circa June 1, 1864

Phelps, Diton, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister and parents

Reports that he just heard that General Nathanial Banks was defeated and that General Thomas [Stonewall] Jackson has gotten himself into a scrape. He is surrounded by General "Seigal" [Franz Sigel?], General Edward Ord, and General [John] Fremont. Comments about General Ord being their old Brigade General and that everyone hated to see him leave. Writes that he sent home a new dress coat and $18. The letter is dated 1 June but a year is not given.

GLC03523.49.16

27 January 1862

Russell, E. S., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Hannah E. Russell

Writes to wife from camp outside of Somerset, Kentucky. Admonishes wife for making fun of his living conditions. Informs her that their living conditions have not improved and that they are upon hard times. Describes having to march on three crackers per day and two different times they had to march on only a cup of coffee without cream, bread, meat or anything else. They had to lay on the cold ground with only a single blanket. Another time they went eight to ten days living off coffee and half cooked mush. Discusses a battle that they fought in Somerset, Kentucky. Writes that Union…

GLC03523.50.06

5 February 1862

Russell, E. S., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Hannah E. Russell

Writes to his wife listing everywhere they have been. They marched out of Bargetown, Kentucky on 13 December heading for Lebanon, Kentucky. Around 80 soldiers fell sick and had to stay behind. Writes that he fell sick and was told by the doctor to stay behind and head out with the sick, he had refused but the doctor took down his name and he was ordered in the wagon. The next morning he joined the ranks again and did a three day march to Lebanon, Kentucky. They remained in Lebanon, Kentucky for ten days then continued to Louisville, Kentucky. Writes that they marched passed Stanford,…

GLC03523.50.07

October 12, 1864

Spencer, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his Parents

Written from "Poplars Grove Church," Virginia. With a sketched map of entrenchments before Petersburg.

GLC00653.21.08

July 9, 1863

Spencer, Henry F., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his mother

Describes his regiment's travels through Maryland and Pennsylvania, and mentions the Battle of Gettysburg, though does not go into much detail. Also mentions exchanging fire on 4 July, evidently the last of the skirmishing after the end of major action at Gettysburg.

GLC00653.21.03

August 7, 1863

Pratt, Oliver D., fl. 1863-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Albert S. Pratt

"...thear was heavy firing last night an to day up Charleston way..."

GLC01003.03.01

26 June 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Believes there will be a fight soon in Baltimore as it is "a hot Bed of secession."

GLC01898.03

14 April 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Describes some action in the Peninsular campaign and the Battle of Yorktown. "...there will not probably be much fighting here for some days yet as they are landing our siege guns and mortars and getting them into position the rebels are in large force and strongly entrenched their works extend from the York to the James rivers in the form of a half circle." States General George B. McClellan is here to supervise "the engagements for the coming contest and the troops have the utmost confidence in him as a leader." Written from Camp Winfield Scott.

GLC01898.17

2 May 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions a Union hot air balloon that was used for reconnaissance. "Our big Balloon is just making preparations to take a look at the rebs they are getting very vicious and they make night hideous with the howling and bursting of shells..." Describes skirmishing near Yorktown during the Peninsular campaign and mentions that the pickets on both sides are firing at each other all day and night. Written from Camp Winfield Scott.

GLC01898.18

4 June 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions that they have not seen action since the Battle at Hanover Courthouse on 27 May 1862 where a of their men were wounded. States "Mac [General George B. McClellan] is confident of success and means to make a clean sweep of them this time." Written from camp near New Bridge.

GLC01898.20

18 December 1862

Bartlett, George O., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ira Andrews

This letter describes the battle of Fredericksburg and the horror Bartlett witnessed. His "toung cannot express to you" what occurred. Also makes mention of how the soldiers behaved during the entry into the abandoned city, noting that Andrews may see "the soldiers reclining on Velvit longes drinking wine from Gold and Silver caps while squids of Officers are loaking to se the Boys injury themself."

GLC02158.03

29 December 1862

Bartlett, George O., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ira Andrews

He recounts his unit's foray into Fredericksburg and their commendation from Governor William Sprague. He reports that he has picked up some historical artifacts, including Virginian notable John Randolph's purse, and is sending them home.

GLC02158.04

11 August 1861

Miller, Michael Murray, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lile Miller

Miller writes to his wife: "Capt. McPherson has treated his men worse than a niger would have done we have seen him but once since we left camp Wayne... there is a [power] of soldiers going through here to Washington the last few days... i think there will be some awful fighting in a few days again from all appearances..." Complains of the lack of food.

