Category Archives: Camp Stoneman

21st New York Cavalry, Camp Stoneman

1863: Oliver H. Green to Elisabeth M. Green

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I could not find an image of Oliver but here is one of Robert Delos Haight who also served the 21st New York Cavalry at the same time.

The following letters were written by Oliver H. Green (1837-1929) of Stephentown, Rensselaer county, New York, who was drafted at the age of 27 in September 1863 to serve as a private in Co. I, 21st New York Cavalry. He was immediately made a corporal and in January 1865 made a sergeant. He was reduced to the ranks in March 1865 before mustering out of Co. D in July 1866 at Denver, Colorado Territory. Oliver was a farmer before the war and later worked in the coal business.

Oliver wrote the letters to his wife Elisabeth M. Green (1839-1870). On the very same day Oliver wrote the first letter below, President Abraham Lincoln gave his address to the assembled citizens honoring the fallen soldiers of the battlefield and dedicating the National Cemetery at Gettysburg.

Letter 1

Camp Sanman [Stoneman] 1
November 19, 1863

Dear wife and children.

I take this opportunity to write to you again to let you know that I am well at present and hope that these few lines will find you all the same.I had a letter from Gale and have answered it. I had one from F. Hatch but have not wrote to him yet but shall soon. I am uneasy about that money that I sent you. I am afraid thsat it is lost.

The weather is pleasant here now. It is very unhealthy here now.

I wrote to Father Green but he has not answered it yet. I wrote to George Moffitt and have not heard from it yet. I wrote to Nancy Moffit and have not had no answer yet ad have wrote four or five to you that I have had no answer from. I wrote another to Mother Wiley the other day and that I have not heard from yet. Tell them all that they must [write] to me and I will answer them. I want you should write how that old mare gets along. Tell Dr. Graves that it is time that he paid that money.

I have just got back from taking the sick to the doctors.

I want you to write as soon as you get this. If you knew how much better I felt when I get a letter from you. It has been most a week since I got a line from you and it seems like a month. Write often if but a little. I would give all the world if I could see you and the children but that can’t be so I must make the best of it. But I hope the day is coming when we shall see each other again. But it looks blind to me. I have a great many sad hours but I shall keep up as good courage as I can. Write often and write all the news.

There is some deserting most every day but I never shall leave my post, let the cost be what it will. I shall do my duty as far as I can. We have not drawed anymore pay yet and I don’t know when we shall but I think we shall before long. They talk all kinds about the war here.

This is from Oliver H. Green

Direct as before. To his loving wife.

1 Camp Stoneman was a United States Army military facility located in Washington, D.C., during the American Civil War. It served as the Dismounted Camp for the cavalry forces of the Army of the Potomac from September 1863 to December 1864.

Letter 2

Camp Stoneman, Washington D. C.
May 29th 1864

The weather is fine and pleasant. I sit in the Sergeant Major’s tent downhearted, thinking of home. We have had a warm spell of weather. I took the sick to the doctor this morning. There was seven in all in our company. Two got off duty. The rest was marked [for] duty. My arm is very sore and lame.

Good news from the front. Lee on the retreat. Old Jeff has left Richmond so the reports say. Don’t know how true it is. Guess it is so. No signs of getting mounted yet.

I wrote this when I had nothing else to do. I picked up this paper on the ground and wrote this to pass away time and I guess you will think so when you see it. There is some dirt on it you will observe but never mind, we live in a dirty place.

Dear wife and children, I now sit down to write a few lines to let you know how I get along. I am well at present and I hope that these few lines will find you the same. The talk is that we shall come home in July but I don’t think so, do you? But I hope I shall, don’t you? I had a letter from Dwight a few days ago. I am going to send this letter without a stamp for fear that I shan’t get any more right off as you can. Give my love to all the folks and tell them if I ever come, we will have a time. But I am afraid there will be two wet days and a dry one first.

I guess that you will think that this is a funny letter but when I begun writing it, I did not think of sending it to you. My love to you all and a pile of it to you, dear wife, — O. H. Green

To E. M. Green

[Note, the following scraps written on pages ripped from a diary were included with the letter.]

