Asa Brownell (1833-1918) was 29 years old when he enlisted on 28 July 1862 at Addison to serve three years in Co. F, 107th New York Infantry (the “Campbell Guards”). He mustered in as a corporal. During the Battle of Antietam when the 107th New York advanced with Mansfield’s 12th Corps through Miller’s Cornfield mid-morning, Asa received a gunshot wound and was sent to hospitals in New York City and Philadelphia to be treated before returning to the ranks in 1863. He mustered out as a corporal on 28 July 1865 at Elmira, N. Y. His military records suggest that he stood 5 feet 8 inches tall, had grey eyes, dark hair, and was a farmer by occupation.

For riveting accounts of the 107th New York at Antietam written by members of the regiment shortly after the battle, go to 1862: William Graham to Libbie Graham and 1862: William E. Vanauken to his Family, both previously transcribed and published by Spared & Shared.

In the 1860 US Census, Asa was enumerated in Woodhull, Steuben county, New York, in the residence of James Brownell (b. 1787) and his wife, Lois Bancroft (1794-1876). It isn’t clear whether these were his parents or grandparents.

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

Camp 107th N. Y. Vols
Wartrace Creek, Tennessee
November 11th 1863

Dear Sister,

It is with usual pleasure that I improve these leisure moments in writing a few lines to you. Yours of the 1st of November reached me in safety night before last and was heartily welcome as all your letters are. I was very glad to get some stamps for I had used the last one that I had and had been obliged to borrow some. Your letter found me well and this leaves me in the enjoyment of a good degree of health.

The last letter which I wrote you, I believe it was written at Fosterville at which place we stayed six days—just long enough to get some fireplaces in the board shanties which were already put up there, but Thursday morning we left our shanties and with our furniture, bedding, and provisions on back, started out into the world to seek us another home. But as good luck would have it, we did not have to go but about 8 miles and had it not been for the rain which fell all the time, it would not have been a bad trip. We travelled on the railroad all the way and got here a little after noon. There had been five companies of the 13th N. J. here and they had some poor excuses for board shanties which we stayed in until Saturday when we had orders to move camp in order to get on drier ground. And since that time, the most of the boys with the exception of a few who put up their board shanties again, have been busy getting up good log shanties. Mine is nearly finished now except the fireplace and I guess my tent mates will get that started today. I am on picket so that I cannot work at [it] myself.

You think we are beyond the reach of cold weather. It is not so although I presume it is not so cold here as it is in York State. Yet we ave some very cold nights here although the days are mostly warm. I am very much [ ] in the appearance of the Southern States. The people here seem to be at least fifty years behind in arts, science, literature, and everything that goes to make up an enlightened people. Occasionally one will find a person who has either been [born] and bred at the North or else received their education at some northern school and the class of people very different from those—especially the poorer class who have been born and bred at the South. But I see that I am getting my sheet full so I will close. Write often. From one who is proud to call you sister, — A. B.