ADRIAN FAY 1863 LETTERS
December 1863
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Davids Island Dec 2nd / 63
My Darling Sadie
I received your letter Thanksgiving day [Nov. 25] and was as glad as could be to hear from you a gain, besids being Thankful. We had a grand time here on the Island that day. Had lots of rost Turkey. But your letter was worth more to me than all the rest. I mailed a letter to you the day before I got yours. And I was expecting one from you a gain to day. But I have not seen any yet. I neglected answering
your last letter for the reason that I was expecting to go a way. I was reported for duty the 25th of november and so was Hank [Kelley]. We have been expecting to go a way every day since. But have not gone yet. And no one knows when we shall. We may go to morrow. And may not go in three weeks. I shall write any way. I wont wate any longer for I know you like to hear from me often though I suppose I write a great many SimpleSilley things that you dont cair a bout reading. But you say you shall write what you please to me. And I cant help my self. So if you take that liberty though I gave you that, you must not complain if I Dito. Will you?
I suppose you comenced your pedagogicallabors (as you say) last Monday. I should like to know how you like it. I have thought of you ever so many times since Monday. Some times I have thought I could almost see you looking awfulCross at some ugly little Earchin [urchin]. But may be I did not see right. I will tell you what I have been doing since Monday. There was a lot of us that was reported for duty, ordered to report at head quarters at 9 o clock. Then they gave each man a shovel. And the next order was to report to a great CoalPile and comence shoveling it into Boxes. And when we had out flanked and taken the pile of Coal there came an other order
for us to report to a great pile of Boards and take them up to the uper end of the Island and pile them up a gain. Such has been my employment since Monday. But you may be sure none of us worked hard eneough to hurt our selvs. I know I did not. Well I declair! I have writen a long mess of stuff that I know cant be of any intrest to you or any one else so I will try and think of some thing else if I can. I have made an awful yarn of this. I guess I had better lay this one side and wate untill morning and see if I can think of somthing of more importance than CoalPilesand Boards & the like. So with one sweet kiss and I am gone. Good night Sadie.
Add
Davids Island Dec 6th / 63
My Darling Sarah
I will try this after noon and answer your letter and write you the news as I agreed to do. But I dont know what news I can tell you for there is none here. Only that the prospects are favorable for me to get a way from this place this week. That is the best news I know of and that is good news too for I have got so tired of this “pesky Island”. I shall be glad when I get back to the Regt. a gain. We wer all examined yesterday and Henry [Kelley] & I was reported fit subjects for the Front, and I wish I was there for I dread the journey of going there for it will take us four days to go from Bedloes Isle to Washington, and on a Transport at that. Henry got a letter from Rast [Erastus French] yesterday. He is in the Convalecant Camp at Alexandria. He dont like it there at all. He says he wants to get
a way from there. I hope I shant have to stay there long. It is a fine pleasant day to day. The sun shines and it looks warm and pleasant out doors. But there is an awful cold rain. I went to Church this morning for the first time since I came back. But I all most “freezed” my ears off though if they have as cold weather down in Virginia as it is here I dont know what we poor Hospital Boys will do. We shall surely freeze to death. Oh Hank told me all a bout his not going home with Angaline. He said it was not altogather on “Phinis” acount that he did not go. He said the whole Family wanted him to stay there and let “Georgi” go home with her. Finaly he thought it best to let them have their own way. He has had several letters from Phini since he came here and he has wrote quite anumber to her. I dont know how many. He sent one yesterday. I dont believe that “Erastus” and “Sue” were married while he was at home. I dont believe they would think of such a foolish thing. If they could not wate till he is out of the Armey they are poor “Creaters” dont you think so? Oh Dear Sadie how I wish I could see you to day. I want to tell you
so many things that I cant verry well write. But before I go any farther I must apologize to you for somthing I wrote in one of my other letters. That was when I told you not to tell of what I told you about Rast. “I said dont tell for your “life”. I did not think at that present time how that sounded or I would not have said as I did. I guess you thought I did not value your life much. Darling please for give me for I did not mean as bad as I said. You know I had much rather you would tell of that than to have you forfit your life because you did not. Besids I knew all the time you would not tell for you told me so. And I surly can trust you Sadie. & I have the utmost Confidance in your word. I dont see what in the world made me say that. You will forgive me – Dearest – wont you? And a thousand other foolish things I have said and done for you know Darling that I love you better than any other loving one. And I know that you love me and I would be verry sorry if I thought I had said or done any thing that would give you any reason to dislike me or cause you any trouble or hard feelings towards me. You never have said any thing to me Sadie but what is all right. You never have said
any thing half as foolish as I have. You need not ask any forgiveness of me for you never have said or done any thing to require it. But if you do ask it I can readily forgive you, though I cant tell what crime you have done. I have thought of you this week ever and ever so many times. I shall be glad when I get an other letter from you to know how you like your school and how you engoy your self. I would give any thing if I could see you to day. But there is no use of talking. I cant see you a gain verry soon in all probability. But the time is coming Darling. One year will wair a way after a while. Then “Uncle Sam” will have to work hard if he gets me into his servace a gain. I havnt received any letter from Minia [Herminia Flint] yet. I shall think after a little she is only fooling when she says she is going to write to me. Do you think she told “Orve” [Orville Flint] any thing. I dont care if she did if you dont. Only I would like to know what he would say. Well Dear it is almost supper time and I shall have to quit writing until this evening. If I can think of any thing of any importance to write then I will finish this, for I have only writen but a little this time and this is a verry small sheet of paper. You see dont you Sadie.
