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

7 August 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Voyage to Virginia, joining Pope's division. Written in Aquia Creek, Virginia, located in Stafford County.

GLC04558.035

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

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

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

22 August 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Ailment of another soldier, Dan, and his own visit to doctor about lameness and soreness (given an emetic). Hears artillery in distance but expects to continue guard duty. Letter continued on August 23rd.

GLC04558.039

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

24 September 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Holding themselves in readiness, rumors on Burnside, McClellan. "We have just got news that the president has issued a proclamation freeing all the slaves on the first of January. It may be for the best but stil my hopes (if I had any) of a speedy termination of the war is thereby nocked in head for I know enough of the southern spirit so that I think that they will fight for the institution of slavery even to extermination. I am glad that the enlisting spirit has been felt so generaly through the north for I wish we had army enough to sink the south out of existance in a day. I know that…

GLC04558.044

1 October 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Ordered to act as Sergeant (from Corp.) and arresting two deserters who returned. Reconnaissance balloons report rebels digging rifle pits 10 miles to the south.

GLC04558.045

6 October 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Complains of no letters received, diarrhea, reviewed by Pres. Lincoln, officers resigning, wishes for Sibley tents so he can be warmer. Written on patriotic stationery.

GLC04558.046

9 October 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

five miles from Harpers Ferry. Farm business, complains of food. "I am pretty weak from the diarea I weigh only 136 lbs."

GLC04558.047

14 October 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Soldiers talking about enlisting in regular service for $50 bounty and 40 day furlough but Tillitson says he will stick to his three-year enlistment. "Dont know but I could afford to loose a leg for the sake of going home but it would be rather a dangerous experiment to try here at least, for almost every one of our regiment who have had a leg amputated have since died. But then what could we reasonably expect of wounds that is left without dressing until maggots crawl out of them." News of other soldiers, mentions farms stripped of food and wood by foragers, command of brigade transferred…

GLC04558.048

17 October 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

More diarrhea "about all I eat is parched corn or a little grated meal made into pudding...." asks for money, mentions recruiting by other soldiers, reports battle across the river, troops held in readiness. the letter is continued on October 18th.

GLC04558.049

24 October 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Feeling better, wishing he could help his wife with farm-work, speculating about McClellan's intentions. "...I dont feel as patriotic as I did, Maybe, because I have lost confidence in most of the head officers, for I dont believe they want the war to end, and further, in the way things are going it will never end, by fighting. I am not alone in this opinion, for it is one generally, and openly expressed thoughout the ranks, except, by some of the new troops, who have not forgotten the old home idea, that the South is a going to be scared to death of a presidents proclamation or a call for…

GLC04558.050

30 October 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Marching towards Leesburgh, describes confiscations despite guards, loss of mattress, "Rebels scadaddleing towards Richmond."

GLC04558.051

1 November 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

On premises of Rebel Gen. Wright who is home as paroled prisoner. Expecting battle, mentioning enlisted soldiers.

GLC04558.052

9 November 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Marching. Near the Rappahannock and approaching Fredericksburg. Mentions artillery fighting, and long discussion of stealing from Confederate civilians: "Notwithstanding all the orders to the contrary, we soldiers dont considder [sic] it much sin to take from these secesh all that we can lay our hands on but if the Provost guards get hold of us we get walked up to 'the captains office to settle' for it. Maybe you will think that I am getting tough but I cant help it[.] Yesterday afternoon I went out with three others of Co H foraging and while we were skining a hog the provost general…

GLC04558.053

19 November 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Written in pencil while on guard duty. Marching, Burnsides sending flag of truce to civilians telling them to leave, farm business.

GLC04558.054

23 November 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Rainy weather, rebels hold city, rebel pickets taunting about election, Bull Run and Antietam; Colonel courtmartialed twice for drunkenness but cleared, Colonel and regiment's surgeon trying to get regiment out of battle area, soldiers mutilating themselves to get discharged, Italian soldier bayoneting a fellow Italian, with final note dated 11/24 3 AM regarding marching orders. Signature followed by postscript "The orders to march today is countermanded 5 oclock A.M." The letter is continued on October 24th.

GLC04558.055

28 November 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Interrupted by orders and drills. Reports rebels fortifying heights beyond Fredericksburg, believes they are equal or superior in numbers, re-building the same depot as done last year, comment about blacks riding the railroad while soldier walk, camp moved to higher ground, his opinion of Burnside and belief that other Union generals "will probably work against him." The letter is continued on December 1st.

GLC04558.056

5 December 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Raining, rising price of food and living on "Uncle Sam's hard-tack, soldiers deserting and noting the carelessness of guards, asking for express package. Letter is continued on December 6th.

GLC04558.057

8 December 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Money sent to wife, difficulty of collecting debts from other soldiers, mentions pursuit of deserters.

GLC04558.058

20 December 1862

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Damaged at top left. With pencil note in margin p.1 enclosing "secesh" belt buckle for Georgiana. Trying to stay warm, describes previous week eating well in the town: "If you ever see a city rocked to pieces it is Fredericksburgh." Briefly alludes to casualties which were light in his regiment.

GLC04558.059

1 January 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Continued January 3 ["Dec."]. Written in pencil. Increasing strictness of the colonel for infractions, mentions that soldier mutilating himself (cutting off thumb) was court-martialed and sentenced to hard labor and half-pay for rest of service, marching orders given then countermanded. Regarding the war and Fredericksburg: "No; as I said before I dont believe this war will ever end by fighting. It is not the rebels at the North that troubles us but the rebels here, as the irishman says 'right finenst [sic] us.' You need not blame Burnside for not succeeding for he did as well probably…

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