These letters were written by Pvt. Edgar A. Warner (1841-1863) of Co. K, 126th New York Infantry. He was born in Hopewell, New York, and was a farmer by occupation. He enlisted 31 July 1862, aged twenty-one years, and was in the battles of Harper’s Ferry, Gettysburg, and Auburn Ford before being mortally wounded in the Battle of Bristoe Station on 14 October 1863. Pvt. Warner was taken to 2nd Division Hospital in Alexandria (in a Baptist Church) where he was treated for a gunshot wound to the lungs but he died on 16 October 1863 and was buried initially in Alexandria National Cemetery, Section A, Plot 1014. It seems that his body was later exhumed and probably returned to his home in upstate New York.

Edgar was the son of Calvert C. Warner (1821-1897) and Eunice V. Latting (1823-1887) of Canandaigua, Ontario County, New York. Calvin was a miller by trade. Edgar wrote this letter to his parents as well as his sister, Caroline E. Warner (b. 1845).

Letter 1

Union Mills, Virginia
February 1st 1863

Dear Mother & Sister,

I received your kind letter of the 26th and was glad to hear that you were well. I have got over the mumps now and will be able to go on duty tomorrow. They have taken Jeff Moore ¹ to the hospital again. He warent quite well — not so as to be able to do duty. The doctor thought he had better go to the hospital and stay a spell longer.

I don’t think father had ought to lose that waggon and pay the note besides. I should think Saxton ought to be satisfied with that. Father can do as he has a mind to about it.

I have got plenty of good clothes and three pairs of socks. You may send me a pair of boots if you want to. I will want nines, I guess. If you can get ki__ with three soles on if you can get them, and good long legs. Father can tell about what I want by trying them on. Julia said you was all anxious to send a box so I wrote to her and told her to send it along. I am going to send both letters Monday. The mail don’t go out today. You may send me some tobacco chewing and I don’t care what else — whatever you have got to send. I have wrote the directions in Julia’s letter. This is all I can think of this time for my stock of news has all run out.

From your affectionate son & brother, — E. A. Warner to his mother & sister

Jeff says give his best respects to Lydia. Give her mine too. Send the boxes soon as you can get it ready. E. A. Warner

¹ Thomas Jefferson (“Jeff”) Moore enlisted in Company K of the 126th New York on 12 August 1862 at Canandaigua to serve three years. He was taken prisoner on 15 September 1862 and paroled the following day at Harper’s Ferry when the entire garrison surrendered to Stonewall Jackson’s men on their way to Antietam. We learn from this letter that Jeff was seriously ill in early February 1863; he died of “lung inflammation” on 10 April 1863 at the Fairfax Street Hospital — a former hotel called the Mansion House — in Alexandria, Virginia.

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Letter 2

[Editor’s Note: This transcription was done by The Excelsior Brigade and I cannot vouch for its accuracy. The letter remains for sale on that site as of this date, 3/1/2026.]

Camp at Centreville, VA
April 30th 1863

Dear Mother,

I received your most welcome letter yesterday and was glad to hear that all the folks were well. I am enjoying very good health at present. We are having some very nice weather nowadays. The farmers have commenced to plough and sow. 

I received a letter from Julia and Uncle Dick yesterday. Julia said that she had got well again. I forgot to tell you before that Walter Cook had got back. He returned the fourth day of April but left again the 28th through. I guess he is caught. We heard yesterday that the Maine boys that are doing picket duty on the right of us took a prisoner night before last. And I think it was Walter. He has been lame every since he came back. He had a sore on his leg. He said that he got drunk and a horse run away with him. But I have heard since that he has been binding pennies on it to make it sore. I am afraid if he is caught again it will go hard with him. He told me sometime ago that he was going to try and get to Pennsylvania and go as a substitute for somebody and then get to Washington and get his discharge. I cannot tell you what has become of Jeff Moore. He and McKechnie and Fred Root went to Washington to the general hospital about the first of the month. And I have not heard from him since.

