Item No. 4224827

Three letters written between February and May 1865 by David T. Eckerson to Thomas D. Eckerson in New Jersey. David had enlisted in the 1st New Jersey Volunteers in March 1864. In the letters he praises the men of his regiment, discusses secessionists in Danville, remarks about a soldier-published newspaper, expresses unpopular opinions about President Lincoln’s assassination, and prepares to return home.

The first letter was written February 27 from their lines in the Petersburg entrenchments. Eckerson thanks Thomas for a box of eatables sent from home. Most of the items had arrived in good shape. “The catsup was broken and the contents run over some of the things,” he writes, adding, “the paper, you can see how much it got stained as this is one of the sheets.” He wonders how the box’s contents “were not all spoiled” since they “were laying at City Point for a month in the Rain.”

After mentioning that the regiment would soon be visited by the paymaster, Eckerson remarks about the position the men of the 1st hold within the brigade:

It is the greatest set of soldiers ever you saw. The number of the Regt shows what they have been through. The Brigade Commander took 2 companies away from here the other day (A & C) to support the 4th Regt. Colors, as they expected an attack from the Johns and they could not trust the 4th with their own Colors and they had to send for the Lost Children to protect them. O didn’t our boys give the 4th hell. Well, the first night they laid in the Breastworks it began to rain and the Brigade Commander sent an order for them to go and find quarters in the 4th. They sent back word to him that they would Rot in the Breastworks before they would go in the 4th. So you see how the boys liked the 4th.

Letter number two was written April 20 from Danville, Virginia, where the 1st New Jersey had marched following the surrender of the Confederates at Appomattox Court House earlier in the month. Describing Danville as “the hottest secesh hole in Virginia,” Eckerson relates how a number a Union prisoners of war had been shot there. “They used to spit in our men’s faces when they were going along the street (as prisoners) and shoot out of the windows at them,” he writes, “but we will bring them to their oats. Our only friends here are the Negroes.”

He notes the amount of clothing and equipment to be carried on the march and how his skin, burned by the sun “is all coming off my face and leaves me quite brown.”

A soldier-operated newspaper in Danville is discussed next:

They have got up a paper now in the town called the Sixth Corps, a small sheet about half as large as the N.Y. Sun. Only one side of the sheet is printed. [Eckerson includes a sketch of the newspaper.] I tell you, it is hot little paper. They have ordered a lot of them in New York & Boston, and if you look out you might get one of them. The 6th Corps seems to be all the rage around now since we broke through the lines at Petersburg.

Eckerson then speculates where he might be if President Abraham Lincoln had not been assassinated the previous week, at the same time referring to the martyred leader in derogatory terms:

I think if Abe had not croaked we would be in Washington by this time, as we were ordered there after Lee surrendered. But things have changed since the dog died. I suppose there was a great time up north when the news of Abe’s death reached there. There was a great time in the Army.

He closes with a few lines about how the regiment “goes now by the name of Sheridan’s Cavalry,” relating an incident with their corps commander. “Genl. [Horatio] Wright saw us pulling out like blazes and wanted to know who the hell we were and what we were doing so far ahead of the Corps,” he writes. “We passed him several times on the road and he didn’t know what to make of us. The fellows were yelling and singing all along the road like devils.”

The third letter of the group was written in late May from near Richmond. In it, Eckerson discusses the regiment’s activities around the former rebel capital:

Genl. Wright has issued orders to the Brigade Commanders to give 1/5 of the Officers & men Passes to visit the City of Richmond. He wants to give the whole Corps a chance to see what they have been fighting for so long, and has pledged his word for the good conduct of the men to the Commanding Officer of the Post (Genl. Halleck). Seven of our Comp’y went yesterday, and I am on the list for tomorrow.

Speculating that they will soon be sent home, he writes:

The weather is very hot down here and I dread that march to Alexandria. I know there will be many a good fellow laid out on that tramp. I think it is a dam shame that after the men fighting so long and live through it all, to be marched to death. This Government must think a great deal of her soldiers. If Washington was in danger, how dam quick they would get transportation for us. But now the war is over and they don’t care a straw for the men. The more that are killed, the less there are to pay off. I say to hell with such a set of Suckers. They could get Transportation for us like rolling off a log. But no, they want to kill some more of us yet. There is six allowed to die out of a brigade a day in this hot weather. Last month it was four, but if they kill me they have got to be sharper than I am, I think.