GLC02155.003

21 August 1861

Miller, Michael Murray, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter

Title: to Lile Miller [incomplete]

Complains about his brother-in-law (Lile's brother). Writes, "...if we leave here for washington i do not think we will Return without fighting they are gathering an immence army there for that purpose but whether we will be engaged in the first Battle or not I cannot tell... i do not think we are in much danger of course we are liable to picked off [sic] by cecessionists for they have every chance while we are on picket... our picket has taken about between five and six thousand dols worth of contraband goods since we have been here..."

GLC02155.005

2 October 1861

Miller, Michael Murray, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Andrew Bushman Miller

Written at Camp Tennaly to his father. Writes, "...if only the darned Rebels would Be a little careful where they shoot, But as they are not we will have to Return the Compliment, we are well armed and equipped now with first Rate Rifles Muskets forty... i think i could stick a dead man if i had the chance, that is if he did not open his eyes before i got through in which case i would do some tall walking... give the alarm here that they are fighting on the other side of the River and it appears as if the soldiers come out of the ground they come in such numbers..."

GLC02155.010

23 October 1861

Miller, Michael Murray, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lile Miller

Written at Camp Pierpont to his wife. Discusses his march toward Leesburg, Virginia: "...we saw some verry pretty sights on our march and some verry Sorrowfull ones, on our march there we saw no men but plenty of women they stuck Bull Run at us every place the women say what they please But the men say nothing, the wealthy have all left this part of the country and the poor are in a verry destitute condition... there were several women came to Genl McClellan while we were encamped there asking him to give them a pass to go to Washington to buy clothes and shoes for them and their children But…

GLC02155.012

3 May 1863

Bartlett, George O., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ira Andrews

He declares that his unit has taken the Confederate strong hold at Fredericksburg. The letter explains what the major commanding officers like General Joseph Hooker and Major General J. Sedgwick are doing. Written in pencil.

GLC02158.13

22 June 1863

Bartlett, George O., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ira Andrews

He writes about the move to Alexandria and being out flanked by the Confederate cavalry. As he writes about walking through the place where the Second Battle of Bull Run took place, he remarks that is "sad to se the Bons of Dead men Bleachin in the Sun, thare is the Rellicks of War strewn all a round for miles." He has also been separated from his Battery. Written in pencil.

GLC02158.17

11 July 1863

Bartlett, George O., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ira Andrews

He quickly tells Andrews that he has survived a difficult battle [the Battle of Gettysburg], which he describes as being the "hardest fort Battle in this Rebellion."

GLC02158.18

30 September 1863

Bartlett, George O., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Ira Andrews

He discusses walking on the Second Battle of Bull Run battlefield 15 months after the battle. He describes it as "sad since the hoggs have Rooted the dead Bodays from thare graves and thare boens lay on the top of the ground in grave numbers." He writes that he trusts what decision Mr. Andrews has made with his money and that he lent money to Lenox Brown, a sick solider, to go home on furlough. He asks Andrews to keep writing as he finds it "verry chering to hear from you an old friend." He advises George Andrews to help his father in the fields and thanks Mrs. Andrews for her advice saying…

GLC02158.20

11 November [1861]

Blackman, Francis G., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Blackman

Writes to his mother. "...I never knew what it was to go hungy till I come here...I was on the sick list when we got here but I shouldered my gun and marched with the Regiment...we have had one meal of bull soup, we slept in the sand 3 nights all I had to eat in 30 hours was 1/2 pint of rice." "...10 guns boats but we did not get but one of the boats...the Rebel's genarl was kild and then the rest run and flung their things away...we did at Bull Run..." No year on letter.

GLC02159.01

18 May 1864

Johnston, Witter H., fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Miss Sue Johnston

One of the Colonels placed a truce flag on enemy lines today. He heard that the left wing of Grant's army was whipped. 17,000 men were taken prisoner. He refers to Banks' defeat.

GLC02167.18

circa 17 July 1864

Johnston, Witter H., fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Miss Sue Johnston

They have regular meetings now and they are well attended. He saw Charlie and Elliot there. St. Graves' wife is ill. He heard the Rebels had over a hundred killed on July 8th.

GLC02167.25

25 October 1863

Blackman, Francis G., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Blackman

Writes to his mother. "...had a rite smart battle here ...prisons had no arms so they sent them away out of danger..." Describes the hard time they had getting to Martinsburg. Mentions going through New London, Washington, Baltimore, Harpers Ferry and finally Martinsburg. "...and put us in prison...put us on board a transport with 700 conscrips..." Written in pencil.

GLC02159.11

November 1861

Miller, Michael Murray, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lile Miller

Written at Camp Pierpont to his wife. Reports being called to arms the previous day because their cavalry pickets were attacked by Confederates. Discusses putting a fire place in his tent and sending his wife a photograph of himself. Writes, "...i do not think we will stay here long, it is Reported here that we will have to quarter in Leesburg But it will have to be taken from the Rebels first..."

GLC02155.022