8 December 1861

McSherry, Eliza, 1829-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Letter is faded from water damage. Written by Eliza to her brother Henry. Is sorry he has to "go away without even getting a sight of a home face." Wants him to come up to Littlestown to visit while his vessel is being prepared. Tells him to "not give in to low spirits. Ask Almighty God's direction and all will be for the best." In discussing the political leanings of Littlestown, she says "you would find some of the objections here, that you think you would met in B[altimore], tho' not in so great a degree." Says he can write whatever he wants "even the minutest details of our boat[,] every…

GLC03523.21.12

16 December 1861

McSherry, Richard M., 1818-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Richard to his brother Henry. After Henry left, he went to see Mr. Lancaster, who showed him around. Went to the Academy of Music. References receiving his letter from New York, and was glad he made it back on time. Says he sent the $5 to Aunt Eliza and settled with their mother, and says they are now even. Says he walked down the street with Mrs. Spalding and that she enquired after him. Says "We are all rejoicing here over the news from the other side and I hope that you will soon have to leave off blockading etc and go to fight the British Lion." Says there has been a good deal…

GLC03523.21.13

3 January 1862

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Letter is faded because of water damage. Says the letters sent on 10 December might not have reached him yet. Says they heard of him from Kate Dandridge who received a letter from Kate Latrobe, who had just seen him. The letter said he "looked so sad when you spoke of Holmes." Holmes was his friend who was recently killed. Says that is all they have heard of his visit to Baltimore. References his letter of 1 December and says she received it on 11 December. Provides quick update on friends. Creator inferred from content and handwriting. Anna was living in Martinsburg in letters from 1861, and…

GLC03523.21.14

17 January 1862

McSherry, Kate, fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Signed as "Sister Kate" to her brother Henry. Her last name could be McSherry, but never appears in the census. She could be the Kate Latrobe mentioned in GLC03523.21.14, and if that is the case she was born in 1839. Says they received his letter from Key West, Florida. Says "We will feel very uneasy now as you think the Sciota is not very safe, it is a shame they send such boats to sea, and I think the officers should remonstrate against it. It is enough to face the guns, they might at least have a safe vessel to go in." The USS "Sciota" was a new ship, only commissioned on 15 December 1861…

GLC03523.21.15

18 March 1862

McSherry, Richard M., 1818-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Richard to his brother Henry. References Henry's letter of 21 February. Says he heard of him through Mrs. Miller's brother. Reports that "The Balt & Ohio R.R. will probably be open to Wheeling in the course of a week, so that our communication will be [improved] with home." Says he is busy and doing well considering the "general business prostration" in Baltimore (Richard was a physician as well). Reports that "Southern sympathy is as rife as ever here, but the Union party is perhaps on the increase. If Virginia should come in again there would be no more secession spirit…

GLC03523.21.16

28 July 1862

Reifsuyder, J. Henry, fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Signed and initialled by Reifsuyder, who was previously the clerk to Captain Donaldson of the USS "Sciota," the ship where McSherry was the assistant surgeon. Asks for his pardon in not writing sooner, but was "totally unable" to respond until now. Says he was ill when he arrived at home, and was also so excited to go home he forgot to pack Henry's previous letter. Has wondered how he got through his sickness (Henry had malaria previously). Hopes he enjoyed himself at his house in Baltimore. Says he has written to Donaldson to be reassigned as clerk to him when he gets a new commission.…

GLC03523.21.17

20 September 1862

Lee, Samuel Phillips, 1812-1897

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written on letterhead of the USS "Minnesota" by Acting Rear Admiral Lee as commander of the North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. Lee was previously the commander of the USS "Vandalia," which Henry McSherry served on in 1860-1861. Says he has nearly worn Henry's letter of 3 September "to wadding whilst carrying it in my side pocket." Says he has 50 ships under his command and the "desk work is immense." Says one of the USS "Minnesota's" assistant surgeons, Dr. Dodge, is helping at the Navy hospital that recently opened. Says he would "like it vastly" if Henry was given Dodge's position if it…

GLC03523.21.18

29 October 1862

McSherry, Richard M., 1792-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Richard McSherry

Written by Richard to his son Richard. Says they are all well and that Dick stayed with them last night. Says "all we have to do is pray that Almighty God may shorten our trials. we are not in want of anything but mutual peace."

GLC03523.21.19

22 February 1863

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Anna to her brother Henry. Reports that it has been snowing all day long. Says she has not heard from him "for sometime." References the military situation around Martinsburg, saying "the cavalry may make a dash at any time, they are all around and captured a picket guard between here and Winchester two or three days ago." Mentions other skirmishes and troop movements and says a railroad in Mercer County is being guarded. Refers to her state as "W. Va." on page 3, about 5 months before it became a state. Says she might go to Baltimore to visit their sister Kate soon. Says one of…

GLC03523.21.20

27 August 1863

McSherry, Richard M., 1792-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Richard to his son Henry. Says they "have been looking anxiously for a letter from you ever since the communication was opened." Reports Anna has written several times. Says he has received letters from Richard and Eliza but not him. Says there is much sickness among the children of the area. Has water damage.

