Letter – Silas Burdick, 22 November 1861

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Letter written by Corporal Silas G. Burdick of Company C, 85th NY Volunteer Infantry, to his cousin Joel A. Crandall, from Barracks No. 4 in Elmira, NY. Burdick writes of good times in the camp; he is eating plenty of rations and is “hearty as any pig.” The regiment has orders to go to Washington, D.C. Burdick describes the upcoming election for company officers. Hiram C. Miller will be captain of this regiment, and Rufus Scott will be captain of a new company. Burdick mentions that they will soon be receiving new rifles, and briefly writes of William P. Maxon of the 23rd NY Regiment. He describes how the previous night he was corporal of the pickets, and how they had fun putting drunk men in the guard house.

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Barracks No. 4 Elmire Nov 22nd, 61

Cousin Joel

I hope you will be willing to decipher my scribbling Well and hearty as any pig. I am able to eat my rations as well as any one in the regiment We are having great times here now. We have orders to go to Washington next Monday yet we do not expect to get away before a week from then, some predict not till, January. There has been a considerable excitement in relation to our election but it is all settled now We do not have our election till next week. H.C. Miller is to be Capt Yet there is to be a new company raised Which Rufus Scott

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is to be Capt; There is 14 men to leave this company to help make the new company. I hope this thing will all be settled to the satisfaction of every one Now I would like to step in and see you all an hour or so and get some more apples & kiss the Girls once more We shall get our Rifles before we leave here. There were orders this morning. Well now you see there is so likelyhood of our doing some good for our country William P Maxson belonging to the 23rd regiment was here but a short time ago, he is a noble looking fellow. I suppose you have all all your work done and have nothing ot do except going to see Jenny & take care of

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of your sisters. I wish you would my best wishes to all the girls I was Corporall of the pickets last night. That is nice business all any one has to do is to station the Gaurd and then he can go and lay down or go out and have some fun running the gaurd, They cannot put one in the gaurd house who is corporal. We have some fun putting [???] drunken men in the gaurd house They put in two last night. One of them was so dead drunk that he did not know enough to know his own name There are a good many drunken men in Capt Kings Company

I must end my scrawls for this time. So good luck to you

S.G. Burdick

JA Crandall

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Silas G. Burdick enlisted as a private in Company C, 85^th NY Infantry on September 2, 1861 at Geneva, NY, aged 19. He re-enlisted as a veteran on January 1, 1864, but was captured with many of his regiment at Plymouth, NC on April 20, 1864. He was confined as a prisoner at Andersonville, GA, but was among the fortunate who survived and was mustered out on June 9, 1865 at Elmira, NY.

Letter – John Downes, 22 April 1863

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Letter of Private John Downes of Company E, 35th IA Infantry, to his friend John W. Walton, from a camp at Milliken’s Bend, LA. Downes reports that Governor Yates is reviewing troops in the department. He has heard rumors that Vicksburg is being evacuated, and that there is a possibility of peace. All soldiers were recently ordered to send their personal fire arms home, or else they will be confiscated. Downes is not in favor of this order. Neither is he in favor of the current officers; noting that they are disgraceful and at risk of being shot by their own men. Downes writes that there is talk of Ulysses S. Grant moving the infantry down to Vicksburg, though he fears it will fail. He has also heard that they have thousands of prisoners quartered on the island below Vicksburg. At the finish, Downes has received marching orders for the next morning.

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Camp at Miligens Bend April the 22 1862

kind friend I send this for information

Governor Yates is here to day from Illinois he is Reviewing the troops in this Department the Report is that Vicksburg is being evacuated we hear a report from northern letters that there is a prospect of peace but I dont credit the Report I notice that most of the troops have sent there money home some fools have went in to Gambling and have lost all there money and they go about trying to borow of there fellow solders but i have no sempathy for such fools I notice the Oficers can get Whiskey and a large share are drunk the Order has come for all soldiers to send there side arms home or else they will be seized by the government oficials now i think that damned hard the boys has paid for there Revolvers and they aught to be alowed to keep them the Codfish bas done this mean trick i should not wonder if the soldiers would kill a few thousand codfish oficers the shoulder straps had beter not put on to many airs or by god some of them will get shot they have been playing the fool long enough i am geting tierd of those little ticy ass codfish oficers they are a disgrace to the army

