29 November 1860

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Anna to her brother Henry who was an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Navy and appears to be in New York. Mentions a band that came from Frederick, Maryland to play on Thanksgiving. Says that their father went to Baltimore on Friday morning to see their cousin William. They are going to look at a farm owned by a Mr. Keg. Questions the purchase and wonders if William can run it properly. Also mentions other investment possibilities. Last 2 pages updates him on friends and neighbors, especially on weddings that have taken place. Says there is little news to pass on, but mentions she did…

GLC03523.21.04

10 November 1861

Harlow, Charles D., fl. 1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by Harlow to his cousin Asa Smith in the Union Army. Harlow and Smith were not close before Smith joined the army, but Harlow hopes they will get to know each other through writing. Harlow claims he heard Smith was in good health through Homer. Says the family is well and that 2 regiments will soon leave the area for Washington. Reports that there are 800 soldiers at Fort Warren in Boston Harbor. Claims "They have come from most all parts of the Union; they are men of Secession principles, who have said and done to[o] much, but they are in safe quarters now." Says a severe storm last…

GLC03742.03

10 November 1861

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William Wallace Smith to his brother Asa Smith. References Smith's letter to him. Says everyone dives for the Washington papers when they arrive, but that Boston papers have more news on the war in them. Asks him " Do you think an attack is going to be made on Richmond or what are you cutting that road for[?]" Wallace says not much has happened recently except a divisional review by General George McClellan and his staff. Says it rained during the review he got soaked. Reports that "Our pickets brought in a contraband last week. Who was going to be killed by his master for giving…

GLC03742.04

9 March 1862

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William Wallace Smith to his brother Asa Smith. References receiving Asa's letter and the "smoking cap" that came with it. Says nothing is going on, but says it won't be long because every man is to be provided with 60 rounds of ammunition. Tells him about picket duty. Says he went to Falls Church and went to the church that George Washington helped to build. Says "it is a square brick building [that] does not look much like a church on the outside." Updates him on mutual friends. Embossed American eagle on the first page of the letter with the words "Union and Constitution" also…

GLC03742.10

19 February 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Responds to his father who believes the rebels will be beaten sooner or later, talking about discharges and belief that a Binghampton lawyer in Washington can get them for $5, bemoaning his bad luck, mentions his bad grace about not getting promoted.

GLC04558.069

20 June 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Trying to comfort his wife, who was depressed by the death of a relation (Lucy who had died a year earlier). Expects marching orders soon.

GLC04558.100

20 September 1863

Tillotson, Edwin, fl. 1861-1898

Autograph letter signed

Title: To George Tillotson

Enclosed with GLC04558.122.01. Written by George Tillotson's sister Mary and her husband Edwin. Mary writes of her hard work and says Nelly [Nelson] was taken prisoner. Edwin's letter (beginning on p.2) complains of poor health (consumption) and answers GWT (punctuation regularized): "I can scarcely believe you serious in your accusation against abolitionists as the cause of the war. It was the slave masters who first made opinions on slavery [into] political tests, and demanded 'soundness on the [illegible]' of every man north or south who asked office at Washington. It was they who…

GLC04558.122.02

28 November 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Various news; says he approves of a monument for daughter Lucy (deceased). With postscript "No News."

GLC04558.125

31 January 1861

McSherry, Richard M., 1792-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

From his father. References previous letters. There is confusion where the writer should send letters - to New York or Fortress Monroe in Virginia.

GLC03523.21.01

21 November 1860

McSherry, Richard M., 1792-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Richard to his son Henry as an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Navy. References receiving Henry's letter the day before. Says he is in negotiations with John Janney(?) to purchase his farm "as you were so anxious I should buy land." Claims "The affairs in the South look very threatening - But when action comes they will find more difficulties in the way than they expect." Thinks they will reconsider and not break from the Union. Is worried he has too many temptations to spend his money where he is and will not send it home. Letter is fragile and has a partial tear along a fold.

