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Camp Near Brooks Station
Dec 3d 1862
Dear Sister
I received your letter mailed the 28th yesterday. I was glad to hear from you. But sorry to hear that you are so un well. It seems as though you was allways sick. I dont see why you cant be tough like me. I am so tough that I dont know as a Bullet would hurt me if it should hit me. I dont feel quite as well to day as I have for a while Back on the acount of that peculiar Dance[diarrhea] that we are so subject to here. It will tire a feller out after a little. But other ways than that I am well as be expected for a Solder.
We had a Brigade drill to day. The first Brigade drill we had since [General Abram] Duryee left us. I like Coll. Adrian R. Root first rate. He is Coll. of the 94th N.Y.V. He is in comand of our Brigade now. He made a short speach to us to day stating that when he came into our Brigade he had a rather poor opinion of us for the first night he got here (he said) Some of you confounded rascals stole my Boots. He had a nice pair of Boots in the wagon with his things & some of the Boys stole them. (But says he) You have Drilled so well to day that I am willing to call it all eaven. But it looks rather tough to take the last pair of Boots a man has got. But if he
ever stuck his nose in it Duryees old Brigade could steal him Blind in one 24 hours if they was amind to Set them selvs a bout it for we are known to be the bigest lot of thievs in the whole Armey.
Thursday 4th
Then you dont like my polliticks do you. How do you know I have got any? I dont pretend to be a Democrat or an Abolisionist or Republican or any thing else. But I will be Darned if I like old Abes [President Lincoln’s Emancipation] Proclamation at all. He wants to free the Nigers any way wheather the Union is restoored or not. I have seen all the fighting I ever wan to see. But after all I will fight as long as I can
stand for the restorration of the Union & shall do so. But when it comes to that that I must fight to free them Confounded Nigers I have plaid out. The Nigers is well enough off. They live a great deal better & have more of the comforts of life than you do or any other poor family in the North & if Old Abe [President Lincoln] & Horris Greeley wer to do them a kindness he had better let them a lone. That is gust the way I look at the matter. May be I dont see it right. I think we can whip the Rebs just as well with out paying any atention to the Nigers. If they want their freedom let them fight for it them selvs. [Horace] Greeley may help them if he wants to. I shant.
December 9th
Well Mati I will finish this to day & send it to the offace. We started from Camp near Brooks Station this morning & came a bout 3 or 4 miles to ward fredericksBurg I expect. I think by all probillities we shall have a fight before long. They are fiting [fitting] out evry man with a gun & Aminition & it looks as though there was somthing ahead more than winter quarters. I have got me a new pair of Boots. The legs come up to my knees so I can wade Creeks & mud holes with out geting my feet wet. But they cost me a heap of money.
$7 dollars pay day. You would think that was an awful price there I spose. But that is the comon price here. The ground is froze hard as a rock so we can move verry well now. But as soon as it thaws out the mud will be knee deep. We had a quite a snow storm lasst Saturday night & it hasent all gon off yet. The snow was a bout 3 inches deep. It would seem rather tough to you I spose to sleep in a cloth house & the ground all coverd with snow wouldnt it? But it goes verry well. We stand it like good fellers cause (we cant do any other ways. But it certainly isnt as hard as one would nauterly [naturally] sppose after all.
Mati I hope you ant a going to be sick a great while any way for I mustrust it is rather hard times with you fellers to get along this Winter. I wish they would ever pay us again. I am geting perfickly discouraged a bout it. It seems as though Uncle Sam dont know how bad his Boys want some money once in a while. If we ever get any money & I can send it home if you want a new gownd[gown] or Ma or if dad wants any to use rather than to run in debt for any thing you can have it. (Money was made to use). We are alowed 42 dollars a year for Clothing & I have drawn since we left Le Roy
31 dollars worth with out the suit we got to Le Roy. I don’t know as we shall have to pay for that suit or not. John Reed is discharged so I hear [Dec. 3 at Frederick, MD]. Bulley for John. I am all most sorry you sent me those glovs for we have drawn mitins & good ones too & they only cost us 24 cents. Cheap wont they? Well Mati I dont know what more I can write to night so I will close. Good night. When you get this little book write me.
