1862: Adin V. Cole to his Parents

The following letter was written by Adin V. Cole (1844-1862), the son of Kimball Cole (1810-1902) and Mary Stockwell (1819-1909) of Whitefield, Coos county, New Hampshire. He mentions a younger brother, Martin Marshall Cole (1849-1925) in the letter.

Anxious to fight for the Union, Adin enlisted when he was 18 in Co. C, 5th New Hampshire Infantry on 26 September 1861, but did not live long enough to see his first battle. He died on 8 March 1862—just two month after this letter was penned. He lies buried in the US Soldiers’ and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery in Washington D. C. (Site B 2031)

The author has placed a black arrow in the general area where Camp California was located. The map is an 1861 map of the Defenses of Washington reprinted in the “Atlas to Accompany The Official Records of the Union and confederate Armies.” Camp California was under the shelter of nearby Fort Worth (misspelled as Ft Wohth on this map). Referring to Fort Worth, one Irish Brigade soldier wrote home that “in our front there is a very strong fort that would send very destructive messengers to any approaching enemy if they were to come within range of its long and heavy guns.” General Sumner reportedly camped in a Sibley tent near Mr. Watkins’ home. *[Source: Civil War Washington D. C.]*

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Camp California
January 5th 1862

Dear Parents,

I now answer your letter which I received last Thursday and was very glad to hear from you for it had been three weeks almost since I had heard from you. There is about an inch of snow on the ground this morning but it won’t stay long for it is coming off warm. I went out to drill this morning and I felt a little sick so I went to the Captain and asked him if he would excuse me and he said yes. It is the first time I have been excused from duty since my ankle got well. It has got so well that I can’t tell where it was hurt. It is as sound as the other now.

I will now answer some of your questions. First, about Oscar, tell Mr. Huntoon’s folks that he is doing first rate and is faithful to his duty. He has to be or else he must look out for himself. The best way is to be faithful and do your duty in good earnest and you will get along well enough. I have not had one bit of trouble with an officer nor anyone else since I enlisted, nor I don’t mean to have.

Ezra is getting along nicely. He does not have any trouble at all. His Captain like him first rate and as long as he keeps on the right side of his Captain, he will get along well enough. Those boots—I lost one of them when we moved from Concord to Washington and the other is most worn out. I shall have to get me a new pair of pants. Lately they are made of good cloth and I guess they will wear well. The rest of our clothing is good yet.

We sleep warm nights for it is not very cold here yet. You wrote that if three was anything I wanted you would send it to me. I don’t want anything now but shall by and by. Tell Martin I shall write to him before long.

One of our men got three of his four fingers on his right hand shot off the other night while on guard. I guess you have heard it was two but it was three fingers. His name you have heard before this I presume. If you hain’t, you will before long. Write as soon as you get this and put on the time you wrote the letter before and then I can tell if I get them all.

I must close so goodbye. From your son, — Adin V. Cole

To K. & M. S. Cole