29 May 1863

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Says they arrived at Cadiz this morning from "a very pleasant cruise." Reports that he left Cadiz for the cruise on 26 March and that he visited all the "'Western Islands,' Madeira to Gibraltar in 69 hours." Received new officers at Fayal Island, Captain Winslow and Lieutenant Commander Thornton. Says they will be leaving for another cruise in a few days, but cannot inform her where they will be going. Assumes Lisbon will be the first place they go though. Says to keep sending letters to him at Cadiz. Says this is the only letter he has written since the end of March because "I have not had…

GLC02828.09

2 August 1863

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Says it has been so long since he has written that she probably assumes he did not intend to write again. Says for past 2 months the "Kearsarge" has been cruising among the Canary, Madeira, & Western Islands. Says they will probably stay in Fayal for about a week. Cannot tell where they will cruise next, as it depends on circumstances. Says he would not be surprised if they returned to the United States in the fall, but that they will more than likely stay on the eastern side of the Atlantic a year longer. Enjoys good health and says their cruise was a delightful one.

GLC02828.10

11 August 1863

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Says he sent a letter to her a few days ago, but did not know where he was going. Can now tell her that tonight he is leaving "for St. Michael, to return in a few days, then we are to proceed to Cadiz and Gibraltar." Reports he had an opportunity to write since an invalid from the crew is being shipped back home.

GLC02828.11

27 September 1863

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Says on 7 September while at Funchal, Madeira, they learned the CSS "Florida" was in the English Channel and they immediately started in pursuit of her. Put in to Ferrol, Spain on 14 September for coal. Heard that the "Florida" had gone to Brest, France and they left to intercept her on the 15 September. Says they arrived at Brest on 17 September, where they have blockaded the Confederate ship ever since. Says their length of time there will depend on the movements of the "Florida." Would have written right away, but wanted to wait until he got his mail from Cadiz (it was telegraphed for…

GLC02828.12

February 21, 1864

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Tells her he is now steaming up the English Channel and that he will send this letter by the first port they land in, either Calais or Dover. Left the waters around Brest on 17 January to go to Cadiz in order to reprovision, get coal, and have the ship repaired. Arrived in Cadiz on 23 January. Having taken care of the ship, they left Cadiz on 13 February and arrived at Brest again on 18 February. Reports the CSS "Florida" left Brest while they were away. Also, on 16 February, the CSS "Georgia" left Cherbourg. Says the "rebel Pirates" are probably sailing together. Will not be surprised if…

GLC02828.13

24 April 1864

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Tells her it is just 27 months to this day that the "Kearsarge" has been commissioned and that their cruise will be done soon. Says he can "safely state" that they will be home around the end of June or early July. Reports that on 28 March their foretop mast was carried away and that they were compelled to go to London for a new one. Says they were there for a week and that he got to do some sightseeing. Arrived at Ostend, Belgium on 17 April and when entering the port they ran into a bridge and carried away an entire span of it. The ship's bow was stuck upon a rock afterward and they could…

GLC02828.14

16 May 1864

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Says this will probably be the last letter she will receive from him this cruise. Arrived in Dover from Flushing, Holland yesterday. Says they will leave for Madeira tonight or tomorrow and from there to the U.S. Says he has reason to think their plans will not change. Written while aboard the USS "Kearsarge"

GLC02828.15

30 May 1864

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Tells her he informed her that he would be home soon in his last letter, but he says that information was premature. Reports that on the day they were supposed to sail for Madeira, they received dispatches from the American minister to France, which detained them. Since then they have been sailing in the Straits of Dover. Says he is still of the opinion that they will be home in July. Claims it is rumored that the "Rappahannock" will never leave Calais as a Confederate vessel and that the Russians are about to purchase her. Leaves tomorrow for Flushing, Holland and probably from there to…

GLC02828.16

19 June 1864

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Written directly after the engagement with the "Alabama." Says one week ago while in Flushing, Holland, Captain Winslow received information of the arrival of the CSS "Alabama" at Cherbourg. Says they left immediately and remained sitting outside Cherbourg until this "forenoon" when the "Alabama" came out to give them battle. At 11:10 a.m. "precisely, the 'Alabama' fired the first gun and just three minutes afterwards the 'Kearsarge' opened her battery and kept up a continuous fire for the space of one hour & two minutes, when the 'Alabama' fired a gun to the leeward and hoisted a white…

GLC02828.17

8 July 1864

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

References her letter of 21 June, which he received on his arrival to Dover from Cherbourg on 6 July. Will cross over the English Channel tonight to Boulogne, and if they stay there long enough he will buy her the gloves she requested. Reports that "At Cherbourg we were crowded with visitors, among them where Louis Napoleon and the Prince Consort - since our arrival here we have been completely overrun, everybody in England seems anxious to see the famous 'Kearsarge and her guns.'" Says as he is writing this there are two steamers together with a large number of yachts and rowboats, all…

GLC02828.18

11 August 1864

Tittle, George A., fl. 1862-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Says their relief, the "Iroquois," arrived yesterday. Reports they leave tonight for Cherbourg to receive their wounded and that they will proceed home from there, probably via Cadiz and the Western Islands. Says she can expect him about the middle of next month. Written while aboard the USS "Kearsarge"

