ADRIAN FAY 1864 LETTERS
January 1864
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Camp Parole
Annapolis Md
January 3d / 64
My Dear Sadie
It has been a long time since I have heard from you or since I have writen to you. But there is no one to blame for it. After I left Davids Island I thought I would not write until I got to the Regt. and I got here yesterday. And the first thing I thought of was to write to you for I know you are wondering why I dont write. I comenced a letter last night but the mail does not go out until to morrow so I burnt it up and thought I would comence an other one to day.
Perhaps when I come to look this over I shall find somthing in it that sounds so flat and silley that I will burn this up too. But if I should not find any thing that sounds flat and silley perhaps you will and you can burn it then. They told us at Washington that our Regt was all here But they are not. There is only a bout one hundred of us here now. But we expect the whole Regt. here this month and I hope they will come for I think we could serve our time out here as easy as we could in the Field. There is a great many of the Soldiers Enlisted a gain into the “V.Vs.” [Veteran Volunteers] but I dont much think I shall. The great Bounty is not so much of a temptation to me as some other things are.
If “Uncle Sam” is not satisfied to let me go home when I have served three years he can disown me if he likes. I started from Davids Island the 18th of December and have been ever since then geting here. I was four days coming to Alaxandria and was there a bout a week and then came to Baltimore and was there New Years day. But I did not engoy myself verry well after all for I was in such a hurry to get to the Regt. Christmas day I was in the Convlescent Camp and Hank [George H. Kelley, 6th NY Cavalry] and Rast [Erastus French, 6th NY Cavalry] was there and we had a very good time all a lone to our selvs. But I suppose Rast is at home now. He was luckey eneough to get his Discharge [on Dec. 29, 1863]. I was examined but the Dockter told me I was all sound and was able to do
a little more servace yet. Darling I shall have to close this scrawl of a letter for now. Write to me as soon as you get this for it seems like an ever lasting while since I have heard from you Dear. Excuse poor writing and I will try and do better next time. As ever your
Adrian
Sarah writes a diary-like entry in faint pencil at the bottom of the last page and at the top of the first page:
Sadie Flint
Adrian Fay
Camp Parole Annapolis Md
Co. I 94th Regt. N.Y.V.
Care of Col. R. A. Root
My own precious Darling oh how I wish I could see him. When shall I ever? Or shall I ever? What Should I do if my Darling should get killed. I will not think of such a thing but pray that God will watch over him and bring him back to me.
Sarah
Oh Darling you dont know how lonesome Sadie is without you this winter.
Jan 12th Oh Dear whatever shall I do with Daniel. I wish he did not come to school. He is the worst boy I have in school.
Mr Adrian Fay
Camp Parole Md
Care of Col Root
Camp Parole Annapolis Md
January 3d / 64
Dear Father
I suppose you are all wating anxiously to hear from me and to know where I am and what I am doing. I got here to Annapolis yesterday but I did not find all of the Regt here as they told us at Alaxandria but there is a bout 100 of us here and the rest are in the Front yet but we are expecting them here this month. It is a first rate place here and if the Col. sucseeds in geting
the rest of the Regt here which he is in great hops [hopes] of doing We shall have good times here and be verry likly to serve the rest of our time out here. But it is not sirtain yet that he can get them here. I left Alaxandria the next day after Rast [Erastus French] came a way and came to Baltamore and stade there until yesterday. We are not doing any thing now hardly and evry day that we work here doing any extra duty around the camp we get 25 cents extra pay. I think I shall go to work to morrow and try it. I guess I can work eneough to earn what spending Money I want, though it is hard for a Soldier to think of going to work. But I think I shall try it for a while any way and see how it goes.
