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Weaver vill Clouds
Weaver vill Va
July 4th 1862
Dear Father I thought I would write a few lines to night to let you know that I am well, & am geting ready for a March early to morrow Morning. We are going to Warington a little village a bout 8 miles from here. There is no knowing how long we shall stop there. We may stop there one night & then go some where els. We dont know. We have had a pretty good
time to day. We had a ... and fired a few rounds of Blank cartridgs. I havent had a letter since the 21 of June. I expect one to night. I sent a Box of cloths yesterday. There was my Blanket & coat. Sant sent 2 coats. Fayet Furman sent a Blanket & som other things & Mike Riley sent one overcoat. They are all marked so you can tell them. I sent it by Express. If you can pay the cost I will sent it as soon as we get our pay & that will be in a few days. Now write soon & I will write as soon as we stop so I can.
A. Fay
Warrington Va
July 6th 1862
Sister Mati
I recived your letter this morning. Was glad to hear from home. But sorry to hear you was so unwell. We got here last night about 4 o’clock. It was not a very hard march. We started early & took our time for it. It is quite warm. But we all stood it good. We dont drill any in the heat of the day. It is the best country to live in I ever was in. There is any quantity of cherries, Black & red & larger than I ever saw in N.Y. You may eat as many as you please & they wont hurt you. I eat a quart evry day. The farmers are cutting their wheat
& offering from 2 dollars to 2 ½ for help. John Reed has got the Rheumatism. But he is so as to be strolling a round. There is going to be lots of fruit here. Peaches grow all over the lots & Pears grow on trees the same as they do in N.Y. Our company goes on on picket to day & I can finish this letter there as well as I can here & I must go to get ready. We shant go out untill to wards night so I will finish this before I go. That box of cloths I sent home was by express. Pa can pay the cost & I will send it (the pay) as soon as I get my pay a gan. We was musterd for pay the 30 of June. Fayett Furman has got some things in it. You can send them to his folks if you get a chance. Mike Riley has got an over coat there. Some of his folks will come & get it.
If you want to know what the Va. quick step is, you had better come & try it as I did for 3 days, & if your heel cords dont brake I shall wonder (it is the darndest dance I ever saw). Then you think Sati has told me all the news do you? You talk just as so she was writing to me. Hmm. Well. Well.
B.P. [Russell] has gon home. I dont think he will come back to stay any more. He said when he went a way that if he couldent get a Furlow he would resign. He has done one or the other. I dont know which. He was bound for home. Sant is at Catlet or there was when we left him yesterday. I dont know wheather he is coming or not. He is about the same & yet dont get well, nor dont die, nor cant get his discharge. We are flatering our selves that if McClelland
takes Richmond that we shall be at home by the time snow flies. But if he dont I dont think we shall. Lime Glaser has deserted & gone home or to Canada. Old [Theodore] Marvin is at Alexandria & Abner [Marvin] is here. He has been apointed Pioneer so he has to build Bridges &c. There was a Mr. [State Sen. Norman M.] Allen here the other day taking the names of the Catt[araugus] Boys. He came with Lieut Gool [David Gould Jr.] & has gone back with him (Gool has resigned). Allen said he was to our house 3 or 4 weeks ago. I had a good long talk with him about Catt. Co.
Warrington is a real sessesh place. No longer ago than a week ago today a band of Gorillas [guerillas] came into the town & took some sick solders prisoners. But we will clean them out. We are a bout a mild out of the town. Our whole Divasion is here 4 Regt of Infantry & 2000 or 3000 cavalry.
after dinner July 13th [1862]
I guess I will keep a writing for I have nothing els to do now & Perhaps By & By I shall have something els to do So I cant get time to write. I dont think we shall leave here untill we get our pay (But we may). They are paying some of the Regt now. They will get a round to us soon I hope, & then we shall leave for some place for there is over 50,000 men around in this versinity and they are dooing nothing and the government needs them now & I think they will have them at work Soon. I think without any kind of doubt
this large Body of Solders will go to Richmond for I am sure thy are doing no good here & if we was there we could asist in taking that Rebel City. For my part I had rather go there & fight like a dog & put this tormented Rebellion down, than to Stay here and drill in the hot sun all summer & some one else do the fighting. I am in hopes to get a litter to night. If I dont I shall be disapointed. When we are a Marching I shant expect to write as of ten as I do now for I cant have the chance But I will write as often as I can. If we should go to Richmond our Male would not go as often as it does now & it might be a long
time before I could hear from you or you from me. But I shall write as often as I can. I calculate to come home a bout next faul. I think Uncle Sam will be done with me by that time. Next time you write tell me a bout where Clark Foster & Joe is & Sall Halladay [Solomon Holliday or Halliday, 85th NY Infantry, from Hinsdale]. I dont know but Sall is in this versinity. I dont know the No. of his Regt. What is it?