Mr. Hillman got a letter from home the other day and his folks said they was sorry to hear that Jeff was dead. That is all I have heard about it. Though I don’t think it is so. If it was so, the captain would know something about it. I don’t know as you can send me any tobacco. I can but it as cheap here as you can get it there and send it to me. We got our pay last Sunday. Enclosed you will find the allotment check for forty dollars. You can draw the money on it and put it in the bank. You never told me how much of the other you put in the bank. We got four months pay this time. I owed the sutler six dollars and had five dollars and fifty-six cents left. We were mustered for pay again today. But I don’t know when we will get paid again. This is all I can write this time for it is bedtime. We all have to be in bed and our lights out at 9 o’clock. If they find a light burning in the tent after that, away you go to the guardhouse.

Write soon and let me know if you get this and a picture. I guess I will send that in a separate envelope. It is the best I could get for a dollar. From your affectionate son. Send some stamps.

E. A. Warner

To E. Van Warner

Write soon.

P. S. I got the bill of my box the same day I got the letter a week before I got the box.

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Letter 3

Centerville, Virginia
Sunday, June 14th 1863

Dear Mother,

I received your most welcome letter dated June the 9th and was glad to hear from you once more and to hear that the folks were all well. It found me enjoying good health also.

Your letter with the money in it has not turned up yet but I am in hopes that it will one of these days. If it don’t, why then I shall have to let it go. I received a letter from Aunt Almira. She said that William had enlisted. That was the first I had heard of it. He may have a good time of it if they don’t go any farther than New York. I have heard that they were going to be stationed in New York harbor. They may possibly come as far south as Washington. It is the best branch of the service that there is for they will not have to be moving around every day or two with a big knapsack slung upon his back as they go marching on. The hardest of it will be the drilling. They have to drill with the big guns and with muskets too. If William is carefull of himself, he may stand it first rate.

I expect there is some big thing going to turn up here before long. our officers and quartermasters had orders last night to move all the baggage excepting what they could carry on a march back to Alexandria. The report is that Lee has crossed the Potomac River into Maryland. I guess they think he is coming this way and they want us to be ready to march. I expect that Hooker is waiting for him to get in his rear and then drive them this way. Time will tell what is the matter.

I have just come in off picket htis morning. Our company has got so small that it is hard work to do all the duty we have to do nowadays. They only allow two men to be on one post at night and they have to keep awake all night. Then we stay in camp one day and two nights. William won’t have any of this kind of duty to do.

I haven’t heard from Uncle Ad in two or three weeks so I don’t know how they are getting along. I haven’t heard from Bowers since last spring before we came from Union Mills.

There is quite stirring times here today. The 11th Army Corps are falling back on us. They are about one mile from here. They will probably come in tomorrow morning. They are a part of Hooker’s army. I don’t know whether they were drove back by the rebels or not. As near as I can find out, they are expecting vone leetle grand fight here. Hooker has let them get in the rear of his main army and is going to drive them on to us and then he will have them right where he wants them.

I shall have to cease writing this time for it is most drill time. So adieu for this time. Write soon. From your ever affectionate son, — E. A. Warner

To E. V. Warner. Enclosed is the allotment.

[Editor’s note: There is a page of a letter that seems to have come from another letter by Warner which reads, in part….]

Owen McGinte told me he saw Charles Booth. He is in the 8th New York Cavalry. Charley was wounded twice by bullets. One of them is in his side yet. He has got to be a sergeant. Ehen I saw him last fall at Harpers Ferry he was a corporal. He said Ranty Gardiner was a lieutenant. He is to home sick.

The talk is today that all the troops under Heintzelman has been ordered to report to Arlington Heights by Sunday night. If that is so, we will probably be on the march tomorrow or next day. He wants to get his whole corps together. I expect we will have to go to fighting one of these days. This is all. I thought I would write and let you know that I had got the money. This is from your ever affectionate son, — E. A. Warner

To E. V. Warner

P. S. The soldiers have all left us by the 2nd Army Corps. All is quiet here again. The troops have gone in the direction of Harpers Ferry…

When you direct your letters, make them plain thus. E. A. Warner, Washington D. C., 126th N. Y. V., Co. K. Be sure and make the 126 plain. I suppose that letter has been down to the 12th Regiment and they couldn’t find anybody by that name so they sent it back.