Category Archives: Point Lookout, Maryland

22nd Massachusetts Infantry, Hammond General Hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland, Tornado

1863-64: Henry Thomas Fitts to his Siblings

March 5, 2025 Griff Leave a comment

*I could not find an image of Henry but here is an unidentified member of Co. B wearing the winter uniform of the 22nd Massachusetts (Al & Claudia Niemiec Collection)*

The following letters were written by Henry Thomas Fitts (1842-1919), the son of Daniel French Fitts (1805-1883) and Susan Fellows (1805-18xx) of Haverhill, Essex county, Massachusetts.

Henry was a 19 year-old shoe cutter from Haverhill when he enlisted in September 1861 as a private in Co. H, 22nd Massachusetts Infantry. He transferred to the 216th Company of the Veteran Reserve Corps, 1st Battalion, in April 1864 and mustered out of the service in October 1864. Muster rolls inform us that he was reported missing at the Battle of Gaines’ Mill on 27 June 1862.

Letter 1

*Addressed to Miss Emily S. Fitts, Haverhill, Massachusetts*

Point Lookout, Maryland
November 26th 1863
Thanksgiving Day

Dear Sister Em,

I have been waiting all this week to hear from home supposing that you would write when Father got home and let me know that he did get home all right, but I find that I have been trusting to a forlorn hope and so have concluded to drop you a line. Everything remains in about the same way as when Father was here and I suppose he has told you more than I can write.

I received a letter from Dan last night in which he informed me of the death of Laura’s little boy and my nephew Charley. This is sad news indeed but I suppose it was so ordered by a mightier power than ours, for our—as well as his good. He has only been lifted higher and has been spared all the troubles and misfortunes of at the best, but a short existence sooner or later we must all pass over the river. Let us so live that we may at any time be prepared to die.

I should much like to be at home today but find there is not much use in wishing, fortune favoring this is the last Thanksgiving I shall ever spend in the Army. Next year I hope to spend this day with you at home. We are going to have a dinner here of roast pigs and apple pies. This is all we get to celebrate with,

It is a beautiful day—almost as warm as it is in June.

They are offering great inducements for the old veterans to re-enlist but I can’t see it—at least not till my time is out on this enlistment, and then—why, we will see, what we will see.

I have just finished the last chestnut there was in the little box you sent me by Father. It was very pleasant and seemed so good to have something come from home. You don’t know how much good it done me.

I have use for eight photographs and although there is a gallery here, yet they take such poor ones that I should be ashamed to send them to any one and I want you, if I have any good ambrotypes at home, to take the best one and get me eight photos copied from them, and whatever it costs I will send you as soon as we are paid.

Give my love to all the folks. Write soon. From your affectionate brother, — Henry

P. S. I should like a few postage stamps as there is none in the Point.

Letter 2

Point Lookout
January 15th 1864

My Dear Mother,

The reason I have not written home for so long, I have just returned from a trip to Washington where I was sent by the Dr. in charge of the hospital on business connected with the laundry. I was to have been gone four days but while there the cold snap came on (Which I see you have had at home) and froze up the river so we could not get back till yesterday although we started Tuesday—four days on the trip which is usually performed in 8 or 9 hours.

*“I send you a piece of bark which I peeled from a tree just in front of Washington’s tomb.”*

The first day we came 18 miles, then stopped for the night and in the morning we were froze in hard and fast. We layed at this place one day and two nights. It was just opposite Mount Vernon and all in board took advantage of the time and visited the historical place. I send you a piece of bark which I peeled from a tree just in front of Washington’s tomb.

I haven’t time to write much now, and the room is so awful cold that I can hardly hold my pen. Will write again tomorrow after I get settled. Till then, I am your affectionate son, — Henry

P. S. I haven’t got the box yet but expect it today.

Letter 3

Point Lookout, Maryland
June 1st 1864

My dear sister,

It is now some time since I have written to you but it has been however no fault of mine. We have had very busy times for the last three weeks receiving wounded from the late battles day and night which has kept us hard at work. The poor fellows suffer much this warm weather but you hardly hear a complaint from one of them. As many as five a day have been buried ever since their arrival which is a large percentage on so few—eighteen hundred.

The weather has been intensely hot for the last two days—the thermometer ranging as high as 90 degrees in the shade. It is some war, you may believe. If I was at home now, we would begin to think of going to the Bluff—that place of credit and renown so celebrated in the annals of Haverhill history. I am just writing this at a late hour, nearly eleven o’clock. “Taps” have log since sounded warning all good soldiers to put out their lights and go to bed. So you see I am trespassing on Uncle Sam’s time in writing this dull letter.

All the regiments which have been stationed here have left for the front and their places supplied by the Veteran Reserve Corps. We have also had many additions to our prisoners having 15,000 privates and 700 officers, making quite a small army in themselves.

