Letter – W.H. Mann, 1 September 1861

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Letter written by civilian W. H. Mann of Athol, Massachusetts, to Joseph W. Luce of Charlotte Center, NY. Mann writes that farming is usually be a successful venture, but business is at a stand-still due to the war. Unemployment rates are high, and wages are low. He mentions that support for the Union is high. He has heard a rumor that the Confederates were advancing to Washington D.C., and mentions thousands of troops coming up the Potomac and from Manassas Junction. In a later section dated September 3rd, Mann writes about two Confederate forts that were captured in North Carolina. He thinks that the U.S. Government will ultimately prevail, as “the South was the first aggressor.”

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Sept 1st 1861

Friend Joseph,

I once before got pen and paper in order to answer your letter but for some reason got called away and have let it go untill now

You enquire about writing wheather it would be a successful business here now or rather the ensuing winter At any other time I think there would be a fair prospect but business at this time is very near at a a stand still The war has knocked every thing wrong end fore-most at present This vicinity is more of a manufacturing than farming country and consequently is more affected Thousands of people are out of employment and wages are less than 1/2 as high as they were 2 or 3 years ago There is very little except strong union feeling in this neighborhood over sixty able bodied men have gone from Athol to the aid of their country money is shelled out like water Here as in most places north

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all parties go in for the union News came last night that the rebels ~~are going~~ were advancing on Washington and that a great battle was at hand it may be so & may not 180000 were coming up the Potomac & 120000 coming by land from Manassas Junction

Sept 3d evening

you probable get the war news as soon as we so I will turn to other subjects the latest I have heard was the capture of 2 new secession forts in N Carolina by a fleet of ours

I hope this rebelion will be put down in a manner that it will stay down a spell It is going to be a hard struggle but with good management I think the right side will conquer (i.e.) the U.S. Government Evry man of reason ~~will~~ can see that the South were the first egressors Any government that is a government ought to try to sustain its self but enough about the war.

We have not heard from Uncle H for a long time and should really like to

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Hay came in very good this season all crops look well wheat not so good as last year We have had some warm weather but the season has been cool generaly I have built a house & barn such as they are within a little over a year

I have got a yok of stags 3 cows 2 calves 2 old hogs & 4 pigs and over 30 fowls I hardly know wheather I am doing well or not the times are so hard but I am in hopes they will soften before long

Beef is selling here for $5 per cut to average it Pork 3 cts corn southern & western 60 per bush (lowest ever known) meal has been $1.15 per cwt in Athol

Tell all to write and I will try and be more prompt in future I write so little I do not feel much like writing

Give my best respects to all and tell them a line would be very acceptable and I hope more promptly replyed to

JW Luce Yours truly W H Mann

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

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 – William Moore, 12 April 1862

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Letter written by Private William Moore of Company H, 44th NY Infantry, “Ellsworth’s Avengers,” to Joseph W. Luce of Chautaugua County, NY. Moore writes that his regiment travelled down the river to Fortress Monroe before heading to Yorktown, VA. He writes about the fighting at Yorktown, including the dead and wounded. Moore is on picket within range of the Confederate fort. The day before, Confederate forces drove into the pickets, but the Union troops were able to drive them back. He describes soldiers having fun tossing around two unexploded shells that fell into the camp. He also mentions Professor Thaddeus Lowe’s balloon.

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to Willard

and Joseph, April 12th 1862

let them all read it if they can

Dear Friend

I received you letter a long time ago and started on a martch the next day and have had no time to write before or to send it out Milton is to washington sick Lon and my self are well and ready to fight we cam down the river and landed at fortress Monroe and have made our way threw to york town one week ado today started from big beathel in the morning and got here at noon and had quite a fight in the afternoon most of the firing with cannon and shell the loss on our side was, 3, and 7 wounded

