Civil War Soldier Letters, Mostly from New York Regiments, Incl. 140th NY Volunteers

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Nov 18, 2016 - Nov 19, 2016

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• Lot Description
  Lot of 22, including 21 letters, and 2-part GAR medal commemorating New York's service at Gettysburg in 1913, 50 years after the battle. Highlights include:
  
  Captain Fredrick E. Ranger, 22^nd NY Infantry, Co. F., 3 ALsS to his wife. Camp Auger, February 25, 1862 and March 7, 1862 as well as from Camp Near Brook Station, November 30, 1862.
  
  Despite risking his life at the Battle of Manassas, Antietam, and Fredericksburg, Captain Frederick E. Ranger fretted over his sick wife’s life more than his own. I must say I do feel a little worried, Ranger wrote to her about her cold. Ranger enlisted at Glen Falls, NY as a 2^nd lieutenant on March 27, 1861. The 28-year-old mustered into the 22^nd NY Infantry eight days after the New Year in 1862. After fighting valiantly on the battlefield, he earned a promotion as a 1^st lieutenant on August 18, 1862 and captain on November 5, 1862. Either to cheer up his wife or divert from his own anxieties, he wrote her about a curious episode of extreme weather at Camp Auger.
  
  Yesterday morning about 10 o’clock the wind commenced blowing and blue a regular hurricane until night. There was some fun. Tents went over and everything moveable was flying in every direction. It was almost impossible to walk against it. Our house never shook a hair, but it blew down some buildings in the city (Camp Auger, February 25, 1862). 
  
  His wife recovered from her illness and also experienced some curious weather at home. Ranger wrote back to her; I think from all accounts you must have about 900 feet of snow there now. If it continues I don’t see what will become of you. How high above the snow Is the town clock now? (Camp Augur, March 7, 1862).
  
  Like many soldiers, Ranger pined for home and often thought about familiar and comfortable scenes:
  
  It is so lonesome nowadays that although I wrote you a letter yesterday I can find nothing so pleasant as spending the time with you…Tomorrow is Carries birthday. Tomorrow she makes the high old age of five years…The air must be cold in G.F. [Glen Falls] today and I imagine you all in Fred’s room with a good warm fire, Grandpa and children frolicking Grandma telling “lastly” Mamma reading the paper. Fran at church and one of the Aunties dropping in now and then to see what’s going on…Visions of mother’s fricasseed chickens loom up occasionally to my imagination like a mirage in a desert and I wonder if making Oyster stew has become one of the lost arts…You know dearest how much I wouldn’t give or rather what wouldn’t I give if we were certain of remaining anywhere, of having my little wife with me, and if wishing you would do it you would be here tonight but you would hardly enjoy going to bed in my cold tent and sleeping on some cedar poles with blankets…(Camp Near Brook Station, November 30, 1862).
  
  Ranger and his regiment departed their winter quarters and fought again at Chancellorsville. After experiencing more action in one year than most soldiers did throughout the war, he returned home safely to his wife and children on June 19, 1863 after mustering out of service.
  
  Erastus N. Palley, 140^th NY Volunteers, Co. H, 3 ALsS to his wife and children and a short ALS to his sister. Camp Fredericksburg, December 8, 1862; Camp Pleasant Valley Near Harpers, October 26, 1862; May 20, 1863; and May 1863.
  
  Erastus N. Palley was a family man. At the age of 42, Palley enlisted as a private on August 22, 1862 and mustered into the 140^th NY on September 13, 1862. He left behind his wife and children with the “Rochester Racehorses” (the nickname of his regiment) for the front soon after. He did not enjoy the service. He wrote, My work is hard but I would rather do it than drill (Camp Pleasant Valley Near Harpers, October 26, 1862). He deeply missed his family. On a cold December day at Camp Fredericksburg, he wrote to his wife and children, I wish I could be home this cold winter for it is hard on the old man but he must stand it until god or Abraham calls him home and I hope it will be Abe and start soon (Camp Fredericksburg, December 8, 1862).
  
