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Camp near Sharps Burg
Oct 4th 1862
Dear Father
I recd your letter last night & was glad to hear from you. I had gust got back from the 6 N. Y. Cavelry. Erast [Erastus French, 6th NY Cavalry] & Melbourn Willcox [6th NY Cavalry] came up here the day before & I got permission to go home with them & stay all night. I had a first rate visit with them. I found them all well except Russell Miller [6th NY Cavalry]. He is quite un will. He is going to try & get a Furlow & go home untill he is better. They are about 6 miles down the [Potomac] River from us. They are [General Ambrose Burnside] BurnSids Boddy guard
We are having a good rest here now for 2 weeks. We havent don any thing But rest. We havent got our new cloths yet But expect them evry day. I am geting fat raged & Sausy. I have been gaining flesh evry day since we stoped Marching. There is 32 of our Co here now But only about 20 fit for duty. The rest are foundered & worn out. Old Horace Reed was wounded at Bulls Run. About half the width of the Ball right across the Botom of the foot & he is limping around & old fat Sam [probably Samuel Reed] never was good for any thing. He is sick all the time. Seth Wheeler has been in the hospitall all the time since July & has
joined us since the last figt. He has not seen a bit of war yet. Little Dave Southwick is here tough as a Bear. So is [William] Washburn & [Cephas] Childs & [William] Chapman. Peet Davis is here tough as a woolf But his Brother [William Davis] is sick all the time. He is in the Hospital. Peet & I keep to geather & mess to geather now. He is all the Catt fellow left that I can depend up on. He is a good honest Boy. Little Corp. Harington [Reuben Harrington] is here. But he is unfit for Duty. He got hurt by a stone that flew & struck him in the Brest. A shell struck a stone heap & burst & threw the stones like the old Cat a mong us & one hit him. George True is here But is
is all broke down & good for nothing. Edd True is sick & in th Hospitall. There is 2 of the Thompson Boys [Edwin and William] here & Ed Merser [Edward Mercer], Bagus [?], Jaims, & Malcom Mcintyer [McIntire]. Peet Mcintyer is sick in Phillidelpha. Capt [Henry] Smith is here yet But expects to go home soon. Lieut [Thomas] Steadman is here But is not verry well now. But I guess he will be all right in a few days. Lieut Degraff has been sick all summer But I think will be well as soon as it gets to be cold weather. He cant stand the heat verry good. Pa you will laugh But my head hair is gust as Curly as an old Bull Buffalos head. I dont know what makes it so un less it is the hot weather
You wanted I should tell you how many Ball holes I have made through them gray Jackets. I dont believe I can tell you. But I am pretty sure that I have made some holes through them grays for I have had shots eneough & good ones too & you know that when I shoot at game I dont shoot to miss them. I Wish you was here to day. I would go over onto the Battle Field with you & show you where we fought and piled the Rebs. The Fences & trees & the ground will show you now where the hotest of the fight was. I dont expect to see an other so hot a fight as that was (nor I never wanto)
I am glad you have got my gun home. Have you got all the trimings with it? B. P. [Russell] has resigned and gon home. When the offacers get sick of War they can resign & go home But the Poor Private must stay whether he likes it or not. But if I had have been sick I think B. P. would have helped me all he could to git my discharge. But I have been healthy & well all the time & had no reason to call for a discharge and it is a hard matter to get discharged unless a man is wounded or disabled so he is unfit for any kind of duty. They dont discharge as many as they did
because they were sick for so many has played sick & got home in that way. I hope the war will be ended this winter so that all can be discharged that wanto be. But I am afraid they will hang an other year. I wrote in a letter before this for you to send me a couple of dollors for we shant get any pay untill November. I dont want you to put your self out of the way to get it. If Ward hant got it let it go. I will get a long well eneough if I dont get out of Stamps & paper envellops. Wall it is a bout noon & I guess I will go and get som grub & finish this after dinner.
October 5th
We are to have an inspection to day at 1 o clock so that I cant write a great deal more for I must clean up my old Shoot and get redy for the inspection. We are to be inspected by the U. S. inspecting officers. I would like to be at home this winter & help you in the Shop. I think I had rather do that than to Solder it. Next time you write tell me how many Cows & calvs horses you have got. I heard you had got an old hos or an old Mair.
Write soon
from Adrian
[Written upside down]:
the last I heard from John [Reed] he was geting along first rate
Camp near Sharps Burg Md
Oct 13th / 62
Dear Mother
I thought I would Write a few lines to you this evning as I have nothing els to do and am siting here in my comfortable little tent While the rest of the Company are out on Picket. I did not feel verry well so I did not go out. I have been botherd with the Va. double quick step for a bout a week, But am geting better now. I bought a can of Butter & a can of Oysters to day from our
Sutler. Butter & oysters are Nicknacks in the Armey. But they tasted rather strong of money. 1 dollar a Piece for the cans (But he wats untill Pay day for his pay. We have got our new cloths & moved onto a new piece of ground so we look more like Solders than we did. I dont think we shall move a way from here in a good while. (We may Winter here). We are guarding the [Potomac] River here. The Rebs are on the other side But now verry near to us But a bout 4 miles up the River from us. The Pickits Was so near each other (3 or 4) days a go that thy talked with each other
& one of our Boys went over & exchanged Papers with one of the Reb Pickets. We are enjoying our selvs first rate now since We have got our cloths & tents. It seems good to get into Camp a gain But we dont know how long We shall stay here. There is what is the matter if we move we should stay a long time We would be more contented. I wish I could get my likness taken to send to you But there is no chance here, no one to take it (nor no money to pay for it) I shall be at home before a great maney months & you can look at me all you wanto With my Goslin like Whiskers. Perhaps you think I am fooling about Whiskers.
