1862-65: John Amos Burrell to his Family

*Headstone of John Amos Burrell (1845-1865) who died of disease while in the service. Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Cemetery, Ligonier, Westmoreland County, PA.*

These letters were written by John Amos Burrell (1845-1865), the son of Jacob Burrell (1816-1883) and Mary (“Polly”) Withrow of Youngstown, Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania. John served in Co. G, 135th Pennsylvania—a nine-month’s organization that was quartered in Washington D. C. to guard key locations around the Union capitol until February 1863 when it was attached to the I Corps of the Army of the Potomac and headed south toward Fredericksburg. They took part in the Chancellorsville campaign in May 1863, but saw little action before being mustered out of the service on May 24, 1863. John later joined his brother James William Burrell (1842-1929) who served in Co. K, 53rd Pennsylvania Infantry but his disability soon landed him in Co. H, 9th Veteran Reserve Corps. While serving in this regiment, he died on 17 May 1865.

John’s letters were addressed to his father or to his siblings, Nancy (“Nan”) J. Burrell (b. 1840) or Jacob Grove Burrell (1848-1925).

Letter 1

City of Washington
October 3, 1862

Dear Sister Nan,

I seat myself to let you know that I am well and to answer that [ ] letter of yours. Well, I will send [ ] pocket case. The man that got his is gone but is to be home this evening but if he don’t come, I’ll send him mine and take his. I can get his easy. The man is gone to Frederick City with prisoners. They have been gone four days. The stamps I used a part of them but I have the stuff to buy more if I can get them and if I can’t, I can send you the [ ] and you can get them and send then if you please. And if you don’t, you can [ ] it. I have the towels. I’ll send them and the bible and the books on. When you write, tell me how all the tender-hearted folks are. Pity they wasn’t here to awhile to learn something about war…

I guess Coulter’s boys will leave in the morning for Alexandria. The costly scissors are an inch thick with rust and the case is spoiled a good bit. The paper was black as old Charley. I’ll send all to James and whatever belongs to the rest, he can give them. There was a hymn book in Isiah’s box but it was all rotten and [ ] are part rotten.

If you don’t get a letter for a while, you needn’t be uneasy, I guess. You said I must be bad off for money. If I am, I don’t ask you for any anyhow nor none of the rest not haint since I came, have I? Not don’t intend to do, nor anything else. I can get more here than I want.

We are to leave here tomorrow for the Lord knows where and I don’t care if they take us to New Orleans. That is the talk. But we may not leave. The orders may be countermanded as usual.

I suppose there was quite a flood when you took to crying about that pocket case. I wouldn’t care you would send some down the river for the water is scrace here. Can’t you? Will, I’ll make the pocket case all right anyhow. After this, you need not cry for I don’t care…

I hain’t seen hoops for some time & Andrew Tailor is very bad with fever, women crying every day, but don’t care for that. You say James only got one letter from me. Well, I got two from him and the first one he didn’t send his address. Now I have sent him three and got two. Who is behind? Let people growl when they have a reason.

I wrote Uncle Jim a letter when we was on Capitol Hill but he never answered it. My friends appear to be scarce but it’s no difference. I don’t think I’ll trouble them anymore for a while anyhow. I believe Liz Burrell is as good a friend as I have in Westmoreland township. I get lots of news from her. I have wrote to four in the Valley and got an answer from one. That is Liz. Well, I’ll quit all but them things all right. Give my love to all the family. If you have time, answer this. — John A. Burrell

Letter 2

Washington City
November 7, 1862

Dear Sister Nan,

I sit me down to write some to you to let you know that I am still able to write anyhow and I hope you are all well. I just now got a letter from you and was glad indeed to hear that you was all well. For my part, I hain’t been so very well for some time but I am mending slowly. I have had the worst cold I ever had in all my born days and somehow as fast as I get better, I get a lot of recruits again, but I took two relief of salts last night adn I think they will dress it. There is a bone in my back too that has got wrong somehow.

Well, Nan, if J. M. was around Old Youngstown now, I would think there was something in the wind since I got that piece of your dress, but the brave little Nan is far enough away to think that will make a very nice dress. I took my piece of it and put it in my pocket case and if you and I live till I get home, you will see it again.

Well, Nan, this is a very snowy day here. It commenced snowing early this morning and is snowing yet, but it don’t lay. It is about one inch deep. Oh the winter—that’s what beats me. I don’t like the cold but must take it and will cheerfully. Nan, if Uncle don’t soon card that wool, I’ll mind him when he goes to war. I wish to God Hal was there. Just tell Hal that I have to stand guard every other night and it’s mighty cold on the [ ] hooks. That’s so. Tell Hal he might do like the old woman if they are scarce of water. You know every little helps, don’t it? Well then, if you would send me some old quilt and pillow with a dark calico slip over it, I can live as happy as a miller. I don’t care about you sending me this deer stuff to eat. I want something to make me comfortable. We live better here than at home.

