Browse All Letters (449 total)

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 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…

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 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…

Fort Hamilton Aug. 2. 63 My Dear Wife: There is no telling what is to be the fate of an Officer of the army. Yesterday, by virtue of *Sar. B's* retirement, I had full command of this fort: today, there comes a volunteer Col. with authority to take command of F.H. and its dependencies, and so my *name* is completely *out of joint*. What kind of a…

Fort Hamilton July 30, 1863 My Dear Wife: I am getting along very well. Not having had much experience in sprains, I am watching its different stages somewhat curiously. I don't remember the accident you refer to in your last. But this time, two or three days after I was hurt my foot began to grow blue, & nearly the whole of it took purple,…

1 Fort Hamilton July 26. 1863 My dear Wife: Your letter of the 22nd reached me last night; that of the 1st came to hand last Thursday. You see they have all got here tho' somewhat behind time. Capt. *Oxley* got here yesterday. He looked very badly last night, but a good sleep has made him look a great deal better. We have become cronies already. He…

Fort Hamilton July 23. 1863 My dear Augusta: The Old Gingle has come to grief. The statement in the Commercial turns out to be time; he is retired along with a lot of other old fogies, who ought to have been out of the army long ago. The order took me by surprise, but I am not at all sorry for it. I don't think he will trouble me much more, and I…

Fort Hamilton July 18 1863 My dear Augusta Things have been working since my last. The great Copperhead riot has been put down with considerable - not too much bloodshed. And Gen Brown who was the only efficient officer engaged in putting it down (general officer I mean, from Capt Putnam, Franklin, Stacey, *and* Mr Elrath and others have done first…

No 17 Fort Hamilton July 17. 1863 My dear Wife: I have received two letters from you this week, on Thursday and Saturday. They relieved my anxiety about you and gave me a great deal of comfort. -- We are having great times here just now, but entirely different from any we have had before. On Friday night about *11 1/2* four hundred of the 11th N.Y.…