11 September 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Brother

Is healthy and hopes he is too. Camped two miles from the city of Baltimore "on a little hill." There is a large railroad bridge that they have been guarding. Sent some letters and is wondering whether or not he has received them yet. The guards caught a rebel. Asks to be sent 50 cents worth of postage stamps to use. No year listed, based on content and location of regiment.

GLC08914.001

23 October 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Is well at the present; had a bad cold but feels better now. Got a letter from Lewis Brooks. Misses the cider from back home. Does not want to simply sit out the winter. Has started to get pretty cold at the camp. Written in Camp Millington

GLC08914.004

2 November 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to father

Is well at present; hopes this letter finds him in a similar condition. Expects to leave camp "every day." Has received marching orders, but has not left yet. Is not dreading the march, for he likes traveling. Discusses various affairs at home. Written in Camp Millington

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14 November 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Brother

Very glad to have received postage stamps in his last letter. Also glad to hear that all is well at home. Is well at present, but is getting a cold. Just returned from the meal ship, which has a few dents in its side "where the Merrimack balls struck her." Notices one just above a porthole. Can still see the remnants of the battle of Hampton Roads from months before. The U.S.S. Cumberland still lies on the ocean floor, with "the top part of her mast [sticking] out of the water." The U.S.S. Monitor is stationed there, guarding against another attack by the Confederates. Thinks they will be…

GLC08914.006

22 November 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Brother

"Well at present;" hopes he is too. Got paid $21 last week, bought himself a pair of boots for $6. His other boots were no good. Will not send any money home this time. Has to make sure he "has enough to eat."

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23 November 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Brother

Letter also includes a small $1 pink ticket for the steamboat A.G. Brown. Left Newport News yesterday for Fort Monroe. Will go to Norfolk to get some coal. Has a "very bad" cold, but is recovering. Written at Fort Monroe.

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24 November 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

Received her letter today. Cold is getting better; will be fine in a few days. Many on board the ship are still sick. A man in his company took sick, "got crazy," jumped overboard, and drowned last night. Gun boats have gone ahead, and "we expect to leave in a few days." Thinks they are going to either Charleston or Texas. Is currently sitting on top of the wheel house. Sees the large fort and "five or six" steam ships. After the rebels are done fighting with him, they "will [be] so whipped that they will come up to us and shake hands." Sent $10 of his pay with the letter. She should put some…

GLC08914.009

18 December 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Is well; hopes these lines find him healthy too. Left Fort Monroe on December 1 by ship. "Out on the ocean eight days out [of] sight of land." Sailed to New Orleans. Could not dock because many were sick with the measles. Heard (falsely) that Richmond was taken. There are more oranges in New Orleans "than you can shake a stick at." Crossed the Mississippi the day before to see the orchards; ate 20 oranges. Apologizes for not writing more. No year listed, based on content and location.

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19 December 1862

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

Apologizes for having not kept up contact with her, but sits down to write her a few lines. Letter is stamped with a shield covered with the stars and stripes. Is well; hopes she is too. Has "lots of fun" in New Orleans. Caught a young alligator on Monday. Shot a wild goose and lots of ducks yesterday. Got a few oranges too, so "we live high." Asks her to write him. No year listed, based on content and location.

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January 18, 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister and brother

Received her letter yesterday. Never has written to Horace Rifenburgh. Has had "good living," and "will tend to that son of a bitch if I ever live to get back." Denies Horace's claim that he charged him for the harness; calls him a "damn liar." Will send home $20 at his next payday. Wrote a letter to William a week ago. Sorry to hear that Crawford was collarbone. Does not know how long he will be staying at the camp for. Has heard of fighting nearby; wants to get in a battle.

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January 23, 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Received a letter from him yesterday. Glad to hear all are well. "They can't kill this Rifenburgh." Tells them not to listen to other people about the money he sent them; there has evidently been some misunderstand about who owes how much money. Does not like New Orleans; "a soldier can't get anything strong to drink."

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January 31, 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

Is well at present. Hopes she and the rest of the family are well. Does not know how long he is going to stay here. "Very near all" of the men from Clermont are sick. Brooks is well. John Heinkel and James Healy have enlisted in the artillery in New Orleans. Thinks they are "darn fools for enlisting." Is on picket duty. Received a letter today from William; says his wife is "poorly." Mail has not come in about a week. She must excuse him for not writing more. Sends his "best respects" to everyone. Written at Camp Chlamette.

GLC08914.015

14 March 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Is well and enjoying good health. Hopes this letter finds him in a similar condition. Has not received a letter from home in four weeks. "What the reason is I do not know." Expects to receive one the next time the mail arrives. Has not been paid since January 1, and could use 50 cents worth of postage stamps. Stamps are "darn scarce." If he were closer to New Orleans, he could get stamps. Wants to know if Eliza received his letter. Does not know how long he will be staying here. There is fighting nearby at Port Hudson. Wishes his regiment were part of the action: "I for one should like to…

GLC08914.017

29 March 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Stationery is stamped with a colored series of stars with a shield bearing the stars and stripes in the middle. Glad to hear he is enjoying good health. Is also well. "Had a battle" on the Yazoo River; "captured 26 rebel vessels" and burnt six more. Does not think he can "get away," but is not worried; does not think the war will last long. "We will be back before next winter." This is the first letter he has received from home in "about three months." Apologizes for not writing more. Written at Camp Parapet.