Yours truly Adrian
[Davids Island, NY Harbor, Dec. 6, 1863]
Sunday evning
Dear Sarah
It is awful lonsome here this evning and I cant think of any thing else to do to interest me and keep me from dreaming a way the time But to talk with you if you are willing that I should. I shall any way whether you are willing or not. I thought I would write you a good long letter to day. And so I have. But I cant think of any thing of any importance to write. If I could see you I could tell you more that I want to tell you than I can write in a whole week. I wish you could be here a little while some warm pleasant day so you could see what a nice pleasant looking place it is here. It looks like a pleasant place and so it
is. But after all I cant like an Island. It is too much confinment for me. I want to be where I can get into the woods once in a while then I can content myself. Oh Dear: what can I write that will be interesting to you? I cant think of any thing to night. Sadie I told “Add” what you told me to “about his being a good boy.” He told me to tell you that Sadie did not know him yet as she might or as well as I do. I am a fraid you will have a verry diferent opinion of him after you have known him as long as I have. I think he is not a verry good boy. But he thinks a good deal of Sadie. I know he does for he told me so. He said he loved her better than he could tell and told me to tell her that she was a DarlinggoodGirl.
He is an awful Silley talking boy isnt he? I expect that next Sunday night I shant be here. It is hard telling where I shall be. I hope I shall be with the Regt. a gain But I don’t much expect to be by next Sunday. The letters that came here for me will be sent to me, so you may send your letters here until you hear of me being in some other place. I hope Orv [Orville Flint, Sarah’s brother] will have the good luck to get home this winter. Minia would be so glad she would not know what to do wouldnt she? I shant call you selfish Sadie because you said you had rather see me than Orv. I know you would if you are any like me for I would give more to see you than any Brother or Sister I have got. Is there any thing strange about that Sati?
I wish I could have seen you a little while that morning before I came a way but I saw no chance to. Perhaps it is gust as well. I dont believe I could have kept the tears back if I had have said much to you. It was all I could do as it was. I thought a good many times that my feelings would betray me. Well Sadie you will be tired and sick of this letter before you get it half read, and I wouldnt blaim you if you did. But if you cant read it, burn it up and write to me and give me a good scolding for writing such a scrawl. It is awful cold here. I am half “freezed” to death and I shall have to stop writing or freeze. Which shall I do? I guess Il stop. Please write soon Darling. As ever you Own.
Adrian
{a kiss for my Sarah}
Davids Island
December 9th / 63
Dear Mother
I received your letter yesterday. Was glad to hear that you wer all well. I am well and am going back to the Regt. again soon this week I think. The pay master is here to day paying off the Soldiers. But I dont expect to get any pay here for I have no Decriptive list here. But may be I shall get it. The Ward master told me he thought I could get two months pay and that is all I want
and all I have been musterd for. Well Ma there is no news to write this time. I expect to go a way from here this week or the first of next. And I shall be glad too for I dont like this place at all. The Doctors put on to much stile. They think as one of the Boys said last night. (That they know more than (God Almighty) and it is a good ... They think they are “great Men” And I would like to see them down in Front a little while than see if they would know so much. I shall have to cut this short for the mail leaves at 4 o clock and it is all most that now. I will write as soon as I
get at a stoping place and write more of the paticulars. Be satisfied with this for this time.