GLC03523.21.02

27 November 1860

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Anna to her brother Henry who was an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Navy and is stationed in Brooklyn, New York aboard the USS "Vandalia." References receiving Henry's letter. Says he ought to get any books that he wants as "time spent in reading good works is well employed." Says the more she looks at his photograph, the more she realizes it is such a good likeness. Mentions sights to see in New York, including Trinity Church, the Cooper Insititute in the Astor Library, and "Mr. Aspinwall's picture of the Immaculate Conception." Says Dr. McGary came by to say goodbye. McGary is…

GLC03523.21.03

28 November 1860

McSherry, Richard M., 1792-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Richard to his son Henry as an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Navy. References receiving his letter. Gives him investment advice. Tells him Tom is getting married tomorrow, Anna is writing him again, and that Dr. McGary will stop and call on him before going to Europe. Reports that two hogs were killed, giving them 659 pounds of meat. Says he has not settled on a contract to buy John Janney's(?) farm and will not "unless the southern difficulty is settled."

GLC03523.21.05

30 November 1860

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Anna to his brother Henry in the U.S. Navy. Letter is extremely faded in most sections and is hard to read. References receiving a letter from him. Says she cannot write a book, but has thought of writing children's stories. Wishes he was home and says his life must be hard without "intellectual and sympathetic association." Seems to be giving him an update on events in the neighborhood, but it is hard to read. Several tears in the letter.

GLC03523.21.06

December 1860

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Anna to her brother Henry who was in the U.S. Navy. Says the family was wondering what he was doing at the breakfast table this morning. Wants to know if he wants the "Intelligencer" or the "Mirror," or some other newspaper. Says she will still send the "Republican." Says Bishop McGill will be in Harper's Ferry next Sunday. Reports that their father made an offer on the Patterson land of John Janney(?) and says "he asks Pa 32. it is 1.50 more in the acre than he gave but Pa said Mr Janney would have $100 interest to pay. he said there were 129 acres. Pa said he would write to…

GLC03523.21.07

circa early 1861

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Large parts of the letter are faded and it is hard to read. References receiving Henry's letter. Says she is sorry to hear that he is to lose Mr. Cunningham - who appeared to be a naval officer on Henry's ship. She knew he was an agreeable companion. Cunningham might have left the U.S. Navy to join the Confederacy. She writes, "It is a pity to think such a fine[,] efficient Navy may be no longer National." Says they will no longer be a "Great Power" if the country splits into Northern and Southern Confederacies. Says if it happens then the Pacific States, which are far away, will more than…

GLC03523.21.08

20 May 1861

P., John, fl. 1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William [McSherry]

Writer and recipient unknown. Could possibly be written to William McSherry, who could be related to Eliza McSherry of Littlestown, Pennsylvania or Richard McSherry of Martinsburg, Virginia. Eliza has letters in this collection to her brother Henry (GLC03523.21.11 & .12). The writer received the recipient's previous letter. Is sorry to hear of the misfortune that had befallen his house. Says the new addition was so far completed that the tinners were at work on the roof and one of them started a fire through the carelessness of a soldering furnace. Says all his furniture, clothing, and…

GLC03523.21.09

circa mid 1861

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Letter is faded with water damage and mold. Written by Anna to her brother Henry in the U.S. Navy. Henry seems to have contracted malaria. Says through the tone of his letter she assumes his health is better. Asks if he has taken the quinine. Says their father feels badly for not giving him some before he left. Says that their father reported to her that Henry would not be well enough to travel by Saturday, at least not comfortably. Says 27 prisoners from Back Creek Valley were brought to town yesterday. She thinks a large force is around Winchester. Sends updates on family and friends. Name…

GLC03523.21.10

9 September 1861

McSherry, Eliza, 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Extremely faded letter with water damage and mold. Written by Eliza to her brother Henry in the U.S. Navy. Seems that several of Henry's friends have been killed. She says she especially is sad at the loss of Holmes and tries to console him. Says "I heard a lady say the other day that she would prefer her friend to be killed ... rather than wounded and suffering on the battlefield. that is terrible indeed." Updates him on friends and family.

