Dublin Core
Title
Civil War Letters - 1861 and 1862
Assabet, Mass.
Assabet, Mass.
Description
Letters written by Charles Pease to his sister, Mrs. Augustia Smith of Assabet, Mass. (now Maynard).
There are three different patriotic Civil War envelopes. All three postmarks are unreadable in whole or substantial part. They are addressed variously to Mrs. Augustia P. Smith, Assabet, Mass.; Mrs. A. P. Smith, Assabet, Mass.; and Mrs. Benj. Smith, Assabet, Mass. There are two letters. One is a folded sheet of patriotic stationery, written as four pages, dated November 5, 1861, and sent from Camp Michigan, Annapolis Junction, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Maryland. The other is a single sheet of plain lined paper, written on both sides, dated July 27, 1862, and sent from Harrison's Landing, along the James River in Virginia.
The sender was Charles Parker Pease, born in 1837 in Windsor, Vermont. He survived the war and married Penelia Dolan in Michigan in 1869. He died in Carter, Missouri in 1912.
The recipient was Augustia Hannah (Pease) Smith, born in Windsor Vermont in 1828. She married Benjamin Smith in 1849 in Keene, New Hampshire. They had several children and lived in the part of Stow that became Maynard. She died in Maynard in 1892.
There are three different patriotic Civil War envelopes. All three postmarks are unreadable in whole or substantial part. They are addressed variously to Mrs. Augustia P. Smith, Assabet, Mass.; Mrs. A. P. Smith, Assabet, Mass.; and Mrs. Benj. Smith, Assabet, Mass. There are two letters. One is a folded sheet of patriotic stationery, written as four pages, dated November 5, 1861, and sent from Camp Michigan, Annapolis Junction, on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, Maryland. The other is a single sheet of plain lined paper, written on both sides, dated July 27, 1862, and sent from Harrison's Landing, along the James River in Virginia.
The sender was Charles Parker Pease, born in 1837 in Windsor, Vermont. He survived the war and married Penelia Dolan in Michigan in 1869. He died in Carter, Missouri in 1912.
The recipient was Augustia Hannah (Pease) Smith, born in Windsor Vermont in 1828. She married Benjamin Smith in 1849 in Keene, New Hampshire. They had several children and lived in the part of Stow that became Maynard. She died in Maynard in 1892.
Date
1861-1862
Contributor
Narrative by Terry Jones
Identifier
2013.107
Format
3 paper envelopes 3 x 5.25 in.
1 white lined paper letter 5 x 8 in.
1 folded white lined paper letter 5 x 8 in. folded dimensions
1 white lined paper letter 5 x 8 in.
1 folded white lined paper letter 5 x 8 in. folded dimensions
Document Item Type Metadata
Text
Letter1:
Addressed to Mrs. A. P. Smith, Assabet, Mass.
Headquarters: Annapolis Junction Reg't
Co. F
Camp Michigan, Nov. 5th, 1861
Dear Sister,
It is a long time since I've written to you. I have been quite sick with a fever since I wrote you last. Was in a government hospital in Washington a month where I received the best of care. If I had been at home, I could not have been treated better. Have been back with the regiment about two weeks. Am quite well now. You wanted to know how we faired in the Army. We are provided with small canvas tents at present but expect to have buildings soon, if we stay here through the winter. They are calculated to accommodate five men each. There is four in mine: three sergeants and one corporal. We have bought us a small stove which makes it quite comfortable. The men are provided with two thick woolen blankets each and plenty of warm clothing. I have got more than I wish I had if we have to go on a long march for we have to carry it. It is take up your bed and walk on a march. You wanted to know what road we were guarding. It is the Ohio and Baltimore branch leading from Baltimore to Washington. Our camp is situated 18 miles from Baltimore and 22 miles from Washington at the junction of the Annapolis Railroad.
We will never see any fighting if we stay here, nor near so hard times as we would if we were in the ordinance corps of the Army, but I wish that orders would come tonight to go away down south in Dixie among the yellow-bellied devils. I would like to have a few shots at them.
I have just got a letter from Celestine but suppose that you hear from her oftener than I do. Have you had much snow this winter? I think that you cannot brag much of living in a country that has but little snow this winter. I have not seen any yet and but little frost.
I believe that I've written enough for this time. Write soon and direct your letters to Washington.
My love to you all,
Charles P. Pease
Letter 2:
Addressed to Mrs. Benj Smith, Assabet, Mass.
