This letter was written by John Stevenson (b. 1847) while serving in the Co. I, 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery. At the time he wrote the letter in late March 1864, the 2nd Connecticut “Heavies” were still garrisoning Forts Worth, Williams, and Ellsworth, part of the defenses of Washington D. C., where they had been since the previous November. A little over a month later, they were ordered to join Grant’s Overland Campaign in Virginia as infantrymen. In battle, they had 242 enlisted men killed or mortally wounded. By disease, they lost 171 enlisted men.

John did not enlist until 27 January 1864. He signed up at De Peyster, St. Lawrence county, New York, thinking no doubt, that he would be able to serve out his time in garrison at Washington D. C. His parents were Robert Stevenson (1817-1893) and Mary McClintock (1822-1888).

This letter was sent to me for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by Matthew Ruhlig who found it in the Pension File of his ancestor’s brother, John P. Simmons, who served in the same company as Stevenson. 

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

Fort Williams
March 27, 1864

Father and Mother,

I now take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well and I hope this will find you the same. David Bachus is well. John Simmons has not come back yet but Abner Bennett was at Alexandria yesterday and seen him and he said he would be back tomorrow.

You wanted to know if I had been in the hospital. I was in it six days. I suppose you will think it strange that David sent some money home and I did not. I will tell you how it was. I was sent to the general hospital on Saturday and on Monday they was paid so that I did not get paid when the company did and I left the hospital before they was paid there so I will not get paid till the next pay day. That will be the 15th of May.

You wanted to know if we drilled much. We only drill 8 hours in the day and once every four days we have to go on fatigue. They are building a fort and we have to dig eight hours every day. We was on Battalion Drill and one of the first e boys was drummed out of his regiment and was brande[ed] with [the] letter C on his hip.

We got the box you sent us. Was glad to get it. I can’t think of any more at present. From John Stevenson

To his father, Robert Stevenson