These letters were written by 19 year-old Jerome Ely (1844-1923), the son of Hiram Ely (1805-1880) and Cyrena Lovina Vosburg (1808-1867) of Lemon, Wyoming county, Pennsylvania. Jerome was still enumerated in his parent’s home at the time of the 1860 US Census. Jerome accepted a bounty to enlist as a recruit in Co. A, 57th Pennsylvania Regiment. His pension records show that his only served in the 57th Pennsylvania, and though he did not enlist until months after the Battle of Gettysburg, his obituary, published in a Spokane Washington (the Spokesman Review, 30 Oct 1923) newspaper claimed that he was “wounded at the famous Battle of Gettysburg and was afterward discharged by reason of his wounds.” Jerome’s Find-A-Grave obituary acknowledges that he did not enlist until 1864 and also claims that he was wounded but gives no specifics other than to say that he spent time in a hospital.

In his letters, Jerome informs his family that he has been assigned to Co. A and I believe he was for a time, but he was eventually transferred to Co. F and it’s in Co. F that we find him in the official roster of the regiment. The roster gives his muster in date as 13 February 1864 and his muster out date as 29 June 1865.

Letter 1

[Note: This letter was written on a patriotic song sheet titled, “How Lee Was Whipped at Gettysburg.”

Camp near Brandy Station
February 27th [1864]

Dear Brother & Sister,

I am in camp between Brandy Station and Culpeper. We stayed in Harrisburg until Sunday morning. Then we left for Washington. We stayed in Baltimore Sunday night and then to Washington Monday morning. We stayed there until Wednesday and then started for the front. We reached the front Thursday.

Yesterday and today we have been building tents. We haven’t got them so that they are very comfortable yet but we have got orders to pack five days rations and start at five o’clock tomorrow morning. Where we are going to or what we are a going to do is more than I know or anybody else that I have seen yet.

Baltimore is the largest city that I ever saw. I wish you could be in Washington two or three days. It would pay to spend the time. I went most all over the capitol. It is the largest building I ever saw or expect to see.

You wanted me to tell you how I liked a soldier’s life. I like it well so far and we have been going most all of the time. Two nights is the most that I have stayed in one place since we left Harrisburg. I marched from Brandy Station to this place (5 miles) and carried a soldier’s load consisting of two blankets, 1 tent and all of the rest of clothing and other notions, knapsack, haversack, canteen, gun adn all the rest, and it didn’t kill me either.

My health is good with exception of a bad cold. Tell all the girls you see to write to me and I will return the compliment. Gib told me to tell you to eat bull beef.

I must close this letter as it is getting late. I will enclose two of my profiles. If you see Mary Ely or write to her, give her one of them and tell her to write to me. Address, Jerome Ely, Co. A, 57th Regt. P. V., Washington D. C.

The [U. S.] Capitol covers over a space of three and a half acres of ground.

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Letter 2

Camp 57th Regt. P. V.
April 2nd 1864

Dear Sister and friends all,

I received your letter night before last. I was glad to hear that you and yours was enjoying your and their’s share of heath. But I am sorry to hear that the sad messenger has been visiting your near neighbors. It will be hard news for their soldier father to hear that two of his little ones that he left in health has gone the road that no traveler returns.

Last Thursday we moved camp back from our old camp across the railroad near Brandy Station. We moved back while others moved up where we was. There has been a change made in the army. We no longer belong to the old 3rd Corps. We are changed into the 2nd Corps. I do not know yet what Division we belong to. We are in Hayes’ Brigade. We are now living in shanties built by the Rebs last fall. They are very comfortable quarters to live in. I carried load enough to make a child that that he was a pack mule but I got along very well and wasn’t as tired as I might be when I got here.

I have written two letters to Andrew and have got one from him. Tell Molly if you write to her (or see her) that the reason why I have not written to her is because I do not know where to direct.

We started to be reviewed by Lt. General U. S. Grant one morning last week but it began to rain and we went back to camp without seeing the old hero. I saw a letter the other night that said that Father acted as if he was mad about my coming to the army. But he needn’t be for no where in Lemon did receive so many hints about enlisting as I did at home. If I was a young ma, I would go, &c.