The collection is open for research.
Permission to publish material from George W. Fitzinger Letter must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: George W. Fitzinger Letter, Ms2017-039, Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
The George W. Fitzinger Letter was purchased by Special Collections in June 2017.
The processing, arrangement, and description of the George W. Fitzinger Letter was completed in October 2017.
George W. Fitzinger served with Company B, Pennsylvania 23rd Infantry Regiment. He enlisted in April 1861 and mustered out in July 1861 (the 23rd Regiment, Pennsylvania Infantry was a 3 month regiment). There are no records to indicate that Fitzinger served with another regiment later, though the end of his letter suggested he was headed to Washington, DC, to join the army again.
The collection connsists of a single letter written by George W. Fitzinger to his cousin, James Barclay, on August 29, 1861. Writing from Philadelphia, Fitzinger opens his letter with best wishes for shared family and friends. He goes on to talk about the war itself and he feels it belittles the efforts of the country's forefathers during the American Revolution. He writes of a need for men to serve: "let every man that loves his country who is able should his musket and gow to the field of battle those that ar not able to gow may they bea patriarch to see to the familyes of our brave men who leaves every thing that is near and dear to them on earth..." In addition, Fitzinger talks about recent activities of his regiment in Maryland and around Falling Waters, West Virginia.