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2 of them was in the batery one had his scull took off with a piece of shell the other was hit with a round shot in the side and cut almost into [in two] the other had his leg cut off below the hip and bled to death the others will get well this I see my self they was burried sunday in front of our camp we have lost 6 men sence on picket and, 8, wounded that is all that we have lost no loss in the 44th Regt only a wounded one in the breast and one in the corner of the eye but not bad to day I am on picket withen gun of the fort we hafter lay down or get shot and crawl on our hands and nees to our post and back then get shot at from the rifle pits

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so you see that we hafter lay low for black ducks yesterday there was [# value?] rebels came out to drive in our pickets just as soon as they came out of the pits we give it to them we had 500 pickets and they fell most every shot they carried off, 20, this morning we dont know how many they carried away lat night they wounded 4 of the sharp shooters slitely and run abck into their hole satisfied they throw shell all over from the fort but it dont mount to any thing 2 fell in our camp but did not explode the boys are throwing them around for amusement they have shot

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4, or, 5,,, over my head this afternoon I guess about 200 feet high we can here them hum [this?] last saturday one took a boys knapsack and tore it off from his back and never hurt him at all that I see dun they have not hit me yet but they shoot dreaful car[e]less we have been here a week today and have not dun mutch yet we are waiting for something I dont know what it will take some fighting to take this place yet they have got 6 miles of brestworks the old balloon is here so that we can take a peak at them Gen MC was looking at them all day last sunday I think that he knows all about the place I must stop dyrect the same as before I cant tell half I want to so good bye

William Moore

WILLIAM MOORE enlisted as a private in Company H, 44^th NY Volunteer Infantry on September 19, 1861 at Albany, NY, aged 21. He was mustered out at Albany, NY on October 11, 1864. The 44^th New York Infantry was one of the state’s most prominent and elite units. The men were recruited according to a specific criteria: to be unmarried, less than age 31, at least 5’8” in height, and of high intelligence. Dressed in Zouave uniforms for the first year of service, they became known for their hard fighting and able service. As part of the 5^th Corps, the 44^th served in the same brigade as Joshua Chamberlain’s 20^th Maine at Gettysburg, and were among the heroic defenders of Little Round Top on July 2d 1863.

Letter – Zebulon Ryder, 21 September 1862

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Letter written by Private Zebulon P. Ryder, Company I, 11th PA Cavalry, while he was in Suffolk, VA. The first half is addressed to Ryder’s grandmother. He tells her how happy he was to hear from her, despite her downhearted outlook on his time away at war. He is having a good time, with plenty of food, drink, and clothing. He did not receive the money she sent him and requests that she not send any more, for he is planning on sending his next paycheck home. Though the weather is cold in Brooklyn, Ryder describes how warm it is in Suffolk. He ends with a fond memory of picking blackberries with his grandmother.

The second half is addressed to his sister Zora. He tells Zora how much he likes soldiering, and how he has plenty of apples and peaches that he wishes he could send her.

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Suffolk Sept 21/62

Dear Granmother

I received your letter last night with my mothers and you dont no how glad i was to here from you as it is the first time i had a leter from you since i have bin in the servace but i was sorry to here you talk so as you did for you must be down hearted now you must not get in such low sperits as it is all foolishness for you to talk about you not seeing me again because you wont die this 20 years yet and as for me having hard times out it is not so as i have a jolly good time of it and i fare first rate plenty to eat drink and plenty of cloths to whare so what more could i want besides i have got a good soft Board to lay on in my tent, you said you sent me leters with money in them if you did i never got them and if i did i would not wan the money as i have got plenty and the next pay i am a going to send home it will be 52 dollars 4 months pay and i supose i will get it in 2 or three weeks and you can save it for me you said that if i wanted stocking or mits you would send them on to me you talk as though it was coald wether in Brooklyn but if it is it is warm enough out here as we have

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to go in our shirt sleaves every day and never use our Blankets at night, how is all the folks in farming dale a geting along i hope thare all well you must give my love to aunt Paty wen you write and also aunt Fanny and you must write to aunt Patty and ask her if Smith Bayles is in farmingdale as i want to write to him if he is thare but i must stop writing as i have got to go and water my horse so i must bid you good Bye for the presant from your Grandson

