Preface
The quotes in this presentation are taken from two sources, letters from Schuyler Patterson, who served with the 1st US Sharpshooters, Co. C and 2nd Pennsylvania Cavalry Co. C, and those from George Ervay, who served with the 16th Michigan Volunteer Infantry Co. H.
The letters from Schuyler are in the possession of my mother, the letters from George were transcribed, compiled and copyrighted by Blake Parish, my mother's cousin.
I have been given permission from both Blake's widow, Ophelia, and my mother to use these quotes in this presentation for your enlightenment and enjoyment.
The spelling and grammar has been left the way it was written which sometimes makes it a little difficult to read, but without it, the flavour of the writers is lost.
Those quotes from Schuyler's letters are followed by -s-, those from George's letters are followed by -g-, and all entries are dated except for those taken from letters that were not dated.
Please honour these men by reading this presentation and enjoying their words.
Letters Home
Soldiers, from Privates Patterson and Ervay to Generals Grant and Lee, wrote letters to friends and loved ones, some in eloquent words and script, others in the rough, misspelled, no punctuation scrawl of the common man. Each letter speaks volumes about the soldier who wrote it, the recipient back home, the war and the times they lived in. Reading them now we learn so much more about them than could be learned from most history text.
Whenever soldiers are sent off to war, it is the hope of a letter from home that keeps their spirits alive. Small pieces of paper with hand written notes telling of the mundane events taking place in the lives of friends and family become the life line connecting them to home and heart. It mattered not whether North or South, a letter received was better than gold and often guarded more closely.
"Camp Winfield Scot, Near Yorktown, Va., Friday, May 2th 1862...I reserved your very welcom leter the 18th & you may gues how glad I was to her from you it is the only letter that I have had since I left home for the war I have writen severil but I havent reseved eny answer yet "-s-
"Camp Winfield Scot, Near Yorktown, Va., May 7th 1862....I resived your letter yesterday Daited the 27th & glad I was to hear from you that you was well & the rest with the exceptions of Hollis. It was worth more than five dolers to me to heare from you "-s-
"July the 5 1862 City Point Va...i put four post stamp in it for you so that you could write more to me than you do for mother you do not know how much it pleases me to read your letters"-g-
Some units, which were on the march, would often receive a months worth of mail when the post finally caught up to them.
"Oct the 1 - 1861 Georgeton Lights Vir...i don not know as it will do any good to ask you to write me for we are a moving aroynd so that half the letters i think does not get to us"-g-
Many letters were sent to soldiers. Many were sent home. The ones sent to the battlefield often did not survive the weather and the war, but the ones sent home, especially those from soldiers who did not return, have been carefully preserved. In these we often find some prophetic words.
"Oct the 1 - 1861 Georgeton Lights Vir...i do not think the ball ever was or ever will be molded to kill me..."-g-
"Camp Winfield Scot Near your Town May 2th 1862...I set here writing it makes me think of home & of all those who are most dear to me & maby that I never may see them more on this earth but I hope that we shall meet in that uper & better world where parting is unknown & all our troubels end. Amanda I have never thought so much about that happy land till within a few months past I think that I shal try & do as near rite as I can & I shal put my trus in god"-s-
Both Schuyler Patterson and George Ervay died during their Civil War service, Schuyler from pneumonia contracted after a wet, wintery delivery of cattle to Fredricksburg, and George from a bullet wound to the head at Gettysburg.
Many letters started the same
"It is with great pleasure that I once more take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you"-s-
"Dear friend i now take pen in hand to let you know once more that i am well and i hope that this finds you the same"-g-
There were many soldiers on both sides who could neither read nor write, so friends and tent mates were often called upon to compose letters home and to read returning mail.
"July the 5 1862 City Point Va...i have write a great deal altho it is poor but i do it for my comrads that cannot write mother i would not give up what i know in education for the world for now i know i should miss it...i hav too more to write before the mail goes out "-g-
Many times the folks back home lacked these skills as well. Neighbours, school teachers, shopkeepers or clergymen would read aloud the letters home, while family and friends hung on every word.
Soldiers always wanted to know how the friends and neighbours were doing back home, how well the crops were growing, who had gone to war, who had not come home, were the girls as pretty as ever?
