1861-09-06: Cousin Albert to Cousin Hannah, Letter |
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[page 1] Frederick Junction Friday Afternoon Sept. 6th 1861 Dear Cousin Hannah I received your kind letter of the 22nd I was much pleased to hear from you and am greatly obliged to you for thinking to write to me. I hope you will write often for as you said in your letter anything from the direction of home is very acceptable. you say I did not ask you to write to me. I took it for granted you would without asking. I was expecting a letter from you and was much pleased when I received one. I received a few lines from my friend Chad Wood that with your letter is the only letters I have received from home with the exception of Mary's. I have but very little time to write so that I cannot answer many letters. you say you would be satisfied with only a few lines of my handwriting. I think that is about as much as I shall be able to write for I always write everything I can think of in my letters home and I suppose you always read the same so that it would be [page 2] useless for me to write the same over again in a letter to you. I wrote to the folks yesterday and wrote every thing I could think of so that I am now about -out- of news. I am not able to write anything in regard to the war for we are where we do not hear anything. we have been stationed back in the country doing guard duty and have not been where we could hear much news. We get nearer to Washington every time our regiment moves. we expect there is to be a big battle near there before long. I hope there will and one that will weigh heavily in deciding this affair between the states. I am not anxious to be a soldier any longer than I can be of service to my Country. when they get so as to treat and feed soldiers as they deserve then I think I should like it better. a solders life is hard enough at best without its being made more so by [any ?] fools who burn to show their authority. officers do not care nor realize that they are dependent upon their men and that many of them in social life are farther advanced than themselves. but we are in for it and must put it through. I have no desire to back out – I would not return home without the boys if they would give me my discharge and pay my fare not but that I want to see my dear Parents and Sister who have ever done all in their power [page 3] to make me comfortable and happy. but I came out here to be a soldier and stand by the old flag and I mean to stand by the boys and do it. and if I ever get home again I shall never be sory that I enlisted. I would like to see Boston and some of the Boston faces but I guess it will be some time before I shall have that pleasure. I should like to see some of the Boston girles. girles are scarce out here awhere we have been. and a pretty girl is a curiocity. please remember me to all the young ladies that you see who I am acquainted with. give my kindest regards to friends Abbie and Nellie tell them I am greatly obliged to them for their kind rememberance of me. I will remember the train we had in the barn at Chichester. I would like to have been present at the second edition of the same. Also at your Zouave drill. I would like to have given off the orders. Saturday Afternoon Dear Cousin I left this letter last night at supper-call and did not get a chance to write after that. thought I would draw it to a close this morning not thinking I should have anything more to write but we had a little sport last night that I must tell you off. We had just turned in for the night about ten ock our first sergeant came into my mess and [page 4] said he wanted ten men to go off on special duty. I was one of the number chosen to go. he told us to take twenty rounds of catridge as we should probably see service before we got back. in three minutes from the time he woke us up we were already to start. we always sleep with all our clothes on so that we can turn out as soon as called. none of us knew where we were going nor what for except our lieutenant. we went by railroad we had one iron freight car attached to an engine we had no lights not even one on the engine we had to ride in darkness it was rather risky but we were obliged to do so for fear of an alarm. there was fourteen of us. Lieut Jackson, two Seargents one Corporal and ten privates besides two men who went as guides. after we got into the car Seargent told us we were going about twenty miles towards Baltimore to arrest one or more seseshonists and might have some trouble. when we got to the house which was right side of the railroad we jumped out and surrounded the building. I stood by the front door when Lieut knocked a voice from inside said who's there. Lieut said come. the door was opened by a man in his [blank space] . Lieut asked him if Russell lived there. he said he was the man Lieut asked him if a man by the name of W. H. Wilson was [page 5] stopping