Zebulon

I often think of the good times i used to have picking Black Beries and the time you lived to eastmans

ZPR

Suffolk Sept 21 1862

Sister Zora i thought i would write to you wile i had time and tell you how i am a geting a long and how i like soldgering i am haveing a nice time out here and i get plenty of apples and peaches and i wish i could send you some of them, i hope you are a good girl and go to school and learn your lessons and if i can get anything to send to you i will send it. you must give my love to all the little girls you no and kiss them for me

from your Brother Zebu

Zebulon P. Ryder was born in New York City. He enlisted in Company I of the 11^th Pennsylvania Cavalry on August 3, 1862 at around 16 or 17 years of age. He was first assigned to duty in Suffolk, Va. with his company, and survived the war, being discharged May 16, 1865. At some point he moved west to Tennessee, married, and worked as a farmer. He died February 26, 1909 of pneumonia in Buena Vista, TN.

Another letter by Zebulon Ryder, dating from 3 August 1862, can be found at Spared Shared. Be sure to check them it as well!

Letter – George Thomas, 23 April 1839

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Letter written by U.S. Military Cadet George H. Thomas to his brother, John W. Thomas, from West Point, . Thomas writes that he is doing well, though growing tired of studying. He mentions General Winfield Scott’s visit to West Point and the possibility of a war with England (referring to the Aroostook War). He remarks on friends of his who are in the military or studying elsewhere, and the universal appeal of going on furlough. Thomas writes that he believes farming to be the most noble profession, and states that if he had a farm he would quit “sogering” immediately.

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West Point

April 23d 1839

Dear Brother –

Your much prized favour of the 28^th March has been received some time, as you have already seen by the pamphlet I sent you.

I intended to have answered it immediately, but something or another prevented me from doing so until now. I am getting along pretty much after the old sort, if anything a little more tired of studying, and just as sleepy head[ed] as usual at this time of the year. However, I manage somehow to get along with considerable ease. If I can get through with this year’s course I shall have no fears whatever of not graduating, as all difficulties will then be over. I believe that no one has ever been found deficient in the last year’s course indeed the only thing that makes the others difficult is their length, but judging from those who have gone before me, I think there is no reason to apprehend being found deficient.

Now, for the news. General Scott has visited the point on his way North (that is toward the Lakes) and says that he does not think at this time that we shall have a war with England, although there is considerable excitement still in Maine and New Brunswick.

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When he first arrived in Maine, he says the excitement was so great that he began think there was no other alternative, but after they had more time to reflect and get cool, they became more reasonable, although not very friendly. I believe they are going to establish a grand encampment near Elizabethtown in New Jersey this summer, and he is to take command. I suppose the object is to have the troops prepared in case there should be any necessity for calling out to fight.

I heard form A[l]bert Mabry a few days ago through Bob Parker; he is [in] Philadelphia, as it seems you and the other Southamptons think, studying medicine. But I should not be surprised if he has not some other object in view besides his appointment in the Navy as assistant surgeon, though, of course, I can only conjecture. Bob goes on furlough this summer, and to all appearance he thinks more of it than anything else, for he is eternally talking of it – and going to the tailors to look at his clothes, but he is not worse in that respect than everyone else, for I believe I can say from experience that a furlough is the last thing thought of

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at night, and the first thing in the morning that a third classman thinks of. Bob says that he will visit you if he gets as far as Virginia.

Fox is in the Gulph [Gulf] of Mexico and gives some very interesting accounts of his adventures among the Mexicans. You never saw any little scamp grow like he has within the last two or three years. He says he thinks he is large enough to drub Robert Noke if he were to give him an opportunity.

I received a letter from Ben this morning. As usual, he writes of marriage and money, but in such a way that no one can understand what he means – he is well and in good humor.