  The 140^th fought in nearly all the great battles of the Civil War. Palley fought with them at the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Sometime during his service, he was in the hospital. His sister wrote an affectionate letter to him while he recovered, fretting over his health because she had not heard from him for over 6 weeks. Palley suffered from a cold but his emotional scars of a recent battle needed more healing than his body. He wrote to his wife, It makes my blood run cold to think of Battle again for to see so many good men laid low in so short a time it is perfectly awful(?)…I was in the battle I was closed by the flesh of the cannon was flowen to the side, where we were I cant begin to tell you anything about it it would fill a book larger than I shall ever write (May 20, 1863). He was possibly wounded during one battle because he was discharged for disability on September 18, 1863 at Beverly Ford, VA. His discharge saved him from fighting, and possibly dying, at Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Petersburg.
  
  George W. Pitt, lieutenant, 85^th NY Volunteers, Co. E, 2 ALsS to his parents and his friend speaking about many sick officers, picket duty, and the local vegetation. Headquarters at Plymouth, July 12, 1863 and September 27, 1863. Pitt mustered in as a sergeant but reached the rank of 2^nd lieutenant in his career. His regiment fought at Yorktown, Seven Pines, and Malvern Hill. There is no record of his service on HDS but he is listed on nps.gov.
  
  Franklin Moore, 6^th NY Light Artillery, 2 ALsS to parents from Budds Ferry, MD. January 12, 1861 and February 26, 1861. Moore enlisted in New York City as a private on June 15, 1861. He mustered into the 6^th NY Light Artillery on June 20, 1861, and on December 15, 1861, he was promoted to artificer. That same winter, he wrote to his parents:
  
  Dalley expects to start for home tomorrow… I gave him one of our bomb shell to take home with him I will send one home if I can moutch another one it will be quite a curiosity to them that has never seen one…Thare has been considerable firing acrost the river at our men on this side since last night but they have not don any damage as yet (Budds Ferry, MD, January 12, 1861).
  
  He wrote to his parents a second time in February, telling him how pleased he was about the good health of the family and the lack of news from the front. The quiet times at Budds Ferry were most certainly missed by Moore at the battle of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg.  He managed to survive both battles and return home to his family after mustering out of New York on June 21, 1864.
  
  Orville Swift, 9th NY Cavalry, Co. I, 2 ALsS to his sister. Piedmont Camp, October 15, 1864 and October 12, 1864.
  
  Swift enlisted relatively late in the war not because he did not want to participate, but because he had to wait until he turned 18. As soon as he reached the appropriate age, he enlisted in the army on September 4, 1864 as a private in the 9^th NY Cavalry, Co. I. By the time he enlisted, his regiment had already fought at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, but he fought with them at the Battle of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Sheridan’s raid, and Appomattox. A month after enlisting in the army, Swift wrote to his sister, There is about 170 new recruits station [at Piedmont Camp] for [the 9^th NY Cav.], we are now detained at present for a Garrison Guard we have drawn out arms but not mounted yet we are encamped at present about 2 miles north of Harper’s Ferry and about 60 rods from Maryland Heights (Piedmont Camp, October 15, 1864). He goes on to describe the surrounding forts and their weapons in both letters. He survived the war and mustered out of Cloud Mills, VA on June 30, 1865.
  
  John Seacole, 176^th NY Infantry, ALS to his father aboard the transport ship Alice Counce, January 16, 1863.
  
  There is a possibility that Seacole enlisted twice in his career. HDS shows a John Seacole enlisting in the 47^th NY Infantry, Co. D, on March 27, 1862 and mustering out of service on September 1, 1862 at Brooklyn, NY.  On October 15, 1862 in Brooklyn, NY a John Seacole enlisted as a private into the 176^th NY Infantry, Co. I. There is a distinct possibility that both Seacoles are the same 19-year-old boy. While on transport with the 176^th NY to New Orleans, Seacole wrote to his father:
  
  We are now lying off the Battery in the stream on board the transport Alice Counce the ship had orders to sail the same day the Ironsides came on board witch was last Wednesday morning but was unable to leave on account of the wet and stormy weather we have had… We are packed away here pretty close there is three bunks one above the other in the middle and both sides of the ship there are 6 feet long 5 feet wide and 2 feet high it is kind of awkward as we cant sit upright in the bunks and it is as dark as pitch all day below the decks at night they hang up two or three lanterns there is four in each bunk we only get two meals a day now yesterday we got five square crackers for dinner and the sooner we get out of this ship the better (Transport Alice Counce of the Battery, January 16, 1863).
  
