ADRIAN FAY 1863 LETTERS
June 1863
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Adrian Fay Home Page
U. S. A. Hospital New York
Lexington Avenue Cor. 51st Street
June 4th / 63
I recd a letter from Mary yesterday & was glad to hear from home again. I am as well as usal. My shoalder is all well as well as it ever will be. But I havnt got near as much strength in my arm that I had before I was wounded. But I guess I will out grow it after a while & it will be about as good as it was before. I received that Money you sent me But I didnt expect you would send any for I wrote to Montrose to have him send a dollar or two if he had it to spair. I told him he could have that Coat if he wanted it for I dont want it. I have got me an other one & I am looking for a letter from him evry day. Mary said you wanted to know if I had eneough to eat & cloths to wear. That is a foolish question to ask.
Yes I have evry thing I need. We have a plenty to eat as good as a Solder could ask for & I have got me a new Uniform so what more can I ask for only for the 8 months pay they owe me & I shall get that next pay day I guess for they have sent for my Discripive list & if I stay here a month longer I shall get some Money I guess. It is to bad that the old mare lost her colt isnt it? I think Pa had better not try to keep her an other winter. He had better trade her off for a yoke of steers. He can do better with Steers than he can with old plugs. Why does Pa think they are a going to Discharge all the disabled Solders? I cant see any prospects of a solder being Discharged now unless he has been Ded two or three weeks, & then he has got to pass a Bord of about 20 docktrs. But I cant see what use it can be for the Government to keep such men as they do. There is lots of men here that can never be of any use what ever. But still they keep them. But they have got to pay them
so the Solders that are used up are doing well eneough geting 13 dollars a month & Coalthing [clothing] & grub & good Beds to sleep on & a nice City like N.Y. to live in. Bulley for Uncle Sam. Well it has got to be evning & I will finish this so that I can send it out in the morning. I cant think of any thing to write this evning only gust eneough to let you know that I am here and having pretty good times. I was glad to hear that Charley Fields came out of the fight [Chancellorsville] all right. I was having a good deal of trouble a bout him all the while they wer fighting. I spose aunt fanny [Charles Field’s mother] had a great many resless ours during that time untill she heard he was safe. Have you heard any thing from my Regt?
I wont write any more this time. I will write to Mati in a day or two. Next time you write tell Dad to write a word or two. It wont hurt him any to write a little. Tell Charley to write & Asa too. He can grin [grind] out a letter if he tries. Tell Sam if he will come down here & see me I will take him all around the City & show him lots of things. Does Sam & Fan go to school this summer. You need not send me any more money. I shall get some before long I guess.
Write soon Add
51st Street New York
June 7th/.63
Dearst Sarah
I was verry verry glad indeed to receive your letter last night. I am sure your letters are as gladly recieved as they can be. Perhaps moreso than mine are. But Sarah you must excuse me for not giving you my adress. It was a mistake which I am verry liabal to make. It was verry late in the evning when I wrote the letter & thought I would wate untill morning & then write a little more & give you my adress. But the Boy came around very early in the morning & I gave him the letter not thinking but what it was all don. But axidants will happen to the best of Folks. Sati I am realy surprised to hear that Mary Ward told you
such an everlasting great lie. I all ways knew she would lie a little. But I didnt think she would tell such infernal great stories as that. I never mentioned such a thing to her. Dont you see what she is at? She wants to make you own up that you have got my likeness. She would really like to know know doubt. Nor I cant believe that Mati Fay ever saw that ring. If she did she picked my pockets when I was a sleep. No one knew any thing about it but Montrose. He saw me when I got it. But he didnt know what I was a going to do with it. & I made him promace that he never would tell Mati that I had got such thing. Of corse he mistrusted what I was going to do with it. But Mati is only surmising I guess. I dont believe she ever saw it. But I never could have any thing but what she would find it out some way. She is for ever watching me. I dont believe I ever don a meantrick or a good one but she would find it out some way.