July 15 1862
We havent gon yet & I dont think we shall in a good while. We are verry buissily engaged at target shooting. There is but one ahead of me & that is John Bailey
He hit the target 3 times & I hit it 5 but he hit the Bulls eye once. We are a going in today for dead ruin. There is a prize to day for the one that will make the best shot. The Col [Fuller] has 15 picked out of each Company for to do the shooting.
I guess I will send this letter this morning but I hadent arto for I havent had any letters yet since yours that was mailed the 1 of July & I have writen 3 since then.
Good morn
Add
B.P. [Russell] has gon home on a furlow
Camp Near Warrington
First Brigad, Second
Divison 3th Army Corps
Department of the Raphanock
the great Armey of Va.
Gen. Pope Comander
July 20th / 62
Dear Mother
I thought I would write a few lines to you so that you might know where I am & what I am a bout. I want you to hear from me if I cant hear from you. The last letter I had was from Mary. It was maled the 1 of July
I recieved it the 6th & answerd it the same day & I had writen one before that & 2 since (this makes 2). I think they must be miss carried or els some of you are Sick, or something els to pay. I shall keep writing evry week untill I do get a letter from some of you. I dont want you to think it makes me homesick because I dont hear from home, for that cant be. I havent been homesick one single hour since I came to Virginia. I would like right well to see Shin town a gan & the folks there in. But I shant untill Uncle Sam gets his Big contract done. We have got the awfulest lot of new wagons & teams you ever thought of. All most evry train has been loaded with wagons & mules
for the last week & 100 more teams came from Washington yesterday. Gen. [John] Pope will have things right. You have heard of the new orders he has ishued havnt you? A bout jayhocking & guarding Rebel property. We havent done much els yet But to guard the property of these pretend to be good Union folks. But that has plaid out now. If we see a good flock of sheep & want one we go & down one & dont get put under guard neather as we did once when we took some Sheep. I had a good dinner to day of muton & young Potatoes & hard bred & Honey. It is a great Country for Bees here. I was Coperal of the Guard yesterday. Lieut [Augustus] Field was Officer of the Guard. We had a Bulley time.
I am glad & thankful that I am so healthy. Ther is a good many of the Boys sick, & I am tough & healthy. I had a rather of a Poor time last week. I had the Ganders [glanders] But I have got rid of them now. John Reed is laid up with the Rheumatism. I dont know where Santford [Field] is. I havent seen him since we left Weavers ville. I gues he is at Alaxandra or at home. Uncle James [Fay] was at Washington the last I heard of him & that was a long time a go.
We havent got our Pay yet But they say the Pay master is here So we will have it soon.
from Add
July 21 / 62
I guess I will write a full letter while I am a bout it. I shall expect a full one when I get one. (if I ever do) I would like to know if that Box got home & what it cost to send it. We dont expect to stay here long. We have been here 2 weeks & that is a long time for us to stay in one place. We shall get our pay to morrow or next day. They are paying the 104 Regt [104th NY Infantry] to day. There is 26 dollars coming to me. I shall send home 20. I cant get a long without a litte money to use once in a while. I want you & Pa to write & tell me all the
news, a bout how you are a geting a long & what Phelps is a going to do a bout the place & Wheather that Road has gon through or not. I wrote a letter to Montrose [Adrian’s brother] a bout 3 weeks ago but havent had an answer yet. I understand they are a going to draft men in N. Y. How is it is that so? It would be to Bad if Aunt Fanny would have to let Charley [Field] go after all wouldent it? Rev. B. P. [Russell] has gon home on a furlow. I dont know wheather he will ever come back a gain or not. Lieut [Thomas] Stedman thinks a good deal of his little Corpral (as he calls me). Since we have some neat target Shooting I can plunk the biggest of a man
80 or 100 Rod with the Rifle I have got gust as easy as a mink. As near as I can learn you have had some verry warm weather up North. We havent had any verry hot weather here yet. But it is Stidy [steady] warm, every day alike so that we get used to the heat. Corn is from 3 to 4 feet high & gust begins to tasal out. I would like to get my likeness taken so you could see my young whiskers. But there is no one here now to take Picturs. The next time you write gust write a good long letter about 4 sheets of Fools Cap I gues will be eneough at once. Give my respects to Mrs Brown & the Dock.