"Headquarters stocktons Regt halls hill Co. H November the 26 1861...i wish that you would write to me as soon as you get this i wish to hear how much provisions is there butter is 30 cents bread stuff is high wheat is 81quarter corn is 75 per bushel apples is 2 for 5 cents onions 9 for 5 cents" -g-
"Halls Hill Va Headquarters Stocktons Regt Jan 26th 1862...i learned by your letter that george lewis was dead you said that he died at Washington i wish to know if hee had enlisted and how john come to let him go."-g-
"August 18th 1862 McKims Hospitle Baltimore MD...tel Hollis that I was glad to hear from him & I should be glad to have him write to me oftiner and would like to have him tel me how the boys in the naborhood was all geting along & even the neighbors are geting along. & above all how he & the girls get along & whether there is eney exitement about the war around about there. there is a quite an exitement here about Drafting soaldiers they say that it makes some of the sesesh squrm a considerable"-s-
"January the 7 - 63 Camp near falmoth Va...I wish to know how much there is cleared on fathers farm and what kind of house there is on it i do not know how father has a going to get along with out a team tell me how he is to pay for the land and how long payments I wish to know how many head of cattle and how many sheep and hogs you hav got and let me know whether them steers are broke or not if they are not broke father had brake them so to hav them to draw his wood with"-g-
Those back home learned of the war, the battles , the routine, the life of a soldier, from first hand accounts sent home in these letters.
The War...
"Yorktown May 8th 1862, I once more take my pen in hand to write I feal some better this morning yesterday when while I was writing the orders came for me to march to yorktown so I had to quit writing & get redy to go the Rebels vacuited youktown the 4th of May they cept up a firing of cannon the 2 & 3th till the night of the 3th the left they left in a hury leaving behind 72 peices of canon of whiche they spiked & morters & a large suplie of Amminition and tents & lots of other traficks Our cavelry & artilery was put in pursuit of the rebels they overhaled from this side of Williamsburg 10 miles from here they had a fite in which they rebels drove us back the first da but the next day they say our men drove them & whiped them out & took General Mackgruder & ten thousand priseners...I expect most evry day we shall have a big battle which there must meny fall for they say that the rebels are well fortifide they say that we have 155000 men in these 5 divisions that expects to atact Yorktown we have a large number of battris I have seen more men and horsiss since Ive bin here than I ever saw before and they cep comin I dont see where they all came from"-s-
"Headquarters cattle yard Va May the 18 1862 Camp near the white house...i was at the Mich 3rd to see brad and informed me that jim docksy was wounded in the boules at the battle of williams burge after the battle as i passed over the ground with the cattle i saw as much as it would take to make a Reg of men laying scattered on the ground of dead and woulded it was an awfel site but i thing that before the next week is even over that wee shall have richmond"-g-
"Camp near Tunel Station May 19th 1862....we marched threw some nice cuntry to day & we saw some nice peacis of wheat to day that it was all in the blow. but it looked hard to see horsis & cattle runing threw it. but it is no more that one can expect to see where there is such an army marching threw eny cuntry. the rebels have planted there corn & sode there crops as if they dident expect that our armes was a going to come threw here. there corn is up about 5 inchis & the potatoes about the same & looks furstrate."-s-
"Camp near Mechanichville Sunday June 22, 1862...they seam to think here that this battle that we expect to have here will end the fiting here in this par of Virginia that is if we sucessful in taking Richmon they say that the enemy is a geethory (gathering) there forseis here & they calculate to dispute every foot twickes here & richmond if they do it will be one of the bigist fites that we have had yet."-s-
"Baltimore City Camp McKims Hospitle July 3th 1862...I have bin sick about two weaks I was taken with the bilios intermiting feaver & I was just giting over it when the orders came for all the sick to be removed to the hedquarters of McClelins so we was hurrd into the Ambalanehis & sent of we got there that night we staid there that night & the next day till about 1 oclock then we was sent from there to savage station & from there we took the cars to White house & from there we was put on the bote called the Elms City & we staid on bord of hur till we got here to this City I am in the hospitle that called the Camp McKims Manshion it is a very pleasent place situated on a hill so that we can stand & look over a good part of the sity"-s-