I dont think Trose [Montrose Fay] would tell her for he made me such a good promace. But if she has seen it what dos it amount to. There is nothing crimanal about it is there? I like it here first rate as well as in any Hospital. We have gay times here. It is much more comfortable here than it could possably be at the Regt. But for all that I had rather be there than here if I was able to do my part when I got there. As you say I am not exposed to the danger here that I should be in the Field. But you know a Solder musnt expect peace & safty while in the servace. I should hate to have it said of me (if I had been in the servace 3 years & then come home all sound) that I had served the most of my time in the Hospital. That wouldnt sound good would it? Or that I had Scadadled or pretended to be sick to get rid of a Battle as a great many has that I know of. Then you are thankfull that I was not in the last Battle [Chancellorsville] are you? Ant you
a little bit Selfish Darling. Oh Dear I wish I could see you to day. I will tell you what I would like. I would like to have been at home this morning so I could have gon down to Sunday School & than after that gon over into the Swamp as we use to after wintergreens & stroll around the woods untill night. Do you remember BedBugs? Sati I guess this letter will find the fire pretty quick for I don’t believe you can read it. I declair I am geting to be an awful poor writer. I guess I shall have to go to school a while & learn to write. Dont you think I had better? The 37th Regt. [New York Infantry] is here now down at the Park Barracks. I expect I shall get a pass to morrow & go & see them. I spose they are feeling happy to think their time is out & they are going home. I know I should if my time was out. I supose you girls are all wating anxiously for them. I do realy pity the poor fellows for the girls will allmost eat them up. Wont they? But I am afraid the girls will get sick of the solders after a while for there is some pretty hard Boys among them I am a fraid.
Fort Wood N.Y. Harbor
June 8th [1863]
Dear Sati. I will try and finish this Scrible as you say. I have changed my Headquarters& gon back onto Bedlows Island again. I expect now to soon be sent to Washington. I am reported for duty now & will perhaps get to the Regt. after a while. Now you can see how much a Solder knows where he will be or what he will do. Yesterday at this time I had no Idea of being sent a way. I was making great calculations on going & seeing the 37th Regt. to day. But I have been greatly disapointed as you will see. I dont expect to see them at all now for I cant get off of this Plagy Island. I hope I shall be sent from here in a few days. But I may stay here a
month. But I hope not for I want to get to the Regt. again. (or a Discharge). That would please me the best. Well Dear I cant write much this time for it is geting late. I will write more next time. Please write to me wont you Dear? as soon as you get this for it is awful lonsome here. Please excuse poor writing & all mistakes. Yours with my best love & wishes.
Adrian
Fort Wood Bedlows Island
New York Harbor
I wont forget to give you my adress this time.
Oh Dear Sadie I wish I could see you to night for I have got the Blues the worst kind.
Near Stafford
Courthouse VA
June 8th 1863
Dear Cousin Adrian
I have just recd your letter of the 5th & was very glad to hear from you. Well Adrian I got out of the fight [Chancellorsville] al right but I had a pretty narow chance for it. Our regt [154th NY] went into the fight with 500 men and came out with 250 so you see that half wer killed wounded and taken prisoners. You said you had been in six or seven battles and never run but once. Well Add I had to run the first one I went in to but I wunt any to blame for that.
Our regt fought well but you see the way it was the rebs attacted a division in front of us. They run right back through our lines. Two regts of our brigade fired one or two rounds & then run. About half of another regt run. That left our regt and a half of another to fight it out. We give them the best we had in the house untill they had flanked us on both sides then we had to fall back through a cross fire of grape and canister and shell & rifle balls. I tell you I don’t want to get into another such place. Henry Ellis was shot &
left on the Field. I think he was killed but no one knows for surtain. I am back now where we wer last winter when I wrote to you. Dont know how long we shall stay here. We hold our selves in readiness to march at a minutes notice but we may stay here a month yet. Wm Markham and Al Ellis wer here to day. Dan Reed is here yet al right. I hope you will get your discharge. I dont see what they want to keep a man for that aint of any use to them. I tell you Ad if we ever do git home if
we dont have some of the darndest times tat you ever thought of. I cant think of much to write now. I am in such a hury. It is most night. Excuse this poor letter and bad writing. I will try to do better next time.
