Description:

Civil War
Camp Baker, MD, January 17, 1862
Massachusetts Soldier Writes to His Sister on McClellan Stationery: "Marching orders to Fight"
ALS

[CIVIL WAR.] Jeremiah Downs, Autograph Letter Signed, to Sister, likely Sarah Downs Smith, January 17, 1862, Camp Baker, [Maryland]. 3 pp., 5" x 8". On red and blue bordered stationery with image of McClellan at upper right; some staining.

Jeremiah Downs, a private in Company D of the 11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, writes to his sister. His regiment was stationed along the Potomac River about forty miles south of Washington, where it performed picket duty through the winter of 1861-1862.

Complete Transcript
Camp Baker Jan 17 1862
Berds [Budd's] Ferry
Gen. McClellan, is the man.
Dear sister
I now take my pen in hand to Let you know that I am Well and hope you are the same this is the secont Letter that I Rote Because I Was trying to Lit a patent Lamp and spilt the grease all over the paper and spoilt it hold on we are on Marching orders to Fight and I will be damd if I am not Glad of it Because I Want to Fight send some papers the Weekly [verity?] the sporting [Life?]
You must pardon my righting this time
Give My love to all and tell them to do the same to me Leet me know if george got that Letter that I sent him send me word if they have sent that Box talk a Bout the sunny South Why it is up to our ass in mud tell george not to Forget to put that tobacco and [reu?] in the Box tell all to Right For I have not had any at all We shal Feal Better after we have kiled one of the Rebles We are only A Mile From them I Feale tired I have Just Come up From picket I will Right more the next time so good By From your Brother Jerry Downs
11 Regment
Compny D
Washington
DC

Fight and Wright / For the union

Jeremiah Downs (1836-1863) was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts, and became a mariner. He had one brother, George Downs, and two sisters, Sarah Downs Smith and Mary Downs Colton . He enlisted as a private in Company D of the 11th Massachusetts Infantry on November 1, 1861. He spent a month in the hospital in the summer of 1862 for malaria and dysentery. He was discharged on December 5, 1862, for disability, and died two months later in Roxbury, Massachusetts.

Sarah E. Downs Smith (1831-1873) was born in Newburyport, Massachusetts. She married George Smith in 1850, but he died in 1854 in St. Thomas. In early 1862, she volunteered as a nurse. She became a matron in the Trinity Church Hospital in Washington, D.C. She died of tuberculosis, which she may have contracted during the war.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 5" x 8"
  • Medium: ALS

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