GLC03523.21.11

October 1861

Steadman, Mary C, fl. 1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: A mother to her soldier son

Poem sent to Union solider Asa Smith. This poem was written by Mary C. Stedman, a family friend of the Smiths who wrote the poem at the request of Asa Smith's mother. She references the request in GLC03742.02. In that letter she says: "When you left home I asked Mary Stedman to write a piece of poetry for me to send you, and she has in the enclosed lines described my feelings better than I expected." 4 stanzas on a mother contemplating the death of her son in battle. Begins: "Thou art gone, my son, and a shadow falls / O'er the home of thy childhood joy / And at morn and even a prayer goes…

GLC03742.01

31 October 1861

Smith, Maria, fl. 1861

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

There are four separate notes from various family members to Asa Smith updating him on family and home life. One is from his sister "Maria," one from his sister "Carrie," another from his sister "Mary," and the last is from his mother. Maria's note: references receiving Asa's letter. She says they received a letter from Wallace ( Asa's brother William Wallace Smith) too. Wallace said he was under marching orders and expects to be in a battle soon. Wallace said he has not slept much, but eats well on corn beef, ham, rice, and beans. Says "Mother is fixing some trimming for an apron for me,…

GLC03742.02

1 December 1861

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William Wallace Smith to his brother Asa Smith. References receiving Smith's letter. Says he spent Thanksgiving "running round among the other camps and at dusk we got up a dress parade among the boys with a dirty torn shirt for colors and in the evening we had a dance on the parade ground. Reports that there was much excitement when drums start beating all over camp, but it was only to get them to get 40 rounds and be prepared to lave a moment's notice. Says there was much action around camp, but that they were not called out until 9 p.m. Mentions other units that went into a…

GLC03742.05

17 February 1862

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William to his brother Asa. Says he has sent Asa three letters since his last letter of 14 January, even though he has not received any of them. Reports that "the army are alive with joy and excitement here over with the good news from the West[.]" Says they might see some fighting "as soon as the going will permit." Says he just got back from parade where they heard a report read by the adjutant and a short speech from the brigadier general. Met a soldier from Natick, Massachusetts named Beals who says his brother hauled coal in Natick. Asks if he knows the person. Says they are…

GLC03742.06

19 February 1862

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William to his brother Asa. References receiving Asa's letter. Hopes the mud is no deeper than it is where he is. Says he almost got stuck with a team of 6 horses at Arlington. Says "25 negroes went out beyond our camp to cut wood for the Government. Says his whole brigade was summoned to the parade ground to hear the news of the fall of Fort Donnelson and they "made the hill and wood ring with our shouts[.] Our band leader is under arrest for refusing to lead the band in the national airs at that time." Says there is an Englishman currier in camp who wants to know if Asa knows an…

GLC03742.07

20 July1862

Smith, Ann, fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by Ann Smith to her brother Asa Smith in the Union Army. Says she is glad he is doing well. Says "I try & try to imagine how you look but don't succeed very well - If I could only see you for a little while." Goes on to say that "I tell Mother I'm prouder than ever of you." Says Lieutenant H.L. Potter of the 20th regiment has been back home now for a week because of a wound in his leg. Says "he was in the same hospital with you a week or more - he wishes he had seen you." Says that their brother William Wallace Smith was lucky to avoid injury. Is sending him a copy of a newspaper…

GLC03742.08

2 March 1862

Smith, William Wallace, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Asa Smith

Written by William Wallace Smith to his brother Asa Smith. Mentions high winds that blew through camp recently. Says in less than a half hour half the tents in camp were down, and by evening there were only 10 left standing. Says they were ordered to pick up and march to Harper's Ferry, Virginia to assist General Banks, but another division was sent and the order was countermanded. Says they were mustered in for pay recently and might get it soon. Says they might move soon and all the men who could not carry knapsacks were carried off today, emptying the hospitals. Says they buried a German…

GLC03742.09