GLC08914.018

15 April 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother and sister

Letter is signed with an elaborate stamp that surrounds the initials P.E.R. It is possible that Rifenburgh created the stamp himself by simply putting dots of ink on the page, as it is not perfectly symmetrical. Received their letter yesterday. Is well, and hopes this letter finds them well. Not much news to report. "They brought a rebel into camp this afternoon." He was ordered to leave by the guard, and, when he did not, was shot. Has not been paid in a while. Asks to be sent some postage stamps. Will "give up writing so many" letters in order to save stamps. "Good news" from Mobile that…

GLC08914.019

17 April 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother and sister

Glad to have received their letter. Is healthy; hopes this letter finds them in a similar condition. Has orders to head up the Mississippi River with 140 rounds worth of cartridges each. Thinks he is heading to battle. Is taking blankets and his knapsack with him. Cooks have received orders to cool extra rations for them to bring on the march. Is not afraid of death, and "if I get shot then I die in a good cause, but I don't think that gun even was made to shoot me." One of the guards shot a Rebel earlier in the week. He approached the camp, was ordered to stop, did not, and was shot. The…

GLC08914.020

24 April 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Just received marching orders; does not know where to yet. Cooks have begun to cook extra rations in preparation for the march. Just got paid two months of wages. Will try and send some home. Will try to send it via express mail and see how long it takes to get there. Hopes the rest of the family is well. Written at Camp Parapet.

GLC08914.021

27 April 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Has sent a picture of himself. Marching orders have been countermanded; they will be staying at camp for a bit more. Hopes everyone at home is well. Written at Camp Parapet.

GLC08914.022

3 May 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

Sent with a picture of his likeness, but it is a "damn poor one." Does not have much time to write, but is well. Hopes this letter finds her in good health. Written at Camp Parapet.

GLC08914.023

5 May 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Brother

Glad to have received his letter; hopes this letter will find him in good health. Will send a copy of the New Orleans newspaper. Sent his likeness in a photograph and an ambrotype a week ago. Lewis Brooks had gotten a letter from [Mag] saying that he (Rifenburgh's brother) had been complaining about having not received a letter in a while. Now thinks the war will last a long time: "I don't think that this war is going to end in three months or12 months." "Hot as hell" at the camp, but is able to stand the heat. Written at Camp Parapet.

GLC08914.024

19 May 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

Received her letter today. Just returned from an expedition started on May 12th up the Mississippi River. Went 32 miles by foot and by boat through Lake Pontchartrain. After a few days' march, formed a line of battle. Marched about half a mile in battle formation, and then engaged the rebels. "They fired one volley and then they skedaddled like hell." Took about 100 prisoners. Also encountered some Indians. Took 19 prisoners personally back to New Orleans and had the "privilege" of killing them. Now has marching orders back to the Mississippi River. Will send $20 home once he gets paid. Hopes…

GLC08914.025

May 19, 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother

Describes how the Confederates look: "like Hell. They don't wear no uniform they wear Citizen [civilian] clothes and rags." Many look "half starved." Has written a lot today. Has heard talk that the regiment is going up to Port Hudson along with their entire brigade. "We will have some fun" there. "Would rather fight than eat." Written at Camp Parapet.

GLC08914.026

10 June 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Marched to Port Hudson on May 20th. Boarded the steamer Bard and sailed until sundown, when they arrived at Baton Rouge. Sailed 10 more miles the next day, and landed on shore. Got 100 rounds worth of cartridges, and then marched the rest of the way to Port Hudson. Rained "like the devil" that night; were "wet as cats." Marched the next afternoon until they were within two miles of their current position. Made their way to their current position the next day. The next day "our regiment made a charge on the Rebels in the wood and drove them all out and burned five houses." Has fallen back…

GLC08914.027

10 June 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nelson Rifenburgh

"We have had a pop at the rebels." Colonel was killed and eighty-five of his comrades were wounded. Did not take part in the fight, was left at the hospital to care for the sick. Eph[raim] Lasher and Patsey were wounded. Has "quite a lot of the wounded to see to." "Very hot" weather. Some of the men who were only signed up for nine months are leaving. Apologizes for the short letter. Written at Camp Parapet.

GLC08914.028

September 1862- July 1876

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Header Record

Title: [Collection of Peter E. Rifenburgh and Louis Brooks, 128th regiment, New York, infantry] [decimalized]

This collection consists mostly of a series of letters from Private Peter E. Rifenburgh and Sergeant Louis Brooks of Clermont, New York. Private Rifenburgh enlisted in the Union army on August 12, 1862, when he was 19, in Germantown, New York. On August 22, he was mustered into K Company of the 128th New York Infantry regiment. The next day, the 128th left for Baltimore, Maryland. From there, the regiment travelled to New Orleans by way of Fort Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. In January, 1863, Rifenburgh's regiment was assigned to General William T. Sherman's division. It took part in both of…

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