The following letter was written by Leonard Barnes Perkins (1840-1914) who was 21 years old when he enlisted on 27 April 1861 at Potsdam to serve two years in Co. B, 16th New York Infantry. He mustered out with his company at Albany on 22 May 1863. This letter was written in the days leading up to the Battle of Bull Run in which the regiment was lightly engaged.
Leonard was the son of Cyrus Perkins (1812-1880) and Martha Angeline Barnes (1812-18xx) of Parishville, Saint Lawrence county, New York. He wrote the letter to his sister Wealthia (“Welthy”) Perkins (1837-1907).
T R A N S C R I P T I O N
Alexandria, Virginia
July 12th 1861
Dear sister Wealthia,
Yours at hand, July 10th. I was glad to hear from you and hear you was all well. I am well and as tough as a knot. We left Washington yesterday and marched two miles which was down to the lower end of the City and went aboard of a steamer and sailed down the river to Alexandria and then marched from this city two miles out into the country and are now in camp here. But we don’t expect to stay here long.
We marched in sight of [the Marshall House] where Colonel Ellsworth was shot. We are in camp within half mile of that regiment [11th New York Fire Zouaves] that was Colonel Ellsworth’s. They are a hard set of looking boys, I think, and they look so that they might fight smart. We are in a brigade now and our colonel [Thomas A. Davies] has been promoted to colonel of the brigade.
Wealthia, we are right among the enemy now. They are all around us and as soon as the rest of our brigade arrives here, we shall march on and expect to fight. And we shall make a clean sweep amongst them, you can bet safe on that.
Wealthia, we had got rid of our old Captain [James M. Pomeroy] at last and you can bet we are glad too. We have got a nice fellow for our Captain now. He does look after us and sees we have our rights. His name is Frederick [C.] Tapley. He is about 32 years of age. He has been through one campaign. He served two years in th Mexican War and he knows what belongs to us and he is the best drilled captain in our regiment and we all like him very much.
I tent with Warsh. He is well and sends his best respects to you and Ed does too. And he says [to] tell you that he stands it very well. The boys that came from Parishville is all well but there is a great many in our regiment that is sick with the summer complaint. I have not had it yet but I am very careful what I eat. Wesley Ray was in camp with us at Camp Morgan in the 28th Regiment at Albany. I seen him every day then and he left there one day before we did for Washington and I seen him twice in Washington after we got there, but the regiment marched from Washington four or five days before we did. They marched to Arlington Heights and I have not heard from him since. But he was well then and was very tough for him—so he said.
Wealthia, it is very pleasant here today but it is very warm. Our Adjutant made every private a present of a rubber blanket in our regiment. The money that Parishville folks sent to us for that purpose, Dr. [S.] Marsh has got and says if there is any of us boys that want anything and needs it, to let him know and he will get it for us if it does not cost more than our share of the money.
Wealthia, you are blaming me for not writing to you but I have answered every letter I have got from you and will. But I have not had a letter from you before this last for most three weeks and I thought you did not care about hearing from me. If you did, you would write.
On th 4th of July we marched down through the City of Washington and saw thePresident and Wm. H. Seward. General Scott, 1 and then we returned to our camp and our Colonel treated all of us to one gill of whiskey and I think this was a hell of a celebration, don’t you?
Tell Mr. Wakefield I send him my best respects and tell Lucy Howe I send her my best respects. Uncle James and wife, I send my best respects to them, and I will write to him. And give my best respects to all inquiring friends. I will not write anymore this time. So goodbye.
Direct your letter to Leonard B. Perkins, Co. B, 16th Regiment New York Volunteers. You must not put on no place and it will follow me then. I sent home 5 books to father. When you write, please let me know if he has got them. This is from your affectionate brother, — Leonard
1 For one hour and forty minutes from a pavilion in front of the Excutive Mansion, President Lincoln, with General Scott and cabinet, reviewed more than 20,000 men of the 23 New York Regiments.
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