May 16, 1864

Dismounted Camp near Sandy Hook, Maryland in care of P. L. Hogboom

Dear wife and children, I thought that I would write a few lines to you so as I had time. I expect to go to the front tomorrow. We are agoing to get our horses today. It may be that I shan’t go this tie. You must write often if I don’t. I shall write as often as I can. There has been three or 4 days of very hard rain here.

They ar fighting to the front and have been for ten day. Our loss has been very heavy but we got the best of them, I think, and hope that we can keep it. But it looks doubtful now. I have not had but one letter from you in two weeks. I don’t know what it means. Write as often as you can. Write where Ed is. Give my love to M’s folks and keep a good share for yourself. This is from your true friend, Oliver H. Green to his loving wife, Elisa Moser Green

May 18th 1864

Dear wife, as I did not have a chance to mail this letter, I thought I would write a few more lines. Why don’t you write? I am afraid you are sick/ Write and let me know what is the matter. Write soon as you get this. I am here in camp yet but don’t expect to stay long. Write soon. This is from your true husband, — O. H. Green

To his dear wife, Eliza M. Green.

I send you a list of my guard relief.

May 21st 1864

Dear wife, as I had bo chance sooner to send this letter, I would finish it now and it is a good thing that I did not it. well, we have moved camp again. We are in the old camp once more—Camp Stoneman. I don’t know how long we shall stay here. They intend to mount us again soon as they can. I don’t know when that will be. Write soon as you get this and direct to:

Camp Stoneman, Washington D. C., Co. I, 21st N. Y. Cavalry, in care of Capt, Graham

Camp Stoneman, John Wilkes Booth, Lincoln Assassination

1865: William C. Guest to James A. Guest

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I could not find an image of William but here is one of Robert R. Russell of Co. H, 160th New York Infantry (Missing Letters File)

The following letter was written by William C. Guest (1839-1875) who enlisted as a private at Sodus, New York, on 9 September 1864 to serve in Co. C, 160th New York Infantry. He survived the war and was discharged on 1 June 1865 in Washington D. C.

Regrettably there is no family tree information on this branch of the Guest family that I could find on-line. The letter was addressed to “Dear Father” but the envelope was addressed to James A. Guest who was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, in 1831 so he would be too young to be the author’s father. My hunch is that James was an older brother who had previously served in the Civil War in the 26th New York Battery and was, by May 1865, working as an express agent in Belle Plaine, Iowa, where he was enumerated in the 1870 census. Sometimes letters and envelopes get mixed up, or sometimes a letter from one child gets forwarded to another. James’ military records indicate that his parents were Henry Guest and Rachel Beadle of Seneca county, New York.

The 160th New York Infantry was organized and later recruited from the counties of Cayuga, Seneca, Wayne, Ontario, Allegany, Erie and Wyoming. By the time William enlisted (or was drafted) into the regiment, they had seen action in the Department of the Gulf, the fall of Port Hudson, and the Red River Expedition. By the fall of 1864 when William joined them, they had returned to the East and specifically to the Shenandoah Valley where they fought with Gen. Sheridan against Gen. Early’s men. They sustained many casualties in the battles of Opequan and Cedar Creek.

William’s letter tells us about the trip to Washington D. C. to participate in the Grand Review in May and, while enroute, witnessing the Lincoln Funeral Train not long after it had left Washington on its way north to Baltimore on 21 April 1861. He also refers to the remains of John Wilkes Booth being on the gunboat Montauk at the Navy Yard.

[Note: This previously unpublished letter was graciously made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared expressly by the Sic Parvis Magna, Gratias Lesu Collection.]

Transcription

Addressed to Mr. James A. Guest. Belle Plaine, [Benton County] Iowa

Camp Stoneman
Near Washington D. C.

May 1, 1865

Dear Father,

Your kind letter was received some time ago by Jimmie while we laid at Summit. The 4th of April we broke camp at Summit Point and went up the Valley above Winchester where the whole division assembled in a line of encampments. We remained there for four day and all of this time the cavalry was up in the Valley ahead of us scouring the Valley. They went up as far as Mount Jackson and only met with a few guerrillas and captured six of them which I had the chance of seeing as they passed along the pike, And at this time I had the chance of seeing the largest force of cavalry I ever witnessed including the 22nd New York and seeing some of the Lyons boys as they passed along in the column. I should think the column would extend in distance from one end to the other four miles distance including the whole line of them.