Wall it is time to go to Bed so I wont write any more to night. Tuesday 14th it is after 9 o clock & I am writing again. I got a letter from Mary to day containing hers & Montrose likeness & some Money. I was glad to get their likeness. But they apear to be crouding each other wonderfuly. It is a verry good Picture after all. I mean to get mine as soon as I can & send home. Capt [Henry] Smith leavs us to morrow for home. I kind o hate to have him go But after all We shant miss him much. [Thomas] Steadman & [John] Degraff will be with us. Major Shed [John W. Shedd] is going to be our next Col & Capt [Richard Whiteside] White side Lieut Col. They think they can recruit the Regt up a gain But I think that will be a ... job to get recruits,
Wedsday 15th
I will try to finish this letter & send it to day. The Capt. [Henry E. Smith] is packing up his traps to leave. I think there will be a chance to get a furlow by & by. Capt [Richard] White side says they will. Perhaps between now & spring I can get a furlow if I want to & go home for 30 days or such a matter But it will cost so much to go I dont know as it will pay the cost, do you? I would like to see you all first rate. I dremp last night that I went home & you lived where Uncle Ackels folks used to, & When Sam saw me
with my gun he was scart half to deth & hollowed like a mad Cat. Does the little (Shit) grow any? Is Granma there yet? Tell her I am as tough as a Buck & am coming home some time & get married (May B). We havent had any rain of any acount yet. It is the finest fall I ever saw. Corn has been ripe this 6 weeks & folks are sowing thier Winter Wheat. Th Drums are Beating for drill. I shall have to stop. We drill 1 hour in the fore noon & 1 in the afternoon. Wall the Capt [Henry Smith] has gon. The old fellow felt bad to leave the Boys. He Howeled like a Baby.
I am glad for his sake that he is gon. I wish I could go to But I cant so there is no use of talking. But it does Seam to me that this War is being caried on more for a speculation & for Poloticks than any thing els. It apears to me that We have got men eneough to eat the South if they was a mind to set them at work at it. But in sted of that We dont do any thing hardly. I Wish evry man in the Northan Armey had killed as many Rebs as I have. I am darn sure this War would be ended by this time.
I guess I have writen eneough for this time
So good Bye
Adrian
Tell Mati I shall make all the fun in the world of her likness. She looks as though She was Peaking out of the Window to see some one go by. Why didnt she make Montrose sit a long
Olright
Camp near Sharpsburg
Oct 26th 1862
Mammy
I recd your letter yesterday & to day is a rainey day & I cant find any thing els to amuse my self a bout so I will try & write to you. I am Well & engoying my self good. We have got our tents Over Coats Blankets & evry thing we need to keep us comfortable. You need not send me any thing at all. I can get evry thing I need here. I have got a good pair of Socks & We shall get our money in a bout two weeks & then I can Bye me a pair of mitins if I want them. I have sent
for a pair of Boots to wear this winter. Their to be French Calf & the lages will come clear up to my croch. They will probly cost me 5 dol But if they keep my feet dry & warm I shant mind the price. I shall try & Send home 40 dollars next pay day (if I dont get a furlow) & if Pa thinks my money will help him any to wards paying for the place I am willing he should use it. I dont know as I had better try to get a furlow at all. The furlow wouldent amount to much any way & the money that it would cost me to go there & back would make a quite a payment on the place.
I was going to write a long letter this time But we have got orders to Pack up & get ready to march so I must close. Good Bye
Adrian
I dont know as we shall go to day or not it rains so. But still we may. I dont know where we shall go But I think below Harpers Ferry. Wall I will put this in the offce now while I can. I will write again in a day or to. I am mad as thunder at Old Sheldon. When I come home I kick his Old Ass
Adrian Fay Civil War Letters – Transcribed by Phil Palen
Pages in PINK are transcriptions of Xerox copies of letters sent to Phil Palen by the late Hollis Harvey Reed of Philadelphia, great-granddaughter of Adrian Fay through his daughter, Hollis Fay Fellows.
Pages in GREEN are transcriptions of originals owned by Phil Palen donated to St. Bonaventure University.
Pages in BLACK are transcriptions of originals owned by Patrick Gallagher donated to St. Bonaventure University.
Phil Palen added periods and initial capitals in these transcriptions, but did not change spellings.