The following letter was written by Levi Leverett Carr (1842-1900) of Randolph, Cattaraugus county, New York. The letter is not datelined but it was undoubtedly written not long after he was released from Andersonville Prison. Levi enlisted at the age of 19 in Co. B, 64th New York Infantry—the “First Cattaraugus Regiment.” According to family tradition, “In company with H. D. Litchfield of Randolph he was taken prisoner in front of Petersburg on 17 June 1864, and together they spent 10 months and 20 days in the loathsome prison pen at Andersonvllle; when the northern men were turned loose in April, 1865, Mr. Carr carried his comrade out upon his back.”

During its service the regiment lost by death, killed in action, 10 officers, 109 enlisted men; of wounds received in action, 3 officers, 50 enlisted men; of disease and other causes, 5 officers, 124 enlisted men; total, 18 officers, 283 enlisted men; aggregate, 301; of whom 1 officer and 31 enlisted men died in the hands of the enemy.

Transcription

[April 1865?]
Livonia,

If I don’t gain weight soon, I shall soon sleep in my grave. But the grave has no sting to me. You don’t know how I suffer and I never shall live through another such a time. But Livonia, it seems to me that I have been hurled into the well and through the world and I shall be chased out but I do have that trust in God [that] I shall be at rest.

My mother has worried herself almost to death to think I am sick. I had a spell the other morning that I was numb and cold, my hands to my elbows, and my feet to my knees cold and numb and crooked. You don’t know how mother was so frail. I am so tired. You can excuse my short letter for I have got to go to bed. Write all about the folks. — Levi

Many folks has been here everyday for a week till today. — E. J. Monroe