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

27 January 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Jokes about his wife's hanging his picture and how Burnside's marching orders made him loose weight, wishing he could hire a replacement, remarking that he despises the officer punishing a deserter more than the deserter, telling wife that son Leon should look at his picture "so he will know me."

GLC04558.065

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

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

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

20 July 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Resting and settling down after the marches. On politics: "Your Copperheads up ther[e] I see have been kicking up quite a rumpus, but they will get sick of it, if they are not already. Didnt know one spell but what they would spite 'Massa Greely's' establishment entirely so that you would loose the chance of getting your favorite papers to read. Hip, hip, Hurrah! bulley!" Received pictures; worries about Leon's thin appearance and praises Georgiana's growing-up. Mentions Lucy. Talks about terms of the draft.

GLC04558.106

4 October 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Received pile of mail, including a letter from Edwin and Mary [abolitionist relations] which "didn't set very well on my stomach." Health of other soldiers; comments that Charleston probably will not fall right away. News reports of Rosecrans and Burnside worry him.

GLC04558.117

11 October 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Notes that it is his tenth wedding anniversary and writes that the thought of her distance and the time remaining cause "a choaking sensation" and tears. Says that he is the only man in Co. H with a family. Mentions slow siege of Charleston, health, selling his whiskey ration; recruiting officer sent away by commanding officer.

GLC04558.118

June 28, 1864

Tillotson, Georgiana, fl. 1856-1920

Autograph letter signed

Title: To her father George Tillotson

Writes that she can't write very well yet as she has only been practicing for about four weeks. Describes her studies at school and wishes her father were home.

GLC04558.145.01

4 July 1864

Tillotson, Georgiana, fl. 1856-1920

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his daughter Georgiana Tillotson

Compliments Georgiana on her writing and thanks her for the letter. Encourages her to keep practicing her lessons: "If . . . you wish to improve in any thing, always strive to do what you do do , well."

GLC04558.145.02

11 August 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Warns his wife of a reoccurring dream in which he is taken prisoner and recounts occasions when his dreams have come true. Page 4 is addressed to his daughter "Dollie". Encourages her to improve herself. Tells her of the dangers of camp life. With accompanying letter from Dollie. [Georgiana - reference to # 145] Written near Petersburg, Virginia

GLC04558.154.01

31 July 1864

Tillotson, Georgiana, fl. 1856-1920

Autograph letter signed

Title: To her father George Tillotson

Writes that she has been sick and therefore unable to write. Updates her father on family members and wishes that her father were home.

GLC04558.154.02

18 August 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

A flash flood prevented GWT from joining his regiment at the front and swept away many people's belongings. 40 bodies were found after the flood. One sutler offered a $3000 reward for the return of his cash box. After the regiment returned, their camp was moved to the position formerly occupied by the 9th Corps. Worried about Georgiana's health. Written near Petersburg, Virginia.

GLC04558.156

28 August 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Relieved from the trenches by the 10th Corps. New camp is in wooded area; picket duty becomes fun; corporal arrested for exchanging papers with rebel pickets. Georgiana's illness continue.

GLC04558.158