1862 Union Soldier’s Letter – Henry Lamoreaux, 103rd New York Infantry
Offered
for your consideration is a Union soldier’s letter, penned in 1862, from a
private on duty in North Carolina. Headlined “
Camp
Burnside N. C.
” and dated
“
Friday
April 11
th
62
”,
the author of this letter tells his “
Brother a
Sister
” that “
I
have once more got my ink scratcher to let you know how I am and to kill time
and more than that I want to hear from you for I know that one or the other of
you will answer hastily. I am sitting on my blanket and writing on the top of a
cheese box cover
…
I am well and have been every since we have
been here and hope that I shall be for if that’s my helth gone I shall kick the
bucket
…
There is a great many sick here the hospital is full some of our
company is there, we have lost 3 or 4 and I think there is more that will go
soon
”. He continues in the same vain by stating that “
I saw
Ebinezer Jones this morning he is in the 51 NY Regt he has a brother here that
is not expected to live. They buried one poor fellow this morning and are
carrying them out most every day. I think if a body can stand soldiering and
the climate they are tough
…”. He then notes that “…
We
are under marching orders and think we shall pull up stakes tomorrow and leave
here I am sorry for we just begun to get something to eat
…”, after
which he describes a meal he and a buddy (Isaac) attended with friends in
another regiment, “…
we had a very good meal had hoe cakes beans
warm flap jacks & molasses tea & sugar
…”, apparently prepared
by freed slaves (a derogatory term is used in the text). He then describes other
escapades with his friend Isaac, stating that “…
we have kept in sugar we had to
help unload the slog there was a barl
(barrel)
of sugar open so we filled our
pockets the Artilery men broke open a box of champaign bottles he told to help
our selves. Isaac took 3 I took 2 we drank up 1 we sold the 4 for $10
…
we
had a keg of beer the officer told
us to help ourselves he would watch for us
while we took it I rolled it under the train & round a corner & drove
the head in and we drank it & kicked it empty in the street
”. He
concludes this letter with a description of the area in which he is stationed,
stating that “
There is nothing but havock here you cant imagine what a country this
is there is no public roads just a track from one plantation to another the
land is sandy & nothing but sand. We don’t hardly ever see a man dressed in
citizens clothes every thing is military & war
…”. He lists his
return address as “
H
Lamoreaux
/
Newbern NC
/
Com I, 103 Regt N. Y. S. Vol
”.
A newsy little letter, filled with the thoughts and opinions of a common Union
soldier. Interesting about the episodes regarding the sugar and champagne.
Worthy of further research.
Henry Lamoreaux
is listed as being 22 years of age when he enlisted on February 12, 1862 at Hector,
New York. He was mustered in as a private in Company “I” of the 103
rd
New York Volunteer Infantry the following day. He was mustered out on March 17,
1865 in New York, New York as a sergeant, having been promoted on October 15,
1864.
The presently offered
letter exhibits signs of expected period use, followed by many years of
reasonably good storage. Light toning is noted across the entire surface,
imparting an off-white hue to the paper. This toning is somewhat more
pronounced at the edges and along the postal folds. Several stains can be seen,
none of which are particularly dark or large enough to seriously impact the
overall eye-appeal of the piece. Several of the aforementioned folds have
adversely affected the integrity of the paper, with small holes being seen at
the junctions when the piece is held to the light. The contrast is average, as
is the penmanship of the author. Executed in period ink on blue-lined white
paper, this piece measures approximately 5 x 7⅞ inches when folded and 7⅞ x 10⅛
inches when laid flat. Any additional questions regarding condition should be
addressed before purchasing.
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will be added to any item picked up in person at our physical location.
If
you have any questions regarding this item, please ask before purchasing.
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or Bid with Confidence – American Coins & Collectibles President Richie
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nd
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