there. he said there had been but he was not there then but he expected him back that night. Lieut then told him he wanted what baggage he had left there. he then went in and searched the house but could find nothing but a traveling bag. we took that and then went to the barn and took the horse & buggy belonging to Wilson. we then had to work some time to get them on board the cars we had to take the buggy all to pieces. then we had to pile up a lot of wood and planks for the horse to walk in on. Russell of his own free will told how it was that Wilson was stopping at his house. he said he came there a few days ago and asked R. if he knew of a good location to open a store. he told him he thought he did and if he would call at his house on a certain day he would go and show him. W. did not come on the day appointed but came yesterday. he said his brother in Baltimore was sick and that had detained him. Russell was busy [page 6] yesterday and could not go with him then but would go to day. Wilson left his things there and went away. it seems Wilson was arrested yesterday between here and Baltimore by some Pennsylvania soldiers belonging to the twenty-eighth regiment Col Geary. this was not known to Russell. Wilson was arrested for communicating with the rebels on the other side of the river. Russell was as civil as could be to us. I guess he did not like the looks of the loaded rifles with capps on and bayanetts fixed. We left there about two. we got about half way back to camp when a spring on the engine gave out this detained us some time and after that we could not go so fast. when we got back to our camp we telegraphed to Col Geary (whose command we are under while we are at this place) to know what should be done with the property he said bring it on to him. we then went went on twelve miles to his camp at Point of Rocks. we left the property there. we went to the hotel and got breakfast. Lieut paid for it [page 7] we then took the car again and came back to our camp. we got here at nine this morning we had a jolly time. but I guess I have written enough of this. it was little or no excitement for us. but I have written the affair to you so as to fill out a letter but I guess you have got tired of reading it before this. I feel rather sleepy to day for I was on guard night before last and got only two or three hours sleep and have not had a wink since. I have got to go on guard again tomorrow. while you are going to Church I shall be pacing my beat with a loaded rifle upon my shoulder (some difference) but I will not stop to write any more now. please give much love from me to my Father, Mother & Sister. Write soon and often. Give my love to Allice and Emmie and accept much for yourself from your Cousin Albert. P.S. Please excuse all mistakes and poor writing. my paper does not look very neat but you will please excuse it. a soldiers letter does not look very nice for we are obliged to write [page 8] any way we can get a chance I am writing this sitting on the ground with a rock for a writing desk. Albert Co. C 13th Regt. Mass Vol Gen. Banks Division Please show this letter to my father. Sam Seabury sends his regards to you. he is in the same mess with me. he was one of the number Thursday night.
Object Description
Title | Endicott, William E. Letters, 1862-1866 |
Creator | Endicott, William E., 1842 |
LC Subject Headings |
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 Kelly's Ford, Battle of, Va., 1863 Cold Harbor, Battle of, Va., 1864 United States. Army. Massachusetts Light Artillery Battery, 10th (1862-1865) |
EOA Categories |
History – 1838-1874: Sectionalism, the Civil War and Reconstruction Peoples -- Military Life Government and Politics -- Military |
Description | These are the letters of William E. Endicott. Endicott entered into service at Boxford, Massachusetts as part of the 10th Massachusetts Battery on September 9, 1862. His unit's first assignment was to the Washington, D.C. area. William would serve at various locations in Northern Virginia and Maryland. His battery was captured at Reams Station, Virginia on August 25, 1864. William was a prisoner for six weeks at Libby prison and one week at Belle Island. |
Digital Publisher | Auburn University Libraries |
Date | 1862-1866 |
Original Format | 132 letters, various sizes; 2 poems |
Type | Text |
Format | |
Original Item ID | RG 0404 |
Rights | Property of the Auburn University Libraries and is intended for non-commercial use. Users of the image are asked to acknowledge the Auburn University Libraries. For information about obtaining high-resolution copies of this and other images in this collection, please contact the Auburn University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Department at archives@auburn.edu or (334) 844-1732. |
Language | eng |
Collection | William E. Endicott Papers |
Repository | Auburn University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. |
