128th New York Infantry | Spared & Shared 23

The following letter was written by Jacob Howard Asher (1840-1917) who was twenty-one years old when he enrolled at Hudson to serve three years in Co. C, 128th New York Infantry. He was mustered in as a sergeant and was promoted to first sergeant in November 1863, and commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in January 1865. He mustered out of the regiment on 12 July 1865 at Savannah, Georgia.

“Howard” was the son of Jacob Asher (1802-1860) and Ellen Ostrom (1809-1879) of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, New York. He was working as a teamster prior to his enlistment, at which time he was described as standing 5′ 10″ tall, with dark gray eyes and black hair. After the war, when he returned to Dutchess county, he resumed his career as a teamster.

In his letter, Howard describes the journey from Camp Millington near Baltimore, Maryland, to Fortress Monroe aboard the US Mail steamer Arago in early November 1862. He appears to have been informed that the regiment was to be included in an expedition to New Orleans to join Gen. Nathaniel Banks’ Department of the Gulf. The regimental history informs us that sickness and disease infested the ranks while aboard the Arago though Howard does not acknowledge it. He does mention seeing and describing the USS ironclad Monitor, however, which was reported by others in the regiment.

USS Monitor (see: Monitor National Marine Sanctuary)

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

Steamship Arago near Fortress Monroe
Monday, November 10, 1862

Dear Cousin George,

Your very kind letter of the 26th October came duly to hand and I was very glad to hear from you and the rest of the folks. We marched from Camp Millington [in Baltimore, Md.] last Thursday afternoon to the city where we went onboard of a small steamboat that laid aside of the dock which carried us out to the U. S. M[ail] Steamship Arago that we are now on board of. We laid there until Sunday morning and then started and this morning when we got up the ship was anchored about a half mile from Fortress Monroe.

Last evening about five o’clock we passed the Potomac River. The steamship Ericsson came along with us down with a part of the 144th Regiment on [it]. Three companies of the 114th Regiment is on with us. The Monitor went steaming down past here at a great rate this morning. I can’t describe her no more than you have heard. She lays about one foot out of the water by what I could see.

It looks considerably like war around here. There is a gunboat and man-of-war a laying close by us. I must now close. I am well and in good health and hope these few lines will find you the same. I had a letter from William Norris last week. He has been in several battles, he says. And one also from Brother John. Himself and Mary is well and in good spirits.

I suppose we will stay here until all of the expedition gets here. you wanted to know how I liked my office. I like it very well—about as well as can be expected. I am now acting Orderly Sergeant while our Orderly is acting as Lieutenant. Both of our lieutenants are sick. You must excuse my bad writing for I am in somewhat of a hurry. You must write soon as you receive this. Direct as before. Yours truly, — Cousin Howard

*I could not find an image if Benjamin but here is one of Anson Orlando Knapp of Co. A, 128th NY Infantry (Ancestry.com)*

The following letter was written by Benjamin Hughson Brown (1844-1916), the son of English emigrant John Brown (1803-1865) and Catharine Van Nosdall (1812-1861) of Rhinebeck, Dutchess county, New York. Benjamin was described as a 5′ 2″ tall sandy-haired, 18 year-old farmer when he enlisted in August 1862 as a private in Co. C, 128th New York Infantry. For some reason, perhaps suffering some illness, Benjamin was sent to a General Hospital in Baltimore on 5 November 1862 and he was subsequently taken on as a hospital steward. It was not uncommon for a physician to take a liking to a soldier and offer him duty away from his regiment—particularly if the regiment was far away. As we learn from the letter, the 128th New York Infantry had been sent to New Orleans in December 1862 to join Gen. Banks’ Department of the Gulf. He was fortunate not to have gone with them as many of his comrades died of disease in Louisiana.

Benjamin remained in Baltimore for the balance of his term of service and then subsequently volunteered to transfer into the regular army as a hospital steward.

Benjamin’s letter was datelined from Steuart’s Mansion located (at the time) on the western outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. It was the property of George H. Steuart but since he had resigned a commission to join the Confederate army, the US Government confiscated the mansion and property to create a hospital for wounded solders. Various temporary barracks were built around the mansion for the wounded men’s quarters and the mansion itself was used as headquarters.

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

Steuart’s Mansion
Baltimore, Maryland
March 18, 1863

Dear Friend George,

Your long expected letter I received on the 15th. Of course you are excuseable for not writing sooner if you thought you had answered my last but I hope you will not make a mistake this time. I was sorry to hear of the sickness of your folks. I hope by the time this reaches you, they may be all well. you must have had a very mild winter but not half so mild as it has been here, I don’t suppose. We have had no sleighing here at all. We have had quite a number of snow storms but they did not amount to anything. This has been the first winter that I have not had some skating and sleigh rides in a long while. I enjoy very good health and like it very much here. I have not much to do, plenty to eat, and a good bed to sleep on. So don’t you think I am pretty well off for a soldier? I wish you could come down here and stay awhile. I think we could have some gay old times.

I was over to the camp of the 150th [New York] Regiment about two weeks ago. It is about two miles from here. I did not make a very long visit for I could not have a pass longer than from 2 o’clock till 5. I saw A[mos] T. Lillie, A[bram] Schultz, Benjamin Hevenor, and others [in Co. K]. They have a splendid camp ground [called Camp Belger] and comfortable barracks and enjoy the fun of soldiering very much. A[bram] Schultz said he was agoing to try to get a furlough to come home in a short time but I don’t much believe he will. get one. For my part, I would not take a furlough if I could get one. I don’t see what’s the use of going home when he has only been out so little while. I’d rather stay as long as I have to be in the service and then come home for good.

I have not had a letter from the Boys in New Orleans in quite a while but expect one every day. I have heard though of the death of two of my company—one by the name of [William A.] Noxon of Rhinebeck, and the other E[vert] Traver. This makes five that we have lost by [disease]. It is undoubtedly so. I have not much hopes of seeing my regiment for some time. I did not think when I enlisted that I would be separated from it so long. I have been here over four months and how much longer I will stay, I can’t tell. I have not received any Valentines this year and only sent one.

Well, George, I believe I have told you all the news so I will close. Give my best respects to all your folks and remember me your friend, — Benjamin H. Brown

P. S. Please write soon.