The following letters were written by William Henry Stebbins (1839-1864) of Wirt, Allegany county, New York. William enlisted in August 1861 as a private in Co. C, 85th New York Infantry. He was taken a prisoner on 20 April 1864 at Plymouth, North Carolina and died of dysentery as a POW at Andersonville on 18 June 1864.
William was the son of John Stebbins (1807-1855) and Electa A. Clark (1813-1880). He wrote the letters to his sister Celora M. (Stebbins) Scott (1845-1915) and her husband, Edwin Thomas Scott (b. 1837). After marrying Celora in the summer of 1862, Edwin enlisted as a private in Co. E, 12th New York Cavalry. He was later transferred to Co. C and survived the war, mustering out at Raleigh in July 1865.
Letter 1
[Camp on James River, Va.]
Sunday, July 6th 1862
Dear Brother Ed,
I received your letter June 19th and I was sick and could not answer it before. I have been sick three weeks but I am getting better. I did not know of your marriage till I received your letter. I did not think when I was at home last fall I should have the privilege of calling you brother. There is lots of marriages since I have been a soldier. I think I shall have to fetch home with me a wench. There is lots of black devils here and I hate the sight of them. Little did I think that any girl would be a fool enough to have George Ferris, the poor miserable devil.
I suppose you have heard about the Union troops before Richmond falling back near the James river. Our regiment is camped near Harrison’s bar on the James river. It seems as if we would never get Richmond. I am getting tired of waiting. There was lots of reinforcements came in last week and I hope Richmond will be ours pretty soon. We have got a new general in General Casey’s place. It is General Peck. He has command of the Division. I shall have to close. Write soon.
Very truly yours, — William H. Stebbins
William H. Stebbins
Co. C, 85th Regt. N. Y. Vols
General Peck’s Division
2nd Brigade, Washington D. C.
Letter 2
Camp Suffolk, Va.
November 26th 1862
E. T. Scott, Esq.,
Dear brother—Your letter was duly received and I was very glad to hear that you was well. You wrote that you had enlisted in the cavalry. I am glad that you done so for you will have it easier than infantry on a march. I have wished a great many times that I belonged to cavalry when I was on a march. A horse is a darn nice thing when a man is pretty tired and has got a good ways to march. When you get into the field, you must write and let me know how you like the soldier’s life. It is pretty hard sometimes and sometimes pretty easy. But a soldier has got to stand to the rack—hay or no hay. It won’t do for a man to get home sick. If he does, he will darn soon get under the sod.
I was sorry to hear that Seymour was elected. I don’t think he is the man for Governor. What do you think of McClellan being removed? He was too slow to suit me. I hope Burnside won’t give the rebs a chance to sleep nights. I hope he will make them hunt their holes and after he get them in, I hope he will make them smell powder. I believe this war could have been stopped six month ago just as well as to have it where it is now. I don’t see any more signs of it being ended in six months than I did six months ago. I will close for this time and I hope to hear from you soon.
Respectfully yours, — W. H. Stebbins
Letter 3
Plymouth, North Carolina
September 20th 1863
Dear Sister Lola,
Your kind letter of the 10th came to hand yesterday. I was very glad to hear from you and hear that you were well. It is very cool today. It has been very rainy weather the past week. Everything around here remains all quiet.
I received a letter from Albert Spoon last week. He wrote that Uncle Samuel and Aunt Lydia Carter and Electa Miner had been there a visiting. Ed Knapp and his wife run away from Glendale, Ed was drafted. I suppose he thought it would be cheaper to run away than to leave his pretty Sarah.
Last Sunday I received a letter from Ed. He did not write anything about his company going to Newbern. There was a company of the 12th New York Cavalry here last week/ They started for Newbern. Albert Root has got back. He has been home on a furlough. He says it is very lonesome at Richburgh and Bolivar. Mother wrote me that she had got one bushel of dried berries and when I get home I shall have all of the berry pies I want to eat. I suppose you know that I don’t like berry pies for they make little boys sick.
There has been an order issued from the War Department that all of the old three years men will be discharged in July. If that is so, it will be a poor old joke on us soldiers. My three years will be up the 2nd of September. I am in hope that the war will come to a close before next summer.
I will close for this time. Please excuse this short letter and I will try and do better next time. I remain your affectionate brother, — William
Letter 4
War Neck [North Carolina]
Sunday, February 21, 1864
Dear sister,
I thought I would devote a few leisure moments in writing to you this pleasant day. It has been very cold for the past few days. The other morning when I got up, I found the ground all covered with a very pretty white carpet. The snow was about one inch deep and it was very cold. It made me think of Old Allegany county. Everything remains all quiet here. There has not any Veterans from here gone home yet nor I don’t see any prospect of their going very soon. The Paymaster has been expected here for the past two weeks but he has not made his appearance yet. I suppose as long as the Veterans get their pay, they will start for their home and I guess that I shall have to be numbered amongst those that will have to stay till next September. Then comes my turn to go home and stay as long as I please. I think that I shall serve my next three years in Allegany.
I received a letter from Edwin last week. He was well. I have not received a letter from you in over four weeks. The next time you write, I wish you let me know if you ever got the Company Roll that I sent and if you have paid for my boots and how much they cost. I will postpone writing for today and wait a few days and see if I don’t get a letter from you.
Thursday the 25th. Celora, I thought it was about time that I finished this letter. Yours of the 7th was received this morning and I was very glad to hear from you and hear that you all were well. I received a letter from Mother this morning and I will send it to you so you can read it with all the ease you please.
I heard the other day that Carl had got a baby so you can see that I get some news from Allegany besides what you write. Tuesday night there was 20 men from our company & some from Co. H that are stationed here went out on a scout about 15 miles and went to a house where there was a party. They took six rebels and came in yesterday morning all safe and sound. There isn’t any news here. Everything remains all quiet. The weather is warm and pleasant. I will close for this time. Please write often. From your brother, — William H. S.
Letter 5
Plymouth [North Carolina]
March 18th 1864
Dear Sister,
Your kind letters of February 21st, March 6th, were received the 12th and it is with great pleasure that I seat myself this evening to answer them. Truly I was glad to hear from you and hear that you are enjoying good health. I have just received a letter from Ed. He is well. I have not heard from Mother in five weeks. I have forgotten whether I have wrote you a letter since I have been in the Battery or not but I will mention it for fear I have not for I have wrote so many letters for the past two weeks and besides having the ague chill a few days so that I have almost forgotten who I have written to.
Most all of the men in the 85th that did not reenlist have been put into the 24th Battery of the New York Light Artillery to take the place of the Veterans that have gone home on furlough. I suppose when they get back that we will go back to our regiment. I wish that I could serve out the rest of my time in the battery for I like artillery better than infantry. It will be three weeks next Monday night since we came down here. This evening there was 13 recruits came for the battery and 30 for the 85th. I have not seem any of the men that came for the 85th so I don’t know whether there is anyone that I am acquainted with or not. There has not any of the Veterans from here gone home except those of the battery and I don’t see any prospects of the Veterans of the 85th going home very soon.
Tell Sam to be a good boy and keep all right side up with care. The Paymaster has not made his appearance here yet but I hope he will before many days. I have nothing more to write this time so I guess that I might as well begin to draw this letter to a close and I hope to hear from you often. You must be careful and direct your letters plain. Don’t be afraid of getting too much ink on the envelopes. Yours of February 21st was directed over by some postmaster. Direct as usual.
I remain as ever your affectionate brother, — William
Spared & Shared 23 