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to his wife

Mentions being in General Fitz-John Porter's division. Read a piece in the Boston Herald about Porter's Battery being in a skirmish and Sargeant Barnes shooting a rebel but says it was all a lie. Describes meeting Abraham Lincoln at Captain Griffin...

GLC01898.08

Collection of Caleb C.E. Mortimer, 3rd regiment, Massachusetts, artillery [Decimalized .01-.23]

Mortimer was Lieutenant in the 3rd Massachusetts Artillery, covering action in the Peninsula campaign, skirmishing, casualties, picket duty at Yorktown, Hanover and New Bridge. One letter from 1861 describes capture of the "Steam gun." Most letters...

GLC01898

to his wife

Describes the capture of a steam gun. "... we disembarked and took possession of the renowned Steam gun and four mules which was on its way to harpers ferry to the sesesion [sic] army there ... it is quite a curious machine and if it does what its...

GLC01898.01

to his wife

Mentions he might be going down to Fort Monroe. "...the boys are in high spirtis at the Idea of going into active service and having an opportunity of making a mark for the sake of old Massachusetts." Speaks of his loyalty to the Boston Light...

GLC01898.02

to his wife

Believes there will be a fight soon in Baltimore as it is "a hot Bed of secession."

GLC01898.03

to his wife

Speaks critically of "our renowned surgeon Dr. Ordway."

GLC01898.04

to his wife

Mentions being reviewed by General George McClellan and calls him "a fine looking man." The whole division was under the command of General Fitz-John Porter. States McClellan would have had the enemy trapped at Munson's Hill but for a traitor in...

GLC01898.05

to his wife

Mentions that a review by General George McClellan is planned for the next day. Includes a "List of wants of a poor devil in the Army" on a separate sheet of paper.

GLC01898.06

to his wife

GLC01898.07

to his wife

Gives an hour by hour account of a routine day in camp. Written from Camp Follett.

GLC01898.09

to his wife

Mentions doing drills with General Daniel Butterfield and General John Henry Martindale's brigades. The whole division under command of General Fitz-John Porter staged an imaginary battle. Stationary embossed "Farrar, Follett & Co. Metals, Boston."...

GLC01898.10

to his wife

Writes that tomorrow General George B. McClellan will do a ground review of General Fitz-John Porter's division. Captain Follett's battery will be there. Written from Camp Follett. Stationary embossed "Farrar, Follett & Co. Metals, Boston." and...

GLC01898.11

to his wife

Writes about what the regiments did to celebrate Christmas, including a burlesque parade and a band. Describes building winter quarters and a guard house. Written from Camp Follett. Stationary embossed "Congress A.P. Co."

GLC01898.12

to his wife

Written from Camp Follett. Stationary embossed "Congress A.P. Co."

GLC01898.13

to his wife

Mentions that General John H. Martindale wants to get Mortimer's battery attached to his brigade as Martindale thinks "this is the ne plus ultra of batteries." Written from Camp Follett.

GLC01898.14

to his wife

Written from Camp Follett.

GLC01898.15

to his wife

Mentions being near Fitz-John Porter's battery and close to the fifth Massachusetts battery. Written from Camp Fitz John Porter.

GLC01898.16

to his wife

Describes some action in the Peninsular campaign and the Battle of Yorktown. "...there will not probably be much fighting here for some days yet as they are landing our siege guns and mortars and getting them into position the rebels are in large...

GLC01898.17

to his wife

Mentions a Union hot air balloon that was used for reconnaissance. "Our big Balloon is just making preparations to take a look at the rebs they are getting very vicious and they make night hideous with the howling and bursting of shells..." Describes...

GLC01898.18

to his wife

Camped eight miles from Richmond, Virginia. Mentions the reconnaissance balloon again. Marked "Camp of 3rd Mass Battery" and "near Chickahominy River, Va."

GLC01898.19

to his wife

Mentions that they have not seen action since the Battle at Hanover Courthouse on 27 May 1862 where a of their men were wounded. States "Mac [General George B. McClellan] is confident of success and means to make a clean sweep of them this time."...

GLC01898.20

to his wife

Writes "the enemy's pickets in plain sight it is funny the pickets of the two armies are within thirty yds of one another and they sometimes talk across to one another." Writes about a Dr. Gaines, the man who owns the land they on which they are...

GLC01898.21

to his wife

States that the rebels had a "big time" last night and he heard that General Robert E. Lee got drunk. There is a lot of sickness in camp because they are near the swamp. Written from camp of the 3rd Massachusetts Battery, near New Bridge, Virginia.

GLC01898.22