The company gets lots of boxes. We have all kinds of fruit and cake and butter. There was one of our mess got a box today full of good things and John has whatever the rest has, I have the good will of all the mess and all the company. We have as good a set of boys as ever walked on foot. and the loveliest captain in creation that I ain’t afraid to tell many men. I’ll say it and stand it too. He is all man and our lieutenants are just ditto. The Orderly [Sergeant] I didn’t like very well at first but the longer I am with him, the better I like him. Now I think he can’t be beat.

John Emmet was here today. He looks fine. He is going to the regiment. He was a prisoner but is exchanged and Grove is in the [ ] Hall Hospital here. It is handy here. I will go to see him some day.

Well. you wanted to know whether J. M. write to me—never. But he still tells James what to say so I can forgive him. I think he is O.K. anyhow. I got a letter from James the other day. He was pretty well when he wrote. I hear from him regular now every week and write to him every week. You know we send some of them kind to each other—good ones, I mean. About tell that youn man to come and see you, well in the first place firstly and second place lastly, verily I say untio you, beware of that young man if he is a soldier that says nothing. I have seen some soldiers in my time I think a heap of, but they ain’t all O.K. That’s so. Now, here is what I have to say…

— John

Letter 3

Central Guardhouse
Headquarters of Co. G, 135th Regiment Pennsylvania Vols.
January 25th, 1863

Mr. Jacob G[rove] Burrell, dear brother,

I seat myself to answer your letter which I received a few days ago and was very glad to hear from you. Well, Grove, I suppose you are running after the girls in town about as you was when I left and I can’t blame you any, but be careful and don’t squeeze ’em too hard.

Well, Grove, you wanted me to send you a coat—a military coat. Well, if you was here I could give you one but I dare not send any Uncle Sam’s coats homes for he don’t allow persons to wear his coats unless they are down here. But you come here and wear out about two of Uncle Sam’s coats and I assure you, you will be chuck full of wearing Uncle Sam’s coats. How do you like the cap I sent you? It’s one of the soldier’s caps and it will make you look like a Gigadier Brindle [Brigadier General] or some other osifer [officer].

Grove, I want you to watch James a little while he is at home and don’t let him be running after the girls for fear some of them hurts his arm and then he is done soldiering. Keep him at home—especially at night. Well, Grove, I have dirtied enough of this white paper for once so I will close. I want you to write soon and tell me all the news of the town. Tell me who Nan’s beau is. So I will close, — John A. Burrell

Letter 4

Camp of the 53rd [Pennsylvania] Regiment
April 5th 1864

Dear Father & Family,

I seat myself for the purpose of letting you know where I am and how I am getting along. I am now with the regiment and am in very good health but ain’t getting along very well for I have a house to build and it’s so wet I can’t work at it. But I still sleep and eat with [brother] James and it’s too much crowded to be comfortable.

I left Camp Copeland on the 31st at 4 p.m. and got to Harrisburg the next morning. I took breakfast and laid around till 7. We took the cars for Baltimore where we landed at noon and took dinner and at 4 o’clock we took the cars for Washington where we landed about dark and stayed all night. And the next morning we took a transport for Alexandria and we stayed there in the Soldier’s Rest till Sabbath morning. We got on the cars and came out to Brandy’s Station which is seven miles from here. We got out here on Sunday evening at dusk. Our Brigade is away out here by itself an we are all alone but I like it very well and would like it much better if I had my house built.

I gave Lieutenant Anderson $44 to give to you. I want to know if you got it. Now there is one thing I want to tell you and that is to keep plenty to keep the family and not to go to work till you are entirely well. Mind and keep plenty for it may be some time before I can draw [pay] again. But when we do, I will will draw 50 dollars of bounty. James says he sent some money home some time ago but has not heard of it since.

The boys from Youngstown are all well and some of them are in good spirits. I tell you, there was some bright-looking recruits came out this call. I don’t mean from around Youngstown for I think they are all good soldiers.

I don’t know whether there will be a fight here soon or not for I am no gramarian [?]. I must close for the mail will soon go out. Please write soon and give me all the news. Give my love to mother and all the family. Give my regards to cousin Lou and Doctors and beards. From your affectionate son, — John A. Burrell

James H. Douglas is well. [Brother] James sends his love to all. Please write siin. Direct the same as to James.