  The ship finally landed and Seacole went with his regiment on to the battlefield, participating in the Siege of Port Hudson and Sheridan’s Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley against General Early. The enemy captured Seacole during a battle, and he was taken as a POW on June 24, 1863 in Baton Rouge, LA; however, he returned to the front on August 17, 1863.
  
  Captain Henry J. Gifford, 13^th, 33^rd, and 49^th NY Infantries. ALS, 1p, to friend Lynn, Camp 33^rd NYV, March 28, 1863. Brief letter informing his friend he cannot return north, most likely home to New York, as expected, and discusses the weather at camp.
  
  Gifford began his career in the military as a drummer but reached the rank of captain in just two short years. He enlisted on March 25, 1861 and mustered into the 13^th NY, Co. A. He was promoted to 2^nd lieutenant the next month and accepted another promotion to 1^st lieutenant of the 33^rd NY Infantry, Co. D on August 29, 1861. He received his final promotion to captain on February 5, 1862. On October 1, 1863 he transferred a third time to the 49^th NY Infantry, Co. F. He stayed in that regiment but transferred to Co. E on March 15, 1865. He fought at the siege of Yorktown with the 13^th, the battle of Antietam with the 33^rd, and Spotsylvania with the 49^th. After many transfers and promotions, he mustered out of service on July 3, 1865 at Hall’s Hill VA. 
  
  Refer to cowans.com for a more detailed look at the contents of the collection.

  Ella and R.N. Harry to Asel P. Weld, 1^st NY Artillery, Battery K. ALS, 4pp. Ridgeway, NY, May 5, 1865. Ella, either Weld’s intended or wife, and her father write to Weld about the poor health of their wife/mother.
  

  J. Coyn, 10^th NY Cavalry, Co. E, ALS, 1p, to C. Thomas. Camp Near Alexandria, VA, June 13, 1865. Concerns the receipt of a package containing pants and a lost money package. There are no records for a J. Coyne in the 10^th NY Cavalry, but there are several other J. Coynes in New York regiments including one in the 6^th Cavalry, which could be the soldier.
  
  Joseph Wright, 9^th or 91^st NY Infantry, 1p, ALS to his wife. Camp Allen, December 10, 1861. Wright writes to his wife asking she send 3 dollars to him. There is no record of a Joseph Wright in the 9^th NY, but one in the 91^st NY. If it is the Joseph Wright from the 91^st he enlisted in the army at the age of 25 into the 91^st NY Infantry, Co. K on November 20, 1861. He served in the regiment until he was discharged for disability March 6, 1862 in Key West, FL.
  
  Muster out roll for the 121^st NY in Alexandria, VA on June 25, 1865. Members mustering out include: Andrew Sherman, John Snyder, Peter B. Campbell, Enos Wicks, Michael Wood, and Tilman S. Whitmore signed by A. Faulks and D.E. Cohen(?).
  
  The 121^st lost many men to fierce fighting at the battle of Fredericksburg, Spotsylvania, the Battle of the Wilderness, Petersburg, and Rappahannock Station. They were also in reserve at the battle of Gettysburg. Out of the 1,897 who enrolled in service 226 were killed (11.9 percent of its regiment) and 613 wounded; more than any other regiment in the Union Army.
  
  James Cleft, 147th NY Infantry, Co. K, ALS to friend Lieutenant Henry A. Breed. Camp Near Warrentwon Junction, January 4, 1863. 
  
  Typical soldier letter to his friend concerning the weather, health, and news in the regiment. After a long, quiet stay at the defenses at Washington, Cleft and his regiment traveled South into the thick of fighting. He and his regiment fought at Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, The Battle of the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Petersburg, Cold Harbor, and Appomattox. There is no complete record of service on HDS and no muster out date for Cleft on nps.gov. 
  
  4pp comical love letter between a promised New York couple.
  
  The soon-to-be-bride compliments her intended on his strength of character in forgiving someone who committed forgery. I love your forgiving spirit. How different it is from the relationships of the female sex generally. If one of their numbers should make a misstep the balance are only too willing to banish her forever (New York City, December 3, 1865). 
  
  Foster, Alonzo. Reminiscences and Record 6^th New York V.V. Cavalry. Original maroon cloth binding with gold lettering. Alonzo Foster: Brooklyn, 1892. 148pp. 

  Condition

  Typical folds and toning of the letters, wear on the cover of the book and toning of the paper. 
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