Submitted by | Thornton, Linda; Coates, Midge |
Description
Title | 1861-09-06: Cousin Albert to Cousin Hannah, Letter |
Creator | |
LC Subject Headings |
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865 Kelly's Ford, Battle of, Va., 1863 Cold Harbor, Battle of, Va., 1864 United States. Army. Massachusetts Light Artillery Battery, 10th (1862-1865) |
EOA Categories |
History – 1838-1874: Sectionalism, the Civil War and Reconstruction Peoples -- Military Life Government and Politics -- Military |
Description | These are the letters of William E. Endicott. Endicott entered into service at Boxford, Massachusetts as part of the 10th Massachusetts Battery on September 9, 1862. His unit's first assignment was to the Washington, D.C. area. William would serve at various locations in Northern Virginia and Maryland. His battery was captured at Reams Station, Virginia on August 25, 1864. William was a prisoner for six weeks at Libby prison and one week at Belle Island. |
Digital Publisher | Auburn University Libraries |
Date | 1861-09-06 |
Original Format | 1 letter, 8 pages |
Type | Text |
Format | |
Original Item ID | RG 0404 |
Rights | Property of the Auburn University Libraries and is intended for non-commercial use. Users of the image are asked to acknowledge the Auburn University Libraries. For information about obtaining high-resolution copies of this and other images in this collection, please contact the Auburn University Libraries Special Collections & Archives Department at archives@auburn.edu or (334) 844-1732. |
Language | eng |
File Name | Endicott 001.pdf |
Collection | William E. Endicott Papers |
Repository | Auburn University Libraries. Special Collections and Archives. |
Submitted by | Thornton, Linda; Coates, Midge |
Transcript | [page 1] Frederick Junction Friday Afternoon Sept. 6th 1861 Dear Cousin Hannah I received your kind letter of the 22nd I was much pleased to hear from you and am greatly obliged to you for thinking to write to me. I hope you will write often for as you said in your letter anything from the direction of home is very acceptable. you say I did not ask you to write to me. I took it for granted you would without asking. I was expecting a letter from you and was much pleased when I received one. I received a few lines from my friend Chad Wood that with your letter is the only letters I have received from home with the exception of Mary's. I have but very little time to write so that I cannot answer many letters. you say you would be satisfied with only a few lines of my handwriting. I think that is about as much as I shall be able to write for I always write everything I can think of in my letters home and I suppose you always read the same so that it would be [page 2] useless for me to write the same over again in a letter to you. I wrote to the folks yesterday and wrote every thing I could think of so that I am now about -out- of news. I am not able to write anything in regard to the war for we are where we do not hear anything. we have been stationed back in the country doing guard duty and have not been where we could hear much news. We get nearer to Washington every time our regiment moves. we expect there is to be a big battle near there before long. I hope there will and one that will weigh heavily in deciding this affair between the states. I am not anxious to be a soldier any longer than I can be of service to my Country. when they get so as to treat and feed soldiers as they deserve then I think I should like it better. a solders life is hard enough at best without its being made more so by [any ?] fools who burn to show their authority. officers do not care nor realize that they are dependent upon their men and that many of them in social life are farther advanced than themselves. but we are in for it and must put it through. I have no desire to back out – I would not return home without the boys if they would give me my discharge and pay my fare not but that I want to see my dear Parents and Sister who have ever done all in their power [page 3] to make me comfortable and happy. but I came out here to be a soldier and stand by the old flag and I mean to stand by the boys and do it. and if I ever get home again I shall never be sory that I enlisted. I would like to see Boston and some of the Boston faces but I guess it will be some time before I shall have that pleasure. I should like to see some of the Boston girles. girles are scarce out here awhere we have been. and a pretty girl is a curiocity. please remember me to all the young ladies that you see who I am acquainted with. give my kindest regards to friends Abbie and Nellie tell them I am greatly obliged to them for their kind rememberance of me. I will remember the train we had in the barn at Chichester. I would like to have been present at the second edition of the same. Also at your Zouave drill. I would like to have given off the