After remaining up there the four days, we was all ordered back to Summit Point and remained there 4 or 5 days and then was ordered to report to Washington. We all came by railroad stored and packed in the cars for 24 hours. Jimmie and myself and a number of others rode on top of the cars and slept there all night, and the weather rainy and misty. We had the pleasure of seeing the funeral train of our lamented President Lincoln. It passed us as our train stopped to wood and water between the Relay House and Washington, the road being double tracked.

Day before yesterday Jimmie procured a pass and visited Washington. He with John Layton who is there at the Campbell Hospital visit the places of interest and curiosity of Washington.

We are doing very heavy picket duty on this side of Washington. Orders are no persons are allowed to pass out or in with a pass [unless] signed by Gen. [Christopher C.] Augur or Secretary [Edwin] Stanton. It seems that Booth, the murder[er] is captured and his remains lie in state on board of a monitor [USS Montauk] in the Navy Yard at Washington. 1

Everyone seems to have the impression that the war is over and that we will see our homes [in] less than three months. Good feeling manifested here at the news of the surrendering of Johnston. It makes the boys in the regiment still talk more stronger about going home. Jimmie received a letter from Marier Jones. She said all was well and that John [was] there and his leg was very fast improving but some lame yet. Also last night Jim received a letter from Mrs. Lyman. All [were] well but Mr. Lyman. He had the rheumatism very bad. Also that Neu__ Vanderbilt was living with his wife in [the same] house with his mother and worked her farm this summer and also that Sanford works their farm again this season and that Mrs. Brown’s girls were living with her this summer. Also that Mr. Brown had been there to visit them. And also that Charley Rozell was clerking it for Owen Klink somewhere in the army for an army sutler.

Jimmie is still Orderly of this company and is well. He is today busy making out his pay rolls of this company. We now have four months pay due us to to today—the first of May.

With my love and best wishes, I remain your son, — William C. Guest

Co. C., 160th New York State Vols., 1st Division, 3rd Brigade, 19th Army Corps, Washington D. C.

Our regiment is very small. It only contains 250 men and it left Auburn with 840 men. We have a full view of Washington from this camp.

1 Readers are referred to another letter I transcribed in 2021 that was penned by Henry Washington Landes who served as a guard aboard the USS Montauk describes witnessing the autopsy of Booth performed onboard. See Henry Washington Landes Letters & Diaries.

1st New Hampshire Cavalry, Camp Stoneman

1863-64: John William Warner to his Family

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The following letters were written by Pvt. John William Warner (1843-1919) of Troop M, 1st New Hampshire Cavalry. This regiment was organized at Concord, New Hampshire, as a Battalion of four companies in the fall of 1861 and then was attached to the 1st New England Cavalry (afterward designated the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry as companies I, K, L, and M.)

John W. Warner, Co. M, 1st New Hampshire Cavalry

John did not join the regiment until October 1862. When he enlisted, he was described as standing over 5′ 8″ tall, with blue eyes, and black hair. He was taken prisoner on 18 June 1863 at Middleburg, Virginia, and held captive on Belle Isle in Richmond until he was finally exchanged in the fall of 1863 and returned to a hospital in Washington D. C.

In January 1864, the regiment was detached from the 1st Rhode Island Cavalry to form the 1st New Hampshire Cavalry and returned to New Hampshire to reorganize and reenlist as veterans but John did not join them. He mustered out of the regiment on 7 January 1864, just days after the last of these letters were written.

John was the son of Andrew S. Warner (1814-1876) and Olivia Tow Leavitt (1818-1877) of North Hampton, Rockingham county, New Hampshire. After the war he married (1869) Estella Warner (1845-1919) and in the 1870 US Census he was identified as a 27 year-old “carriage maker” in North Hampton. He was still there in 1880 working at the same trade and in 1900 he was identified as a “wheelwright.” He was still living there in 1910 employed as a “wagon manufacturer.”

Letter 1

New York
October 11th 1862

Dear Parents,

As we have a few spare moments, I will write a few lines to let you know where we are. We left Providence last week at 8:30 o’clock and went to Stonington in the cars and took the boat for here at 10:30. Arrived here at 7 this morning. We shall probably leave here this afternoon for Washington.

