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Telegram from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander S. Webb, staff of Major General George Meade, to his wife Annie, dated April 6th, 1863. In this brief telegram, Webb tells his wife that he will try and get to Washington, D.C. to meet her. The telegram was sent by the American Telegraph Company, and on the back of the card is a large map of New York City, showing the locations of the American Telegraph offices.
Received at New York Hotel, Apl 6 1863
Dated Stonemans Va 6 1863
To Mrs A S Webb
44 S th Ave
Wait for telegram I will Try & go to Washington
Alex S Webb
Alexander Stewart Webb was born in New York City in 1835 to a prominent family. He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and graduated in the 1855 class. He was a career Army officer, serving in the Seminole War before becoming a mathematics teacher at West Point. During the Civil War he fought in the battles of First Bull Run, Malvern Hill, Gettysburg, Bristoe Station, and Spotsylvania Court House. On July 1, 1863 he was appointed brigadier general by Abraham Lincoln. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions during Gettysburg. Webb served in the Army until 1870. He went on to become the president of City College of New York. Webb died in February of 1911 and is buried in West Point National Cemetery.
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Letter written by Private William E. Hooper of Battery K, 4th US Artillery, to his uncle, dated August 24th, 1864, from the Battleground of Deep Bottom. Hooper writes that he is in Battery K, though he belongs to the 10th MA Battery. He says that his battery suffered heavily at the Battle of Deep Bottom. He mentions the wages he receives, and the amount he will get when the war ends, if he doesn’t “expire on the battlefield.” Hooper’s regiment will soon begin marching to Petersburg again, and he writes that the 5th Corps has cut the railroad to Richmond. Hooper is adamant that he does not want peace if it comes at the price of southern independence, he would rather the Union remain intact at any cost. He is confident William T. Sherman will get Atlanta, and Grant will get Petersburg. He mentions seeing both Grant and General George Meade frequently.
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Battery K 4 U.S. Artillery
Aug. 24th deep bottom on the James river
Dear Uncle
Tis with much pleasure that I improve these few moments to write you. Again I am in the war. I enlisted the 2th of last January My health is good, I have been through every battle during Grants summer campaign, I am in Battery K the 4 U.S. artillery but belong to the 10th Mass. Battery, this branch of service I like much. we wer all through the wilderness
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and Spotsylvania fights also at Coal [Cold] Harbor, and so for in front of Petersburg, I am in the Old 2th Corps. the Artillery Brigade we have now jut came out of the battle at deep bottom at this place my Battery suffered heavly, but we drove the enemy, and captured 4 Cannon and 2 morters beside a lot of prisoners.
Well Uncle. the war looks somewhat dark on our side yet, but success is shure in time Petersburg must go up, and it shurely will then Richmond is ours Have patience with you and we will do the same in the field. Patience and
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perserverance only issues success in any department of study, and such we are trying to do in our wholly [holy] cause. I hear that Grant father is dead. He died at Aunt Marrys did he not. wer you down at his burial. The folks are all as well as Usual at home Emily and Charles are married. Charles is in Philadelphia a nurse in a Gen. Hospital. His wife is also there. He was married in Baltimore. Emily lives in Lynn, Mass. She is married to a shoe dealer. Lucinia is in Portsmouth at work on her sewing machine. and James and Georgia are at
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home. William is in the Army, and here expect to stay for the next two years, and 4 months. When I came out I received $25.00 with 16 dollars per month. and one hundred more bounty at the close of the war, or expiration of my time. if it dont expire on the Battlefield. Where is Albert. Give him my best respects and tell him to come out and help us take Richmond. I send my love to all of my cousins. and hope that I shall live to see them all again. Did you get much of a drought with
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you this summer. The weather has been very hot here during august but the season has been pretty cool, We are now just again to commence our march back to Petersburg. The 5th Corps has cut the Railroad running to Richmond, but I am doubtful if they can hold it. we continue shelling the Enemy in front all the time. They are pretty saucy yet and want to be let alone, and want their Independence badly but I dont see it, and hope the Nation will fight them to the last man
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and all go up together if any goes up at all. Peace we can have by withdrawing our armies from the suthern territories, but shall we do this, and give up the best part of our Union. No, but fetch every man into the field, and conquer or all perish together. Sherman is doing well at Atlanta, and will have the place as shure as US. Grant got Vicksburg – That Grant is here among us now, I see him about everyday. and where do you suppose he is seen the most. It is where the Cannon and musketry is thundering the loudest and he is always smoking
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Gen meade I see two or three times a day. His headquarters are close beside me now. The Johnnys put away at meades headquarters once and a while but dont do much damage In my last Battle at deep Bottom we My Battery fought them hand to hand fight. They came near taking my battery, but we poured the Grape, and canister among them so hot that they fell in piles before our Cannons we had many men in my battery and many horses. I cannot think of much more to write you now. But will you write as soon as you get
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this. I should like to hear from you.
