Browse All Letters (392 total)

Fort Hamilton Aug 6th 1863 My Dear Wife: "This is a world of vicissitude and equipoise", as Pete Lowe would say, When I wrote you last I was "Commanding Officer", now I am not. That very night there came a Vol. Reg., the *37th Mass.* with it Col. and L. Col. and the former assumed command on Monday morning. The Col. is a very clever gentleman and…

1 Fort Hamilton Aug. 8. 1863 My dear Wife: Your last letter reached me last evening, a little behind time but very welcome. I believe I forgot to allude to myself in my last and for fear of a similar omission this time, I will just say here, that I am getting along a great deal better than I hoped to. The swelling has nearly left my foot, and it is…

Fort Hamilton Aug 13. 1863 My Dear Wife: I rec'd your good long letter of the 9th yesterday morning. I was very glad to hear that you had so great a pleasure so nearly within reach. I should be very glad to be home to welcome the young soldier myself give him my kindest regards and tell him that I have been on the point of writing to him *every…

Fort Hamilton Aug. 16. 1863 My Dear Gussie: We are "enjoying" some very hot weather, here, about three days. It is thundering now, but I can't see it; there are no clouds in sight with thunder in them. What it means I don't know. I suppose I might see where the shower is, if I were to go upon the parapet; but that's too much trouble for me under…

Fort Hamilton Aug. 19, 1863 My Dear Gussie: I have just rec'd your Sunday and intend to get this to you on time if possible. __ The whirligig has gone round again and I am Comd. Officer once more this morning. Col Edwards' regt was ordered to New York yesterday evening & he went with it. Drafting commenced today and he was sent off to help keep…

Fort Hamilton June 21. 1863 My dear boy: You must get Sella to read her letter to you about the place where I am boarding. There two boys and two little girls that would make fine playmates for you and Sella and one little boy who would do very well to play with Robbie, but he is hardly big enough. There is funny man boarding there. He goes up to…

Dear Sella: Mother tells me you have a cough. I hope you will soon get well so you go to school. When you do, you must do whatever the teacher tells you to do and you must learn all your lessons and learn them well. Little Bob that you used to play with so much has gone away, He joined the Artillery and went away with Capt. Arnold and Lt.…

Fort Hamilton June 21 1863 My dear, little Daughter What a long time it is since I saw you. I suppose you have grown a good deal since you left Fort Hamilton and began to go to school. Perhaps I should not know you if I met you away from home. I am very glad to hear that you have been a good girl and I hope you have tried to learn. Little girls are…

11th *?* 12th *?* Inf.Tompkins Square New York August 23. 63 My Dear Wife: Tho' I am writing this letter at Fort Hamilton, the above is the place where I hang out at present. I went up night before last, arriving at Camp about 10' o'clock. But as I had heard before starting that my regiment had been ordered down here & would undoubtedly come…

Hd Qrs 1st Brigade *Regulars*Madison Square Sept. 1. 1863 My dear Gussie:What do you think of the date hereof? You will begin to think I am a very hard chap to keep the track of. Yesterday afternoon Maj. Gidding's horse fell and rolled on him, injuring him very severely. Last night, indeed, they did not expect him to live, but this morning he is…