I am glad to see you are in love with farming again, for I do consciously believe that it is the most noble and independent life a man can follow. I believe that if I had a farm I should quit sogering upon the spot. I think your opinion with regard to clearing land is decidedly correct, and one which experience has taught the northern farmers to adopt, for they are decidedly in favor of not clearing much land. Give my love [to] all the family.

Yrs. Affectionately,

Geo. H. Thomas

P.S. I expect you can’t read this, my pen is very bad and I am in a great hurry/

-On fold-over verso, used as a cover, sealed with wax-

Mr. Jno. W. Thomas

Newsom’s Depot

Southampton City, VA.

Via Norfolk

George Henry Thomas, of Virginia, entered West Point Military Academy on July 1, 1836 and graduated 12^th in his class during 1840. Notable classmates include William T. Sherman and Richard Ewell. He was assigned as a 2nd lieutenant to the 3^rd U.S. Artillery on July 1, 1840, and was promoted to 1^st lieutenant on April 30, 1844. He was made captain on December 24, 1853; major, 2nd U.S. Cavalry, May 12, 1855; lieutenant colonel, April 25, 1861; colonel, May 3, 1861. He was assigned to the 5^th U.S. Cavalry on August 3, 1861, but was promoted brigadier general of volunteers the same date. His promotion to major general of volunteers was dated to Apr. 25, 1862, and he was successively appointed brigadier general USA, October 27, 1863; major general USA, December 15, 1864; and received three brevets for Seminole and Mexican War service. Thomas was awarded the Thanks of Congress for Hood’s defeat at Nashville in 1864. One of the nation’s best soldiers, Thomas died March 28, 1870.

Robert B. Parker belonged the West Point Military Academy Class of 1841, but died the year following graduation.

Letter – James Peckham, 4 July 1865

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Letter written by former Colonel James Peckham to his mother, from St. Louis, Missouri. He and his wife have both been ill lately. He writes that he is still working as tobacco inspector, but will soon be licensed to practice law and will be going into partnership with a friend named Selah Squires. Peckham hopes that his wife will be able to go east in the summer, as the conditions may be better for her health.

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July 4th 1865

My Dear Mother,

I have not heard from any of you in New York since my return. I have been night sick with a billious attack but am better, and now Kate is down with a severe dysentary. The weather is very hot and I never saw so many flies before. I never got that business fixed up until last saturday and before I could get so that Staunton would act, had to remoddle the the whole thing. Instead of one fifth I only now got one sixth. I though that much of a loaf, better than none at all. I am still Tobacco Inspector, but business is dull. I shall be licensed to practice law next week and am going in partnership with an old intimate friend of George, named Selah Squires. Mr Squires is from New York City recently, & has to settle somewhere west for his health. I regard him as a good enough lawyer for me to go into business with.

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I want Kate to go East this summer & hope she will. Ask Nic if she cant get board somewhere in the Country where she can get fresh butter milk & chickens. She is getting weak mighty early in the season & I am afraid she cant stand it here.

Kiss Fan Belle & all the youngones for me and spank Fan besides once in the while

My best to Clark & all & everybody and each one, and the whole squad, and Eliza.

I see Nic & George Bennett have struck ile. Bully for ile.

God bless you & all the rest, Remember me to Sarah & Henry.

Love to all.

Good Bye

Affectionately Your Cub

James.

James Peckham was a member of the Missouri Legislature before the Civil War and was a strident Unionist when the state was debating to secede or not. He left the legislature and organized the 8th MO Regiment. Peckham served as the 8th MO Regiment’s Lt. Col. and led the regiment at Shiloh and Pittsburg Landing, TN, and at Jackson, MS. He later went on to lead the 29th MO. After the war he published a book on the history of the war in Missouri and General Nathaniel Lyon. He passed away in 1869 and is buried at Bellefontaine Cemetery in St. Louis, MO.

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Letter – W.H. Mann, 1 September 1861

Letter – Silas Burdick, 22 November 1861

Letter – William Moore, 12 April 1862

Letter – Zebulon Ryder, 21 September 1862

Letter – George Thomas, 23 April 1839

Letter – James Peckham, 4 July 1865