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Jacob Miller, letter

November 16, 1863

"Sharpsburg, November 16th, 1863

Dear Christian & Amelia
A few days since I received your letter of the 3rd inst. which was verry acceptable and
satisfactory as to your safe and welcome return home, and a very quick trip. Now I do not know
that I can tell you much of what has transpired since you left here. though we have had an
Election since, which was all one sided nevertheless General Schenck of Baltimore took the
authority of dictating to the people of the State, how they should hold their Elections requiring
the Judges of every election district to Swear every person who came up to vote, and was object
to by any person as not being a loyal citizen, and in the oath was incerted a clause which for-bid
the person taking the oath from holding any conversation with any person living in one of the
rebellious states, but there was verry fiew if any took the oath as for my Self as well as the
democrats generally took no interest in the Election except as to Jacob Ervin for Supervisor.--- I
went to the polls not knowing that they had such an oath to poke at me, but I judged Coby
Benner for having objected to me he was also a candidate for the office I told the Judges if they
would leave out
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That clause which forbid me from holding conversation with any person living in va as I Has
many relatives there, and when I seen them I wish to talk to them, as to the balance of the oath
was nothing more than to Support the Constitution and laws of the United States, which I do with
a free good will and that is more than the opposite party does, take them from the president down
to the lowest officer –altho many of us democrats got no vote Ervin was elected with a majority
of forty votes over Benner and Sam Creamer both to gether or beate Benner more than two to
one....
A fiew days before the election a co. of Soldiers came up from the mouth of Antietam
where they were encamped, for the purpose (as they said) of preserving order during the
Election, took up their quarters in our basement Story and continued there four or five days until
the home guards had all left the town, when they went back to their encampment. On the day of
Election

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there was a Squad of them stationed on Hebbs pavement so that they would be ready if anything
like a raid should take place at the poles, but this is all unconstitutional as the constitution of
Maryland expressly forbids the quartering of any troops near the polles on the day of an Election,
about eight or ten days since the whole regiment encamped at the mouth of Antietum ware
marched into Pennsylvania Spottsville [Pottsville] County. I asked one fellow what they ware
going to do there. His reply was that the colliars [colliers] had got turbulent and had killed many
of their men, and that now they ware agoing to kill them, and Since that I have heard nothing of
them so that we are now quite clear of Souldiers.
... I am affectionally yours Jacob Miller"