Item No. 5422282

In this September 1863 letter written to friends at home, Private James Whitford of the 106th New York Infantry discusses sickness and death among his company, the arrival of conscripts, the execution of deserters, and vice in camp.

Whitford first writes of sickness among his company:

As for my part, I am spared yet, altho there are a great many called away. We had one of our company that was taken away last Thursday morning at about seven o'clock. His name was Oran [Owen] Fisher from Hermon. There are a great many sick. We had one taken sick last night on picket. We had to carry him for he is hard up. He was taken all cramped. His name is Gilbert Stewart. He is from Hermon or Russell.

Fisher is listed in the HDS database as having died September 2 at Fox's Ford, which lies on the Rappahannock River far west of Fredericksburg. Gilbert Stewart would pass on September 6--the the day after the letter was written.

Later in the letter, Whitford writes that he had "seen some of the conscripts that has come down here," but notes that "none came to our Regt yet." He then states that little has been happening except for an execution. "We had five men shot over in the Fifth Corps last Saturday," he writes, "but I did not go see them." An Alfred Waud sketch of this notable August 29 execution appeared in the September 26, 1863, edition of Harper's Weekly.

Near the end of the letter, Whitford writes that his regiment's camp:

is a very wicked place. There are a great deal of gambling and swearing goes on here, and a great deal of drinking among the officers. They make a great many moves that is of very little consequence.

The letter is signed, "James Whiteford." Although the 106th New York is not mentioned by name, the association is made through Whitford, Fisher, and Stewart all appearing on the roster for Company A of the 106th.

The letter was written on four pages of a 5" x 8" letter sheet decorated with a 13-star U.S. flag. Very light foxing. Creased at the original folds. The letter's full transcript appears below:

Headquarters
Army of the Potomac
Sept the 5 1863

My Dear friends, yours of the 4 inst. is just received and I hasten to reply to your kind letter, which found me in good health. Thanks be to god for his kind mercies to me, and as this leaves me in good health I hope it will find you in the same, and enjoying what blessings this earth affords to the human race. As for my part, I am spared yet, altho there are a great many called away. We had one of our company that was taken away last Thursday morning at about seven o'clock. His name was Oran Fisher from Hermon. There are a great many sick. We had one taken sick last night on picket. We had to carry him for he is hard up. He was taken all cramped. His name is Gilbert Stewart. He is from Hermon or Russell.

I have nothing of any importance to write. We are still in the same place yet, and our duty is the same. And as for the boys, I had a letter from Hugh on the 29th and they are all well, James and the rest of them. I had one from Charles the night before that, and he was in good health, and he said that little Samuel Millar was getting all right again. He had been over seeing him on Sunday. And as for your brother Thomas and Ellan, I would like to see them very well. Tell them I sent my kind love to them and Myria and Isaac. I can't write how I feel when I get a thinking about you. You can judge how one feels for a friend or one you love. You can tell Ellan haven that his brother Amesy is well. I see him every day pretty much. Myria, I will call in some night, and how you get along. I remember well the night that Charles and me came there, when you were all gone, that we hunted all over for the whiskey. And Isaac, is there any purm since we left? We used to make a little when we all met. I hope the time will soon come when we shall all meet once more.

I have seen some of the conscripts that has come down here. None that I knew but Charles Rubhavan. He was over here seeing James Finley. There were none came to our Regt yet.

The weather is very changeable. The nights is very cold and the day is pretty warm. And as for the war, there are not much news. You know perhaps more about it than I could tell you. We had five men shot over in the fifth corps last Saturday, but I did not go see them.

Well Myria, this is a very wicked place. There are a great deal of gambling and swearing goes on here, and a great deal of drinking among the officers. They make a great many moves that is of very little consequence. Well Isaac, with these few lines I send both heart and hand to you and your help mate. May god prosper you both, and if it is god's will to spare us to meet on earth, I would be happy to meet you both. And if not, I hope we will where troubles will be no more. So goodbye. I remain your Affectionate Friend
Yours truly
James Whiteford

Write soon.