The following letters of mid-March 1862 were written just before and after the Naval Battle between the CSS Merrimack and the USS Monitor in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The second letter also refers to the 500 seat theater erected out of timber constructed by the 1st Delaware Regiment at Camp Hamilton where they had been posted since the previous October.

I was at a loss as to the author’s signature but I was pretty certain he must have been an officer in one of the many Union regiments gathering around Fort Hamilton (near Fortress Monroe) in March 1862 in readiness for McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign. I asked Artificial Intelligence (AI) to identify a Union officer who had a relative named Austin and a correspondent he termed “Dear Nellie” who would have been posted at Camp Hamilton in March 1862? Within seconds, I was told that it was written by Capt. Charles Robinson Johnson of Co. F, 16th Massachusetts Infantry (nicknamed “The Iron Sixteenth”). It also told me, “His collection of wartime correspondence includes a series of letters addressed to his sister, whom he affectionately called “Dear Nellie (Ellen Johnson). In March 1862, the 16th Massachusetts was stationed at Camp Hamilton, a massive Union staging ground located near Fortress Monroe in Hampton, Virginia. His younger brother was Austin Irving Johnson (1847–1920), whom he frequently mentioned in his updates back home.”

I thought this was incredible so I went to check it out. Turns out the wartime correspondence AI referred to was the collection I transcribed and published seven years ago. See—1861-63: Charles Robinson Johnson to Nellie. Charles R. Johnson (1836-1863) was a 25 year-old Boston merchant when he received his commission in July 1861. He was wounded at Chancellorsville on 3 May 1863 and again on 2 July 1863 at Gettysburg. He died due to wound complications on 17 July 1863 at Lexington, Massachusetts. The only thing AI had wrong was Nellie’s identity—calling her his sister. It was actually Charles’ wife, Ellen (“Nellie”) Shepard Albree (1838-1906)—the mother of his young boy, Charles Berkley (“Berk”) Johnson (1859-1925) who is mentioned occasionally in the letters.

These letters may have been previously published in their entirely in a book published in 2015 under the title, “If I am alive next Summer’: The Civil War Letters of Captain Charles Robinson Johnson of the 16th Massachusetts Infantry,” edited by Albert C. Eisenberg and Michael Hammerson. ISBN-13: 9780788456497

Letter 1

Camp Hamilton, Virginia
March 5, 1862

Dear Nellie,

It is half past seven o’clock in the morning and in 3/4 of an hour I start for picket. By this time father has arrived home. I wonder if he noticed that as the steamer Constitution was on her way to Newport News the rebel [guns] from Sewall’s Point fired three shells at her. Monday evening there were eight heavy guns fired by the rebels at Craney Island, the purpose of which I don’t know. Rumor stated that it might be the successful launch of the [CSS] Merrimack.

We have had one beautiful day since father left, but it was cool. Monday night for a half hour the rain came down with as much violence as I ever remember of seeing it, starting some small leaks in my tent. I went out of my tent with the impression that it was a violent hail storm but found myself mistaken. I forgot to mention that the guns on Craney Island are so powerful that at the distance that we are from them, Mr. Rogers state that the concussion jarred the crockery.

Nellie, notwithstanding the rumors of a large reinforcement soon to arrive, we now have here at Camp Hamilton less troops by one regiment than we have had all winter and consequently our turn to go on picket comes oftener. It is now once in ten days. I intended to have written you a long letter last evening but had an invitation to play a game of Whist with Drs. [Charles C.] Jewett & [Edward Andem] Whiston, accepted it, got interested [and] did not retire until late. Give my regard to all friends. Yours affectionately, — Charles

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Letter 2

Camp Hamilton, Virginia
March 16, 1862

Dear Nellie,

I have received your letters of March 11th & 13th. Since I last wrote there has been no changes and quietness has prevailed as far as action or combat is concerned. But the camp has been flooded with rumor and we have been under marching orders about half the time, the men keeping their equipments on and officers going to bed with clothes and boots on.

I meant to have mentioned the pleasant evening I spent at the Delaware regiment and their theatre, but the naval battle [between the Monitor and Merrimack] was so much more interesting that I deferred it. The theatre is a large log house, the seats for the audience rising one above the other, a regular stage with scenery of which I believe they have four sets, orchestra consisting of the regimental band. The ladies parts are taken by the actors. The acting was good and the whole passed off very pleasantly. I send you one of the programmes which was reduced to the present state by being in my vest pocket while marching to Newport News.

All the ladies have left and every person here without business are also obliged to leave. I hope that before the Merrimack again makes her appearance, the Monitor will have some other battery to assist her as the Merrimack has four guns to her one. You can send on the sash as it is if the difference in color is not too great. I have received Austin’s letter. Give my regard to all. Yours affectionately, — Chas.