This collection contains two letters written by Nelson F. Libby, a soldier serving in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Both letters are addressed to his brother John (or Jonathan). In the first of these, written from a camp at Washington on June 17 [1861?], Libby describes being recently awakened at 2 a.m. and preparing for a battle only to learn that "it was a false alarm got up to try them and see how quick they could get in to line." He reports on the punishment of two men who hid during the drill: "[T]hey have got them out forward the Officers quarters to day with their nap sack on and they have got to march back and forth for six hours." The second letter, dated September 5 [1862?], was written at Holls [Hall's?] Hill, Virginia. Libby writes that the regiment had left Harrison's Landing 22 days earlier and had been "marching or fighting every day since ..." He mentions that the regiment had been in a "dreadfool battle," starting with 246 men and losing 6 killed, 86 wounded, and 20 missing.