"Halls Hill Va Sep the 9th...wee are now on the same ground that wee laid on last winter for the purpose of guarding washington i saw in the paper this morning that the rebbles had cross the potomac at rocks point and that their plan was to soround washington and cut off their supplies and if they succeded in their plan that pres Lincon would hav to recognize them as a nation it is hard telling wich way it will go yet but if the men in the norht thinks any thing of the union they must try to save it now"-g-
"Dec the 18 /62...the city of Fredricks burg is as large as lansing and there is not a house in it but what there is two or three canon ball holes through it and the town is ridled form one end to the other...there was about 75 thousand troops in it and they don what they was a mind to and took what they liked there was as much as two thousand barrels of flower in the place and it was all took by the soldiers you better believe the pancakes flew every man was baking wheat pancakes to eat i had all i could stuff"-g-
"Jan the 19th 63 Camp near Falmoth Va...wee have got marching orders wee was to start to-day but it is counter manded but i do not know what moment wee shall start nor do i know where we shall go to some say that wee are going to DC but some say that wee are going to tenn it is hard telling but i know that wee are a going on a long jurney for all the govermint traines is turned over to the 8th Army Corps all so is all of the beef cattle i think that wee shall embark some where but i do not know"-g-
"February the 16th /63 Camp near Falmoth Va...last pay day the officers had to pay taxes on the nigers that are in the army and around washington and it is in the New York herrild that every private Soldier will hav to forfit fifteen percent next pay day that will be three & 1/2 dollars every two monts for the support of the counter bands some say that if they take any money out of their pay that they will desert others say that they will mutenize"-g-
"May the 22nd /63 Hd Qtr 16th Mich Camp unknown in the field Va...i dont know what the president is about the army is doing nothing it dont seam to me that wee are ever a going to hav peace laying here or do they want to keep the Army laying here and pay them and fed them and by and by let the confederates have their Indipendance which i believe thaty will do sooner of later i dont believe we will ever whip them if wee fight till we hour heads is all as gray as rats"-g-
"May the 30th /63 Camp of 16th Mich Near U.S. Ford Va...the news came last night to bee ready to start off at any moment that the rebbles had crossed the river up a Grange Cort house and was making for washington and that they would eather atact us or wee would hav to march for the defense of washington how true it is i dont know the rebs are in plain sight acrost the river here"-g-
"June the 9th /63 Camp of the 16th Mich Near Elesis Ford Va...wee are on one side of the river the Rebbles on the other side they and hour men go in swimming together they come ofer to our side and drink...they have no coffee only Rye burne our men go over on their side and set and talk they say that wee never will gain any thing by fighting them"--g-
The Routine...
"Halls Hill Va Headquarters Stocktons Regt Jan 26th /62...wee hav to fall out twice a day with our knapeksacks and every thing on and it is no small job to keep every thing in order"-g-
The Life of a Soldier...
"Headquarters Stocktons Mich Regt Camp Lesley Co. H Fairfax Co. Halls Hill Vir (undated)...i would like it if you could look in to my tent about the time wee are eating dinner or supper one will hollar get your darn coattail out of my coffee and other git your foot off my bread an other there you hav got your hed in my sope git off of my potato wish the devil had you if you can not sit with out gittin in my vittles"-g-
"Potomoct River, March 28, 1862,...we arived at Washington all saf I was taken sick the night after we got there I was puty(?) the next day but I hav got over it now we went from there to Alexander that is 7 miles down the river Potomact we staid there two dayes while we was there I went to see where Col Elsworth was shot We starte from Alexander the 27 for Fortis Monrow the 2 first days it was very warm and pleasant but to day it is very cold & windy. yesterday they picted up two runeway Nigrows that had runaway from Verginia They maid them a boat out of an old box & got into it padled out int the river it leaked so that one of them had to keep diping it out it is a great wonder that they wasent boath drounded we expect to git int Fortis Monrow to day" -s-
"Hanover Va June the 7 1862...if you see the picture of the ballon in frank lessies and you see a man with his shirt sleeves roled up you can rekon it is mee"-g-
