Dublin Core
Title
E. S. Whitcomb Civil War Letter - 1863
Description
The letter was addressed to Myses Marry M. Stewart, (Mrs. Mary Stuart) Assbet, Mass. from her nephew Ebenezer Stuart Whitcomb, who wrote to his aunt from a Union Civil War camp, Camp Tennant, near Portsmouth, Virginia where he was serving with the 16th Connecticut Volunteers.
The letter was sent in a patriotic, stamped envelope with a blue bullseye cancellation, postmarked Norfolk, VA, August 19, 1863.
The recipient, Mary Mossman (Gilbert) Stuart, was born in Massachusetts about 1819 and married Ebenezer Stuart in 1838. They were farmers in the portion of Sudbury which became Maynard. The sender, Ebenezer Whitcomb, was born in Southboro in 1842, and was working in a carpet mill in the Simsbury, CT area when he enlisted in August 1862. He was captured near Plymouth, NC on April 20, 1864, during the First Battle of Plymouth. The battle was a Confederate assault on a 2500-man Union force holding Plymouth. When the Union land garrison lost its naval support, the garrison surrendered. Stuart, who served during the war as a private, survived captivity and the war, and in 1870, married Elizabeth Gledhill in West Boylston. He died in Ayer in May 1901.
The letter was sent in a patriotic, stamped envelope with a blue bullseye cancellation, postmarked Norfolk, VA, August 19, 1863.
The recipient, Mary Mossman (Gilbert) Stuart, was born in Massachusetts about 1819 and married Ebenezer Stuart in 1838. They were farmers in the portion of Sudbury which became Maynard. The sender, Ebenezer Whitcomb, was born in Southboro in 1842, and was working in a carpet mill in the Simsbury, CT area when he enlisted in August 1862. He was captured near Plymouth, NC on April 20, 1864, during the First Battle of Plymouth. The battle was a Confederate assault on a 2500-man Union force holding Plymouth. When the Union land garrison lost its naval support, the garrison surrendered. Stuart, who served during the war as a private, survived captivity and the war, and in 1870, married Elizabeth Gledhill in West Boylston. He died in Ayer in May 1901.
Date
1863-08-18
Contributor
Narrative by Terry Jones
Identifier
2019.626
Format
3 x 5.5 in. brown paper envelope
6.5 x 10.5 in. folded white lined paper letter
6.5 x 10.5 in. folded white lined paper letter
Document Item Type Metadata
Text
The text of the letter:
Camp Tennant
Near Portsmouth Va
Aug 18th '63
Dear Aunt - I now sit down to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well as can be expected in this warm weather and hope that these few lines will find you the same. You will think no doubt that I have forgotten you but it is not so. I meant to write to you before this but kept putting off day after day until now. I think I shall make to write to you a few lines now to let you know how I am getting along which is pretty well at present. The weather is pretty warm here as a general thing but today is quite cool to what it has been. We have a very pretty camp now. It is situated on the banks of the western branch of the Elizabeth River. It is very pleasant but very hot. We have plenty of all kinds of vegetables and have had plenty of all kinds of fruits but apples, them very scarce in this part of the country. Give my respects to Uncle Eben and all the family. You must excuse my short letter for I cannot think of anything more to write this time but will try to do better next time. I shall have to draw to a close now.
This from your affectionate nephew. E. S. Whitcomb
Direct to E. S. Whitcomb
Company E. 16th Connecticut Volunteers
2nd Bridgade 2nd Division T. A.C.
Washington DC
Camp Tennant
Near Portsmouth Va
Aug 18th '63
Dear Aunt - I now sit down to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well as can be expected in this warm weather and hope that these few lines will find you the same. You will think no doubt that I have forgotten you but it is not so. I meant to write to you before this but kept putting off day after day until now. I think I shall make to write to you a few lines now to let you know how I am getting along which is pretty well at present. The weather is pretty warm here as a general thing but today is quite cool to what it has been. We have a very pretty camp now. It is situated on the banks of the western branch of the Elizabeth River. It is very pleasant but very hot. We have plenty of all kinds of vegetables and have had plenty of all kinds of fruits but apples, them very scarce in this part of the country. Give my respects to Uncle Eben and all the family. You must excuse my short letter for I cannot think of anything more to write this time but will try to do better next time. I shall have to draw to a close now.
This from your affectionate nephew. E. S. Whitcomb
Direct to E. S. Whitcomb
Company E. 16th Connecticut Volunteers
2nd Bridgade 2nd Division T. A.C.
Washington DC
Storage
VF44
SU19-1
Civil War folder