Write often
Adrian Fay
from Charles H
Field [Adrian’s first cousin]
my health is very good
Alcander Fay
Fort Wood N. Y. Harbor
June 10th / 63
Well Pa. & Ma. & all the rest of you I am back again on bedlows Island. I change my head quarters verry often. Two weeks a go I left here & went to 51st street But I dont stay in one place but a little while at a time. I dont know where I shall go to when I leave here. But quite likely if I am well eneough I shall go to Washington & then be thouraly examined & if I am fit for the Field I shall be sent there & if not I shall be put into the Invilant [Invalid] Corps. They wont discharge me I dont think as long as I am able to do any kind of light duty. I dont much expect to get to the [94th NY] rigtament [regiment] a gain allthough I would like to go well eneough if evry thing was all right there as it used to be. But I supose there is but a few of the old Co C. [105th NY] left by this time. I expect if I had stade at the Regt I would have been promoted to Sargt.
by this time. I havnt heard what new sargants they have made. But I dont see any thing for thier Sargs. or Corporals. I am a Hospital Bumer (So I am
This is a pretty good place here on the Island after all. I have been in a great many wors places since I have been a solder. We dont have any nick nacks to eat here. But we have eneough to eat to make us feel like fighting Cocks. I cant tell how long I shall stay here. I may go a way to morrow & I may stay here four weeks. I cant tell any thing about it. There is a pretty strong fort here. There is over 70 large guns. They make us drill once in a while in the fort. I havnt drilled any there yet. All I have to do is to help sweep out & help kep the ward clean & that is nothing. The 37th [New York Infantry] Rigt is here in the city wating to be musterd out. I havent seen any of the Boys yet. If I had stade in 51st Street one day longer I would have got a pass & gon & seen them. But I shant see them at all now I dont believe. Well I hant any nuse to tell you this time. But I thought I would write & let you know where I am. I havnt heard from Montrose yet. But I expect a letter to night or in the morning. You can write if you wanto. I dont know whether I shall be here or not. I may be & may not.
Fort Wood Bedlows Island
New York Harbor
Write soon if you write at all
Adrian Fay
Fort Wood June 17th / 63
Dear Mother
I just recievd your letter & was glad to hear from you. I think you are Causing a great deal of trouble a bout me more than there is any need of what ever. You write awful lonsome letters some how or other, just as though I was in some tortur or torment some where & wanted to get out & couldnt & you was trying to help me. Well now that is all ... I am having gay old times. This is easy Soldering. A great deal eaiser than last summer was. I am gust as happy as a Clam here on the Island. But I dont know how long I shall stay here. They wont send me to the Regt untill
I am able to go. & I dont care if thy do send me to day. But thy know verry well that I would be of no use in the Regt. I am well all except my shoalder & that is all healed up & sound. But of corse I cant expect it will be as strong & healthy as the other. My arm is not Withird [withered] any. & it will be perhaps in time as good as ever it was. But one cant expect that a wound like that to get all sound in 6 months. I shall probaly be put into the Invled [Invalid] corps. But I shant enlist for 3 years or no other length of time. They can transfer me if they see fit to serve the rest of my time out or untill I am able to go back to the Regt. They have got to discharge me first before they can make me enlist in the Corps. But they can transfer me now if they want to untill I am able to go to the Regt. or untill my time is out.
They have detaild me here & I am at work in the wash house a wating on the women that wash. It is not hard work at all. It is nothing but fun & I have a plenty to eat & a good nest to sleep in & Montrose sent me 3 dollars the other day. So what more can a Solder ask for? I dont want you to send me any money. You need it all your selvs & I have got eneough to keep me in writing materials & that is all I want. I had a letter from Charley Field the other day. He is all right. Thier Regt [154th NY] was (according to his acount in gust such a position as any was in the Bull Run fight. He said thy was surounded before thy knew any thing a bout it & had to Scidadle out. Darn such Battels as our Armey fights now a days. Give us little Mack. [Gen. George B. McClellan]
Well Ma I wont write any more this time. Dont fret a bout me. I m all Hunky.
