5 September 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes from camp Bermuda thanking his family for the valise and shoes that they have sent to him. He writes that Captain Hoyt's most pressing duty has been "guzzling whiskey." He writes that Captain Foss calls the headquarters "a public bar." Coit fears Colonel Ward's discharge because the men of the Regiment like him so much. He encloses some badges that he asks his sister to embellish with silver thread.

GLC03603.318

29 October 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

He writes that he has been wounded in the shoulder and is in the hospital. The bullet is still lodged in his side. He requests his mother's presence and says the wound prevents him from writing.

GLC03603.329

28 October 1864

Smith, fl. 1684

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mrs. Charles Coit

The Chaplain writes to Mrs. Coit to inform her that Charles has been wounded with a shrapnel shot. Smith reports the wound is severe and that he was being transported to Chesapeake Hospital. He requested that the Chaplin write to his mother immediately.

GLC03603.331

2 November 1864

Clarke, P.W., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Certificate to allow Ellen Coit to travel]

This letter was written by the Headquarters Provost Marshal to certify that Ellen Coit was allowed to travel to visit her brother at Chesapeake Hospital.

GLC03603.333

31 December 1864

Chillan, E.W., fl. 1864-1865

Document signed

Title: [Bill for Coit family board]

Bill for the board of Charles, Ellen, George and Mrs. Coit for 30 days. The total is $124.00 for the month of December. Signed by the Assistant Surgeon General or the U.S. Army.

GLC03603.334

31 January 1865

Chillan, E.W., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Bill for Coit family board]

Bill for the board of Charles, Ellen, George and Mrs. Coit for 30 days. The total is $95.00 for the month of January. Signed by the Assistant Surgeon General or the U.S. Army.

GLC03603.335

28 February 1865

Chillan, E.W., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: [Bill for Coit family board]

Bill for the board of Charles, Ellen, George and Mrs. Coit for 14 days. The total is $105.00 for the first two weeks of February. Signed by the Assistant Surgeon General or the U.S. Army.

GLC03603.337

5 August 1870

Coit, Mary B., fl. 1870

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ellen

This letter may have been written by Charles Morgan Coit's wife to his sister, Ellen.

GLC03603.345

18 December 1862

Wharton, Bell, 1843-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph M. Maitland

Begins letter, "To write a letter tonight or not that is the question I have been thinking of for some time & I have come to the conclusion that it will be nobler for me to write." Tells him, "if you come home I hope you see your girls especially that one you fell in love with sometime before you left." Signs the letter, "I remain your sincere friend."

GLC03523.10.055

17 February 1863

Maitland, Joseph M., 1836-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Bell Wharton

Writes to "My Dear Bell" from Fort Pickering. Describes fort conditions, noting that is very different than Camp Chase. Tells her, "Oh how I wish I was only at home long enough to get a few meals and then the loss of Female Society to one who is a lover of the Fair sex is a great deal." Small holes in letter cause minor text loss.

GLC03523.10.059

22 December 1862

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Mentions that he has not received many letters from his family but adds that most letters that come to camp are from soldiers' sweethearts and "some of the boys had rather write to the girls than to thear own folks but it is not so with me." Reports on the "great Expedition of Gen McClernand" to take Vicksburg. Troops have been passing Damuth's camp but his regiment is not joining them; instead, they are making plans to cross the Mississippi and set up winter quarters. Praises Colonel Gill for his attentiveness towards his men and tells a few stories about the things the soldiers have been…

GLC03523.14.06

25 December 1862

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Damuth

Writes to his family on Christmas evening. Letter is a lengthy description of the events of the past few days. Damuth's camp has crossed the river at Helena after burning their old camping ground. Describes the lengthy process of crossing the river with mules, wagons and all of the regiment's equipment. The men are divided into squads of twelve. All the men must throw away their excess belongings, so Damuth gives a black man one of his cotton shirts, "it was the last thing I had that ma made for me." The soldiers board a ship to head to their new camp and are fired at by Rebel soldiers…

GLC03523.14.07

30 January 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Receives a package, containing socks and a photograph, from Maria. Describes the effectiveness of an officer and friend who is well-liked for his attentiveness towards his men, especially sick soldiers. Mentions that Colonel Gill has promised all the soldiers they will be home by Christmas. Writes that "the South is most ruined now and will be intirely [sic] if this goes on an other year." Thinks that the Southerners are eager for the war to end. Writes that Grant has gone to Vicksburg and predicts that they will not have to go after all, for which he is grateful - "I am not so ambitious…

GLC03523.14.11

6 February 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Worried that his sister is sick with diphtheria. Many of the men in camp are sick, and the first man in Damuth's company has died. Damuth's friend Jesse has been vaccinated for small pox and complains of feeling unwell. Comments on a black servant who does the cooking - "a good fellow but is an exception to his race." Complains about division in the North between Republicans and pacifist Democrats.

