Item No. 0248678

In this October 1861 letter, a private in the 23rd New York writes to his brother at home about building fortifications at Upton’s Hill and the anxiousness of the regiment to fight the rebels. That spring John H. Merrithew had enlisted as a private in Company C. He opens the letter with news of his health. “I have had the rheumatism for two months,” he writes, “and I am not well yet.”

He then boasts that the 23rd’s desire to meet the enemy is so great, that their brigade commander General James Wadsworth must restrain them:

I have not seen a rebel since I have been in Virginia. They are very shy. They don’t like our black guns. They say that they can tell when the twenty-third regiment is out on picket. Our Brigadier General Waswert says that he dare not let our whole regiment go out at once, for the boys are so fierce to fight the rebels that the boys would go so far that they would get but all to pieces or go to Bull’s Run before they stopped. There is no rebels in eight or ten miles of us now. We are advancing on them all of the time. There is four or five thousand of our troops on the south side of the Potomac now. There is about fifteen thousand cavalry on this side of the river too. There is about two hundred pieces of artillery and more of all kinds a-coming in all the time.

Later Merrithew describes the great amount of timber cut down to build fortifications and clear fields of fire at Upton’s Hill, a forward position that the Confederates had abandoned in September when they withdrew to Manassas. He writes:

We are on Upton’s Hill. We have been here three weeks, and we have built two forts on this hill since we have been on the hill, and three breastworks on the hill, and chopped nearly a thousand acres of woodland since we have been on the hill.

In a postscript he directs future letters to Upton’s Hill, in care of his company commander, Captain Sumner Barstow.

Evidently Merrithew’s rheumatism would not improve in the field, and he would be discharged for disability a month later on November 18.

The letter was written on three pages of a four-page bifolium letter sheet measuring about 5 1/4” x 8”. It features a patriotic decoration of Lady Justice with the caption, “Be just, and fear not.” Very good condition with slight paper loss on one edge. Light toning. Creased at the original folds. The full transcript can be read below.

October 20th 1861

My dear brother
Your letter of the 14 was duly received. I was glad to hear that you was well and enjoying good health. I am not very well at present. I have had the rheumatism for two months, and I am not well yet. But I hope that these few lines will find you enjoying good health.

I have not seen a rebel since I have been in Virginia. They are very shy. They don’t like our black guns. They say that they can tell when the twenty-third regiment is out on picket. Our Brigadier General Waswert says that he dare not let our whole regiment go out at once, for the boys are so fierce to fight the rebels that the boys would go so far that they would get but all to pieces or go to Bull’s Run before they stopped. There is no rebels in eight or ten miles of us now. We are advancing on them all of the time. There is four or five thousand of our troops on the south side of the Potomac now. There is about fifteen thousand cavalry on this side of the river too. There is about two hundred pieces of artillery and more of all kinds a-coming in all the time.

It is all sick around here just now. I would like to be home and have a little sploge with you. Do you remember the east barn or the night that potato was stole? If you do, write in the next letter you write.

We are on Upton’s Hill. We have been here three weeks, and we have built two forts on this hill since we have been on the hill, and three breastworks on the hill, and chopped nearly a thousand acres of woodland since we have been on the hill.

I would like to see you all. I have wrote a letter to Elisa today. I write to her every week. Sometimes I don’t hear from her for four or five weeks. I shall have to close my letter by saying good[bye] to you all. No more at present. From your brother John H. Merrithew to his brother J. W. Toft.

Direct your letters to Upton’s Hill, Washington DC, 23 Regiment NY Volunteers, in care of Captain S. Barstow. So good[bye] and may god bless you all. Give my love to all of my friends. Write as soon as you get this letter. Write as often as you can and I will answer all you will write.