| | | Letters written by Stephen F. Come to Mary Come (Wife) |
1 | 1 | Poughkeepsie [N.Y.], February 13, 1864?
Writes that he has been there in Barracks since leaving home; wishes for a likeness of his wife and youngest to be sent, and he will do so in return when available; wants word if she has received the check and twenty-five dollars sent from him; mentions all is well with him and also with Ransom (?); mentions he will most likely be leaving the next Monday or Tuesday for Fort Shyler [Fort Schuyler?], New York. |
1 | 2 | Near Branly Station [Brandy Station, Va.?], April 4, 1864
Writes that he has been moving around a lot recently, first to Fort Schuyler, then to Fort Leyon [Lyon]; discusses possibility of going back to Georgetown; states present quarters are not comfortable; wants to know if she has received the 100 dollars sent March 21st, and wants postage stamps sent to him. |
1 | 3 | Fort Lyon, Va., April 20, 1864
Mentions receiving the likenesses and sending out his own; asks if Ransom is at home, since he hasn't heard from him since he went to Albany; discusses the Army of the Potomac and briefly General Grant; mentions being behind the army as it moves, and feels he is not in any danger at the moment. [Letter is written phonetically.] |
1 | 4 | Fort Lyon, Va., April 30, 1864
Discusses getting over a bout of diarrhea that has been commonplace throughout the company, which he posits is because of the different water; mentions that pay will be sent some time but a stop to letters being sent out until further notice is being started, which Come thinks has to do with rebels getting information; says that there is a possibility of battle and the men are in good spirits for it; also says his army group is in the reserve artillery and may instead guard forts over going into battle. |
1 | 5 | Camp in field, June 4, 1864
Letter written on way (10 miles from) Richmond, Va.; mentions he is in better health, asks after Mary and the cow. |
1 | 6 | Near Petersburg [Va.], June, 26, 1864
Tells wife he has been ill in the hot weather, but that his company has been relieved from the fighting going around; states they have marched a very long way from where they started; asks after money to be sent to buy tobacco. |
1 | 7 | The entrenchments near Petersburg [Va.], July 11, 1864
Writes that he wishes he could have spent Independence Day with her, and hopes to be able to get a furlough soon; prays for safety and an end to the war; says Ransom has been put in his company; advises her on financial situations; mentions a man [name illegible] to whom he has not had time or paper to write and asks her to pass on a message to him; also mentions war-related information. [The letter is very faded and difficult to read in detail.] |
1 | 8 | Camp near Petersburg [Va.], July 25, 1864
Writes that he was sorry to hear Mary was sick, and warns her to be careful of her health; adds that hearing from her cheers him up the most and wishes he could be at home; says he should be paid soon and will express mail it; mentions they may go to Washington in the fall (a rumor); talks about the rainy weather there as opposed to the drier weather at home; asks her to pray on his behalf and writes of God and religion in regards to their separation. |
1 | 9 | City Point [Va.], August 12, 1864
Says he is glad to hear the family is in good health, and he is as well; mentions he was detailed the 31st of July to go to City Point Hospital; mentions he has been moon blind [unable to see at night] for 5-6 weeks, but thinks that he will go back to the front after his eyes heal; tells her not to sell 'boot trees' and discusses other business deals; mentions Ransom got the letter with five dollars; says he received the children's letters and that he is sending along a book for Mary; expects pay any day soon. |
1 | 10 | City Point, Va., August 23, 1864
Discusses rumors of him being ill; says he has gotten over being moon blind after 8 weeks; was detailed from his regiment on July 31st; does guard duty every three days, which is work he enjoys as he hears the battles have been pretty bad since; discusses getting a watch that he may be able to sell, and being paid and sending those 70 dollars; mentions letter was dictated to another soldier who was detailed with Come. |
