Tag Archives: New York

21 September 1864: “My sleeping quarters will not be quite as comfortable”

Item Description: James Gifford writes to his parents about his journey home to them in New Bedford, Massachusetts . He was a Naval officer stationed off the coast of North Carolina. Citation: Folder 3, in the James Gifford Papers #4493-z, Southern … Continue reading

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29 July 1864: “some Yankee is making money, as he charges ten cents for every one that wishes to see the rebels.”

Item Description: Diary entry, dated 29 July 1864, written by Louis Leon, a Confederate soldier in the North Carolina Infantry.  At this point in the war is a prisoner of the Union Army and recently moved to a new prisoner … Continue reading

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24 December 1862: “This is Christmas eve! Oh what a different mode of spending it this is from what I have been in the habbit of doing!”

Item description: Letter, 24 December 1862, from Union soldier Stephen Tippet Andrews to his beloved, Margaret (Maggie) Little. Stephen Tippet Andrews enlisted in the 85th New York Infantry Regiment on 26 August 1861. He helped organize Company F, and was mustered … Continue reading

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28 September 1862: “I believe it would take a hundred pound shell through the top of my tent top to make me make a quick move.”

Item description: Letter, 28 September 1862, from Union soldier Stephen Tippet Andrews to his beloved, Margaret (Maggie) Little. Stephen Tippet Andrews enlisted in the 85th New York Infantry Regiment on 26 August 1861. He helped organize Company F, and was mustered … Continue reading

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23 September 1862: “…said to myself that was Ray Wells but could not tell for certain their was so many that lay dead on so small a spot of ground that I did not want to look any more than I was obliged too…”

Item description: Letter, 23 September 1862, from Homer Case of the 12th New York Infantry to Mrs. A. H. Hall, sister of William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”). Case wrote from Cliffburn General Hospital … Continue reading

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19 September 1862: “O what terrible fighting they are having in Maryland for the last five days…”

Item description: Letter, 19 September 1862, from Jonathan Lewis Whittaker to his wife Julia A. Wells Whitaker. More about Jonathan Lewis Whittaker: Jonathan Lewis Whitaker (fl. 1862-1865) was a physician of Orange County, N.Y., who served as a United States … Continue reading

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11 September 1862: “I hasen to give you all the particulars & facts that are in my posession in relation to his death if he is dead…”

Item description: Letter, 11 September 1862, from Lieutenant Edward Drake to Mrs. A.H. Hall (first name not known), sister of William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”). Item citation: From the William Ray Wells Papers #2960-z, … Continue reading

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10 September 1862: “If the sacrifice of Ray’s life had been productive of any good to his country we could more easily give him up.”

Item description: Letter, dated 10 September 1862, from Mary Wells[?] to her parents, concerning the fate of her brother William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”). Mary includes in the letter two newspaper clippings … Continue reading

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10 May 1862: “when our troops first landed here they were attacked by a party of negroes and a number of us slashed up with nives and had their throats cut.”

Item description: Letter, dated 10 May 1862, from William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”), to his family in New York. Wells makes mention of a secondhand report of an attack by “a party of … Continue reading

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26 April 1862: “…it always seemed to me that I was not destined to die here.”

Item description: Letter, 26 April 1862, from Union soldier Stephen Tippet Andrews to his beloved, Margaret (Maggie) Little. For an introduction to the correspondence between Andrews and Little, please see our post of 11 February 1862. [Transcription available below images.] … Continue reading

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