"July 28th 1862 McKims Hospitle Baltimore Md, Dear Brother...I feal purfectley contented with my new home it isent very hard to do the work in our room for there haint onley 10 patients in the room and the most of them are able to go out around. but I expeck that it ont be quite so easey when we get the room filed up with wounded. there was a lot of wounded arived here last friday & filed up most of the rooms but ours. so I expeck that the next lot will be ours. I tel you what it is a site to go threw the rooms & see the wounded soaldiers those that came here friday last was released priseners from Richmond that was taken in the seven days fite near Richmond they say that they lay on the batle field three days without haveing eney thing to eat besides being wounded. & when they was taken car of they dident have half enough to eat. they war a hard looking lot of men when they arived here. one man had both of his eyes shot out & a part of his nose & some of the rest had legs & arms of & some one way and another...I was glad to hear from all & to hear that you had a good time the forth I should liked to have bin there to a have spent the forth with you. I will tell you how I spent the forth I went and took a walk threw the citey and up to the hospitle caled Pattersons Park where I found a couple of boys of our Companey I had a good talk with them. & they had a fourth July diner there it was got up by the citinsons I think that they had one of the best of diners that I ever eat they had ice cream pies cakes rosted Chickins pigs lemonade & oringes and most every thing that you can think of tha was good to eat"-s-
"Camp Chanlitah Va November 29th 1862...We have bin on a reconosence for the pat 6 weaks some times it is purty hard for us we have to lay down on the ground some times with nothing but a blanket to cover us & then again we have to stand by our horses & hold them maby all night some times we have nice times then we have it rough enough to make it all up the other day the boys capturd 3 barels of sider we had all that we could drink some times we get lots of honey to eat some times we gets lots to eat then again we dont have nothing but hard Crackers & Cafey & meat. sometimes not enough of that"-s-
"Feb the 26th /63 Camp near Falmoth Va...yesterday the Colonel turned out the men and he laid a plan for a fort and they went to work and put up a snow fort and the Colonel said that today hee would put the wright wing of the Regt in the fort and the left wing had got to take it from them hee says the left wing is enough for the wright wing any time at snow balling any time and he thinks that wee can drive them out of a snow fort with snow balls the fort was four foot and 8 inches high and four foot wall but last night it began to rain and this morning there was the fort but no snow around it for to snow ball with so the battle of snow is played out"-g-
"Hd Qtr Co H 16th Regt Mich Inft Camp near Falmoth Va it is sunday to day and i will tell you a little of what i hav done to day last night it snowed about four inches and was still snowed this morning so that wee had no roll call i got up about seven oclock and got my breackfast and then washed & shaved shanged my shirt took a walk down to the butchers and had a little chat about old times and then cam back to the regt and took walk through the diferent companys and looked in a good many tents and you can not imagen how many different things the Soldiers had to pass away time some was reading novles some christian papwrs & tracks some playing cards & others checkers some wrighting some one thing and some an other i then came back to my tent and got my dinner sat around till 2 pm and then went to church up to the christan commichion and then came home and got my supper and the maile came and i got the letter and now i am answering it the drums are beeting now for roll call so now i will drop my letter and go out"-g-
The Battles...
"York Co Virginia April 13, 1862...our rigement was put out scurmishing I was on gard that day so I dident git a chance to go with them but I could see enough of it the canons cept roring till night our boys scurmished up within rifle shot of the rebles brestworks they got in another hard place but they got out of it with th los of too killed three wounded "-s-
"Headquarters cattle yard Vs May the 18 1862 Camp near the white house...at york town they wrote on a shell that our gun botes throed in their fourt it did not burst it said you god dam yankeys you sent this shell over 5 miles and now whe are aging to leav but when wee get you yankey sons of bitches where you gun bote cant help you well wee will give you hell"-g-
