Hard Times, Hard Bread, and Harder Coffee: The Civil War Correspondence of Hezekiah Long 20th Maine Infantry

During the American Civil War, Hezekiah Long of South Thomaston, Maine, a soldier of the renowned 20th Maine Infantry Regiment, faithfully penned many letters to his wife Sarah in Maine. This collection of 128 of his letters, dated from September, 1862 to May, 1865, at once reveals many important aspects of soldier life, while raising questions about contentious issues related to the regiment, and confirming in detail and by impression what the regiment's veterans and present-day historians have written. . The collection is a verifiably accurate set of letters transcribed from the now lost wartime originals by a descendent of Hezekiah Long many years ago. References to specific letters have appeared in works on the Civil War by reputable authors. Unfortunately, the set contains none of Sarah's letters in reply to her husband's. The originally transcribed letter group, held by the Rockland Historical Society, Rockland, Maine, and edited here in the current volume, has been copied; copies are now held in the Joshua L. Chamberlain Papers at the Pejepscot Historical Society, Brunswick, Maine and at the Maine State Archives in Augusta. That the Long letters exist in transcript form only and the original letters are lost to the ravages of time may prompt questions of their verity. Such concerns, however, are allayed by a thorough comparative analysis between the Long letters transcriptions and several well-known primary and secondary sources on the 20th Maine. On numerous points of comparison, whereby Long's comments on events, dates, and personalities are compared with veteran journals, official records, and historical interpretations, the body of letters stands up as a verifiably accurate and valuable primary source. . The Civil War service of Hezekiah Long of the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment spanned the entire active service of the regiment. Enlisting in September 1862 on the mustering-in of the regiment, Long served as a sergeant in Company I until January 1863, when he became the first sergeant of Company F. He saw action in most of the regiment's battles including the defense of Little Round Top at Gettysburg. As flag company, Company F held the center of the rock-strewn line under the guise of Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain. In the spring and summer of 1864, Long was absent from the Overland (Grant versus Lee) Campaign, rendered combat ineffective by rheumatism and spending uneasy months in army hospitals in Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. Released to full duty in August 1864, he rejoined in the regiment in the siege lines of Petersburg, Virginia. In December, 1864, Long was promoted to second lieutenant in Company F and served with the regiment until its mustering-out of Federal Service in June 1865.. In an often raw and occasionally biting manner, Long reveals the very human side of the war. Long complains persistently and rightfully so, for living conditions were pitiable. But Long, in his late thirties, is ever a true patriot, suffering increasingly from the debilitating effects of rheumatism yet serving until the end of the war. Of particular interest is his role as company first sergeant; displaying a tough yet caring posture of the father-like figure toward his younger soldiers, and his transition to officer status as second lieutenant. Throughout his letters to his dear wife Sarah, he retains a healthy ire and sense of humor that strikes the reader subtly but deeply. Amid the hardships of the soldier's existence, his love of life, country, and family shine through.. This is a must read for 20th Maine Infantry enthusiasts.