16th New York Infantry | Spared & Shared 23

*I could not find an image of Leonard but here is one of Wesley T. Hull of Co. C, 16th New York Infantry.*

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

*Leonard wrote his letter on rare stationery featuring a lithograph of the United States Capitol, East Front).*

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.

The following letters were written by Albert “James” Andrews [Andrus] (1841-1862) who enlisted at the age of 21 on 12 September 1861 at Potsdam, New York, to serve as a private in Co. B, 16th New York Volunteers—the “First St. Lawrence County Regiment.” James served in the Peninsula Campaign and remained with the regiment until 1 December 1862 when he was taken sick and carried to the camp hospital where he died on 13 December. He was buried at Belle Plain Landing, Va.

James was the son of Winant Andrus (1812-Bef1850) and Eliza A. Vaum (or Vaughan) (1823-1898). By the time of the Civil War, Eliza had taken John C. Butler (1812-1864) as her second husband and had three or four children with him. John Butler also served in the war, volunteering in December 1863 as a private in Co. M, 6th New York Heavy Artillery. Unfortunately he did not survive the war. He died of disease on 26 December 1864 at the Judiciary Square Hospital in Washington D. C. when he was 52 years old. John Butler is referred to as the “Old Man” in these letters.

Letter 1

[Five miles from Richmond]
May 25th [?] 1862

Dear Mother,

It is with much pleasure that I take my pen to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find you all the same. We are five miles from Richmond. We had a little fight yesterday. We drove the enemy. We had none hurt. I heard Wm. has gone home. The corn is fit to hoe. The old man is tough as a bear. He is gone into the artillery.

Write as soon as you get this. Tell all the particulars. Try to plant something this spring. I can’t think of anything more to write. Goodbye for this time. — James A. Andrus [Andrews]

Direct your letters to Co. B, 16th Regt. New York

Letter 2

June 26, 1862

Dear Mother,

I now take my pen to let you know what I am a doing and [how] I am a doing. I am well and hope this will find you all the same. We are very near Richmond. We have a good time here and I think that we will be home this fall—perhaps sooner. They are a fighting today. The cannon roars like thunder. They will not find fun as I am sitting by candle light in my tent. I saw the old man today. He is well and tough as a bear. He is camped close to me. I see him every day. He told me to tell you that he would send you some money as soon as he could draw some pay. He did not draw any pay this pay day. I did not get any money but I will have fifty dollars due me when I draw pay next time. But I want to keep my money until I get there. I want to buy that farm when I get home.

Tell William to be a good boy and try to do well as he can this summer. I have a good time here but I would like to be home now.

They are fighting yet. It is after dark now. I will have to stop for tonight. My fingers are getting tired but I will [write] a little more. I want you to tell all the news and what all the folks is a doing up in the woods. I want to tell John that I say that when I get land, that we have a dance and have a good time a hunting. I just stole a large cherrie [pie] from the sutler today, sold it for a little money, and I sent 1 dollar to Edward and George to get them some books so that they can go to school and when I can get some more I will send some more. I want them to learn to read.

Well, I wish you would tell to me more than you do. I have wrote four letters to you and have not had any answers. I want you to write as soon as you get this. So goodbye for this time. From your absent son, — James Andrus

Co. B, 16th Regt. N. Y. S. V.

Ten minutes later. We have just received news from the fight. Our boys have beat the enemy roundly and are within two miles of Richmond. The city of Richmond is ours, or a part of the same.

Letter 3

Camp of the 16th Regt.
July 20th 1862

Dear Mother,

I now take my pen to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find all of the folks enjoying the same. I received your letter last week but did not have time to answer it until now. I was over to the ninety-second today. I saw George C___ and Collier. I think that we will get our discharge this fall.

We had a hard fight the other day but I did not get hurt at all. I sent one dollar to George and Edward to get their [ ] books and will send some more in here if I can get it. I did not send any last pay day. I want to send enough to pay the land when I get home. Tell N__ to pile up the lumber so that it will keep. I want you to tell me all the particulars when you write and what all of the folks are a doing up in the woods. I have wrote many letters and one got one. Write soon as you get this and write often. I gave the old man the letter that you sent him. He is well. He has wrote to you two letters. He will send you some money as soon as he can get. I wrote to [ ] but have not got any answer yet.

Write as soon as you get this and tell all of the particulars. I cannot think of any more now so goodbye for this time. — James A. Andrus

Co. B, 16th Regt. N. Y. S. V.