1861-1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Header Record

Title: Collection of Caleb C.E. Mortimer, 3rd regiment, Massachusetts, artillery [Decimalized .01-.23]

Mortimer was Lieutenant in the 3rd Massachusetts Artillery, covering action in the Peninsula campaign, skirmishing, casualties, picket duty at Yorktown, Hanover and New Bridge. One letter from 1861 describes capture of the "Steam gun." Most letters have been written to his wife. Includes 22 war-date union soldier letters, 9 envelopes, 1 receipt and 1 envelope that used to contain a photograph.

GLC01898

December 13, 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions being in General Fitz-John Porter's division. Read a piece in the Boston Herald about Porter's Battery being in a skirmish and Sargeant Barnes shooting a rebel but says it was all a lie. Describes meeting Abraham Lincoln at Captain Griffin's wedding in Washington. "... it was a big time I had the honor of being introduced to old Abe and several members of the cabinet..."

GLC01898.08

December 1, 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

GLC01898.07

December 14, 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Gives an hour by hour account of a routine day in camp. Written from Camp Follett.

GLC01898.09

December 19, 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions doing drills with General Daniel Butterfield and General John Henry Martindale's brigades. The whole division under command of General Fitz-John Porter staged an imaginary battle. Stationary embossed "Farrar, Follett & Co. Metals, Boston." and "Stand by the Flag" with an image of an American flag.

GLC01898.10

December 20, 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Writes that tomorrow General George B. McClellan will do a ground review of General Fitz-John Porter's division. Captain Follett's battery will be there. Written from Camp Follett. Stationary embossed "Farrar, Follett & Co. Metals, Boston." and "Stand by the Flag" with an image of an American flag.

GLC01898.11

December 26, 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Writes about what the regiments did to celebrate Christmas, including a burlesque parade and a band. Describes building winter quarters and a guard house. Written from Camp Follett. Stationary embossed "Congress A.P. Co."

GLC01898.12

December 30, 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Written from Camp Follett. Stationary embossed "Congress A.P. Co."

GLC01898.13

February 16, 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions that General John H. Martindale wants to get Mortimer's battery attached to his brigade as Martindale thinks "this is the ne plus ultra of batteries." Written from Camp Follett.

GLC01898.14

19 March 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions being near Fitz-John Porter's battery and close to the fifth Massachusetts battery. Written from Camp Fitz John Porter.

GLC01898.16

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

26 May 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Camped eight miles from Richmond, Virginia. Mentions the reconnaissance balloon again. Marked "Camp of 3rd Mass Battery" and "near Chickahominy River, Va."

GLC01898.19

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

16 June 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Writes "the enemy's pickets in plain sight it is funny the pickets of the two armies are within thirty yds of one another and they sometimes talk across to one another." Writes about a Dr. Gaines, the man who owns the land they on which they are camped. "...we are on a rabid old secesh has been sent to Fortress Monroe they caught him making signals to the enemy from his house. he said he would dig up the bodies of all the Union soldiers that were buried on his farm and throw them into the Chickahominy river..." Written from camp of the 3rd Massachusetts Battery.

GLC01898.21

21 June 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

States that the rebels had a "big time" last night and he heard that General Robert E. Lee got drunk. There is a lot of sickness in camp because they are near the swamp. Written from camp of the 3rd Massachusetts Battery, near New Bridge, Virginia.

GLC01898.22

circa May 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Describes the capture of a steam gun. "... we disembarked and took possession of the renowned Steam gun and four mules which was on its way to harpers ferry to the sesesion [sic] army there ... it is quite a curious machine and if it does what its inventor claims for it tis a murderous weapon throwing three hundred balls pr minute and if such is the case it is better in our hands than that of an enemy." Mentions acting as an orderly for General Benjamin Franklin Butler and delivering dispatches around the city of Baltimore. Had dinner at the Gilmour [Gilmore] House with the General.…

GLC01898.01

15 June 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions he might be going down to Fort Monroe. "...the boys are in high spirtis at the Idea of going into active service and having an opportunity of making a mark for the sake of old Massachusetts." Speaks of his loyalty to the Boston Light Artillery and to the call of duty. Written from Relay Camp, near Baltimore, Maryland.

GLC01898.02

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

15 July 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Speaks critically of "our renowned surgeon Dr. Ordway."

GLC01898.04

27 October 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions being reviewed by General George McClellan and calls him "a fine looking man." The whole division was under the command of General Fitz-John Porter. States McClellan would have had the enemy trapped at Munson's Hill but for a traitor in the war department that supplied the rebels with information.

GLC01898.05

14 November 1861

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Mentions that a review by General George McClellan is planned for the next day. Includes a "List of wants of a poor devil in the Army" on a separate sheet of paper.

GLC01898.06

February 18, 1862

Mortimer, Caleb C.E., 1835-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Written from Camp Follett.

GLC01898.15