I shall send to morrow for my discriptave list and perhaps I shall get some pay this pay day. We shall get pay here in a bout two weeks. There is a great many of the troops enlisting over a gain. I would not mind enlisting if it was not for one thing and that is what old troops that do enlist are counted in to fill the last call, and I dont like that. I dont want to reenlist just to save some other man from coming out that never has tried the Field. I dont think that is right. Write as soon as you get this and tell me what the news are and who is going to be President in shintown this fall. Give my respects to all the folks and tell them all
to write or else I shant to write or else I shant to write or else I shant write I shant
Adress
Adrian Fay
Camp Parole Annapolis Md
care of Col. A. R. Root
Mansfield
the drole house
annswer to the
Drole house answer
I bet
Montrose
Camp Parole
Annapolis Md. Jan 9th / 64
Dear Sister Mary
It has been a long time since I have writen to you or since I have heared from home so I thought I would write you a short letter as I have nothing else to do to day. And to morrow I am on guard or shall be and will have no chance to write. I shall look for a letter to night from home for I think it is a bout time I got a letter from some of the Folks. Evry thing goes of [off] well here. We are looking for the Regt here to night. They are coming here sure for the Col. has sent for them.
Evning. I will try and finish this letter this evning and tell you all a bout what we are doing. The Regt has not come yet but I think they will be here by Monday night sure. We shall have to go on guard pretty often I expect when they get here. It is verry cold weather here now. The snow is a bout four inches deep and it is rather cold standing guard these cold nights. But it is better than it is in front. I like this place first rate. I hope we shall stay here until our time is out and I think we shall for there has got to be some Regt here. There is a Mary land Regt. here now but their time is out & will go home in a few days. We are to take thier place. I Want you to write to me as soon as you get this and tell me all the news.
Tell me where Montrose is and what Pa is doing and if he keeps that old plug yet and how they like the School and all the News. You know if I had the patients to write I suppose I could write lots of things that hapens here evry day that would be interesting to you. But I have not the paitients to write. Especaly when I dont get any letters from home or any where else. Well this is all I can think of to night. Write soon and oblige
Adrian
The Boys are geting ready for a dance to night. I will give you a palight [polite] invitation. Will you come? It shant cost you nothing.
Adrian Fay
Co. I. 94th Regt N.Y.V.
Camp Parole Annapolis
Md
Camp Parole Annapolis Md
January 14th 1864
My Darling Sarah
I received your letter this morning and you may be sure that “Add” was glad to get an other letter from Sadie. I have not had a letter from Great Valley since I left Davids Island until I got yours letter this morning. Sadie I do believe you are the only one that cares much for me for Mother or Mati dont write to me once in a dogs age hardly. I am sorry I did not get the letter you wrote me Christmas day but no one is
to blame for it and you can write me an other cant you? Sadie I dont feel much like writing to day for I was on guard last night and did not get a chance to sleep scarsly at all. So you must excuse all the mistakes I am making but you will do well if you read this awful scrawl. Oh Sadie I have got some good news to tell you. Our Regt all came here yesterday and we are going to do duty here. The Col. told us last night that if we wer good Boys we might stay here until our time was out and not have to go back into the Field a gain. The boys are so glad that they have got here that they almost worship Col. Root for he had to work hard to get us here. I think he is the best man I ever saw. We bought him a splendid
Sword the other day and gave it to him. It cost 85 dollars. You can see by that how much the boys think of him. We are quartered now in Barracks which is comfortable and warm and each company has a cook so you see we have evry thing just as good as can be. I dont think I ever was so healtha since I have been in the Armey as I am now. I believe it does me good to be sick last fall. Peet Davis an old chum of mine was taken prisoner a bout a month ago [Nov. 26, 1863] while he was on picket. I suppose the Rebs have got him in Richmond now if they have not killed him. He was taken at Gettysburg and never had been exchanged. So I am a fraid it will go hard with the Poor fellow if they find it out. It will be to bad if they do kill him for he is a good Soldier.
