Union Letters

1st Rhode Island Light Artillery Letter

3 pages, 5 x 7 3/4, in ink, written by Albert Wood, to his Mother. Comes with envelope addressed to Mrs. Silas R. Wood, Wyoming P.O., R.I., Care of B.F. Crandall, with C.D.S., Sept. 25, 1863, and 3 cents rose George Washington postage stamp.

New Bern, N.C., Thursday, Sept. 24th, 1863

Dear Mother,

I received your kind letter this morning dated the 13th and was very glad to hear that you was well. I still have my share of good health. I think by the time I get home all the boys that I knew when I was there will be dead for...  

32nd Illinois Infantry Officer's Letter

Written by a captain who was severely wounded in 1862, had his leg amputated and died from his wounds!

4 pages, 7 3/4 x 10, in ink, written by Captain John B. Duncan to his daughter.

Memphis, Tenn., July 28th, 1862

My dear daughter,

I received yours of the 16th inst. on the 22d and was as usual very glad to hear from you. I would have answered sooner, but have been so busy I have not had time, making out Payrolls and reports of various kinds has kept me busy. We started on the march from Lagrange, fifty...  

60th New York Infantry Officer's Letter

Informs a father of the death of his son and says they are sending his body home in a black walnut coffin!

Camp Co. I, 60 Reg. N.Y.S.V.
Locust Point, Baltimore, Feb. the 18, 1862

To George W. Whitman,

Dear Sir,

I would it mere possible for me to express in a manner so modeled as not to suddenly & severely to shock your feelings the sad news which this letter must disclose to you. If I fail, I trust that the suddenness of this event & the fact that bereavement is necessarily painful will be my excuse. You...  

Letter to Soldier in 3rd Vermont Infantry

"Emperor Napoleon seems very anxious to do something for us in the way of mediation between us & our Southern foes, but I think Secretary Seward has taken nearly all the wind out of his sails."

4 pages, 7 1/2 x 9 3/4, in ink.

Westmoreland, Feb. 15, 1863

Dear Frank,

I have had it in my mind frequently for more than a week that I ought to write to you, and this morning I thought certain nothing would prevent my performing a task already too long delayed, but last night or yesterday P.M. Patrick took it...  

10TH CONNECTICUT INFANTRY LETTER

Superb Petersburg campaign battle letter!

12 pages, 5 x 8, in ink, written by Benjamin Wright, to his wife.

Quarter Master's Dept., 10th Conn. Vols., Bermuda Hundred, Va., June 17, 1864

My Dear Abbie,

It is two days since I last wrote you. Yesterday passed without my sending you a word. My time was so much employed that I could find no time to write. We received no mail last night or night before, but we received one this morning however. I received three letters, one from you containing stamps which I am...  

10TH CONNECTICUT INFANTRY LETTER

"I am rejoiced to hear that Lincoln's likely to be the Union candidate for the Presidency. He has my hearty support. He stands next to the Father of his country. He is in fact the second Father. No man was ever called to fill so trying a position and filled it so well. May God bless him and give him wisdom and grace that may do all for the glory of God."

15 pages, 5 x 8, in ink, written by Lieutenant Benjamin Wright, to his wife Abbie.

Head Quarters U.S. Forces, St. Augustine, Fla., Feb. 26th,...  

10TH CONNECTICUT INFANTRY LETTER

Battles of Kinston and Whitehall, North Carolina!

23 pages, 5 x 8, in bold pencil, written by Benjamin Wright to his wife Abbie.

Newbern, N.C., Dec. 24, 1862, 9 P.M.

Dear Abbie,

The mail has come up but I received none. I think it was a very small one. There was not twenty letters for the company. Those that came were mailed the 19th, 20th, only two days later than my last. I finished the last just after the battle of Kinston. After we drove the Rebels across the bridge they went just outside of the city on...  

10TH CONNECTICUT INFANTRY LETTER

16 pages, in ink, written by Lieutenant Benjamin Wright, to his wife, over the course of several days.

Adjutant’s Office, 10th C.[onnecticut] V.[olunteers],
St. Augustine, Fla., Nov. 19th, 1863

My Dear Abbie,

It is rather late in the evening to commence a letter, but I purpose to do nothing more than that. I went down town to the meeting tonight. While down there I received some orders of detail from Post Head Head Quarters. After coming up, my clerk and I made out about a dozen copies and served them. Since that...  

10TH CONNECTICUT INFANTRY LETTER

8 pages, 4 3/8 x 8, in pencil, written by Benjamin Wright, to his wife. Comes with cover addressed to Mrs. Benjamin Wright, Greenwich, Conn., postmark Port Royal, Feb. 12, with 3 cents embossed George Washington postage stamp, with bullseye cancellation. Ink notation, Feb. 8th, 1863.

Propeller Vidette, St. Helena Isl., Feb. 8th, 3:30 P.M., 1863

My Dear Abbie,

We moved from our achorage at Hilton Head this morning and came across to this side, the distance perhaps four or five miles. We came close by the Navy anchorage....