April the 23th heavy firing was heard all the later part of the night in the Vicinity of Vicksburgh and there is an odd shot this morning once in a while

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My kind friend I must mention one thing yesterday I was to the Cattle Corell [corral] and took a peep at the beef Cattle they was all so poor they could not shit for bones Such beef as that is as a disgrace to the American Army I shal play my hand out on a stranger and go into some other Regiment On thing is certain this codfish plan of taking the side arms from the soldiers will have a bad tendency It gives the Rebels a decided advantage over us in the field of battle because they go armed to the teeth and we will have nothing but our muskets to fight with god damn the codfish they will Ruen us what the caus of all this cod fish style i cant see there must be traitors at the head of the army somewhere when we made a flank movement on the Talahatchie last fall that would have been the time to have taken Vicksburgh but that would have ended the war to soon for the government leeches some people let it be who it will must sufer in hell for these cursed doings in the army one half of the oficers in service are no more loyal than Jeff davis and a great deal the largest half to[o] there is lying at the bank the Steamer Uncle Sam She is turned into a man of war she caries 10 guns on lower decks and two long mines on the bow and one small field peice on the haricane Roof with on Rifled gun mounted that caries 2 ounces of lead what that little one is for i cant tell there is 5 of those boats and they cary the Marine Brigade the whole concern is wooden

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I notice there is a good deal of style put on those marine boats I have an idea there is some codfish on them what good they will do I cant tell time alone will decide

April the 24th

it is now talked in military circles that Grant will make a flank movement with Infantry down the Arkansas side and cross the River and by so doing he will get in the Rear of Vicksburgh but I fear that it will prove a failure like the yazoo Expedition it is said that we have 5000 prioners safely quartered on the island below Vicksburgh but that is only a camp Report it needs Confirmation the Report in camp is that 2 of our transports was sunk while Running the Blocad [Blockade] but that needs to be confirmed also the boats sufered some of course they cant get through without some geting hit the other night I counted 315 shots in about 2 hours and then turned over and went to sleeep so you can give some Idea of the engagement it is said that Grant will knock down a couple of high church steples they answer for a good observatory for the Rebs to watch our movements if i had comand i would knock hell out of em in a minute 12 o clock

Orders has come for 3 days Rations to be cooked and to March to morow the 25th at 10 o clock it will be dificult for me to get any leters from this time until we stop I think the battle will not be delayed long I have Received some 4 or 5 leters from Ann

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the other day I sent Father 75 dollars by Express i wish you would tell him to see to it and if you please write to me when he gets it

I am well at this time and hope this leter may find you and yours enjoying the same previledges of this life I cary the Enfield Rifle and it shoots well it is made to cary 900 yards with Raising sights

I must close my letter with due Respect to John W Walton

from your friend John Downes

PS this is the last stamp I have got and i cant get any more

Yours J.D

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John Downes was born c. 1824 in Ireland, moving to Allamakee, IA at some point. In the 1860 census he is listed as a farmer and had three young children; Mary, James, and John with his wife Mary. At the age of 38 he enlisted as a private on August 12, 1862 with Company E of the 35th IA Infantry. He mustered out on August 10, 1865 in Davenport, IA.

Letter – Madison Cannon, 10 June 1864

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Letter written by Captain Madison M. Cannon (soon to be commander of 40th NY Infantry) to Adelia Babson. He is writing from the headquarters of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 2nd Army Corps, near Cold Harbor, VA, and describes the dangers of Grant’s Overland Campaign. Both armies are facing each other on the bank of the Chickahominy River, though there have been no real engagements yet, just occasional firing from the sharpshooters. Cannon writes that the Union army was recently reinforced, and has not suffered as many casualties as the Confederate army. They recently received a shipment of goods from White House, VA, and he has procured bottles of alcohol which he will soon share. Cannon remarks on a photograph he is sending to Adelia, and writes that the thinks of her often. He concludes with a short poem.