"Camp Gainshill May 30th 1862...I should have answerd your letter the next day after I got it but that morning we was all called a 4 AM up to march to near Hanover Corthouse to distroy the railroad track. in the morning when we got up it rained like the old hary & cept up till about 9 A.M. but for all the rain we had to march. we got there about 1 P.M. I wa puty tierd after marching 18 miles threw the mud & rain. we was drawd up in the line of batle 1 P.M. & then we had to lay there in the edge of the woods to suport our batteris. where the balls & shells had to pop rite (?) us & all round us we had to lay there there about an hour in this dangerous place then the enemy retreated & we had to folow them up about a mile then we halted there about an howr then the enemy atacked us back in our rear where they furst atacked us & we had to duble quick it back we got back in time flank the enemy. our ridgement had to lay just in the resurve(?) of one of the Newyork ridgements expecting to have to charge every minit they cept up a constint fier of msketry for about an houre. when the enemy gave way & run like the old hary throwing there knapsacks & guns every way then we went into camp for the night & glad we was for we was all tierd they say that we had 50 of our men killed. the wounded I havent hurd how meny we had they say that burid 150 of the enemy & we took 800 priseners but I dont know how true it is but I know what I saw with my one eyes that is tha I saw a good meny priseners & ded of the enemy & we suceeded in taring up the railroad track & they say that they capturd a train of cars. they say that the enemy was 1000 strong. & we had one Division but our men wasent near all ingage"-s-
"Camp Winfield Scot Near Yorktown Va Friday May 2th 1862... I hope that the war wont last long for I would like to come home & see you all once more but there is no telling how long it will last some think that it out last more than too months longer I hope not for it is a cruel war for brother to fite against brothr & hundres of men must fall on the battlefield for the sake of if there is scarcely a day that what we hur of a battle wich of corse some have to be killed"-s-
"July the 5 1862 City point Va...i am sorry to say that out of our regt there is 80 men left we hav had an wuffel battle there was 96 men in our Co and now there is 13 left there was an auffel Slauter in it wee had a great retreat and i do not know how it stands for wee hav not had any papers...i am with the beef cattle so you see that i was not in it but i lost every thing that i had for the boss with his waggon was in the rear and had to throw every thing he had in it to get away i had a horse that i was riding and a shell struck his hind legs and broke them from uner me the tree tops was a falling on both sides of the road"-g-
"July the 28 1862 Hairisons Landing Va...you wanted to hear about the battle it was an aufel Seen to witness i tell you that when a man has to go up within 5 to 25 rods apart and hall up and shoot each other wright down the rebbles were 10 to 1 of our men and it was a mericil that wee was not all taken prisiners...i tell you that when a person can see his comrads fall on the right and left and muskets balls pasing through his pant legs and other parts of his close that looks as if it would scare a man to death but a man gets harden to it after the two or three first Shots a man thinks no more of it than if hee was a Shooting at a mark"-g-
"Halls Hill Va September the 6 1862...the 30 wee had an aufel battle we laid on our belleys all day until about four oclocl in the after noon and then we made a charge on double quick for about 80 rods down one hill and up an other in the hollow between the hills was a large ditch and just before wee crossed it i was struck with a peice of spent shell which knocked mee down but i soon got up and reached the Regt it don me no damage only made my side black and blue for a few days they succeded in drivering us after they had killed the greater part of our men old Mcdowel the cuss let them flank us so that they fired on us from three sides and they could not send us any re enforcements they say that Gen Segal has put him under Arrest i hope to god it is so and i hope that they will hang him and then wee will put this rebellion down but as long as they let him hav any thing to do with it they will never settle it by fighting the fight we has was on the old bull run battle ground the next day after the fight the whole Brigade could count only 500 and 51 guns and there is 5 Regts in the brigade the first is the 17th NY 2 is 44 NY 3 is the 83 PA 4 is 12 NY 5 is the 16 mich"-g-
"October 5th 1862 Post Camp Near Alexandre...I wish this war over & that I could come home & see you all once more but it seames to me that it will be a good while yet before it will be over & that there will be a great slaughter of men yet O what a slaughter there has bin since the war comenced but I live in hopes that it will soon be over"-s-
Many letters were read over and over until the writing had faded away, yet every word was locked in the memory. In the transcription some of these letters are found to be so brittle or ragged that it is almost impossible to read them.
Times being what they were, more than just letters went back and forth in the post. Requests from the battlefront for stamps, paper, needles and thread were common.