Write Soon
Adrian
June 17th [1863]
Well Dad
What do you think of the war? Fine prospects isnt thy? Rebs into Pensylvania a gan. I hope thy will go into N.Y. this time. It is a shame for a government like ours, a government with the population that we has & the splendid Armeys we have had, & the great Armey we have all ready should be demorilized and over come by that inferior Confederat armey. It is a confounded disgrace to have such comanders & such managers as we have got. There must be men in the north that is able to take
comand & manage our Armey better than it is. Or does the blame all lay upon the Solders? Are thy the cause of all of our defeats? I dont think you will say they are. Then it sirtainly must be in our comanders. I thought fighting Joe [Gen. Joseph Hooker] was a going to do the thing up B... when he comenced. But I guess he has fizeled like some of the rest. There is gust one thing a bout it. I have said it before & I say it now. They dont get me into a fight if I can help it, untill they give us back our little “Mack” [Gen. George B. McClellan] & there is lots of others that say the same thing. When they give us McClellan I wont ask for a discharge. I will soon put my self in fighting condition. But untill then I wont fight as long I can play off & get rid of it. Do you blame me any?
There has been to many men sacrifised for the honor. (as they call it) of our news paper Generals. It is an honor for a man to sacrifise his life for the good of his Country. But to sacrifise life for other mens pockets is not honor or humanity & it will soon play out I think. They will have to call on “Mack” to haunt them out of Mary Land a gain or els I hope they will go into N.Y. & give the old coperheads & Abolitionist a punching up. I wish the land the rebs could get into N.Y. City. There is more old Black Abs [abolitionists] & coperheads there than a little, & it would be the best thing that could be don if they could see the sufering & induse some of the hard ships that this ... war is causing.
Will Pa I wont write any more this time for for you will think I am geting to be a reb. But I am no reb. I am a true Blue McClellan man to the Back Bone & I want to see the spedy determanation of this war in the Union favior.
Write soon
from Adrian
June the 23d 1863
Camp of the 94th regt
Near Edwards ferry [Maryland]
Mr Fay
I take the opportunity to write a few lines to you and ask of you where Adrian is. I have not heard from him since the regiment were in camp at belle plain [Virginia] last Spring. I would like to have you write and let me know where he is and his address also if you please. Our regiment has been taken from the field and put on provost duty for the
present but how it will stay on the duty I cannot say but hope that we will not go to the field again while the war lasts. The weather is pleasant and warm here now. We have had some rain here. No more this time. Direct your letter to Co I 94 regt N.Y.S.V.
Peter Davis
DAVIS, PETER.—Age, 18 years. Enlisted, February 8, 1862, at Great Valley, to serve three years; mustered in as private, Co. C, 105th New York Infantry, February 20, 1862; transferred to Co. I, 94th New York Infantry, March 10, 1863; captured, November 26, 1863, while on picket; died of disease, October 5, 1864, at Andersonville, Ga.; also borne as Peter A.
Fort Wood June 26th / 63
Dear Mother
I recd your letter and that paper day before yesterday. I was surprised to see Westons [Weston Flint, Sarah’s brother] marredge in it. But that is all right eneough (Only think of the Sundry little faces) that is whats the matter. Well Ma, I am Well, not as well as usal (But well. I expect to go to Washington or Alaxandria this week or next. There is 213 going from here & I expect to go too. I have stade here bout long eneouth. I have been here 3 Weeks. That is as long as I can stay in one place. I am in hopes I shall get to the Regt agan soon. For some reason or other I cant
get a Discriptive list. I dont know what the reason is unless the Company think I am ded or somthing. It has been sent for several times But dont come yet & if I get back there I shall find out what the reason is. When I get to Washington I shall be examined & I hope they wont put me into that (ded beat Corps for I hiad rather be a Whole Solder or non. But I cant help my self if they are a mind to do it. Well Ma there is no news to writ as I can think of now But when I get to Washington or Alaxandria there will be somthing new & I will writ after for I know that you are anxious to hear from me. But dont worry & cause your self any uneasiness a bout me
for the same hand that has led me through so many dangers is still leading me on, and as long as I look to that hand for help I have nothing to fear and will be gust as safe on the Field of Battle as I am on Bedloes Island or any other place. Well Ma, I should like to be at home the 4th But I can so what is the use of Wishing any thing a bout it. If Charley Field and I was on Whig St. the 4th Il bet we would burn some powder. What do you think? Well I wont write any more now But will writ again in a few days.
Tell Sam there is an awful deep Creek here and great big fish in it, and I saw a whoping great rat last night.
A. Fay A. Fay
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.