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Head Qrs. 1st Brig. 3d Div. 2d A.C.

Near Cold Harbor, Va

June 10th 1864

My Dear Adelia

I have been daily expecting to hear from you, but each mail arrives without a single word from Pigeon Cove. Delia, if you knew how much your letters are prized – and how much encouragement they contain, to one situated as I am, you would not delay I know you would write oftener, and good long letters, with words of cheer to drive away despondency.

     Both armies are now facing each other on the North Bank of the Chickahominy River about 8 miles north East from Richmond. Our lines are very close to the enemy, and at some points the works are about 50 yards apart. There has been no real engagements for the past few days, but the sharp-

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shooters on both side keep firing, at intervals, as any object attracts their attention. We are approaching their works by means of parallels and I understand that we have already mined two of their redoubts, mounting some 15 guns each, which will be blown up when the proper time arrives. The weather has been very fine and favorable to our movements, but as we proceed farther south in the direction of the Peninsula, we find water very scarce and very bad.

Our Army is larger today than it was the day we started from Brandy Station, having been heavily reinforced. Our losses have been very great, but I think are not as heavy as the enemy’s, who have lost many prisoners.

We have just received a stock of goods from our mess from White House – and while I am writing a bottle of W– sits directly in front of me and on the floor of my tent lies 3 Doz. bottles of Porter – so you see we have some

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of the luxuries of civilization. My friend Lt. Gilder [1^st Lt. William H. Gilder, Jr., Co. H] has just come in and we are about to take the sun’s altitude through the bottom of a tin cup.

     I received a letter from Ben, but he has not sent any of my pictures. I also heard of his being in Orange County on a visit to the Brook’s. He told me when I was in New York that he intended to spend the summer at or near P.C. [Pigeon Cove] – even if he had to close his store. How I would like to accompany him. But that cannot be, so Delia we will wait patiently until next winter. Lt. Halsey [1^ST Lt. William F. Halsey, Co. D] was quite severely wounded in the charge of the 12^th May [Spotsylvania], but is now home and getting along very well. The major [Emmons F. Fletcher] has returned to duty. Oh, Delia how thankful I feel, after passing through so much danger, in being permitted to escape.

     I enclose the only picture that I have received of the new ones which Ben praises so much. It has become soiled, but when Ben sends the others I will send you one

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you must get some taken, for the last you had was not as good as it might have been. Don’t forget. You will see quite a difference in the style of this Picture. – I think it very good.

     Delia you ask if my thoughts turn to you during the march. – Yes – Delia I know you do not doubt my sincerity – It is for you that I am willing to sacrifice all, except my honor. Rest assured you are not forgotten.

        “Nay, thou art now so dear, me thinks

         the farther we are forced apart,

         Affections firm elastic links,

         But bind the closer ‘round the heart.”

     I must now close as the mail is about leaving. Write soon and often – & remember me to Emily.

                         Yours with much love, 

M.M.C                  

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Madison M. Cannon enrolled as a corporal in the 1^st NJ Infantry, Company I, on May 21, 1861. Following service in the first Bull Run campaign, he was discharged for promotion to 2nd lieutenant on August 11, 1862 in Company G, 40^th NY Infantry, the famous “Mozart Regiment.” Cannon was made 1^st Lieutenant and adjutant October 14, 1862, and promoted to Captain of Company E, Feb. 24, 1863. Due to the mustering out of many 3 years’ officers in July 1864, Cannon was rapidly promoted to Major, September 6, 1864, Lieutenant Colonel September 15, 1864, and Colonel September 16, 1864. Despite his participation in many heavy battles, including Bull Run II, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg (wounded & cited for gallantry), and the Wilderness, he survived the war and is frequently mentioned in the Official Records. It is believed he later married his sweetheart, Adelia Babson, of Pigeon Cove, Mass.