GLC03523.14.12

20 June 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to thanks his sister for a package she has sent him, "I think more of the handkerchief than any thing." Describes the evening before when, on picket, "we could here the rebels sing Methodist hyms I think they are all like devils very pious when they get in a dangerous place." Gives details of a bombardment of Rebel lines in the morning. A new general is coming to replace McClernand, since he "done some thing the day they made the charge that dident suit Grant." Their new general is named Orff. Opines that Northern Democrats have been patriotic "onely to save thear own cowardly…

GLC03523.14.28

31 August 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes on paper sent to him by his sister and teases, "I guess you thought if you sent this size paper you would get large letters." She has also sent him some socks, and Damuth thanks her for them but adds, "I think I would rather be the one that stays at home and knits them than to be the one that stays down here and wears them out." Some men are being discharged for illness, but on the whole, the company is well and eating fresh food. Though the men have marching orders, they have had them "so long that I dont depend much on them. We are soldiering now more as the army under McClellen…

GLC03523.14.35

8 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister about doing guard duty on a plantation near camp. The soldiers encounter enslaved people who remained living on the plantation. Damuth purchases food from them and enters their homes. Describes that the enslaved people observe did not seem, he believed, interested in attacking them. Writes that he is currently in the largest group of men since the battle of Champion Hills. General Banks is moving a large force from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico, and Damuth anticipates meeting up with them. The regiment has received a new flag with "all the Battles we have been…

GLC03523.14.42

24 November 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ida

Writes to "friend Ida." Says that the weather is getting cold, and the men need new clothes and tents. Although their captain is strictly against foraging, Damuth says "he dont know all that is going on in Co D Dave dont care how much the boys forage he dont belive in the boys going hungry." Stops writing for a moment because "the boys are yelling Dolph come and draw our whiskey it has come." Enjoys being orderly of the company very much. Talks about the men who are being drafted and writes that "I wish thear was no such thing as thear getting rid of it by paying $300." Of the dearth of…

GLC03523.14.45

2 February 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. His brother, John, has enlisted and is joining Damuth's company. Damuth promises to make him comfortable, but admits that "it was hard enough for me to leave home but it is nothing compared with leaving a wife and five little ones." Confesses that "the war is a very dangerous undertaking." Twenty-seven men from his company have died since the start of the war. The men have been seeing rattlesnakes in Texas, including one which is six feet long. Writes of the hard work of his captain and says he "ought to be Major but others have rich and influential friends to work…

GLC03523.14.48

2 June 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ida

Writes that the whole camp is on picket, except for himself (the orderly) and the cooks. One of Damuth's friends has adopted birds, and it is Damuth's job to care for them. He dislikes them, but his friend "thinks every thing of them and will talk baby talk to them all the time." Mentions that he is glad "they are raising so many 100 day men," but mentions that serving for a hundred days is not long enough to really experience the soldier's life. Speculates on the end of the war and writes "I want to get home and enjoy domestic bliss for the rest of my days."

GLC03523.14.58

6 June 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

The men have nothing to do and are relaxing in camp. The regiment has heard "good news from Grant to day" but doesn't know if it is true; they hope Grant "whips Lee at Richmond." Damuth's brother John has enlisted for a period of a hundred days. Adds a postscript on 7 June about a friend who is guarding a nearby house "to keep the boys from stealing every thing and to protected [sic] the women folks."

GLC03523.14.59

6 August 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes about the soldiers who died in the skirmish on the Atchafalaya. A few days earlier, a "big scare down to Baton Rouge" caused the officers to load all the men into boats; the men fell asleep and woke up the next morning still in port, and since then "have heard nothing of Rebs." Agrees with his sister on her judgment of young men who have avoided the draft, "I had rather a sister of mine would marry a soldiers old shirt." Writes about the draft that he hopes it will be the least, although "things look rather dark and discouraging but my faith in the wisdom and Patriotism of our…

GLC03523.14.65

20 November 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. Describes the early morning arrival at Little Rock. The day before, "one hundred men went out to cut timber to build us good houses and to day four teems have been drawing it up." Damuth thinks the regiment will be there all winter. Compares Little Rock to Madison, Wisconsin. Has run into other Wisconsin men, since seven companies are camped nearby. Finds part of a letter he wrote to his friend Emma published in The Chief, but without his name on it, "she did not expose my ignorance by giving my name."

GLC03523.14.75

3 December 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. The men are busy preparing for an inspection, because "they say that the Regt that passes the best inspection will do Provost Guard duty in the city this winter." Damuth has received a pair of suspenders from his family by mail and is glad, reporting that clothing goods are expensive if purchased in camp. Damuth is now receiving twenty-four dollars a month. The night before, Damuth went to the theater to see "the Webb sisters…young but perfect beauties." Going to the theater is a good pastime for soldiers, he argues, because "we see again a little civile life."…

GLC03523.14.77

13 December 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. Damuth has visited a friend from home stationed nearby. The friend is married to a girl who cooks for the army. Of the visit, Damuth writes, "that day was the first time I had sat down to a table with a woman since I ate dinner at home the day I left fer the last time I hardly knew how to act or handle my knife and fork." Writes that he has news of Southerners fighting amongst themselves about states rights. Though Southerners are now trying to arm enslaved people, Damuth considers this a problem "when Slavery was declared to be the chief corner Stone of the…

GLC03523.14.78