GLC03523.21.21

8 August 1863

Kershner, E., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Paymaster Watmough

Asks Watmough to pay Henry F. McSherry $50 "on my account." Signed by Kershner as an assistant surgeon in the U.S. Navy. Water stained and faded. Envelope at the back of the 3rd of 6 folders for this group. Envelope has postmark of 11 April 1865 in London, along with another on the back of the envelope dated 5 June 1866 from Hong Kong. Address says to send it "Via Marseilles."

GLC03523.21.22

13 August 1863

Kelly, & Doherty (firm), fl. 1863

Receipt

Title: [Reciept for pants]

Recipt from the tailor firm "Kelly & Doherty" at 31 & 33 South Fifth Street in Philadelphia. The receipt was for $12 for McSherry's purchase of "20 dark blue case Pants." Marked that payment was received. Signed by Kelly.

GLC03523.21.23

24 August 1863

McSherry, Eliza, 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: To Henry F. McSherry

Written by Eliza to her brother Henry. Says she received a letter from Anna and that she does not know where to direct letters to him. Says she will tell Anna where to write. Claims that Kate said that he would probably be in Baltimore last week to go up to Martinsburg and that she thought of accompanying him. Suspects he will not get off until after his examination though, which the newspapers say is next week. Says William (their brother who was 16) has gone to Chambersburg to see about the draft even though he is not in this one. Wonders if "[Robert E.] Lee may come over to Maryland. I am…

GLC03523.21.24

5 February 1864

McSherry, Anna, 1833-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: To Henry F. McSherry

Mentions a wedding party being captured by Confederates.

GLC03523.21.26

10 February 1864

Piet, John B., fl. 1824-1880

Autograph letter signed

Title: To Henry F. McSherry

Written on stationary of Kelly, Hedian, & Piet, a printer and publishing firm at 174 Baltimore Street, Baltimore, Maryland. Signed by Piet as one of the proprietors as well as Henry's cousin. Says he received Henry's letter of 28 January. Says they have forwarded the mirror and that they have prepaid the postage for one year. Says the postmaster in Baltimore will send notice of prepayment to the postmaster in Memphis. Says his brother's family is well and that he saw his sister Margaret. Has not heard from Martinsburg in some time, but presumes all are well. Also has a receipt (23 x 21 cm…

GLC03523.21.27

15 June 1864

McSherry, Eliza, 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

References two letters from Henry. Says there has been much excitement in town with soldiers and horses coming through, but no Confederates. Mentions family and says she heard from their sister Kate that their father and sister Anna made it home safely. Says their father went to Baltimore to see him the last time he was there, but it seems they did not meet. Letter is faded with water damage and what seems to be mold.

GLC03523.21.28

17 August 1864

McSherry, Alice, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry F. McSherry

Written by Alice (her last name could not be determined, but could be McSherry) to her cousin Henry. Laments not being able to see him. In talking about the marriage of an acquaintance says she thinks wisdom is one of the greatest attributes of age, but that men who marry women much younger than themselves must know "that there can never be any congeniality when such disparities exist." Says that women only join with those men for position, money, or a home for herself. Claims she is turning into a country girl, learning how to feed the chickens, etc. Written from Hillside, but no state could…

GLC03523.21.29

25 September 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Cross written. Receives 10 months pay ($150) in "Green Backs": "four [months] of which I had drawn once before . . . . " Can not use the dollar his wife sent him because it is state money. Fever & ague strike the regiment; drawing clothes rations; expects to be mustered out on November 11th.

GLC04558.163

3 October 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Describes transfer from the fort to Chapins Farm and the action there including how he saved an officer. Long list of comrades killed, wounded and missing. Lost $130.

GLC04558.164

6 October 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

The mustering out of the 89th New York begins slowly. Officers will be mustered out with their companies. GWT declares he will not reenlist even for a captain's to colonel's commission.

GLC04558.165

10 October 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Begins making out discharge papers for Company H. GWT given command after Lieutenant is taken to hospital. Weather turns cold; camp news.

GLC04558.166

16 October 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Travels to Point of Rocks to make out Muster Out rolls and to the hospital to visit friends. Sent money to wife. Written on U.S. Christian Commission stationery.

GLC04558.167

22 October 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Companies H, C and I are consolidated, GWT is in command. New recruits arriving to replace those mustered out - mostly foreigners.

GLC04558.168

30 October 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Relieved at Chapins Farm by a company of black soldiers; fought fierce battle near the old Fair Oaks battlefield. Written from Atkins Landing, in Moncks Corner, South Carolina.

GLC04558.169

10 October 1864

Tillotson, Anne Elizabeth, fl. 1861-1898

Autograph letter signed

Title: To her husband George Tillotson

Asking her husband to accept a discharge instead of a promotion. Wishes he had been able to stay in the safety of Fort Powhattan. [see #166].

GLC04558.170