Letter – Anthony Burton, 24 January 1862

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Letter written by 1st Lieut. Anthony B. Burton of the 5th Independent OH Battery (Hickenlooper’s), to his foster father Z. B. Coffin, from the headquarters in Jefferson City, MO. Burton writes Coffin that his regiment has just been paid, and includes a breakdown of his wages. Though he is happy with the pay, there are also expenses incurred being a lieutenant, and mentions several charges he needs to pay. Burton describes the paymaster, Major Will Cumback, who was a Congressman and shares stories of his time in Congress. Burton writes that everyone is in good spirits after their recent good luck streak.

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Hd. Qrs. Jefferson City Mo.

Friday afternoon Jany 24/62

Mr. Coffin

Dear Sir

That welcome gentleman, the Paymaster is now paying us off. I have just received my “pile” $285.56 for two months service up to Jany 1st. The amount is counted up as follows

Pay for two months 106.66

4 Rations (30cts) per day, for 61 days 73.20

Commutation of Forage for 2 Horses 32.00

Use & Risk of 1 Horse at 40cts per day 24.40

Pay for Servant at $13 per mo. 26.00

Allowance for Clothes for Servant 5.00

1 Ration per day for Servant, for 61 days 18.30

$285.56

This looks like big pay but I find it most confoundedly expensive being a Lieut. I have my horse to pay for this time, &c. &c.

I herewith send you $100. – which

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please pass to my credit I wish you to charge me with the $25 Andy borrowed of you, and he will settle with me. Also, charge me with the whole cost of the mess-chest. Andy and I have arranged it, for him to pay for the chest, and me to pay the Express charges, and when we return home the chest will, of course, fall to him. How do our accounts stand, after charging me with the $30. – which I suppose you have sent me before this?

The same Paymaster paid us this time as before – Major Cumback. We invited him up to dinner at Bakers as before and sent and got old Secesh Dixon’s carriage to bring him up again, this time taking a team of our, own horses however. The Major is quite a wit, and tells many

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funny stories of his experiences in Congress. Strange to say though he has been a Congressman, he has never tasted a drop of liquor in his life. Good for him, say I. He says he used to get in some pretty tight places sometimes, amid the universal drinking at the Capital. He told us of a party at President Pierce’s once where everyone in the room including the ladies, got pretty tolerably “funny,” except himself. I might think he was a little boozy himself, on the occasion, and though every body else so, as tipsy persons sometimes do, but he doesn’t look like a man that was ever addicted to ardent spirits. Some people might call him large-featured, for he has a large nose, a large mouth and an “awful” large Moustache,

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but I think he is the best-looking man that I am in the habit of seeing, out here. At any rate, I am always the gladdest to see him. Long may he wave, and often may he get around where we are.

The boys received the full $26.- without deduction this time. Corporals $28.- Sergeants $34.- Artificers (6) 30.-

They are all in high spirits at our continued streak of good luck. Guns, horses, and Pay; all within a week! “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood &c &c” Maybe we are on that tide, who knows? There is a better feeling throughout the camp than I have ever seen before. The boys are all in good spirits – expect some of them will come into camp tonight with bad spirits in them. Poor joke that, Don’t laugh. Love to all. Believe me

Yours ever affectionately A.B. Burton

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Anthony B. Burton was an accountant from Cincinnati, OH. He enlisted as a private in the 2nd OH Volunteer Infantry in April, 1861. During his 3 month term he fought in the Battle of 1st Bull Run. After his discharge in August, he joined the 5th OH Battery (Hickenlooper’s) as a junior 1st Lieutenant. He was presented by his friends in Cincinnati with a non-regulation Cavalry Officer’s sword (2015.001.015) just before his departure to Jefferson City, MO. He served in MO until March 7, 1862 when the battery was sent to Pittsburg Landing, TN and was present at the opening of the Battle of Shiloh. Burton’s horse was shot from under him and around 3 P.M. he was shot in the left knee and carried back to the landing. Captain Hickenlooper found him aboard a steamboat where Burton refused to have his leg amputated, saying he’d rather die with his leg than live without it. Burton recovered and rejoined his battery in November, 1862. He commanded the battery during the fighting at Vicksburg but eventually resigned in March 1864 due to his wound. Burton returned to work as an accountant. He continued to live with his foster father Z.B. Coffin at Newport, KY utnil his death January 30, 1898.