"July the 29th /62 year Hairisons Landing...wee are with in one hundred rods of the James river next time you write to mee i wish you would send mee a small line and 2 or 3 fish hooks for if i had them i could catch fish to eat for such things is played out here hooks and lins i can not buy for love or money"-g-
"July the 31 1862 Hairisons Landing Va...mother i wish that you would subscribe for some papers and then you and father can read them and send it to me so that i can hav some news form home or Mich and when i get my pay i will send you money enough to pay the expense if you get any get detroit paper for me i should like the detroit daily advertiser you can get it daily or weekly and after you read it you can send it to me then i can get some news from home but as it is i do not get any thing thats a going on in the north except once in a whil one of the boys gets a paper from home"-g-
"Sept the 28 1862 Camp hand MD..i am vary thankful for the envelope and paper you sent to me it came vary good for i hav non at presant"-g-
"Dec the 18 /62 Camp near falmoth Va...i hav got plenty of paper and stamps but envelopes i hav non we hav not had any pay yet nor i do not see any signs yet"-g-
"Jan the 19th 63 Camp near Falmoth Va...i hav 3 rings that i mad of laural root whish i shall send home one is for Oren and one for Norman and one for Maurim the small one is not a very good one for it would not color"-g-
The need for clothing, to replace or augment the soldier's wardrobe was filled by packages from home. Many quilts, gloves, mittens, socks and shirts found their way through the postal system to eagerly awaiting addressees.
"Headquarters Stocktons Mich Regt Camp Lesley Co H Fairfax Co Halls Hill Vir (undated)...all that i suffer for is good warm gloves i wish it was so that you could send me a pare of mittens with one finger and thumb but i suppose it would be unconvent for to do so being so far from rail rode"-g-
Another thing that was enclosed between the pages of letters going both ways, was money. Money was sent home to help out the family at a time when many were finding it difficult to keep the table and larder stocked. Often soldiers would send money home, asking parents, siblings or wives to take advantage of a sale of property or livestock for them..
"Headquartes stocktons Regt halls hill Co H November the 26 1861...i have got a little money but not much fo i had a little bad luck in my travels i had the luck to loose my knappsack with my shirts and blanket and over coat and every thing that was in it and i had to pay for them and it drawd on my pay vary hard all i got ws 5 and 67 cents and i shall want that before i get any more pay"-g-
Halls Hill Va Headquarters Stocktons Regt Jan 26th /62...the next time i draw if i can i will send you some money the last time wee got any was the 17 of this month wee only got 10 dollors and i bought a pair of boots and paid 6 dollar for them"-g-
"Camp Winfield Scot Near Yorktown Va Friday May 2th 1862, My Dear Mother...I try & keep out of bad habits & take care of my money. we have musterd for pay yesterday we expect to get it in too or thre weaks when I do get it I calculate to send the most of it to you to take care of it I think that you are my only friend that I can trust it to. that is if you will do it for me. I want to save something so when I come back that I can by me a peace of land & sitle down and be a stidy boy "-s-
"Camp Winfield Scot Near York Town May 7th 1862...Tell Fathr that I reseived that money he sent me & I am a thousand times oblige to him & when I reseive my pay that I will remember him for a little money comes handy espesialy to by paper & postage stamp"-s-
"June the 19 /62 Camp near new bridg Va..if the steers is good built and there is prospects of their making a good yoke of cattle and if father wants to sell them to mee i will try and send him money enough to satisfy him for them i think that it will do mee no harm to have a pare and a young cow when I return home which i think it will not be long if wee continue much longer to whip the rebs"-g-
When the paymaster was late in paying the troops, as it often was, many a soldier would write home and ask for a dollar or two to buy tobacco, coffee or potatoes.
"August 19, 1862 McKims Hospitle Baltimore M.D....past weaks we havent got paid of yet and I dont know when we will get paid we expect to get paid to day but I dont know but we will get disapointed "-s-
"March 15th /63 Hd Qtr Co H 16Regt mich Inft Vols Camp near Falmoth Va...wee expect to get our pay again soon when the first day of march came around the government owed us four monts pay ia am in hopes that they will pay us soon for i like to keep pretty nigh square with the uncle Sam"-g-
Likenesses of soldiers taken in one of the many small photographers' shops set up near military encampments, were sent home, passing those photos headed to the front of family members .