Address you letters
Wm E Hooper
Battery K 4 U.S. Artillery
Artillery Brigade
2th Corps Army of the Potomac
Washington D.C.
William E. Hooper, a clerk from York, ME originally enlisted at age 21 in Company K of the 27th ME Infantry on September 30, 1862. He was discharged for disability on May 7, 1863. Then he reenlisted with the 10th MA Light Battery on January 2, 1864 but was assigned to Battery K, 4th US Artillery. He was again discharged for disability on December 30, 1864 at Fort Washington, MD.
Letter written by 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Ocker of Company F, 6th MD Infantry, US, to his cousin, from the camp of the 6th MD Regiment in Brandy Station, VA. Ocker writes the townspeople have a crippling fear of an invasion by Robert E. Lee. He voted for the “Old State” to “no longer be classed with the slave states.” The “copperheads” were not pleased with the outcome. Ocker describes how Unionists manipulated the secessionists into not voting. He has enclosed a photographs of Generals George Meade and Ulysses S. Grant with his letter.
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Camp 6th Md. Regt.
Brandy Station
Culpeper County, Va
April 26th/ 64
Jason I . Cover
Dear Cousin
Supposing you are at all times glad to hear from friends as myself, I thought of sending you a few lines this morning. I have been blessed with another privilege of a short visit home. I found them all enjoying reasonable health. Alfred Troxell’s health has not been very good for the last winter, but is getting better now. Aunt is well as usual, & all of uncle’s folks to.
The only fatal disease at present in the neighborhood is the fear of Old Robert [E. Lee]. They appear
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think of nothing else by day or night. I think I can say they had him crossing [the Potomac River] a dozen times the short time I was there. For a soldier to say that is the place for to fight & whip them, causes an aching in the[ir] heads directly. I was home in time to vote for a convention, & the Old State can now no longer be classed with the slave states. Jace, it was a soldier’s harvest to stand at the polls & see the copperheads bite their lips before they could take “horrible oath” as they term it. There were some 30 of us at the polls.
The drum has just called for companies to go out for target firing. I must stop until noon.
Target practice is over, & will resume my seat to finish. Every man that favors secesh
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has challenged the oath, & then a long list of questions was asked, and if he could not answer satisfactorily, ‘you can’t vote.’ In the morning they thought of running their hard cases in early, but the first man left with a flea in his ear. It was amusing to see some of the old codgers sneak off without trying to vote. Best of all, neither of their candidates got their vote. But don’t understand that they had not full privileges. They was just as sure of their vote as I or anyone else, if they would comply with the Governor’s order. I wrote Josiah; say to him to answer my letter if he pleased. I have never got a scratch of pen from him since have been in the service.
Enclosed you will find a photograph of Genl. Meade. This I can recommend as a true picture. Meade just as he is. Also, Genl. U. S. Grant.
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As for Grant’s, I have not yet had a good look at it, but think it is a good picture. If this weather lasts long, we will have to soon move out of [winter] quarters & commence to the tug of war again.
My health has been quite good. During the winter I have not had a cold yet, and I feel ready for coming events. If I can march to Richmond, as the boys say, at a right shoulder shift, I can take hardships as light as the next.
I must close. My love to Aunt, & wife, in fact, to all.
Hoping to hear from you soon, I am, as ever, your cousin.
Lieut. Thos. Ocker
6th Md. Regt.
2d Brig. 3d Divis.
6th A. Corps
Army of Potomac
Thomas Ocker was born in 1837 and lived in Westminster, MD. He enlisted in Company C, MD 6th Infantry on August 18, 1862. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on May 1, 1863; and to 1st Lieutenant on November 17, 1864; then to Captain on January 23, 1865. He died at City Point, VA on May 4, 1865 at the age of 27.