We got $325 bounty in Rhode Island. I have sent $290 to you by N. P. Gage. He will take out $10 for his trouble and some for our board &c. If he had not come on with us we should not have had time to sent it. If you want any of the money, use it. I thought that I had better wear my vest. Mt boots were not large enough and father had better wear them. Shall buy another pair.

We shall get #13 more today. I will write again soon and let you know where to direct your letters. Give my respects to all. From your soldier boy. — J. W. Warner

Letter 2

Camp Stoneman near Washington
October 30th 1863

Dear Parents,

As I have nothing else to do today, I will write you a few lines as I suppose you will be looking for a letter from me. It is about time for me to hear from you as I wrote last week. About all the news that I know of is that the Shapley’s arrived here yesterday. I had ben expecting them for some time and was very glad to see them again. Joshua Smith started for the front yesterday morning and I had just begun to feel lonesome when they came along. I don’t know as I am much better than when I wrote last, but am full as well. I hope the bottle of medicine which you sent will do me some good. I wish you would send another bottle by mail.

We can get anything of the kind except by going to Washington and it is about five miles to the city and it is difficult to get a pass to go there.

The weather is very pleasant most of the time but the nights are cold. I think every morning that I should like to be at home which I should get up and find a good, warm breakfast already cooked. I get more than I can eat but have to cook it.

If you can do a shirt up in a small roll so it will not cost too much, I wish you would send one by mail as soon as you can. Send a dark blue flannel one unless you have one of a different color all ready to send. Send a pair of stockings with it.

I believe that I have written out for today and will close. The Shapley’s send their respects. Give my respects to all and write soon to your affectionate son, — J. W. Warner

Letter 3

Camp Stoneman near Washington
November 23rd 1863

Dear Sister,

As I had such good luck as to get my box yesterday. I will write a few lines to you hoping that you will get them about Thursday forenoon. Everything in the box was in as good order as when packed. It came in good season for Thanksgiving but it is just as acceptable now as anytime. I hope that Joshua Smith will have as good luck in getting his. I expected that I should have to send to Washington after it but it was brought to the Provost Marshal’s office about a mile from here and one of my company who is driving team here brought it up for me.

The shirts and stockings are just what I wanted and fit well. The apples taste a great deal better than those which we buy here (two for 5 cents). I suppose it is because they came from home. I believe that I have tried a little of all the things except the loaf of cake which I have not cut yet. Last night I had a variety for supper and this morning I made a hash for breakfast which was quite a rarity for the army.

I shall have to write again in a few days after trying the rest of the contents and tell you how they agree with me. I have not got the letter with the receipt yet, and am in no particular hurry for it now.

We are having remarkably fine weather now. The nights are cool but the day is very mild and pleasant.

Another lot of cavalry is just starting for the front. They take about all but the sick ones this time. I am all the one now left of troop M. There are about twenty of the regiment here. I am as well as when I wrote last and I think a little better. There is no more news to write so I will close by bidding you good bye for the present.

From your brother, — J. W. Warner

Letter 4

Addressed to Mrs. Olivia R. Warner, North Hampton, New Hampshire

St. Elizabeth Hospital
Washington
January 4, 1864

Dear Mother,

Thinking that you may think it strange that father remains so long here, I will write a few lines and explain matters a little.

I should have got a furlough from the hospital that I have been in but the Governor of Rhode Island sent an order for all soldiers belonging to that State to be transferred to Portsmouth Grove Hospital in Rhode Island and I think that I can get a longer furlough from there. We were accordingly sent to this hospital to get transportation to Rhode Island. Father is here with me. He has been to see the Rhode Island State Agent today to find out when we were going. The Agent said that he would get us off as soon as he could have the requisite papers made out. It might take one day and it might take longer. So you see I am likely to get to Rhode Island if no near home. Father will remain and go with us.

I was agreeably surprised last Tuesday by seeing him coming into the hospital yard. At first I could hardly make up my mind that it was him, but I was soon satisfied. He could not have come in a better time for we shall get to Rhode Island a great deal sooner by his hurrying the thing up.

I am getting along well, onlyt I am in a hurry to start towards the North Pole.

We are having a snow storm today which is the first there has been here, although there has been some pretty cold weather. Father sometimes is afraid that the engine will get frozen up before he gets home. I will write no more now and close by bidding you goodbye till another day. Give my respects to all. From your affectionate son, — Jno. W. Warner

Don’t write for we shall not stay here long.