February 24, 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Snow and rain. Mentions new orders relating to leaves of absence.

GLC04558.070

3 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 about the war's early end.

GLC04558.072

7 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Has finally received express box. Hopes for furlough, advises his wife to stay out of debt if she wants to build a new house.

GLC04558.073

10 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Worries at her sickness, hopes for furlough; farm news, business and questions.

GLC04558.074

13 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Written in pencil. Has marching orders and expects to sail for Suffolk Va, news that Longstreet is moving towards Gen. Corcoran at Suffolk and there is some prospect of battle.

GLC04558.075

15 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Written in pencil. Continued on March 16. Describes his accommodations: "The house consists of four pieces of tents, two of which are buttoned together, for the sides, with little rope loops, at the corners, to pin them down to the ground. ... [describes pole-setting and tent raising] ...there is a little less than four feet high from the ground to the peak, and five feet square, on the ground, and as I sit in the center of it, on my knapsack with my portfolio across my lap for a writing table, and my bayonet stuck point downwards in the ground, for a candlestick, I can just sit up…

GLC04558.076

20 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Written in pencil. Continued March 21. Has moved to better ground and larger house, which he describes. Now has a stove made from an old camp kettle, so the other boys crowd his house to stay warm. Describes leg swelling and lameness, makes suggestions for house-building to his wife. Written in a camp near Suffolk, Virginia

GLC04558.077

25 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

House building costs and materials. He has fattened-up and now weighs 170 lbs. Other regiments transferred to Tennessee. Written in a camp near Suffolk, Virginia

GLC04558.078

28 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Had to re-write letter because of rainstorm, payday, hopes for furlough and being put-off by Capt., encloses letter from Nelson. Written in a camp near Suffolk, Virginia

GLC04558.079

6 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Doctor has diagnosed him as having dropsy, so will apply for discharge. Mentions Capt. Charles Tillotson of the NY 99th. Now weighs 180 lbs; hopes to see home, and mentions other men on furlough. Written in a camp near Suffolk, Virginia

GLC04558.080

10 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Trying to get discharge (doctor not sure he can get one), bled by doctor, gory suicide of Irish soldier John Lafabe (who wanted a discharge).

GLC04558.081

14 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Reports extensive skirmishing, his regiment has a "bully position" that is easily held from Rebs who are trying to cross the Nansemond River; describes fight in which Gen Corcoran shot and killed Lt. Krimble of the Hawkins Zouaves. Information from captured rebel sergeant.

GLC04558.082

17 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Skirmishing, Federal expedition to dislodge snipers, being reinforced, expecting an attack. "We have taken some negro rebel prisoners. One was caught in a tree fireing at our scurmishers, there was a white reb also with him but they killed the white one and captured the black and he he [sic] declared if he was back there he would fight us just as hard again and also that there was fifteen thousand more out there like him, who was just as stout as he, and they would fight just as well so you can see how much the niggers want to fight for their own freedom."

GLC04558.083

19 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Trying to cheer his wife, orders and countermanded orders to cross the Nansemond, river rumored to be blocked by Rebs, and joking: "About the broomstick question I plead guilty and believe I oughter [sic] to be broomsticked cause I didnt stay at home... but... I hope you will exercize your supreme clemency and commute it to something less humiliating and more pleaseing [sic]." Postscript on p. 1 notes successful capture of rebel fort on the river.

GLC04558.084

23 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Battle letter. Taking the rebel fort (mentioned in #84): "as soon as the boat touched the shore the boys piled off like a flock of sheep and as soon as they got ashore struck a dead run for the fort. Some of the officers asked the officer in command if he wasnt going to form a line and his answer was 'to hell with your line the fort is what we want' and so they strung along every man for himself. They had to run pretty much around the fort on three sides and came in partially in rear on a road.... When the rebels saw them coming they whirled one of the 24 pounder guns around so as to sweep…

GLC04558.085

25 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Reports that a federal raid captured 3,000 rebel prisoners. Also says he does not notice the boom of guns anymore. Concludes with his longing to see his children and wife.

GLC04558.086

27 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Hot weather. Regiment's officers trying to get regiment mustered-out or to get a furlough. Mentions consolidation of corps and fears of officers. Reports rebels doubling pickets. Concludes with a joke that he might "go under" if he comes in-range of his wife's "kissing battery."

GLC04558.087

29 April 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Rebels "appear ready to siege us out" and reports "Old Stonewall Jackson has sent a flag of truce [to the city] warning the citizens to leave if they didnt want to get hurt." Mentions visiting other NY regiments and describes "a queer kind of battery used" by the rebels, a "large rocket containing a bombshell" which makes no sound when launched "but a mighty whizzing as they go through the air." He says they "would be very destructive only for the difficulty of makeing them go where they want them."

GLC04558.088

2 May 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Picket duty; worries that he might have to cross the river again to take the fort (see #85). Estimates forces on Union side. Written in a camp near Suffolk, Virginia

GLC04558.089

4 May 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Battle letter. Sent into battle as skirmisher, rebel pickets abandon their posts as the Federals advance but the advance is slowed. GT's gun tube bursts. Other regiments drive the rebels off. Speculates that their advance was intended as a probe of the enemy position. Reports rebels evacuated the next day. Written in a camp near Suffolk, Virginia

GLC04558.090

8 May 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Continued May 9. Responding to family news, concerned that Edwin fought at Fredericksburg, comments on sister Louisa's plan to keep a school, escort for deceased officer, has bad cold, news of Hooker. With postscript apologizing for damaging the ambrotype (#207): "...while I was cleaning the glass to your pictures with Tripoli[,] I was careless enough to let the clothe haveing the tripoli on get drawn across the face of the glass that the likenesses were taken on, and Leon's is spoiled and Georgiana's is damaged...."

GLC04558.091

15 May 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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. Mentions Lt. Col. England.

GLC04558.092

17 May 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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." Commenting on Fredericksburg, he writes: "We knew, that that army of the Potomac is an unlucky institution, that it never has gained by one clean victory, and that was done by the Ninth Army Corps, at South Mountain. Still old Hooker last winter expressed himself very much relieved by getting rid of Burnsides Grumblers."

GLC04558.093

22 May 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

"This is an awful lonesome and lazy life to live..." Sultry days and chilly nights; drilling. On receiving a letter from his abolitionist brother-in-law: "...I received a letter from Edwin..... He accuses me of lacking sympathy with the plan and purpose of the war. The purp. I wonder if he think I would have any sympathy with his abolition plan. I answered his letter yesterday and stated my plan, that is, the one I had when I enlisted which was simply to save the Union and put down rebel[l]ion, but still I had to acknowledge that they had got me fighting (though reluctantly) on his plan…

GLC04558.094

2 June 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

A lazy day in which he day-dreams of being home; mentions combating a forest fire; relates farm news from Edwin who was injured and has hired "a couple of negroes;" instructions on sheep; responding to home news.

GLC04558.095