Letter 5

Pittsburgh [Pennsylvania]
August 1st 1864

Well Nan, as I have some photographs to send, I will write a few lines. I am under the weather a good deal. I took bleeding at the lungs yesterday and it brought me down considerably, It came up so fast that it kind of strangled me and some of the boys got scared and brought the doctor and he gave some stuff that helped me some but I spit it up all the time. Since that he don’t allow me to move around any and I don’t see how I can stay in these tents all the time but I guess I will have to do it. He makes me eat raw salt. I think that is a raw kind of medicine but he is a good doctor and I guess knows what is best.

I am going to send the other three photographs. I guess the rebs will be here for supper today. The people are awfully scared. I guess I will quit. My love to all, — John A. Burrell

I have been looking for a letter ever since I came back but hain’t got any.

Letter 6

Camp Fry was the home of the 9th & 10th Veteran Reserve Corps in WDC. The view is from Washington Circle south along 23rd Street, with the equestrian statue of George Washington in the foreground and the Potomac River and the Virginia shore in the background. There appears to be a faint representation of Robert E. Lee’s house, now the site of Arlington National Cemetery, on a small hill overlooking the river.

Camp Fry [Washington D. C.]
December 10, 1864

Dear Father

With pleasure I seat myself to answer your kind and welcomed letter which I received a few days ago. I was glad to hear that you was all well and hearty and hope these few lines may find you still enjoying good health. I am enjoying myself very well now and I think I can serve my three years in this company very well. If I had good health, I wouldn’t want a better place than I have.

We had some fun the other day moving a grocery store. It stood on the avenue and close to the corner of camp and the Colonel [George W. Gile] wanted the ground to build a cottage on and he ordered the family to leave but they wouldn’t so we went to work to move it with them in it and the women tried to scold us. You can bet they made the old colonel rack [?] but we went ahead and carried house and all about two squares. That is three houses we have moved since I got to work. We don’t care how large the house is, we just pick it up and carry it off. We have lots of work to do now. We have a magazine to build and a couple pair of stairs and then all the puching [?] for the regiment such as making camp chairs and writing desks.

I am very much obliged to you for the money you sent but I am afraid you put yourself to too much trouble to get it. I could have got along without it for I have plenty of friends here and some very good ones. One of them, Sergt. Lowry, went home yesterday on furlough. I guess he will go to see [ ] Witherow while he is gone but don’t never say anything about it. I hope he may have good luck for he is a good fellow.

We had to bury our doctor today. He killed himself drinking and will be very little missed in the regiment. I would like to know if A. Douglas has got home yet and whether they have ever heard anything from Jim.

I guess we are to get our pay on the 19th of next month. I ought to make a pretty good draw if they pay me up in full. I have a notion to get me McKnight to make me a good pair of calfskin boots as you know I am in the fine boot company again, but you needn’t say anything about them yet. If I get them. I will write again. My government boots are good yet but the water soaks through them and that don’t do very well now.

I guess I will stop for this time. Give my love to mother and all the family. Also to Douglas’ and Mrs. Caldwell’s.

Write soon. From your affectionate son, — John A. Burrell

Letter 7

Camp Fry [Washington D. C.]
February 14th 1865

Dear Father,

With pleasure I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. I am still on the mend and think I am doing very well. I got my box today and everything was in good order. I am very well pleased with everything. I had some of the sausages for supper. They are excellent and the shirts are just the kind I wanted and are made exactly right. I would rather they was both blue but the red one is a very nice shirt, They both please me very well. Making those collars was labor for nothing but I suppose the women thought they would be an advantage. But there is no harm done. I will wear them.

I got my discharge and everything right. Tomorrow is monthly inspection and we carpenters have to appear as pioneers. I don’t like it very well but can’t help it. I am willing to do my duty as long as I am able. I am as contented now as the day is long. I begin to feel like myself again and hope I will get good health again. And another thing, I never had better company than I have here. I don’t associate with anything but good, pious men and we have all the enjoyments men can wish for there is a nice church here and we have now preaching or prayer meeting every night. And we have a nice division of the Sons of Temperance—one of the best orders in the world. I wish there was ten divisions for every one we now have there is 24 in this district and last year there was about 10,000 members initiated in the order here, principally all soldiers, and the order is still growing. I think it is doing a great deal of good to the soldiers here.

Well, I see in today’s Chronicle [that] General Auger has issued an order for two men out of each company to be furloughed so I might have sight sometime next summer but you must look out for me so if I don’t come you won’t be disappointed nor I won’t neither.

Well, I guess I must stop and go to church. Give my love to Mother and all the family. write soon. Your affectionate son, — John A. Burrell

How do you come to get those Home Weeklies in my name?