"Camp Gainshill May 30th 1862...I received your letter the 27th that had your likenice in it & I was glad to git it & to know that you was well & the rest of our folks It always makes me happy to hear from home how you are a giting along"-s-
"October 5th 1862 Post Camp Near Alexandre...I got paid About the 15th Sept. I got me some clothes & a pare of boots & got me a watch which cost me $18, One thing & nother to the amount of $20(?) I tel you what it is it takes of money fast to by a little of this & that I got my likeness taken before I left Baltimore & I intended to have got it taken again but I dident get a chance to I dont think it is a very good one I have got two one taken standing up, the other siting down I think that I will send you the one standing up the other I will send to Charley Patterson I will inclose one in this letter."-s-
"Hd Qtr Co H 16th Regt Mich Inft March the 24th /63...I would like to hav you and father hav you likness taken and send it in a letter i would like to hav the whole of your liknessis hav norman and oren together and mother and marium together and Fathers Singil"-g-
Letters were written when and where the soldier could find the time and space to jot down a few words to those back home, to let them know how they were and what was happening around them.
"Halls Hill Feb the 3 /62...i hav just got home from picket guard and it is so muddy that the devil could not run if it was to save his life the mud is six inches dep it took us from 11 oclock till 5 oclock to walk 6 miles and when wee got home the men was so tired that they could not hardley stir"-g-
"Potomoct River March 28 1862 .....I must make this short for the river it is a getin so rough that I cant write"-s-
"Hd Qtr Co H 16th Regt Mich Inft Camp near Falmoth Va...hour Lt Colonel had a splended horse a raiser he won one thousand dollars the 16th of march and the 24 hee was run again and win eaigh hundred more and after he had win the race the Artillery Capt stept up and give Colonel Welch five hundred dols for the horse and that night the hores died so the Capt throwed away five hundred dols"-g-
"York Co Virginia April 13, 1862....we had a purty nice time down the river Potomac from Washington to Fortis Monrow we was on the boat 4 days the third night after we state the wind rose and blowed hard so that the tug that we had to tow us down the river came purty near swamping so she cut loos from us and left us to the mercy of the winds we drifted of a peas and they cast ankers so we lay there til the morning then the tug came back and hiched on again so we went on very well till about 4 oclock P.M. then the wind rose again we was in the Chese Peak Bay then & it blowed so hard she cut loos again & left us in the midle of the bay, then you may think how the Catin swear he said if he had a gun he would have shot the Ciptin of the tug we drifted of towards the shore the water was so deep that they couldent cast anker untill we got within about a mile of the shoar then the anker woudent hold there was one of our war vesils that hapend to be in site of us so they maid signel to hur and she came to us or so near that she sent a small boat with another anker so we got ankered the water was so shalow where we was that the gunboat couldent git to us so we lay there till morning then they took roaps and an anker and got us off. but we was in a bad place for they said that the rebels had a batry within 2 miles of us the wach said that they rebels cept make signels all night they said that if it hadent bin for the war vesil that we would have drifted a shore and wold have bin taken prisiners but fortion was in our faver that time you may imagin how glad we was when we got on shore"-s-
"Camp Winfield Scot Near yorkTown May 2th 1862,My Dear Sister, It is with great pleasure tha I seat myself on the ground to write a few lines to you"-s-
"Camp Winfield Scot Near York Town May 7th 1862...I once more take my pen in hand to write I feal some better this morning yesterday when while I was writing the orders came for me to march to yorktown so I had to quit writing & get redy to go the Rebels vacuited youktown the 4th of May they cept up a firing of cannon the 2 & 3th till the night of the 3th the left they left in a hury leaving behind 72 peices of canon of whiche they spiked & morters & a large suplie of Amminition and tents & lots of other traficks Our cavelry & artilery was put in pursuit of the rebels they overhaled from this side of Williamsburg 10 miles from here they had a fite in which they rebels drove us back the first da but the next day they say our men drove them & whiped them out & took General Mackgruder & ten thousand priseners...we got into yorktown last night or yesterday after noon so that I had a chance to go round & see the fortifications I was astonished to see there brest works & there morters & to see how strong they was fortified & that they would go & leav it without making a stand to fite I cam hav(?) it to say that I slept in a rebels tent last nig in yorktown"-s-
