7th New York State Militia | Spared & Shared 23

The following letter was written by William Halstead Kipp (1839-1918), the son of Quinby Kipp (1801-1887) and Cornelia Ann Halstead (1807-1883) of Manhattan, New York County, New York. In the 1860 US Census, William was enumerated in his father’s household, laboring with an older brother in his father’s wheelwright shop.

During the Civil War, William served in the 7th New York State Militia (or National Guard). This letter, datelined from Fort Federal Hill in Boston in June 1863, was written during the time his regiment was called out to meet the emergency of the anticipated rebel invasion that culminated in the Battle of Gettysburg less than two weeks later. In his letter, he refers to having been called out and posted at the same fort during Lee’s Maryland invasion in 1862. William’s obituary informs us that he rose steadily in rank from private to sergeant during the war and afterwards, to (State Militia) Colonel in 1895.

Kipp was married to Emily Augusta Hyatt in 1865 and at earned his living as an insurance agent after the war until landing a job in the New York City Police Department. He is credited with having designed the flag of the NYC police department in 1917, one year before his death.

In this letter, Kipp shares the reports of Lee’s invasion and the rumors that Baltimore was the intended target. He observes that the secessionists living in Baltimore were noticeably more prominent and insulting to the soldiers with the news that Lee’s army was approaching. He also speaks of the measures taken to bolster the city’s defenses.

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Greg Herr and was made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

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

Fort Federal Hill
Baltimore, Maryland
June 20, 1863, 10 o’clock p.m.

Dearest Em.

It is not the strangest thing imaginable that we are again located in this old fort. If any person had told ne one week ago that we would again find ourselves here, I should have thought them crazy for I did not dream that such a thing could occur. It is certainly a singular circumstance that now for two years we have started for an entire different locality & finally brought up here.

Our boys are very much dissatisfied with it & yet it cannot be helped. We but obeyed orders in doing as we have done. We left New York with orders to report to Harrisburg but upon arriving in Philadelphia, we were ordered here by General Halleck as you have no doubt seen by the Herald which had all the orders published in full. Although some of our city regiments have gone on to Harrisburg, yet we feel highly complimented by being so far noticed by the War Department as to receive the order bringing us here—for the affair at Harrisburg has proved to be only a feint to cover up the real design of the enemy which has yet to be developed.

It is generally supposed that the main point of attack will be Baltimore. We have received news that the enemy is moving in four columns, one of which has advanced to within 40 miles of this place and is still advancing. So I really think that we will yet see warm work.

Tonight we received orders to drill our men thoroughly in the use of our heavy Columbiads. Tomorrow we send detachments 7 miles out to guard three bridges crossing the Patapsco River. Rifle pits are being dug outside the city & barricades are erected in the streets on the city limits. All is excitement here. Secessionists now speak their mind more freely than ever before & are ten times more insulting. Yesterday we sent a detachment to guard 1200 rebel prisoners on their way to Fortress Monroe & evidences of sympathy with them were openly exhibited by the people in the streets.

Our fort is anything but a pleasant place to live in for we are almost bodily carried off by bed bugs & lice. Yet one must stand it for a little while & are hourly expecting the order to carry us to the front. The boys seem to feel that this time they will not have to return to New York without having a little service & something to remind them that they do not wear a uniform for displaying themselves on Broadway only

I should not be surprised if in a very short time we should find around us heavy reinforcements for certainly if there is any foundation to the news we hear, we wil need a larger force here. The place looks so natural to me that really I cannot realize that it is most a year since I left it as I then thought never to see it again. It seems like a dream to me that will soon pass over. But I guess that the reality will soon convince me that it is not all a dream.

Oh Em, what would I not give just to see you for one moment. The only regret I have in being away is that I cannot have your society. But still we will not be away longer than 30 days, I think, unless this emergency still continues. If the force now advancing should consist of a large number, then Gen. [Robert C.] Schenck might possibly surrender the town & of course take us with them & we might thus have a chance to see Richmond though in a little different style from that which I would prefer.

I would have written you a long letter before this but have not had the chance. Our men have more chance to write than I for I have to drill different squads on the Columbiads. It keeps me busy all the while & when night comes around, I am so tired & sleepy that I go to my quarters & turn in, glad to get a little rest.

After I left you and on our whole journey here, I could only think of the dear one I had left behind. I shall never forget with what pain we separated & I hope never to have such misfortune again. Oh Em, when I left you, I parted with the dearest thing on earth to me—your society. How I miss your kind words, your gentle caress. Yes, even your reproofs I loved to listen to. While writing, I think of how different I now feel from last year. Here in just this place I wrote to you, but then, even though we felt this affection for each other, yet we could not make each other happy by telling it until by one great effort I resolved to break the barrier and trusting everything I held most dear in life, any aim, hope, & ambition to a letter in which I told my love. How anxiously I awaited your reply. And when it finally came, words cannot express the happiness I then experienced.

Since that time we have been together continually & every time I met you, it was only to strengthen my love. The good influence of your society, Em, has its effect in many things, as you know. I always feel it when away from you and rest assured Em that I shall heed it now. When I return, I shall know how to appreciate your [company].

Last night seemed anything but Sunday night to me. I thought of our old seat by the window & wished that I was there [if] only for a moment to rest your head on my shoulder & then if we had any troubles, what pleasure we could talk them over together & they seemed to lighten immediately. Em, those were happy moments. I pray that we may yet meet to have them again.

I cannot write more now. Write soon a good long letter for I am very, very anxious to hear from you. Direct to this place & put on the bottom of the envelope, “or elsewhere.”

