off for ten days, have gone 3 and 4 days without washing my face and hands, have gone 2 days on crackers and water. So you see I am pretty well acquainted with a soldier's life. I wish I could get home to see you. Give my love to all and believe me to be your affectionate son,
C.S. Sheaff.
P.S. I forgot to tell you that a ball cut my ear. Yours etc., C.S.S.
Charles Sidney Sheaff, age 25 and married six months, died of chronic dysentery at Hammond General Hospital, Point Lookout, MD on August 12, 1862.
The full article is in The Haverford Herald, the newsletter of the Haverford Township Historical Society:
http://haverfordhistoricalsociety.org/wp-content/uploads/newsletters/hths_2013_spring_newsletter.pdf.Philadelphia Inquirer 1 Sept 1862 pg 5
SHEAFF In the Hammond Hosptial, Point Lookout MD on Tuesday August 12, Charles S Sheaff, O. S. Company F First Pennsylvania Reserve Corp. in the 23d year
Gravesite Details
Civil War veteran; Enlisted as Corporal, promoted to First Sergeant, Co. F
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