February 4, 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

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

GLC04558.010

21 March 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Drill, shooting guns, health problems of other men. "The inhabitants are a hard miserable looking set what I have seen of them and the contrabands say that most of them are rebels at heart for all they have taken the oath of allegiance." Rumors of capture of Richmond, Manassas and Norfolk. Accidental shooting of Irishman and accidental bayoneting of another man. Gaining weight from good living. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.014

28 March 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Continued on separate sheet. Wish to come home, regular inspections and drills, farm business, late pay, cost of food.

GLC04558.016

1 May 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Mails, frying (and living-off) doughnuts, payday early because the Colonel has "the best brandy of any regiment." Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.021

2 June 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Home affairs: children, horses, business deals. Food: "We have plenty of salt pork, bacon, and beef there has been a lot of fat cattle brought here which they butcher so as to have fresh beef twice a week.... We get a kind of conglomerated vegitables [sic] composed of all sorts of boiled, mixed up together and dried vegitables for soup. It is considered very healthy and is middling good but since some of the boys found worms in their soup it dont go down so well." Describes bread so heavy that the soldiers fight with it.

GLC04558.026

16 July 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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

24 July 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: 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 come forty or fifty miles and get here before noon. They wouldnt trade much though if they traded only for cash but they will trade for old clothes, shoes, grease, packing salt out of the bottoms of meat barrels or any thing to eat or wear. But we have to pay sesession prices for every thing a dollar a bushel for potatoes, a dollar and a half for…

GLC04558.034

11 August 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Addressed "Dear Elizabeth". Still at Fredericksburg but things are packed. Trying to get rid of extra clothing, still feels weak. Nurses and women's work: "Tell Mrs Rosa that if she feels so bad she had better enlist herself, as a nurse. I understand that twenty five or thirt[y] ladies in Binghamton and vicinity have lately enlisted as nurses so Mrs Rosa's change is good and she wont have to beg but get paid for it.... I believe that cooks name that made my pie was Mary but the pie was just as good for all that."

GLC04558.037

29 May 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that he is not very busy and that his "chief employment is battling the flies." Mentions that he plans on visiting Lake Drumond with a group of other officers and that they are to be "poled out by a couple of darkies, the distance is 12 or 15 miles and directly through Dismal Swamp." Notes that he has requested a leave of absence so that he can take care of some business at a savings bank. Says that he has an excellent new servant who keeps things very clean. Describes the foods he has been eating which include codfish balls and strawberries. Writes that he is suspicious of his…

GLC03603.237

10 March 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes jokingly that his family constantly suffers from illnesses while he is "growing fat and hearty." Mentions that General Hunt is to be relieved. Notes that his time is spent straightening out the account books and drilling the new recruits. The chaplain has asked the officers to sign a pledge to abstain from "liquor as a beverage." Says that they will probably remain in the same camp until mid-June.

GLC03603.257

2 June 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes about the trip into the swamp that he took with the other officers last weekend. Also writes of a soldier who causes him trouble. He requests black pepper, black tea and other food and mess items to be sent to him. Responds to the request for advice regarding his brother George going to New Haven by saying that he does not feel right about giving financial advice at the present time. Mentions that he has heard promotion rumors and says that he "shant cry" over being passed over for a promotion to Major. Written at Fort Jerico.

GLC03603.238

14 June 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that his company has been relieved of duty at Ft. Jerico and sent to rejoin their regiment. The box that his family sent has arrived and he thanks them and mentions that several of the jars had broken in shipping. Describes using sweet gum bark tea to help cure him of diarrhea. Comments about food prices and reports that his servant is doing very well.

GLC03603.241

1 May 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that he has been very busy with drilling, parading and "his papers." Notes that General Brooks is in command of his regiment and that "it should have been General Burnham." Says that the regiment is keeping 4 days cooked rations ready in order to move quickly if they receive orders to march. Thanks his family for the stockings and postage stamps that they sent and says that he is going to try to purchase new shoes, a tin cup and tobacco from town.'

GLC03603.273

14 June 1864

Alexander, W.S., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles Morgan Coit

This is a letter that Coit passed along to his family. The original letter stated the Coit was to receive one can of cherries and one can of milk. The note that Coit added to his family says that the milk and cherries were a generous gift from the visiting reverend.