Harison's Landing, July 27th, 1862
Dear Sister Augustia,
I received your kind letter of the 21 last night, and one a few days ago that I have neglected to answer. They both contained postage stamps which I was very thankful for. Especially the first, for at that time, there was none to be had. I had a lot of them in my knapsack, but they and all the rest of my traps were burnt to keep them from the gray coats. I had a nice trap suite of clothes that went with the rest and left me with my old duds and believe it best to wear my best rags then I will not lose them.
You wanted to know if there was anything that you could send me. There is nothing that I need that you could send me. We have all that is necessary to make us comfortable and knickknacks are a curse to a soldier. I have seen men loaded down with fancy traps that their friends have sent them. Have to throw them away on a march and a great deal of the sickness is caused by eating trash that they buy at the suttlers.
You wanted to know what office I held. It is only that of sergeant and I do not expect to get any higher for I am not a mason, and that is the key to office in this regiment.
My love to you all,
Goodbye from your brother Charlie
Note: a suttler was a civilian merchant who followed the army and sold goods to the soldiers - things that weren't part of their official rations such as food, treats, tobacco, writing paper, coffee, canned goods, and other small comforts. These sellers often set up tents or small shops near army camps. Because their goods were not always fresh or wholesome, some of the illness in camps was suspected to have come from eating spoiled food bought from the suttlers.
Addressed to Mrs. A. P. Smith, Assabet, Mass.
Headquarters: Annapolis Junction Reg't
Co. F
Camp Michigan, Nov. 5th, 1861
Dear Sister,
It is a long time since I've written to you. I have been quite sick with a fever since I wrote you last. Was in a government hospital in Washington a month where I received the best of care. If I had been at home, I could not have been treated better. Have been back with the regiment about two weeks. Am quite well now. You wanted to know how we faired in the Army. We are provided with small canvas tents at present but expect to have buildings soon, if we stay here through the winter. They are calculated to accommodate five men each. There is four in mine: three sergeants and one corporal. We have bought us a small stove which makes it quite comfortable. The men are provided with two thick woolen blankets each and plenty of warm clothing. I have got more than I wish I had if we have to go on a long march for we have to carry it. It is take up your bed and walk on a march. You wanted to know what road we were guarding. It is the Ohio and Baltimore branch leading from Baltimore to Washington. Our camp is situated 18 miles from Baltimore and 22 miles from Washington at the junction of the Annapolis Railroad.
We will never see any fighting if we stay here, nor near so hard times as we would if we were in the ordinance corps of the Army, but I wish that orders would come tonight to go away down south in Dixie among the yellow-bellied devils. I would like to have a few shots at them.
I have just got a letter from Celestine but suppose that you hear from her oftener than I do. Have you had much snow this winter? I think that you cannot brag much of living in a country that has but little snow this winter. I have not seen any yet and but little frost.
I believe that I've written enough for this time. Write soon and direct your letters to Washington.
My love to you all,
Charles P. Pease
Letter 2:
Addressed to Mrs. Benj Smith, Assabet, Mass.
Harison's Landing, July 27th, 1862
Dear Sister Augustia,
I received your kind letter of the 21 last night, and one a few days ago that I have neglected to answer. They both contained postage stamps which I was very thankful for. Especially the first, for at that time, there was none to be had. I had a lot of them in my knapsack, but they and all the rest of my traps were burnt to keep them from the gray coats. I had a nice trap suite of clothes that went with the rest and left me with my old duds and believe it best to wear my best rags then I will not lose them.
You wanted to know if there was anything that you could send me. There is nothing that I need that you could send me. We have all that is necessary to make us comfortable and knickknacks are a curse to a soldier. I have seen men loaded down with fancy traps that their friends have sent them. Have to throw them away on a march and a great deal of the sickness is caused by eating trash that they buy at the suttlers.
You wanted to know what office I held. It is only that of sergeant and I do not expect to get any higher for I am not a mason, and that is the key to office in this regiment.
My love to you all,
Goodbye from your brother Charlie
Note: a suttler was a civilian merchant who followed the army and sold goods to the soldiers - things that weren't part of their official rations such as food, treats, tobacco, writing paper, coffee, canned goods, and other small comforts. These sellers often set up tents or small shops near army camps. Because their goods were not always fresh or wholesome, some of the illness in camps was suspected to have come from eating spoiled food bought from the suttlers.
Storage
VF44
SU19-1
Civil War folder