Description:

Civil War
various, April 13, 1862 to May 27, 1865
7 Civil War Letters & 4 Covers, Fantastic Content! "if Abe had not croaked...things have changed since the dog died"
Archive
A small archive of Civil War letters with fascinating content on the war and personal lives of soldiers. Seven letters, all war-dated, from April 13, 1862 to May 27, 1865. The letters are written by a number of Union soldiers from New York and New Jersey, with several naming the same people and places. Content includes a review conducted by Lincoln, the sinking of the Merrimac, various battle reports, Lincoln's assassination, negative opinions of the Government, and much more! Accompanying the seven letters are four mail covers, all addressed to David T. Eckerson of the 1st New York Volunteers. The letters have expected mail folds, with varying degrees of toning, soiling, staining, and some small separations and chipping at folds. Expected wear and loss to the covers. Please refer to our photographs for further condition details. Very good overall.

Highlights from the letters (some grammar and spelling has been corrected for legibility):
1. April 13, 1862, Camp at Alexandria; William Lundie of the 1st NJ Infantry to David Eckerson: "…We have had some marching this last 8 days we left our old camp at Seminary on Friday and took the cars to Bristoe Station 2 miles beyond Manassas Junction…next morning we marched to Catlin Station we stayed there 4 days…started for Fairfax and arrived there…after marching 20 miles…what sore feet we have we are going to Yorktown I believe we go aboard the transports tomorrow…How is your sister Beck getting along. How is Mary. I am going to get in the wrong bed again when I come home…PS Dave I want one of your sister are they all engaged. Let me know…"

2. May 24, 1862, Gosport, VA; August Klapp of the 20th NY Regiment, Co. C to unknown: "…some great movements have been made by us. On the 7th we were Reviewed by old Abe, Stanton, Chase, Gen Wool and Staff…we started for the Fortress, and were put on board of the Transports immediately on our arrival at the Docks. To our great pleasure the vessels proceeded in the stream, where we cast anchor until darkness arrived. Old Abe superintended the whole affair and visited every vessel in a small ting boat. The rebels at Sewells Point fired 2 shots at us, which was responded…we kept up a terrible fire on them from 7 until 11 oclock…I were sent out to reconnaissance and just as we were about 200 yards of the bridge, the rebels opened fire on us with shot, shell, grape, and cannister but fortunately none of us were hurt…The Merrimac was blown up on Sunday morning at 5 oclock…[At Norfolk] The Navy Yard is destroyed excepting 2 Buildings. We have captured about 80 good guns and 200 old Navy Guns, an immense quantity of shot & shell, and ammunition of all descriptions… Richmond is taken; such reports are in circulation just now. I send you some secesh money…The gals of Norfolk, Portsmouth are afraid of us. They avoid us wherever they can…"

3. June 15, 1862, Fair Oaks, Near Richmond; August Klapp of the 20th NY Vols. To David Eckerson: "…I am very well, but my stomach complains on account that we get too many of the Lincoln Platforms, (crackers) on the other side of Chickahominy…we have been moving all the time, but if we move again we will either move in Richmond or get a good whipping and be driven back to where we came from. We expect to be attacked at any moment. We are well prepared and if they should attack us, they will get a good whipping…We have to work very hard, building Bridges, corduroyed Roads, felling timbers &c &c but the beauty of it is we get our own whiskey in the Bargain…The cause that McClellan does not go ahead is that Porter's Division cannot cross the Chickamauga River. The rebels keep him at bay…"

4. February 23, 1865, Fort Davis, VA; Dick Johnston of the 39th Regiment NJ Vols to unknown: "[Dave] is encamped about 1 mile and 1/2 in the rear of the front line in a fort known at Fort McMahone. I am sitting up awaiting an attack from the enemy 'let them Rip.' I suppose ere you rec this you will hear tell of a muss and a large one too. Our forces are on the alert for Mr. John Hewy so I'm easy. We are garrisoning at fort known as Fort Davis near the front line or on the front line about 200 yds from the Johnnies Forts so it is a hot spot…"

5. February 29, 1865, "Camp" [n.p.]; David T. Eckerson of the 1st NY Vols. to Thomas D. Eckerson: "…Received the Box this day and was glad of it. The articles were all good except the eggs which were spoiled. I thought the chicken was spoiled but after scalding and rubbing off I take notice it disappeared rather quick, it was only a little moulded…It is a wonder that the things were not all spoiled as the Boxes were laying at City Point for a month in the rain…Our Regt has not been paid...We are to be paid off by a Paymaster that pays off the scattered Regts, so it seems that we are considered as Lost Children. That is what we are called by the Brigade…It is the greatest set of soldiers you ever saw. The number of the Regt shows what they have been through. The Brigade Commander took 2 compys away from here the other day to support the 4th Regt Colors as they expected an attack from the Johns and they could not trust the 4th with their own colors…so they had to send for the Lost Children to protect them…"

6. April 29, 1865, Danville, VA; David T. Eckerson of the 1st NY Vols. to Thomas D. Eckerson: "…we started from Burkesville last Sunday morning and reached this city on Thursday morning and took possession. I tell you it is a Red [illegible][ place about the size of Hudson City and the hottest secesh hole in Virginia. This is the place where they had…prisoners of war and they used to spit in our men's faces when they were going along the street…and shoot our of the windows at them, but we will bring them to their oats. Our only friends are the Negroes…The 6th Corps seems to be all the rage around here now since we broke through the lines at Petersburg. I think if Abe had not croaked we would be in Washington by this time, as we were ordered there after Lee surrendered but things have changed since the dog died…"

7. May 27, 1865, Camp near Richmond; David T. Eckerson of the 1st NY Vols. to Thomas D. Eckerson: "…Gen Wright has issued orders to the Brigade Commanders to give 1/5 of the Officers & men passes to visit the city of Richmond. He wants to give the whole corps a chance to see what they have been fighting for so long…I dread that march to Alexandria. I know there will be many a good fellow laid out on that tramp. I think it is a darn shame that after the men fighting so long and live through it all to be marched to death. This Government must think a great deal of her soldiers if Washington was in danger. How darn quick they would get transportation for us, but now the war is over and they don't care a straw for the men. The more that are killed the less there are to pay off…"

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