Yours truly
Adrian
Home Dec 12th 1863
My own Darling
Well here I am at home once more. I got homesick as I could be staying away two longweeks. Dont you think I make a very brave School ma’am? I had no school today and it seems awful good to get away from the noise and work of the school room. I cant think of any thing but headache when I think of my school for I have that constantly while in the schoolhouse. I have fine times at K’s evenings. They make it very pleasant for me. Daniel in the oddest mortal I ever saw always full of fun and
ready to do anything for the School ma’am except studying. I had 24 scholars this week. Two girls larger than I am and five of the most mischievous boys that you ever saw. I guess all of them about 15 years old. If that is not enough to try the patience of any mortal I should like to know what was. I dont believe “Job” ever taught school for I believe such a one as mine is would “try the patience of Job”. I am running on at a great rate. I’ll take it all back. I suppose its me that is to blame not the school. I got your letter last night and Adrian I was very very glad to get such a deargood letter from you. I wrote to you the first of the week but I suppose the letter did not go out till today. Add you need not have apologized to me for what you wrote. I did not think you meant it as it was written. I thought you would not wish me to die rather than tell of that.
By the by Orville [Flint] told me very confidentially the other day that Erastus French drank. I did not say any thing only told him it would do no good to tell of it. I dont know how or where he heard of it. He did not say and I did not ask him. Shintown is as well as usual at least so far as I have seen. Oh Dear Add how I wish you were here tonight. I would give “40 great apples” (as Agg says) if I could see you long enough to kiss you just once. I’m afraid after all that I wouldn’t be satisfied with that. Dear do you think I would? I cant tell you how I miss you. More than I did last winter. If this war would only end how glad we poor School marms would be who have got Dear ones in the army. Darling I shall have to leave you for tonight and go to sleep for I have been too lazy to keep up a fire and I am half frozen. It is after 11 o’clock and Mother says I must not sit up any longer. Good night Darling.
[Letter continued next page]
Sunday morning Dec. 13th [1863]
Good Morning Darling
It is not a very good morning here for it rains like fury and is muddy and wet. I guess I shall have to swim down to my school for I certainly cant get there any other way today. I wish it would snow or freeze or something. What makes you say you have done and said more foolish things than I have? Youknowyouhavenot and so do I. As to my forgiving you, I will say that I do not think you have ever done, saidor writtenanything that required it, but if you think you have it is freely given. Minia and Orv were here yesterday. She is happy as she can be since Orville got home. She wishes now that she had not taken her school. I dont know whether she told Orville anything about us or not and I dont care as far as I am concerned. Whats the use! He will know it of course. All of our folks think it is a settled thing I guess. Do you care if they do Add?
[Written upside down at the top of page one:]
They say they shall not say another word to me about it that I am old enough and can do as I please. I am glad they have arrived at that conclusion for I dont like to be talked to all the while. I shall have to stop and get supper.
Sadie
[Written in pencil upside down on top of page four:]
If I get killed and you read these letters I shant cair. But if I dont and you read them I shall be Mad.
Adrian
NOTE: Sarah’s brother, Orville Flint, served in the 147th New York Volunteer Infantry from August 21, 1863 to November 28, 1863. He was discharged for disability.
Davids Island December 13th / 63
Dear Father
I thought I would write a few lines to you this after noon as it is a lonsome dubious day and I cant think of any thing else to do to kill the time. It has been rainey weather for two or three days past and a good deal of wind. I presume there is Snow in Catt. [Cattaraugus] now. There has been a little here but it did not last long. It went off before night. “Pelham” I cant half write to day. I have just been out and took a Salt Watter bath. The tide is so high this after noon and the wind blows so hard they was a fraid it would drive a way the Dock and there was a lot of Barrels and lumber piled up on the Dock they was a fraid would be lost. I went down and helped take them a way and I got in wetter than a rat. But Docter Smith took us all up to
head quarters and gave us all a good horse “Brandy” so that paid for geting wet. I am geting tough as ever a gain and expecting every day to go back to the Regt. But I cant tell when I shall go nor I dont believe any one else can. The pay master has been here and gon a way a gain. I did not get any pay this time. My Discriptave list was not here. (a gol Darned neglect of my company offacers. Thats whats the Matter. I have got Money eneough to last me I guess till an other pay day then I hope I shall be with the Regt. I have not heard from the Regt since I came here. So I dont know where they are or what they are doing. I would like to be at home now and take a Chase after that Old “Bair” But then I dont cair much. I have got only a year more to stay any way and that isnt Much. I have heard some talk that the first call three hundred thousand of three years men wer going home in June. I have
not seen any such thing in the Papers yet. I guess it is all talk. Evning – I dont know as ther is any thing more that I can write that will be News. The report is that we shall go a way from here to morrow. But I cant tell till to morrow comes. Then I heard a gain to day that we wer a going to stay here until we was paid a gain. But there is no dependance to be put in what we here [hear]. We shall go when we do go and not before. Well I wont write any more this evning for I want to go to Church. Write soon
Adrian
Monday Morning I just got a letter from Ed Thompson. He says the Boys are all well and in Winter quarters at Kelleys Ford [Virginia]. And Capt. Rugers has gone into the Invilid Corps. I am glad he is out of the Company. He is a miserable Cowardly pup. We dont go a way to day. I dont believe we will go this week.