orders. Saturday Afternoon Dear Cousin I left this letter last night at supper-call and did not get a chance to write after that. thought I would draw it to a close this morning not thinking I should have anything more to write but we had a little sport last night that I must tell you off. We had just turned in for the night about ten ock our first sergeant came into my mess and [page 4] said he wanted ten men to go off on special duty. I was one of the number chosen to go. he told us to take twenty rounds of catridge as we should probably see service before we got back. in three minutes from the time he woke us up we were already to start. we always sleep with all our clothes on so that we can turn out as soon as called. none of us knew where we were going nor what for except our lieutenant. we went by railroad we had one iron freight car attached to an engine we had no lights not even one on the engine we had to ride in darkness it was rather risky but we were obliged to do so for fear of an alarm. there was fourteen of us. Lieut Jackson, two Seargents one Corporal and ten privates besides two men who went as guides. after we got into the car Seargent told us we were going about twenty miles towards Baltimore to arrest one or more seseshonists and might have some trouble. when we got to the house which was right side of the railroad we jumped out and surrounded the building. I stood by the front door when Lieut knocked a voice from inside said who's there. Lieut said come. the door was opened by a man in his [blank space] . Lieut asked him if Russell lived there. he said he was the man Lieut asked him if a man by the name of W. H. Wilson was [page 5] stopping there. he said there had been but he was not there then but he expected him back that night. Lieut then told him he wanted what baggage he had left there. he then went in and searched the house but could find nothing but a traveling bag. we took that and then went to the barn and took the horse & buggy belonging to Wilson. we then had to work some time to get them on board the cars we had to take the buggy all to pieces. then we had to pile up a lot of wood and planks for the horse to walk in on. Russell of his own free will told how it was that Wilson was stopping at his house. he said he came there a few days ago and asked R. if he knew of a good location to open a store. he told him he thought he did and if he would call at his house on a certain day he would go and show him. W. did not come on the day appointed but came yesterday. he said his brother in Baltimore was sick and that had detained him. Russell was busy [page 6] yesterday and could not go with him then but would go to day. Wilson left his things there and went away. it seems Wilson was arrested yesterday between here and Baltimore by some Pennsylvania soldiers belonging to the twenty-eighth regiment Col Geary. this was not known to Russell. Wilson was arrested for communicating with the rebels on the other side of the river. Russell was as civil as could be to us. I guess he did not like the looks of the loaded rifles with capps on and bayanetts fixed. We left there about two. we got about half way back to camp when a spring on the engine gave out this detained us some time and after that we could not go so fast. when we got back to our camp we telegraphed to Col Geary (whose command we are under while we are at this place) to know what should be done with the property he said bring it on to him. we then went went on twelve miles to his camp at Point of Rocks. we left the property there. we went to the hotel and got breakfast. Lieut paid for it [page 7] we then took the car again and came back to our camp. we got here at nine this morning we had a jolly time. but I guess I have written enough of this. it was little or no excitement for us. but I have written the affair to you so as to fill out a letter but I guess you have got tired of reading it before this. I feel rather sleepy to day for I was on guard night before last and got only two or three hours sleep and have not had a wink since. I have got to go on guard again tomorrow. while you are going to Church I shall be pacing my beat with a loaded rifle upon my shoulder (some difference) but I will not stop to write any more now. please give much love from me to my Father, Mother & Sister. Write soon and often. Give my love to Allice and Emmie and accept much for yourself from your Cousin Albert. P.S. Please excuse all mistakes and poor writing. my paper does not look very neat but you will please excuse it. a soldiers letter does not look very nice for we are obliged to write [page 8] any way we can get a chance I am writing this sitting on the ground with a rock for a writing desk. Albert Co. C 13th Regt. Mass Vol Gen. Banks Division Please show this letter to my father. Sam Seabury sends his regards to you. he is in the same mess with me. he was one of the number Thursday night. |