I see by the Publishers which you sent me that old H[averhill] has again been “shaken by drafts alarms” and among the names I noticed, that of Seymour. I suppose that is the Rev. Gent of the Episcopal Church. I am glad to see it for Grant needs all the men he can get and that puts me in mind that the army has got back to McClellan’s old ground of the Peninsular—the same place which was the scene of the military exploits of your humble brother, that is, what few he performed. God speed him is my prayer.

My time is rapidly growing shorter. I am now a three months man and that will soon slip away. I sent you a package of specimens the other day. write if you get them all right. I enclose two in this letter. I did not suppose when I sat down that I should write on more than half of this sheet, but find that I have nearly filled the four sides. And as I am growing sleepy, had better stop. Give love to all friends. from your affectionate brother, — Henry

Good night.

Letter 4

*Addressed to Daniel Fitts, Haverhill, Mass.*

Point Lookout
August 7, 1864

Dear Brother,

Yesterday morning, we witnessed a sight which, once seen, will never be forgotten. At about 5:30 o’clock in the morning, a whirlwind passed over this place creating a great destruction of property but fortunately attended with no loss of life. If you had seen it and the course it took, you would hardly believe that it could have passed among so many men and not have killed any. I send you a diagram with its course marked in red ink from the place it first touched the Point till it left. Two of the long Wards in the circle were blown flat and although they were filled with patients at the time it first touched the Point, they managed to all get out to a place of safety and not a man in either Ward was injured. Six other buildings belonging to the Commissary Department were completely demolished besides the sutler shop and Dead House in the Hospital.

I suppose that the time occupied in its passage over the Point was not more than three minutes all together but the scene in this short time beggars description. The air was filled with flying boards, beams, barrels, and all manner of loose stuff that was lying about. To give you some idea of the force of it, one of the rows of cottages marked 5 in the picture were taken up and blown some 5 yards and set down again without injury. Bales of hay and barrels of beef and pork were blown about like as many straws.

I cannot write you an adequate description of it and so will reserve it to tell when I come home. Everything but this is as serene as usual. Things jog along quietly as the time of my service grows shorter. Less than two months and I hope to exclaim, “My native hills, I’m with you once again.” I wrote to you about two weeks ago but suppose you did not receive the letter as I have heard nothing from you since.

*The View of Hammond General Hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland*, *with Henry’s red markings.*

No. 1 in the picture is the place where the whirlwind first struck and all the buildings marked 1 were commissary and were destroyed. 2 is the Dead House. 3 is the sutler’s. 4 is two Wards in the circle. 5 is the row of cottages which “changed their base.” It took rather of an erratic course making as you see four right angles. I suppose, however, this is the nature of the beast being as its name indicates—a “whirler.” I almost forgot to mention that a large water spout was formed which the gun boats broke by firing into.

Well there, if I don’t keep still, I shall write all there will be to tell and so I will stop. Hoping to. hear from you soon. I remain your affectionate brother, — Henry

P. S. I get the papers every week.

5th New Hampshire Infantry, Point Lookout Prison Camp, Point Lookout, Maryland

1864: Benjamin Howe to Edward Warner

November 8, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

The following letter was written by Canadian-born Benjamin Howe of Acworth, New Hampshire, who enlisted at the age of 24 in August 1862 to serve as a private in Co. E, 5th New Hampshire Infantry. He was transferred from Co. E to Co. H in December 1864 with his promotion to 1st Sergeant. The regiment served under the able leadership of Col. Edward E. Cross until he was cut down at Gettysburg. It sustained such considerable loses (over 1,000 men in killed and wounded) that it was only a shadow of its former self after the Battle of Gettysburg. Those that were left in the regiment were no longer a formidable fighting force and were assigned duty to guard prisoners at Point Lookout, Maryland until they could fill up their ranks once again.

This letter was written from Point Lookout and the rebels who were making the “curiosities” that Benjamin sent home to his friend were Confederate prisoners of war. The “niggers” as Benjamin called them whom he “knocked down” for sport were either contraband or, more likely, US Colored Troops (USCT) who were also on duty at Point Lookout serving as prison guards. Whether military or civilian, the blacks were sorely abused by the white soldiers of both the Union and Confederate armies.

*Confederate POW’s laughing at a USCT soldier who accidentally killed his fellow sentry at Point Lookout, Maryland. This scene was one of many sketches made by Confederate POW Jack Omenhausser.*

Transcription

*Addressed to Mr. Edward Warner, Acworth, New Hampshire*

Point Lookout, Maryland
January 31, 1864

Friend Ed,

I received your letter and was glad to hear that you was well and I am glad to hear that you are having a good time this winter.

Dan is well and just as wild as ever. He is getting to be a first rate bugler and a good fellow as a general thing himself.