No more this time.
Add
Davids Island
December 16th / 63
Dearest Sarah
I received a letter from you yesterday and one again to day. Dear you cant guess how glad “Add” was to get an other letter from you. I have been expecting ever since I wrote to you that I should be sent a way from here before I could get an answer. But I have not gon yet and not much prospects of going verry soon I guess eather. I got a letter Monday from our Orderly Sergt. He says the Boys are all well and engoying themselvs first rate. They have gone into Winter quarters near “Kelleys Ford”. He says they have got neat little log huts to live in that the “Rebs” had made for themselvs. But they wer a blige to turn them over
to the “Yanks”. It looks hard dont it to make the “poor Rebs” build us winter quarters? I suppose “Orville” [Orville Flint, Sarah’s brother, discharged from the 147th NY Vols. on Nov. 28] is verry glad to get home a gain. He is indeed a lucky “boy”. I did not expect him to get home quite so soon. But he has. And good for him. I would not refuse an honorable Discharge my self. But I dont expect one until next fall. I should think acording to your story that you had got rather of a hard school to manedge. But you seem to lay the blame all on the teacher. Just as though she was the cause of the scholars bad conduct. Any one to teach school should have the paitents of “two Jobs” for I know how ugly I used to be especaly when I got a little “huffey” at the teacher. Such ugly things dont know how much trouble they cause their teacher some times. But I have got all over that now instead of hating the school “marmes” as I used to and causing them all the trouble I could. I must confess that I
do realy love one now. Better than I ever did or ever can love an other. You know well eneough who she is dont you Darling? She is that “ugly Sarah” as she is somtimes called. And eavenyou pretend to call her “hateful”. Do you suppose you or any one else can make me believe such a thing? “No, you cant.” Tell Minia she is mistakened when she says you or Sadie acted ugly or hateful while I was at home for she didnot. She was just the best “girl” I ever saw. I told “Add” what you wrote in your last letter and you cant guess how glad he looked. He says “Sadie” is his DarlinggoodGirl and there is more than one good thing a bout her. Oh Sadie how I wish I could see you tonight and could tell you how much I love you Darling. You said you hoped I would not forget “Sadie”. Did you think Sadie that I ever could forget her? I should just as quick forget to breathe as I would forget
her or forget to love her. I dont care if Minia has told Orville of us. It makes no diferance any way. Of course they will all know it if they dont already and I am sure I had as leaves they would know it as not. You said you had some news to tell me But you did not think it proper to write it. You know best I am sure. But you have not forgot what I told you a bout writing to me have you? Cant you trust me? I think Irving and Et acted real ugly to bother you so. How hateful these Brothers and Sisters can be when they take a notion. Well Dear I shall have to leave you for to night for it is geting late. If I have time in the morning I will write some more. But if I cant please write to me as soon as you can. Take as many “bushels” of kisses as you sent me and dont think “Add” will ever forget his dear loving Sadie. Good night Dearest and pleasant Dreams to you. Ever your true
Adrian
[Written upside down at the top of page one:]
This is a rather of a soft letter Sarah But it is as good as I can do to night. You know I am a soft kind of a Boy and if you claim me to write to you you must expect soft letters Add
Alaxandria Va
December 25th / 63
Dear Mother
I will write you a short letter to day and wish you a “Merry Christmas” and tell you where I am and where I am a going. The 94th is all at “Anapalous” doing duty there and I am a going there to morrow if I can get transportation and I think I can. I left Davids Island the 18th and got here the 22. We wer four days on the watter and we had a cold sorry time gowing. But it is all over with now and we are a going to have “tip top” times this winter. I will write a gain as soon as I get there and tell you all the paticulars.
Adrian
Hank [Kelley] & Erast [French] are Both here and well
Add
END OF 1863 LETTERS
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.