These letters were written by Corporal Albert H. Carter (1844-1864) of Leominster, Massachusetts, who enlisted as a private Company A, 36th Massachusetts Infantry in August 1862. A few days after they were mustered into service at Worcester, they were sent to Alexandria, Virginia, and then ordered at once to join the Army of the Potomac. They reached Sharpsburg on 17th September, 1862, too late to participate in the Battle of Antietam. Here they were officially attached to Welsh’s 3rd Brigade, Wilcox’s 1st Division, 9th Army Corps.

Albert was promoted to corporal on 1 January 1864 and was “shot dead near Spottsylvania in the Battle of the Wilderness, May 6, 1864” according to the book, Leominster, Massachusetts, Historical and Picturesque, by William Andrew Emerson. His body was originally buried at Wilderness Battlefield, Spotsylvania but later reinterred in Grave 3741 at the Fredericksburg National Cemetery.

It is believed Albert was the son of Nathaniel and Lodema Carter of Lynnfield, Essex County, Massachusetts. See also 1864: Albert H. Carter to Clara E. Carter on Spared & Shared 7. Seven more of Albert’s letters are published on “Private Voices.”

Letter 1

Antietam
October 3, 1862

Folks at home,

I am well. So is Windsor and the rest except Arnold. He had a kind of cramp in his stomach yesterday. Is better today, I believe.

We had a review by President Lincoln this forenoon. Burnside and McClellan were with him and Lincoln’s body guard of good-looking cavalry. The whole division gave three cheers and the artillery fired twenty-two guns. We can hear guns as he passes along round his army looking it over to see if it would do to whip the Southerners pretty soon if it comes handy, as I hope it will, but don’t know as will right off. They don’t seem to move much now.

We had some good fresh meat fried for dinner—the first the whole company has had since we left Worcester and it went well with some hard tack as the old soldiers call the hard crackers.

It is very warm here day times and cold nights. There is not much wind—most all from the east. There is a great lot of wheat that is not threshed. It is in large stacks. The corn is about all ripe that has been let alone until it could ripen. The took most all of it.

What are the nine-month’s men doing now and where are they?

Pickles go pretty well for spice and if those cluster cucumbers [are] not all gone, I wish you would put up some in good strong vinegar that will go well on beans, if we have any next winter.

I shall want some good gloves or mittens with four fingers to them for Battalion Drill.

Saturday morning the fourth, thirty-five of Co. A will go on picket today and we shall come off tomorrow, I guess. We are going to have soup for breakfast this morning and fresh meat to carry with us and fry it ourselves.

Gen. Wilcox came down in front of us last night at Dress Parade. He looked as if he was a farmer with a young fellow with him taking a walk. I can’t [write] any longer so goodbye. — A. H. Carter

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Letter 2

Crab Orchard (Kentucky)
September 9th 1863

Friends at home,

I am well and doing duty in the ranks. I was in the cooking department ten days a while ago. Arnold is not very smart. There was a lot left back at Nicholsville when we marched from there that had the chills &c., but they have most of them got up now. There is talk about our going on to B. Side [Burnside] but I have not gone yet. I don’t know whether they are going to send home for conscripts or not. I was one that was picked out to go and the Lieut. said my name was sent to B. Side as one to go. The Seventy Ninth New York (was ) sent a week ago or so. That is in our Brigade—Eighth Michigan, Forty Fifth N.Y. and Thirty Sixth, Mass are all in the same Brigade.

The ague has got hold of a great many of the boys, but it hasn’t got me yet and I hope it won’t. It shakes the flesh right off of some. Two of our company died back at N. Ville [Nashville] since we came from there. There was a sergeant from Fitchburg and a Corporal of Leominster, Eugene Sullivan, North Village.

That sugar bag don’t come. I should like one very much. I don’t know as you got the letter though. I should like one made of oiled silk such as they put in fur hat linings that would hold about two pounds.

How is war business in other parts of the U. S.? We don’t get the papers here very regular. Once in a while there is a lot comes along. I have not heard the girls say whether they had bin here long enough or not and I don’t know whether to get them conveyed to Nashville or not. Mr. A. J. Phillips and wife came from Kansas to see me. They started for L. [Louisville] some time ago. They were calculating to visit Sarah Boyden first. I guess they will come and visit you too. She was enjoying herself very much in her own little house. She said Allie is growing fast. She thought I did not calculate on her growing so much when I made the ring I sent her, but she could wear it on her little finger.

I have got one from Henry Boyden that I have not answered. I don’t get much to write about just now. Yours truly, — A. H. Carter