There I have made a horid mistake. Turn over. Sadie I am glad you are having no trouble with your School. I was a fraid those large boys would cause you trouble but if you have got the good will of your Schoolars you are all right. I dont see why you need to be so lonsome. Sadie you must not be lonsome. I know how it goes. I have been lonsome too before now. But it is all usless. Well Darling I shall have to leave you for now for it is time for dress Parade and I shall have to go. I will finish this Now for if I dont put it into the offace to night it will not get to you until next week. If this goes strate through you will get it Sautirday. Please write as soon as you get this and I will write you a good long letter next Sunday if I am not on duty.
[Written upside down at the top of page one:]
This is a poor letter and writen in poor shape. But I will try and do better next time when I am not in such a hurry. Except a kiss from your own Adrian and ever remember me as such.
Good night Darling
Sadie Add
Camp Parole Annapolis Md
January 18th 1864
Dear Mother
I Will try once more and write an other letter home and if I dont get a letter from some of you My writing has “plaid out”. Do you mind that. I have writen two letters home since I came here and have received no answer yet and this is the last until I get one from some of you. Do you understand? We are all well here. The Boys are engoying them selvs good. We have to go on guard pretty often. But
that is nothing. If we can only stay here our time out We should be satisfied eaven if we have a good deal to do. But the most of the 94th are enlisting again. Col. Root will reenlist and he wants all the Boys to do so to, and nearly evry man will reenlist. “94th N. Y. Veteran Regiment.” How does that sound? When you write tell me how much County and town Bounty Catt. [Cattaraugus County] is paying. I dont think I shall reenlist though. But I want to know how much Bounty I could get if I should enlist thats all. I havnt got any Pay yet But I think We shall be Paid soon. I wish I knew how you wer geting a long. If I thought you could
aford it I would like to have you send me a small Box of things. Perhaps I had better wate until I get some Pay so that it wont cost you any thing but the trouble. I shouldnt want a Box that would weigh over 25 or 30 Pounds not have it cost over $1.80 to $2.00 doll. [dollars] I should want for one thing a little tin Pale with a cover on it full of Butter and some dried Berries if you have got them and Cakes and one thing and an other such as you thought best. To keep from Braking or smashing up if you send one get a Glass Box down to Phelps and tell him What you want to do with it. Only a small Box now do you mind?
Well you thought you would did you? Your letter of the 12th I just received. I was glad to hear from home again. You wanted to know where Peet Davis is. I guess he is in Richmond. The Rebs took him one day while he and Dick Cook was out a Jay hocking more than a month a go and We never have heard from his since. William [Davis] is here. Well I have writen all the news already. But I will see if I can think of somthing more this after noon.
Adrian
Camp Parole Md
January 24th / 64
Dear Brother
Your letter of the 18th I received a bout 5 minets ago. I was glad to hear from you. You are just the man I wanted to hear from. I thought you had got over your War feaver. I dont know but one remedy for the War feaver. There is one way that it can be cured. That is the only way it can be cured too I guess. And that is to enlist for
three years or during the War. Then at the end of three year Il bet you wont have the least Symptom of the War feaver. You see the boys home on furlough that have renlisted. They have got plenty of money. They can get married spend their money and enjoy them selvs good for a few days. But it is as we often express it here. When a man reenlists he is 30 days in Paradise and three years in Hell. I shant advise you to enlist or not to. You can do as you think best. But mind one thing. If you Burn your Ass you must sit on the Blister. I thought you was working for Wright. What
for you not work there now. I have had a great notion of reenlisting but I have got off from that notion now. I think I shall wate until I have served three years and then if I want to be a Soldier any longer I shall go where I wont have to toat a knapsack all around the country “withtheCodtam Duch.” [God damn Dutch]. Go a bord a Man o War [Naval ship]. That is the place for me. I have not seen Nelt Kingsley [Nelson Kingsley, 154th NY, from Great Valley] . He is down town in some Hospital. When I go town town again I will go and see him if I can find him. I think Dad is foolish to keep that auld Plug if he has to Buy hay for her.