Add
December 14th 1862 [Fredericksburg, VA]
Dear Father
I spose you are anxious to hear from me to know wheather I am ded or alive. I am alive & sound as a brick only a slight wound in my left shoalder which is nothing dangerous. The Ball struck the top of my shoalder on those large cords & slid down my back and lodged. The dockter cut it out & don the wound up & I am feeling first rate this morning
only it is a little soar. This is the hardest fight our Regt ever was in. I cant write much this time for I am expecting to go to Washington or some other place soon then when I get sitated [situated] down I will write you all the paticulars. There is 23 of our Regt left on the other side of the [Rappahannock] River. There is 37 here wounded & a great maney killed. Bitsy [Ezra] Keys was killed ded.
Lieut [John] Degraff is missing. [Hiram A.] Cady & Harington [Reuben Harrington] wer killed. Hank Davis is here taking care of the wounded. I dont know where Peet [probably Peter Davis] is. Wm. Washburn is Wounded & here. Mike Riley is wounded to. I can write no more to day.
Adrian
Dont worry your selvs about me at all. Il come home if I can. We was in the fight yesterday [Battle of Fredericksburg]
VICTORY at
Fredricksburg
December 27th 1862
O. F. Hall Hospitall [Odd Fellows]
Washington D. C.
Dear Sister Mary
I have written two letters home since I was wounded and have got no answers from them yet. But I am looking for one evry day and have no doubts But what it will come in time “as Christmas did”. My shoalder is giting a long first rate. I can use my arm conciderable. All that I have had on it yet has been a wet cloth or lint and changed as often as I was a mind to have it.
I do believe that cold watter is the best thing for a wound that ever was invented. It keeps it from geting enflamed and it keeps the sourniss [soreness] out too. Mati we had the Bullyest Old Christmas here you ever heard an it would be impossibal for me to tell you of all the good things we had to eat & drink. I guess we had evry thing. I couldent think of any thing more any away. Then in the evning we had a Concert & then a supper good eneough for any Boddys Weding & thy was lots of Galls here tew. Some was good looking & some looked like the devil But they give us a lot of Candy & Sweet Candy too with reeding on it.
Sunday 28th the male has just come But no letter for me. Is it possible that you dont know eneough to find a letter or what is the matter? I have sent for my Descriptive list. I expect it evry day. When it comes I can get my money & a Furlow if I want one & I guess I will get one, & I will get my Discharge too if I can for I am tired of this Darnd humbug of War. I think they have got a bout as much fight out of me as they will get untill matters change a little. Any way I dont propose to fight gust for the fun of fighting. It is rather harsh fun I think. I was reading to day of the surprise at Holley Springs [Holly Springs, Mississippi]. That is an other great Union Victory (our Armey is good Sleepers) & especaly some of our Generals. Most of the men are wide a wake eneough to see that this war is a Big thing (it looks Big to me).
I spose it is cold eneough in Catt [Cattaraugus] to freeze the ears off from a feller ant it? It is the the finest kind of weather here. There hasent been But two snow storms yet & them was light. It has been for 2 weeks nice warm pleasant weather as you ever saw. I kind a dred to come home for fear I shall freeze to death. But I guess I will run the risk of it (if I can get home. I havent written to Montrose [Adrian’s brother] in a long time. I spose he thinks it strange But I cant help it. I havent had any paper nor stamps half of the time. You need not send my any now for I shall have some money in a few days. The report is that the wounded men are to be sent to their own States so I dont know how soon I may leave here But probly not untill after New Years. I could get a Furlow now if I wanted it But I shall wate untill I can git some money first. & then if we are sent to New York I can go home with out half the expence from there. That will be the way to do it.
END OF 1862 LETTERS
Adrian Fay Civil War Letters – Transcribed by Phil Palen
Pages in PINK are transcriptions of Xerox copies of letters sent to Phil Palen by the late Hollis Harvey Reed of Philadelphia, great-granddaughter of Adrian Fay through his daughter, Hollis Fay Fellows.
Pages in GREEN are transcriptions of originals owned by Phil Palen donated to St. Bonaventure University.
Pages in BLACK are transcriptions of originals owned by Patrick Gallagher donated to St. Bonaventure University.
Phil Palen added periods and initial capitals in these transcriptions, but did not change spellings.