1 | 11 | City Point, Va., September 11, 1864
Writes he has been there for six weeks and plans to stay "until the regiment goes into winter quarters and perhaps longer"; mentions possibility of a winter furlough; mentions the increase from 850 to 2,340 men in the regiment and that they have been in two or three battles since he left; asks for postage stamps and says he has 40 dollars coming to him at some point. |
1 | 12 | City Point, Va., September 25, 1864
Says he is still having problems with his eyes; mentions it has been 8 months since he enlisted; mentions a soldier, Frank Brig, who his wife may know; says that the soldiers think the war will be over by the fall election; preparing for winter at City Point by putting up 'log shanties'. |
1 | 13 | City Point, Va., November 25, 1864
Mentions his wife was very ill, which was why there was a gap in letters; mentions Thanksgiving meal being sent to the soldiers who are in the hospital, although not him; says that conditions there are very good; says he would not be able to get a furlough until the new year; sent her 50 dollars on October 13th; mentions he has news from Ransom; requests 2 dollars for tobacco and stamps, since he won't be paid until January; can hear the "cannons of Pikets firing". |
1 | 14 | City Point, Va., January 2, 1865
Says there is no snow on the ground (responding to wife's mentioning sleighing in her letter to him); explains why he did not seem to understand who she meant by John J in a previous letter (a neighbor); says this is a short letter because he is in a hurry. |
1 | 15 | Near City Point, Va., January 8, 1864 [1865?]
Discusses the possibility presented of him getting a furlough that month or early the next, and therefore asking for $15 in order to be prepared; says state money will not work there. |
1 | 16 | City Point, Va., February 10, 1865
Says he has not received an answer to last three letters; may or may not get a furlough; mentions fighting has been going on and his regiment lost 200 men (killed, wounded, and missing); says it was still a gain for the Union. |
1 | 17 | City Point, Va., February 20, 1865
Mentions not having received the $15 requested and then sent by Mary; says there is a chance of a furlough by March 20; mentions another 3 killed from his company, says he has it very good with his position at City Point; mentions there is talk of peace and of payment soon. |
1 | 18 | City Point, Va., April 2, 1865
Says he sent $50 on March 29; mentions the fighting going on near Petersburg and the Rebel prisoners; says the Union expects to have the city by morning; says he will not get a furlough at this time but believes the war will be over by July 4; mentions his regiment is guarding an ammunition train. |
1 | 19 | City Point, Va., April 9, 1865
Mentions the Union army has captured Petersburg and Richmond, and that the Confederates are 'demoralised'; believes war will be over within the month; mentions that his major was killed but his company is safe (including Ransom). Post script mentions the surrender of General Lee to Grant, and the celebrations undergoing. |
1 | 20 | City Point, Va., April 14, 1865
Mentions again the surrender by Lee and rumors of surrender by Johnson; saw 7,560 Rebel prisoners; mentions seeing the wounded General 'Ewell'[?]; mentions a Mr. Hall on the Steamer Seneca, and that he will write to Nicolas White; will send her a $5 confederate bill he got from a prisoner. |
1 | 21 | City Point, Va., April 29, 1865
Mentions the 'whole southern army' has surrendered and believes he will be soon discharged; mentions the assassination of President Lincoln and the capture of the assassin; updates and says he has seen the Seneca but not Mr. Joe Hill. |
1 | 22 | Camp between Alexandria?, [Va.] and Washington, May 18, 1865
Mentions leaving City Point the 8th and arriving in Alexandria the 10th, and setting up a hospital 3 miles from Alexandria on the 11th; says the corps are camped nearby; believes he will be home in about 3 weeks; tells her not to worry over him or work too hard. |
1 | 23 | Camp near Alexandria [Va.], June 11, 1865
Says he has not heard from her since May 2; says he might not be home for 2 or 3 months, despite being discharged, because of an issue between the major and his higher ups; has sent a bundle with trinkets home; says they will not get paid until they are discharged, but then will get monthly pay. |