We have not had any pay yet and I dont know when we shall get any. We have got a good place here. Good Barracks to stay in. But we have to go on guard pretty often. They are as strict with us as they can be. We have got to come to time or go to the guard house for a week on Bread and Watter. That is all this time. You will have to send a postage stamp if I write again.
Adrian
This is pretty good writing
Montrose M Fay
Camp Parole
Annapolis Md
Jan 28th / 64
Dear Mother
I will write you a letter this evning to pay for the two letters I got yesterday from home. Montrose I suffer has enlisted. I dont know but it is for the best for he never will be satisfied until he has tried Soldiering. Perhaps you will think I am foolish when you hear that I have made up my mind to reenlist for three years longer. But I have considered it all over With cashion [caution]
and have come to the Conclusion that it is the best thing I can do, taking all things in consideration. I dont expect I shall have to stay three years. But if I do I dont expect to go through near as much hardship as I have. I think the most of the fighting is don and we shall be likely to stay here one year I think any way and by that time the fighting will be done. I have thought it all over cairfully and think I have done right in reenlisting. I hope you wont feel hard to wards me for doing as I have, or give your selvs any uneasiness about me. I am healthy and tough. I never was so tough in all
my life as I am now I dont think. I dont expect to get a Furlough until after the first of March, as part of us have got to stay here and do duty while the rest go home and there is a lot going a way Monday, and those that enlisted first will go home first. I dont reckon of so much Bounty as Pa does. He says it amounts to Eleven hundred so Montrose told me. I can make out only $777 (not encluding my old Bounty) $300 town $79 State and $402 United States. If he can make out any more Where is it? Ed Booth has enlisted and [William] Chapman and I guess Dave Southwick will.
I cant think of much to write this evning. When I come home I can tell you all the news. Write soon.
Adrian
PS. You need not send me any Box
Now dont worry on my a count, will you? I am a Man now and I think I know my own Bizz. We had a gay old Batalion drill to day.
Camp Parole Annapolis
Jan 30th / 64
My Darling Sadie
I recd your letter Wedsday but I have not had time to answer it. I was verry glad Dear to get your last letter. The weather has been verry warm and pleasant for the past week. We have had only one hard Snow storm here yet. Then there was not Snow eneough to make good Sleighing. Sadie I dont know but you will think that I dont love you near as much as I have
often told you that I did When you hear that I have reenlisted. But I do love you Darling better than I can tell you with my Pen. Or eaven my toungue would fail to express half the affections and love I have for you. I do not doubt your love Sadie in the least. I know you are a precious good girl. And I shall be so glad when this War is over and we can all be at home again and free men and enjoy the sosiaty of our Darling Ones. But until the War is ended I dont believe I could stay at home and be contented. “Not that I mean to bost of being Patriotic”. But I want
to be in the Armey when Peace is declaired. And that I trust will be soon. One more summer will unwind this Rebellion and leave its scaterd fragments to the Merceys of Old “Abe” perhaps or some other worthy Union Man. I dont expect to have to stay three years longer, but then I may. If I do it is not as if I had got to go to “States Prison” for some Wicked crime is it? I shall be home on a furlough soon though I cant tell how soon. There is a lot going on furloughs Monday but I dont know whether I shall go then or not. Col. Root told us the other day while we was on
Battalion drill that we must be paitant. He could not spare us all at once But would let some go monday and when they came Back he would let some more go. I had just as leaves wate a month or not before I go. Then “Johnson” and Miti [?] are married are they? Is that the way the Soldiers do that get furloughs now a days? There has been a great change in the program. No [George H. “Hank”]Kelley did not tell. “There I have made a mistake.” Mary eather did not tell me of the joke Kelley got off on Erast [Erastus French] and me. I never have heard any thing a bout it. “What is it? Something Loud Il bet.” Well my paper has run out and I must quit. As ever your
Adrian
Write soon Darling for I don’t know wheather I shall go home next week or not. Tell me if you think I have don rong by reenlisting. If you think I have I shall be awful sorry I enlisted. Add
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.
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