You wanted me to send you some curiosities. Well, I have got two rings made and I will send them to you. The rebels made them and they make lots of funny things. If the rings suits you and you want any more curiosities, I will furnish you with pleasure. I will keep an eye out for them and get a good many things. Tell Frank if she would like a fan that the rebs made, I will send her one. They make some of the prettiest that I ever saw and they cut little bibles out of stone and color them and they look real nice, and they make tooth picks and most everything that you could imagine.

Well, Ed, as I am in a hurry, I will come to a halt. As for myself, I am well at present and enjoying myself as well as possible under the circumstances. I get lonesome sometimes and go out of camp and knock down three or four niggers and come back satisfied. Give my best pair of specks [respects] to all enquiring friends and vote Democrat ticket.

If you want any more things, I will have them by the time you will let me know. I have got a rebel 50 cents scrip and it is a genuine one in their country. I will send it to you. Well, Ed, goodbye. Write often and I will answer them promptly and with pleasure.

From your friend, — Corp. Benjamin Howe

Direct to Co. E, 5th New Hampshire Volunteers, Washington D. C.

Battle of 2nd Bull Run, Hammon General Hospital, Point Lookout, Maryland

1862: Melzar Wentworth Clark to his Daughter

May 4, 2023 Griff Leave a comment

This letter was written by Melzar Wentworth Clark (1812-1895) of Hingham, Plymouth county, Massachusetts. Melzar was married to Sabina Hobart Lincoln (1820-1906) in 1837 and was working as a baker in Hingham when his oldest son Andrew Jackson Clark (1837-1927) enlisted to served in Co. H, 23rd Massachusetts in 1861.

I could not find any evidence that 50 year-old Melzar was serving in any official military capacity at the time he wrote this letter in September 1862. My assumption is that he was at the Hammond General Hospital as a civilian volunteer, or perhaps as a government paid work in the hospital bakery. In any event, we learn from this letter that he was at the hospital assisting the medical staff with the treatment of the wounded soldiers who were “from the late battlefields” near Washington D. C. These would have been, of course, the battles at Groveton, 2nd Bull Run, and/or Chantilly.

Transcription

Hammond General Hospital (spoke-like structure at lower left) on Point Lookout, MD. This artist’s rendering is from later in the war. Melzar was probably quartered in the two-story structure that looks more like a house at right center facing the ocean. The wharf can be clearly seen at the left or sheltered side of the peninsula.

Ward B, Hammond General Hospital
Point Lookout, Maryland
September 14, 1862

Dear Daughter

It is now 3 oclock P.M. I have just shaved me & sat down for the first time since I got up. Four hundred wounded soldiers arrived here yesterday afternoon in the J. R. Spaulding from Washington. They are from the late battlefields in that vicinity. Quite a large number are Massachusetts men. Tell Lyman Whiten there is one man from Captain [Cephas C.] Bumpus’ Company named Hiram Nickerson ¹ who lost his right middle finger by a minié ball here. He says he is the only one in the 32rd regiment harmed. There are some from the 18th Regiment, some from the 29th (Barnes’) and other regiments. They are wounded in all parts of their limbs, hips, and shoulders. It was a sad sight to see them come hobbling up from the boat—which lands close by here—with crutches, canes, &c. so exhausted as to sink down upon the floor as soon as they could get a chance.

We have had a hard time of it ever since they arrived getting their beds up and the linens ready for them and for themselves, to say nothing about providing it for all the other patients. This morning Dr. Stearns and Lombard, with me for an assistant, as soon as breakfast was over, went through with what there was in Ward B. It took them till noon removing the bandages, probing and otherwise examining their wounds and redressing them. They bore all with great fortitude. We suffer none from the heat although it is quite hot in the sun. I never saw so much difference anywhere at the North as there is here between being in the shade and in the sun. The suns rays penetrate just like the heat of an oven, while at the same time it is delightfully cool and balmy in the shade.

*The Philadelphia Enquirer, 25 November 1862*

I found it so in Baltimore in a peculiar manner and, also, on my way down the Chesapeake on board the Major Belger. This is owing to the sea breeze that is constantly blowing from all quarters here. As the ward I am in is in upper story of what was a spacious hotel which embraces three large houses attached to one another, we feel the full force of it through the long corridors which extend north and south, east and west, between the rooms, with windows opening at the top and clear down to the floor.

As we look across the mouth of the Potomac, the sacred soil of Virginia is in full view 8 or 10 miles distant. We can see it some ways up the river, and down to the light at the mouth of the Rapahannock.

This is the third letter that I have written home. I have received nothing as yet but hope to before long. Mary Hobart said she would see that the Boston Journal was sent me. I have not got one yet. If you have found that large map Andrew had at Fortress Monroe that came out of that big book, I wish it put in an envelope newspaper fashion and forwarded to me by mail. His is Papa’s little humming bird and the baby? From your father, — M. W. Clark

¹ The only Nickerson I can find in the 32nd Massachusetts Infantry was listed on the roster as William T. Nickerson (1838-1867) of Plymouth in Co. E.