Yes I heared that Mrs Bullard had got a little Darter [daughter]. What is Weston doing? Does the old Mill stand yet? Where is Granny? What does Mrs Harvey say since she has got her new teath? What has Mary [Adrian’s sister] gon over to Cooks for? Why dident she & Montrose write to me when he was at home? Have you seen or heard from Lant Carters folks? What makes fools ask questions.
Waterloo Va July 27th / 62
I hope you are not worring your self a bout me. I have allways told you the truth about my health & shall if I am sick or any thing hapens to me you shall know it amediately. I never shall keep the truth from you, be what it may. But you must remember that I enlisted for the good of my country & I am willing to give my life as a Sacrifice for it if it would help to restore it to peace & Liberty once more. I did not join the Armey for gain or the name. But for to serve my Country & I
shall do it though death Stands at the same post with me. You must remember that I am in the armey where folks die sometimes & I am just as lyeble to die as any one, & you must prepare you self with presence of mind eneough to meat with any such ocurance. I know verry well that life is un certin & death is certin. But I cant make it seem to me but what I shall come through all safe. I would like to see all of you first rate & I am in hopes I shall this fall, but I dont much expect to. The report is that old [Stonewall] Jackson is in the Shanadoah Valley. If he is I shouldnt wonder if we
had a brush with him before many weeks. But he will wish he had let the job to some one els I guess before he gets through with it for Gen Pope has got a snarl of men a round here. I dont think you can send me any thing that will be of any use to me except a good long letter. That does me as much good as any thing I can think of. We have a plenty to eat & that is good eneough. We have fresh meat & Potatoes when we can jayhock them & chickens. I got a letter yesterday from Mary [Adrian’s sister] that was maled the 18th of June. That is the reason I dont get more letters. I dont know wheather you get all of mine or not. I sent 20 dollars home yesterday by express.
Ma I am a fraid you worry about me more than there is any use of. Now if I ever told the truth I tell it now that I have never enjoyed my self any better in my life than I have this summer. I have been as tough as a Bear all the time except 3 days at Front Royal & a bout 2 weeks a go I had the Ganders [glanders] for a week but I done duty all the week so you see I wasnt very bad off. I told Mati [his sister Mary] to send me some ... tape to make some stripes of. I dont now as she has got the letter yet. I wish I had Fanny [his sister] & Hens [his brother Henry] likenes. I would like to have all of yours if it wasnt so much bother to carry them with me. I shall get mine taken as soon as I can. We are moving around so much that I dont have any chance get it taken.
[In same envelope as 27 July 1862 letter]
Well fanny She can have those sisors [scissors] if if Mary will let her have them. I told Mati she might have them But if she will let Fan have them I will send her some thing els (Mary may have my jacket). [Cephas] Childs got his Box of victuals that was sent last May & evry thing was spoild but some maple shugar. There is no use of senting any thing so far. If there is any thing you have got that you want to send me that you can
send by male you can send it if you wanto. I think a good big long letter is as good as any thing you can send. Mr [Theodore] Marvin is at allaxandra Sick. (Abner [Marvin] is here) B P [Russell] is at home on a furlow. Sant [Sanford Field] is at the Semanary hospital near Clouds Mills. He is trying to get his discharge. I think that B P might have helped him to it if he had been a mind to & Sant could have been at home now
But he seems to think more of his own selfish self than any thing els. As long as I am well I shall stick to the Armey. But if I am sick & un fit for duty I shall come home. I gues this will do for this time. Write & tell me all the news a bout evry Body
& oblig Corp Fay
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.