"Camp near Tunel Station May 19th 1862...We are on the march for Richman we have got within 17 miles of it they think that the rebels are a going to make a stand there & that we will have some warm work to do there but it may be like other places that by the time that we get there that will be some wher else, Some seam to think that if the rebels get defeated there, that there ont be much more fiting in Virginia. I hop so. & I hope that the war will soon come to an end for it is a cruel & bloody war I was not a great while since that I saw the bodis of 15 put into one grave they was killed at the battle at Westpoint the battle wa a day or two before we got there. but tha haint nothing to what it is to see 200 or three hundred buried."-s-
"Hanover Va June the 7 1862...i hav not written to you quite so often as i shoul if i could but as wee are on the march so much that i do not hav any chance i can not write much for i hav not time."-g-
"July the 29th /62 year Hairisons Landing...i can sit here in my tent alone and see about 300 masts of the ships that layes in the James river"-g-
"Camp Near Falmoth Va Co H 16th Mich Inft March the 21st /63...the most that is going on here is ball playing"-g-
Some were written on the day they were lost to this world,
"July the 2nd Camp of the 16th Mich in the field Near Getties burg PA...Dear Parents I now sit down to wright a few lines to you let - you know that I am well we have not had any maile since the 14th of June but once wee are here now laying in line of battle they hav been fighting A little this morning but all is still at presant wonce in A while there is A Canon fire we Anticapate A hard battle here now this after noon or to morrow I will put this the PO as the Regmintle mail does not go out I can not wright much now for wee dont know what moment wee shall have to fall in the people are good union people they give the soldiers all they want. but MD is the pretietest State that I ever saw and the best crops in it the farmers are harvisting now & there is lots of pretty Girls in MD in PA there is lots of Girls and young wimmin but they can't come up with the MD Girls I was talking with a Girl yesterday in Hanover City shee said that if we let the Grey backs come back there shee would Scold all of us for they stole every thing that they could get hold of they take all of the horses that is good for any thing they are Recruiting up their Cavelery but our men laid them out wright and left down at Hanover I dont know as you can Read this for I hav written it in A hurrey but I shall hav to close for this time wright as soon as you get this I hav got 15 monts longer to stay or sooner and wright often give my best Respects to all enquirers I Remain your Affectionate Son Adiew George W Ervay"-g-
not received by the family until they were informed by a commander or friend, of their soldiers passing.
And those too, were letters home. Guarded and preserved with those of the soldier, they give us insight to more reality of the times. Some were those that merely informed, "We regret to inform you that....." , while others were deeply heart felt.
"Camped Neer Warrington Va July the 29th 1863 Mr Daniel Ervay Sir I now sit down to Write you some very bad news i am Well and i hope you the Same My name is Allen A. Young the fellow that Went from grand ledge With your son george W. ervay i and george Came into the 16th Michigan regment together And went through all of the battles safe and at gettiesburg george got shot through the head and dyed from his Wound i am So lonesome since that he is gone that i dont know What to do george Was a good faithful soldier and tended to his duty Well be We had to part With him he Was standing beside me When he Was Shot and after the fireing Was over i helped to carry him of the field he Was struck in the side of the head and the ball Went through i felt bad for him i Wanted to go and take Care of him but they Could not spare me out of the Company he was the onely one that i new When I Came into the regiment rheuben turrill a Corporal in my Company has got his thing he is a going to send them to you i espect that their Will a great Many of us go in the same Way but I hope that i Will get back again i Was in hopes that george Would be spared to Come back With me We Will send them pictures to you that you sent him i have not got time to Writhe any more you must excuse me for not Writing a longer letter if you know a man their where yo live by the name of Stophers a Wagonmaker i Wish you Would give my best respects to him and tell him to Write to me So no more Write as soon as you get this letter this is from Mr Allen a young to Mr daniel Ervay Direct your letters to the 16th Michigan infantry Washington D.C. Co."-ay-
Many times this was the first contact between the friends of the soldier and their family. Some of these corespondents continued to write back and forth for many years after the war concluded.
As you read the many Civil War letters posted on the internet or those carefully preserved in a family history, remember that these letters are one of our greatest links to the life and times of those on both ends of the postal route. They are more valuable than gold and continue to need to be gently preserved.
"Hd Qtr Co H 16th Regt Mich Inft Camp near Falmoth Va April the 5th /63
Soldiers letter soon read
hard tack in place of bread
Postmaster send this letter through
Theres not a Sent in my pocket but five monts due
Find a Gal that will beet this rime and I will marry her when I get home"-g-
And if you have someone who is serving their country or just someone far away, sit down and handwrite a letter, now!