GLC02828.19

24 December 1859

Allen, Joseph H., fl. 1859-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Mayberry

Allen was a sailor on the USS "Congress." Says he has sent several letters home, but wanted to write specifically to her because he does not want to her think he has forgotten her. Sends many individual greetings to friends and family. Reports that "I am truging along the same a[s,] ever plenty to eat and nothing to do but read and sleep[;] you know I always liked to sleep after eating a hearty dinner." Says Captain Hoffman came on board to see him and was sorry he had nothing to send by him. References several other naval vessels. Sends regards to his father, who he hopes is still working…

GLC02829.01

24 August 1860

Allen, Joseph H., fl. 1859-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Bill and Mary Mayberry

Contains 2 letters, signed twice. Page 1 and half of page 2 is to his brother-in-law Bill and half of page 2 and page 3 is to his sister (he signed the letter on page 4). Allen is aboard the USS "Congress." Is glad to hear Bill is well and has plenty of work. Says he is healthy and has gained 20 pounds. Says he is about 60 miles down river (probably the Rio de la Plata) from Buenos Aires and that his captain came down to drill the crew. Says it is a fine place and that they go over to the "Island" every day to exercise. Says they are eating well and that every man has gained 20-30 pounds.…

GLC02829.02

8 May 1865

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

He writes that he was about to turn in his application for muster but was persuaded by Major Pratt to wait a few days. He writes of the possibility that the regiment may soon be mustered out of service. He writes that he hardly knows any of the other officers as everyone he knew before he was wounded has left. He requests a particular copy of the Navy Journal. He writes that Sherman's Army is beginning to arrive at the camp.

GLC03603.340

23 May 1865

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

He writes of riding out with other officers to welcome Sherman's troops but getting lost and wet with rain along the way. He writes of seeing Mr. Birnie, Mr. Buckingham and Mr. Ripley in Richmond. He receives an order to escort the Springfield party "round the fortifications." He resists telling the guests the heroic tale of the 8th putting "the first colors on Ft. Harrison".

GLC03603.342

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

22 May 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Pay day. Describing feelings in battle: "If you want to know just how I felt when I went into battle it would be hard telling exactly but in the first place I felt most d---d tired other ways I felt well enough, wasn't at all afraid [of] the idea that we could be whiped by any number of rebels did not come into my head at all even after the Zouaves were driven back among us and I heard some of them say that they were all cut up and that the day was lost, I couldn't see the point." Almost struck by bullet in head. "I must say that I felt some 'savage'..."

GLC04558.015

21 April 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Expedition to and battle at Elizabeth City [Camden, N.C. 4/19] described at length: 12 hour forced march of 35 miles, fatigue, errors in battle formation, thrown back and reformation in woods: "We were rallyed again here under the shelter of the woods and the Zouaves were to be rallyed and support us. We then struck through the corner of the woods comeing out near the rebels left wing and charged bayonets on them with a yell that made everything ring and the [51st] P.A. did the same when the rebels broke and scadaddled...." Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.020

15 May 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Soldiers leaving on furlough, one of whom "told us that the Dickinson Guards might kiss his [drawing of donkey]...." Describes men pretending sickness to avoid drill, salute for capture of New Orleans. "You must excuse the looks of this sheet for I have had bad luck and had my ink bottle upset twice fooling with the boys." Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.023

17 May 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Mail call and man's epileptic seizure, rumor of Richmond's capture, news accounts of battle at Camden.

GLC04558.024

8 August 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Re-joining regiment, likes camp. "Scouting parties are sent out every day who frequently have scermishes with parties of the enemy and unless the rebels play their scadaddle game their [sic] will soon be bloody work done." Expects to leave, but still not on active duty because of weakness. Letter is continued the next day.

GLC04558.036

19 August 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Second time on picket duty, contacts with rebel troops, relations with rebel farmer whose animals have been stolen, reading of a general order prohibiting theft, desertions listed, men re-enlisting, advice on farm, home and family to wife.

GLC04558.038

26 August 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Signed "your affectionate Husband" and addressed to "Mrs. A.E. Tillotson." Joking to his wife at how quickly haying was done on the farm: "I suppose that that fifth hand with petticoats on is what drove business, dont you think so?" Diarrhea problems, denying reports of McClellan being surrounded, newspaper subscription. "The firing I spoke of in my last was between Pope's[,] Siegel's and Reno's forces and Stonewall Jackson's who is trying to cross the Rapidan river.... [...] There is a great excitement among the inhabitants of Fredericksburg on account of their expecting Jackson to…

GLC04558.040

2 September 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Called-out to repel rebels but "divel a one did we see at all." Evacuation of Fredericksburg camps, destroying bridges, foundry and machine shop; "most of us would have liked to have seen the whole of the city on fire, but then that was rebels property and we appear to be bound to save and protect that." Written on patriotic stationery. Written in a camp near Aquia Creek, Virginia, located in Stafford County.

GLC04558.041

23 June 1863

Coit, Charles M., 1838-1878

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his family

Writes that they are still waiting to leave for battle. Believes that the higher-ups want to learn the outcome of the battle between [General Joseph] Hooker and [General Rovert E.] Lee before sending reinforcements.

GLC03603.245