1863/7/19

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Family

He reports that Marylanders act more friendly toward the troops than the people in Pennsylvania. News concerning the fall of Vicksburg and Port Hudson.

GLC04189.50

1863/8/14

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses the problem of locating Confederate guerrillas. He is very ill and his legs are swollen. He predicts that the war will be over soon.

GLC04189.53

1863/8/21

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

His right leg is getting worse. He believes Lee may attack them near Alexandria. The regiment now totals 343 men out of the 984 men who enlisted one year ago. In a section addressed to his wife, Smith indicates someone wrote him a note, on one of Charley's letters, requesting money. He is not sure she wrote the note but will send her money any way. He writes that he will have to go to the hospital.

GLC04189.54

1862/04/14

Morris, Charles F., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to: Susannah L. Morris.

Charles reports that they fought last Friday and "whip[ped] the rebells and took 25 prisoners" which they sent to Washington.

GLC06451.009

[n.d.]

Morris, Charles F., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to: John Morris.

There was a fight and they were close enough to see the Confederates but they were unable to kill any of them.

GLC06451.012

1863/8/4

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He has been sick lately but feels better now. Large numbers of reinforcements are arriving from North Carolina and Norfolk. Both side appear to be busy readying themselves for battle.

GLC04662.041

1863/08/29

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He expects that he will be relieved of his duties as Quartermaster and made to rejoin his regiment. He describes the progress of the siege of Charleston.

GLC04662.042

1863/9/5

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He writes of the capture of a small group a confederates, the bombardment on Fort Wagner and the siege of Charleston. Also discusses the whereabouts of friends.

GLC04662.043

1863/9/15

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Reports the Confederate evacuation of Forts Wagner and Gregg. Now believes he will be allowed to remain quartermaster. He has bought a colt and intends to raise her. Informs his mother that he sent home a 42 pound shell fired from a confederate gun.

GLC04662.044

1863/10/13

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He has been recommended for the position of Assistant Quartermaster. Lists items he would like sent to him. The Confederate occupied Forts, Moutlrie and Johnson, are now firing on the Union Forts Gregg and Wagner.

GLC04662.046

1863/12/7

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He was very excited to open his box of clothes, food and other materials. "I took as much pleasure . . . as children usually do in emptying their stockings on Christmass [sic] morning." He reports that the monitor "Weehawken" has sunk, probably due to a boiler explosion. He is upset by the reports of the Sanitary Commission which tell of the hardships at Belle Island, a prisoner of war camp in Richmond. He worries over the fate of a soldier. "I am afraid one of my men, 'Sam Patterson' the Indian is still at Belle Island."

GLC04662.051

1864/2/21

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Continued 2/22 at Hilton Head. He is waiting for a transport to take him to Florida. He hopes to get an appointment [as quartermaster] and a furlough. Reports the news of the Florida expedition: it has lost 7 guns, 400 wounded men have been captured by Confederates and the army has retreated.

GLC04662.059

1864/3/15

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He is acting Chief Quartermaster for the Department. He encloses a copy of the Free South, a newspaper printed by the army which contains some Confederate articles [not included]. One Southern article tells of another battle in Florida, which Walbridge does not consider a battle since only one union soldier was killed. He notes that Southern losses were much higher.

GLC04662.061

1864/4/8

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He encloses a rose [included] that he picked near his house. His express box arrived almost two months after being sent, "There has been time enough I suppose for it to have reached Constantinople." He likes his new nightshirts. However, the pants are light blue, the color of regimental officers. He needs dark blue pants, the color of the general staff. The steamer "Maple Leaf" was blown up by torpedoes. General Hatch has organized "Boat infantry" to search for any additional torpedoes. Walbridge draws a small picture of a torpedo recovered by this detail and describes its mechanisms…

GLC04662.064

1864/5/16

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

He can hear the musket fire from a battle near Petersburg [Drewry's Bluff or Fort Darling]. Sheridan's cavalry appeared across the river from their headquarters.

GLC04662.066

1864/8/16

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Rumors that the federal line at Petersburg has advanced and captured several lines of rifle pits.

GLC04662.073

1864/10/7

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Thomas Colson has arrived and now works in the blacksmith shop. Walbridge must assume the duties of depot Quartermaster in addition to his regular duties. He hopes to be promoted and is building a log office. Notes 33 Confederates deserted and surrendered. "At all events this army is going to vote for Abraham Lincoln and so is the whole country."

GLC04662.080

1864/10/23

Walbridge, Charles E., 1842-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to mother

Received a package from home. The honey jar broke and made everything sticky, but did no real damage. A family across the river sent some butter and wine jelly as a thank you for ice sent to them when they were sick. The family had treated McClellan's troops well in 1862 and as a result, had special privileges with the current army.

GLC04662.082

1862/12/20

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith and children

Smith describes his march from Washington, loading and unloading baggage cars, and being ordered to load the wounded onto steamers at Acquia Creek. They are camped within the sights of Confederate artillery. Addressed from Virginia nearly opposite the City of Fredericksburg.

GLC04189.20

1862/10/13

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Letter

Title: to unknown [fragment]

The rebels have torn up the road between camp and Frederick, Maryland and are now within 5 miles of the federal camp.

GLC04189.11

1862/11/4

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith & children

Describes an offer in which ten men from each company would have the "privilege" of being allowed to join the regular army for five years. They have captured quite a few rebels and spies including: "A big nigger that has been watching us and telling the Rebel part of the Community what we was doing . . . ." He expects to be paid soon and will send her most of his money. He will need to keep some cash to purchase boots and winter clothes.

GLC04189.14

1863/1/30

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith and children

Rain and mud foiled the attack on Fredericksburg. The pontoons and artillery became stuck in the mud. Confederate soldiers taunted the stranded union soldiers by offering to help build the pontoon bridge, if the federals could get the pontoons to the river. A snow storm has left fifteen inches of snow on top of the already deep mud. Generals Burnside, Franklin, and Sumner have resigned and General Hooker is now in command of the army. There is much sickness in the regiment.

GLC04189.25

1863/2/8

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

The army has begun to issue furloughs. The mud is still extremely deep. He discusses the children's health and whether or not they should attend school. He speculates on Hooker's plans for the army. "Joe Hooker will do One of 3 things he will eather [sic] take us out of Virginia or else we shall advance toward Richmond & if we advance we shall give the Rebels the damdest licking they ever had or they will us & I am afraid it will be us that will get it."

GLC04189.27

1863/2/12

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

The army has begun to move out via the railroad to Acquia Creek. His regiment is still on picket duty and must keep the Rebels from noticing the movement of the rest of the army. General Hooker feeds the army better than Burnside did.

GLC04189.28

1863/3/6

Smith, David V.M., 1823-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth Smith

Discusses picket duty in a ravine and guard duty near the Lacy House. He agonizes over keeping warm and adds "the way we kept warm at the Lacy House was by Running around it[.] The main house was about 100 ft long." He also discusses fraternization with the Confederates: "The Rebels are very sociable across the River and are very anxious to trade anything they have got for Coffee & the way they get it across the River is to fastening it to a board & hoist sail in it & set it afloat & the wind will carry it across."

GLC04189.32