My love to all & ever for you the blessing & prayers of your own, — Will

*An unidentified member of the 7th New York State Militia, Library of Congress*

The following incredible letter was written by 21 year-old Albert Victor Meeks (1839-1889), the son of Joseph William Meeks (1805-1878), a master craftsman of furniture who had a store at 18 Vesey Street in Manhattan in partnership with his father. Albert’s mother was Sophia T. Vidal (1809-1895).

When Albert applied for a passport in 1859, he was described with specificity as standing slighter above 5 feet 5 inches with a high forehead, brown eyes, prominent nose, large mouth, auburn hair, thin a florid complexion. He graduated from the City of New York’s Law School in 1860 and was a private in the 7th New York National Guard at the time of the firing on Fort Sumter.

Frantic to protect the Nation’s Capitol, the President called upon all available militia units to come to its defense. The 7th New York State Militia was one of the first to respond. Albert served in the first activation of the 7th Regiment from April 18th to 3 June 1861. He then reenlisted at New York City on 4 June 1861 and was commissioned the Captain of Co. G, 62nd New York Infantry on 30 June. He led his company at the Battle of Williamsburg and at Fair Oaks where he was wounded. He resigned his commission and was discharged on 11 August 1862.

Albert’s letter describes the remarkable march made by the 7th Regiment from Annapolis to the Capitol where it was greeted with unbounded enthusiasm by the citizenry and government officials, and quickly mustered into active service for thirty days.

*The 7th New York State Militia after their arrival in Washington D. C. in April 1861*. *They were the first New York State militia to reach Washington after the President’s call for troops.* After being initially housed in the US Capitol, they were moved to a camp on Meridian Hill, May 2d to 23d. They took part in the occupation of Arlington Heights, Virginia, May 24th to May 26th, and assisted in building Fort Runyon. They returned to Camp Cameron on the latter date, and were mustered out at New York City, June 3, 1861

Transcription

Washington City
April 27th 1861

Dear Mother,

I wrote you a condensed description of my expedition to Washington in my last letter. I will relate the details when I come home to you again. We was without food—only a few soda crackers with a piece of raw pork stuck between them—and as we marched along at night some of us was fast asleep. General Scott says that the march of the National Guard from Annapolis ¹ to the Capitol was a campaign in itself. We marched 23½ miles and layed down some sixty or seventy rails on the railroad, dragged our cannon and baggage on dirt cars behind us. At one point the scoundrelly seceeders had burned down the bridge ² but that could not stop our march, for the Engineers soon cut down two trees some 30 feet long and with props & etc. we made a bridge and on we marched, and although we had so many obstacles to contend against, we in twenty-two hours marched 23½ miles, built a bridge, repaired the railroad, & carried our baggage. I call that wonderful.

It was about dawn of day that we reached a place called the junction after a tramp all night long expecting an attack from the villains of seceeders. We then took down a rail fence and built about a dozen large campfires and sat down almost exhausted. I got near to a fire, pulled off my boots, rolled myself up in my blanket, and was soon sound asleep. I was awakened by the drum roll to march on to a place a mile further on where we met the cars coming to meet us from Washington with a company of Washington troops to escort us. We were wild with joy and cheer upon cheer greeted the train. Tears came in the eyes of some when they felt that they were to be allowed soon to rest their tired limbs. You don’t know what it is to see men thus affected. I was determined to keep up with the main body and I did to the last.

We then embarked on the train and was soon in the Capitol. We was received with immense cheering, a great display of flags and ladies in the balconies on the Avenue. We was marched straight up to the Presidential Mansion and passed in review, just as we was—covered with dust, with our haversacks and canteens slung on, in addition to our load of baggage we carried from our homes. The President, Secretary of War, & others reviewed us. We then was divided into divisions and marched to the hotels to dinner for the first time in days. We had been for three days without a decent meal. I took a big dinner, got excused for two days on account of swelled feet. I took a bath, had my hair cut, got a fine room and went to bed and slept as only a tired man can sleep. I am now perfectly restored and have reported myself for duty.

“I am in splendid quarters in the Capitol. We are here at the request of the President. We were reviewed by Uncle Abe yesterday and he was so much pleased that he clapped his hands.”
— Albert V. Meeks, 7th New York State Militia, 27 April 1861

Yesterday we was sworn in and the 7th Regiment [New York State Militia] are now part of the regular U.S. Army. We are all enrolled and receive our pay from Government for the time of one month only. We will come home then most likely. I am in splendid quarters in the Capitol. We are here at the request of the President. We were reviewed by Uncle Abe yesterday and he was so much pleased that he clapped his hands.

We have no work to do but keep our belts well whitened and parade about Washington. I have received many courtesies from the ladies—they are partial to the Glorious Old Seventh. I am well and comfortable and am pleased with my situation. I will wait until I come home and then tell a good long story of truth and experience such as I never expected to realize. I am writing to you here in the Hall of Representatives in the National Capitol. ³ Give my love to all of the family and please write to me. Direct the letters to me (8th Company, 7th Regiment National Guard, Washington, U. S. A.) I belong to the Army now. I like the fun. I will write very soon again. God bless you all. — Albert V. Meeks, U. S. A.

¹ The 7th New York State Militia was in Annapolis because the railroad route to Washington D. C. had been blocked. In Philadelphia, Col. Lefferts, commanding the 7th, was informed that the bridges between Havre de Grace and Baltimore were destroyed by a mob and the road rendered impassable. It was decided to take a steamer to Annapolis and then proceed to Washington overland.

² This was the railroad bridge near Millersville which was 20 feet high and 16 feet long, which had recently been destroyed by Secessionists. It took a full day to reconstruct a temporary bridge sufficiently strong to carry the train.

³ Not only did Albert write his letter from the Hall of Representatives in the US Capitol, he penned it on official Stationery of the 36th Congress.