GLC03603.291

24 June 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that, after 48 hours "at the front" they have been relieved. He writes about taking over a "pit" that contained fancy furniture that had been stolen. Describes battle with the rebel soldiers and reacts to news from home. Says that he does not sleep very much. Also writes about reading the Spectator and the Atlantic and about food prices.

GLC03603.294

1 July 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

He reacts to his family reminding him about his pledge not to drink liquor. Defends his drinking of liquor by saying that they only pledged not to drink it as a beverage-not as recreation. Says that he has been indulging in it quite freely.

GLC03603.295

6 July 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes about the hardships of being shuffled from the front to the back. Responds to news about Beckwith and James Jennings, both soldiers from Connecticut who have suffered what Coit believes to be self-inflicted wounds. Describes motivating frightened soldiers with threats. Discusses the clean springs near the rifle pits that Coit says provide good water while they are fighting.

GLC03603.297

18 July 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Complains about the load of paperwork he is doing and reports that Colonel Ward is feeling unwell. Says that Ward does not stay near the field staff even when he is feeling well. Requests that his news about Ward not be repeated. Reports that Captain Goodrich is feeling better but he may lose his leg. Describes the vegetables that are available. Writes that he trusts George with all the family business while he is unable to do it. Notes that he does not expect to take Petersburg anytime soon and believes they will move again soon. Says that Colonel Steadman has a reputation of being "rashly…

GLC03603.300

July 28, 1864

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes in response to a letter from his family, outraged that they have not received all the letters he has written. Gives more instructions on the kind of boots he wants. Notes that he has been enjoying canned fruit and milk. Says that he receives extra goodies when he is commanding the regiment. Reiterates his intentions to leave the army after his three year commitment and mentions that all of the officers who he considers descent will be leaving in the fall if they have not already been killed or wounded. Writes about the relief of General Smith. Believes it is because of tension between…

GLC03603.305

31 October 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Describes the journey from Pleasant Valley and the activities of the other officers in the new camp. Writes that he dreads the idea of a winter campaign and also writes about his tent, blanket, and food situation in comparison to that of the enlisted men. Declares that Lieutenant Eaton has resigned and Lieutenant Goodrich of Company H has been promoted to his old place. Writes that this promotion is only temporary for Goodrich will be made a Captain soon. Stresses that this news is entirely secret and should not reach Lieutenant Shepard.

GLC03603.159

20 November 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that they are camped very near to their old camp. Also mentions that they are camped just across the river from rebel troops and that some of the troops from both sides spoke across the river the night before. The conversation was based mostly on their opinions of the different Generals. Believes that the Union cavalry will charge into Fredericksburg in the evening but does not anticipate any fighting. Writes about the expense of food in Fredericksburg.

GLC03603.165

January 11, 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that there is a small campaign among the men to help Colonel Harland become a Brigadier. Various officers are writing about Harland in order to nominate him. Writes that a box from the Soldier's Aid arrived and gives a list of the items he received from it. The most appreciated items were the desserts which were shared. Mentions at the end that he believes the project to write and sign testimonials about Harland might go against one of the Articles of War. Written on the back of an appeal circular from the Connecticut Soldier's Relief Association, Washington, D.C.

GLC03603.182

14 October 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: unknown

Writes that he is doing well and describes what he had for breakfast.

GLC03603.154

26 December 1862

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Describes waking and reading aloud the "testimony of generals before the Conduct of the War Comm." and then preparing and eating a large Christmas dinner. Describes trying to make "lasses candy" and suspending "a Castor trimmed with evergreen and candles from the ridge pole as a chandelier." Says that General Sumner does not grant furloughs unless there is some sort of emergency. Of General Sumner he says "An old "Bull" he is indeed & I don't like him." Captain Sheffield returned after recovering with a wound and brought two recruits with him. Asks his family to keep the secret that "…

GLC03603.176

January 10, 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Describes a new military plan that is meant to alleviate the financial pressure caused by the long period of time between visits from the paymaster. The new plan allows officers to purchase two rations of food daily in order to feed servants that had otherwise been fed using the officers pocket money. Jokes that once their money runs out, all the officers will be forced to resign. Reports that he and the other officers blame General Sumner for this unfair plan.

GLC03603.181