1 | 24 | Camp near Washington, [D.C.], June 21, 1865
Says she still has not answered and he is 'uneasy'; mentions again he will not be paid until after being discharged, a total of 136 dollars; says he is no longer with the hospital, but back with his original company. |
1 | 25 | Fort Ellsworth near Alexandria, Va., June 30, 1865
Comments on the letter he has received from his wife stating she had been sick; says there is no sign of being paid or discharged; regrets he cannot meet with family visiting at home; talks about the death of a Joseph Hall. |
1 | 26 | Fort Albany [Va.], July 22, 1865
Mentions moving to current location on the 16th, and visiting D.C. on the 20th for shoemaking supplies [his trade)]; mentions getting paid the 16th (?); says volunteers will probably be discharged soon. |
1 | 27 | Fort Woodbury [Va.], August 12, 1865
Heard from Ransom that [Mary Come] was getting better; says his regiment is being mustered out and should be in New York by the end of the next week. |
1 | 28 | Hartes Island [Hart's Island, N.Y.], August 29, 1865
Says he has arrived in 'Old' York State and must stay there a few days before he can go home. Left Fort Woodbury the 24th and arrived in New York City the 25th. |
| | | Miscellaneous Correspondence to Stephen and Mary Come |
1 | 29 | Joseph Bruley to [Stephen Come], September 8, 1861
Inquires after Come's health and after a watch that should have been given to a Jonas; asks for his brothers' addresses to send them mail; says his company is 'going out on Pickets'; mentions a fort visible from 2.5 miles away; recounts tale of a man sentenced to be shot for sleeping during his post. |
1 | 30 | Receipt, C[hatham] Center [N.Y.], December 31, 1861
Stephen Come, [bought] of A. Weiderwax; prices of fabrics and thread, amounting to a total of $9.98. |
1 | 31 | Joseph Bruley to [Stephen Come], Richmond Libby Prison, [Va.], December 28, [1862]
Mentions delay in writing due to much marching and time in battles; mentions one group had only 20/80 men left; says he was sent to the prison, spent Christmas there, where food is a bit of bread and some soup |
1 | 32 | Joseph Bruley to [Stephen Come], Camp Parole, Annapolis, Md., February 6, 1863
Says boys were drunk for 3 or 4 days but have now run out of money; asks for news from someone [name illegible] and asks Come to give a ring to Henry which JB made in prison; mentions there is a lot to eat but nothing to do where he is. |
1 | 33 | Joseph Bruley to [Stephen Come], Camp Parole, Annapolis, Md., February 18, 1863
Mentions not being able to get back that winter but that their time is up in three months; states he was in prison for four weeks, and three of them only had bread and water, and the cells were filthy; asks after people they know who may be enlisting; says there is much to eat but not to do; says there are 8,000 men at the camp but many will be sent out soon. |
1 | 34 | Wm A. Augur to Mary Come, West Pittsfield, [Mass.], 1864
Discusses believing that Mary Come is having a hard time due to a lack of money coming in from Stephen Come; mentions a way of letting the money go through him in order to have detailed receipts of it; talks about the money due and waving off interest if paid in a few weeks. |
1 | 35 | Theodore A. Corby to [Stephen Come], Jeffersonville, [N.Y.], September 30, 1865
Details his journey home after leaving New York City "that Sunday Evening"; has not started work yet; visited Buffalo and Canada after returning home; talks about possibility of going to Buffalo to learn bookkeeping; recalls time at City Point helping Come. |
| | | Covers |
1 | 36 | Addressed to Mrs. Mary [Come], Chatham Centre, Col Co, NY. Top right corner cut out (the stamp). |
1 | 37 | Addressed to Mrs. Mary Come, Chatham Centre, Columbia Co, NY. Square in Top right cut out. |
1 | 38 | Addressed to Mrs. Mary Come, Chatham Centre, Columbia Co, New York. Square in top, center-right cut out. |
1 | 39 | Addressed to Mrs. Mary Come, Chatham Senter [sic], Columbia Co, N.Y. Square in top, center-right cut out. Top left corner printed "U.S. Christian Commission. Soldier's Letter." Also written on cover is 'J. O'Neill. Lieut of [?]' |