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to "my dear wife"

re: Hartsuff reports his arrival at Fort Fetterman from Laramie, Wyoming (a journey of about one week through bad weather). On arrival at Fetterman, Hartsuff reports that he was attached to the staff of General Crook as Medical Director and that...

GLC05201.002

to Florence Hartstuff

re: letter fragment describing the calvary camp, Hartsuff's headquarters, to his young daughter.

GLC05201.007

to "my darling wife and baby"

re: Hartsuff reports that the war commenced almost without warning. Four companies of Infantry had already struck their tents and gotten ready to leave and another four were under orders to strike their tents when the fight broke upon them....

GLC05201.020

to his father Tobias Gibson

Informs his father that his unit has just left New Orleans. They are the first regiment to receive orders to leave the state. Discusses local benefits given to raise money for his regiment, and the health of his brother Claude, who also commands a...

GLC04501.010

To his wife

Washing clothes, food: "...sea buiskets which is a kind of very hard cracker. They taste pretty much like any other craker but I have about put my jaws out of joint chewing them but today they delt out pilot bread which is very much like soda...

GLC04558.007

To his wife

Raising tents, selling bread that he baked, size of expedition. Written on patriotic stationery. Encloses an envelope originally addressed to him as an example to his wife of how not to address envelopes.

GLC04558.009

To his wife

Settled in camp, weather, price of food coming down.

GLC04558.010

To his wife

Soldiers leaving on furlough, one of whom "told us that the Dickinson Guards might kiss his [drawing of donkey]...." Describes men pretending sickness to avoid drill, salute for capture of New Orleans. "You must excuse the looks of this sheet for I...

GLC04558.023

To his wife

Farm work (neighbors helped put-in crops), more rumors of Richmond's capture, drills, call for 100,000 men: "I think that the best way to end the concern [of enough men] would be to enlist and arm the contrabands for all the darkeys I have talked...

GLC04558.025

To his wife

Still in hospital, Regiment at Norfolk. Mail, picking whortle berries, wishing he could help on the farm, different tent styles. "There are about three hundred Contrabands sent from this island the other day to Newburn to go to school."

GLC04558.031

To his wife

Laying around, regiment ordered from Newport News to Richmond, problems with fleas. Discusses rations from Uncle Sam and NC peddlers: "that come from main land in boats. There is sometimes as many as ten or a dozen here in a day and some of them...

GLC04558.034

To his wife

Re-joining regiment, likes camp. "Scouting parties are sent out every day who frequently have scermishes with parties of the enemy and unless the rebels play their scadaddle game their [sic] will soon be bloody work done." Expects to leave, but...

GLC04558.036

To his wife

Called-out to repel rebels but "divel a one did we see at all." Evacuation of Fredericksburg camps, destroying bridges, foundry and machine shop; "most of us would have liked to have seen the whole of the city on fire, but then that was rebels...

GLC04558.041

To his wife

Complains of no letters received, diarrhea, reviewed by Pres. Lincoln, officers resigning, wishes for Sibley tents so he can be warmer. Written on patriotic stationery.

GLC04558.046

To his wife

Marching towards Leesburgh, describes confiscations despite guards, loss of mattress, "Rebels scadaddleing towards Richmond."

GLC04558.051

To his wife

Interrupted by orders and drills. Reports rebels fortifying heights beyond Fredericksburg, believes they are equal or superior in numbers, re-building the same depot as done last year, comment about blacks riding the railroad while soldier walk...

GLC04558.056

To his wife

Damaged at top left. With pencil note in margin p.1 enclosing "secesh" belt buckle for Georgiana. Trying to stay warm, describes previous week eating well in the town: "If you ever see a city rocked to pieces it is Fredericksburgh." Briefly...

GLC04558.059

To his wife

Continued January 3 ["Dec."]. Written in pencil. Increasing strictness of the colonel for infractions, mentions that soldier mutilating himself (cutting off thumb) was court-martialed and sentenced to hard labor and half-pay for rest of service...

GLC04558.060

To his wife

Drilling, describes detail work for loading supplies, size of regiment: 13 discharged, 10 deserted, 2 died,2 killed in battle and 26 absent. Punishments for deserters described, jokes about needing a drum to organize his life when he returns home...

GLC04558.061

To his wife

Mail delays, marching orders given and countermanded, mutiny: "I hear this morning that we have a little bit of mutiny in our brigade. The 103d regt N.Y.V. last night burnt up all their cartridges. They say there a[i]nt an officer in the regiment...

GLC04558.063

To his wife

Reports his move via train, making bunks from lumber and the new comfort, finding an old friend at the sutlers, describing the wreck of the Cumberland and iron-clads: "There is several of the iron clad monitors laying out here in the Rhodes [sic]....

GLC04558.067

To his wife

Drill, parade for new general, Gen. Smith, news. "As to my grinding my teeth if I 'could hear those rebel democrats talk' I'll bet anything that I can hear full as plain and treasonable talk from the soldiers every day and that not from one or to...

GLC04558.071

To his wife

Inspection, cleaning his equipment and scrubbing his buttons; jokes about needing lectures from his wife "Maybe I am a sesech Democrat, but dont know guess [sic] I am straddle of the fence mit [sic] one foot on both sides." Expresses skepticism...

GLC04558.072

To his wife

Moved camp, picket duty, fishing a lot while on duty; the NY 89th is one of the few regiments to remain; talk of consolidating regiments; mentions rations available. Letter broken-off with orders to strike tents and move. Captain under arrest....

GLC04558.092

To his wife

Now camping at a fort, mentions guns in forts, describes looking over battlefield where he fought. Comments on home news and jokes that "I might I suppose 'send up a few contraband' to work for you only Uncle Samuel wont let em go so far North."...

GLC04558.093