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Letter by Private Isaac Miller of Company E, 93rd OH Volunteer Infantry, to his sister, from Chattanooga, TN. Miller mentions that the Confederate troops are still out in front, though they haven’t shot from LookoutMountain in two days and are losing many soldiers to desertion. He thinks that the Confederates will soon give up, and that the war will end if General George Meade defeats Robert E. Lee and takes Richmond. He predicts that if the Confederates remove some of their forces to reinforce Lee, they will get a “good drubbing” at Chattanooga.
Chattanooga Saturday November the 21, 1863
Dear Sister
I sit down this morning to answer your letter of the 7[th] which I received some time ago & I had to write to Dad about some money at the time and I thought it was nice [?] to write to both at once. This leaves me well, and hope it will find you all the same. It has rained all night, and is still raining, and it is getting very muddy. We have had very nice weather for some time. It has not been very cold down here yet, and I hope it won’t [be] soon. The Rebels are still out in front. They have not shot from Lookout for two days. I don’t know what they are about, but I think they are
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taking their guns off of it. They might as well, for they can’t do much harm with them, and their men still deserting them. I saw the pickets that came past our camp this morning – had one, and if they come in all around the whole line like they do in front of us they will soon lose their army. Three or four mornings ago it was awful foggy, and they say that there was five hundred came it all together. Their pickets could not see them, and they could get through. They have a hard time to get through. They don’t put any of them on picket that they think will desert. I see by the papers that France has come down on them and took some gunboats from them. I think that they will soon begin to see that they can’t do anything, and will give up.
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I don’t care how soon, for my part. I think that again [come] spring, they will be about started out, and if Meade whips Lee and takes Richmond, it will end the war. And if they take any of their men away from here to reinforce Lee they will get a good drubbing here, and maybe they will anyhow. Sherman is here from Vicksburg with a good force, and Hooker. I think we are able to fight them well. I will close. You write soon and give me all the news, and I will try and answer them. I guess the money has not come yet. It may be some time yet before Doc gets it. It was reported that Capt. Allen lost all he took. I did not like to risk him with much.
Isaac Miller
Isaac Miller, enlisted on August 5, 1862, aged 20, as a private in Co. E, 93rd Ohio Vol. Infantry. He was mustered out of the army June 8, 1865 at Nashville, Tenn.
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Letter written by Lieutenant William L. Wilson, Acting Assistant Adjutant General, 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, to William Dehon. Wilson writes to express his condolences on the death of Dehon’s son, Lieutenant Arthur Dehon at the Battle of Fredericksburg, VA. Wilson writes that he knew Arthur when they were at Sharpsburg, MD which was under command of General George Meade. Wilson concludes by asking for a photograph of Arthur, to remember the friend he so respected.
Head Quarters 1st Brigade 3rd Div.
1st A.C. April 18, 1863
Wm. Dehon, Esq.
Boston
Dear Sir
I was shown several weeks ago by Capt. Baird of Genl. Doubleday’s staff a photograph of your late son, Lt. Dehon, who fell while discharging his duty at Fredericksburg in Dec. last. I would like very much to have one of him if you have one you can spare.
My acquaintance with him was formed at Sharpsburg, while Gen. Meade command was lying at that place, and continued up to the time of his death. Being in the same division with him, my position brought me in his company quite often, and the attachment I formed for him made me lament bitterly the loss of a noble soul when he fell.
Disease prevented my participation in the conflict where he behaved so gallantly, and when I saw his death announced in the papers, short as was my acquaintance with him, I felt the loss of a valued friend.
I would be exceedingly obliged sir if you could grant my request, as I have a deep desire to possess an image of one whom I so respected.
Very respectfully,
Your Obt. Servt.
W.L. Wilson
Lt & A.A.A.G.
1st Brigade, 3rd Div, 1st A.C.
William L. Wilson, was on the staff of Brigadier General Thomas A. Rowley at Gettysburg, and was slightly wounded in that battle (cited by Rowley for good service). He originally served with the 142nd PA Infantry, enrolling Sept. 1, 1862 as adjutant. He was discharged for disability on December 12, 1863.
Arthur Dehon was William Dehon’s son and a 2nd Lieutenant in Webster’s 12 MA Infantry.
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