Eckerson would be mustered out a few weeks later on June 29 at Hall’s Hill, Virginia.

The letters were written upon variously size letter sheets, the largest being about 5” x 8”. Light foxing and toning throughout, as well as some staining as previously noted. Creased at the original folds. The transcripts can be found below.

Camp 1st N.J. Vols
Feb 27th 1865

Thos. D. Eckersen

Dear Sir: I take up my pencil this afternoon to let you know that I Received the Box this Day and was glad of it. The articles were all good except the eggs, which were spoiled. I thought the Chicken was spoiled, but after scalding and rubbing off I take notice it Disappeared rather quick. It was only a little molded. The bottle of catsup was broken and the contents run off over some of the things. The Pencil I am writing with. I think it is a real pretty pencil. The cakes, pies, &c., were all right. The apples a little spotted, but not too hurt. The Cigars & Tobacco did not spoil. In fact, everything was good except the eggs, and you ought to have seen my tent mates and myself go into them at dinner today. The paper, you can see how much it got stained as this is one of the sheets. That’s a gay old cigar. I can smoke a week on it. It is a wonder that the things were not all spoiled, as the Boxes were laying at City Point for a month in the Rain.

There is another welcome visitor down here now, and that is the Paymaster. I tell you, there has been a great deal of grumbling done here at his long absence. But our Regt has not been paid. We are not paid off by the same Paymaster. We are to be paid off by a Paymaster that Pays off the scattered Regts, so it seems that we are considered as lost Children. That is what we are called by the Brigade. And so we are, but if we can’t “Find” ourselves, then no other Regt can in the army. It is the greatest set of soldiers ever you saw. The number of the Regt shows what they have been through. The Brigade Commander took 2 companies away from here the other day (A & C) to support the 4th Regt. Colors, as they expected an attack from the Johns and they could not trust the 4th with their own Colors and they had to send for the Lost Children to protect them. O didn’t our boys give the 4th hell. Well, the first night they laid in the Breastworks it began to rain and the Brigade Commander sent an order for them to go and find quarters in the 4th. They sent back word to him that they would Rot in the Breastworks before they would go in the 4th. So you see how the boys liked the 4th.

There has been lying Reports around all Winter that we are to be sent Home to be Recruited up, and I know that Gordo Parker will not recruit a man for our Regt. unless they send us north, as some of the boys that was discharged last year, but of our Regt., tried to get in our Regt. again and they would not take them. But I don’t believe that we will get north. Write soon. Give my love to all the family.
Dave

Danville Va.
April 20th 1865

Thos. D. Eckerson. Dear Sir:
Again I take up my pencil to address a few lines to you to let you know that I am right side up yet, considering the hard march we have had. We started from Burkeville last Sunday morning and Reached this City on Thursday morning, and took possession. I tell you, it is a Red hot place about the size of Hudson City, and the hottest secesh hole in Virginia. This is the place where they shot [illegible] prisoners of war, and they used to spit in our men’s faces when they were going along the street (as prisoners) and shoot out of the windows at them, but we will bring them to their oats. Our only friends here are the Negroes. But if we stay here long, I think we can convert a few of them.

We marched 100 miles in 4 days and 4 hours, and I tell you it was hot work. The sun is very hot down here in the middle of the day, but it is cold enough at night to freeze you. That is the reason it comes so hard on us. You see, we have to carry our overcoats or else our blankets in the heat of the day, or we would freeze. At them there is your tent rations of coffee, sugar, hardtack, meat, &c., then 40 Rounds and the poop stick. And all that pulls down on a fellow marching all day. I am shedding my winter coat now and am as black as a smoke. The skin is all coming off my face and leaves me quite brown.

They have got up a paper now in the town called the Sixth Corps, a small sheet about half as large as the N.Y. Sun. Only one side of the sheet is printed. [Eckerson includes a sketch of the newspaper.] I tell you, it is hot little paper. They have ordered a lot of them in New York & Boston, and if you look out you might get one of them. The 6th Corps seems to be all the rage around now since we broke through the lines at Petersburg. I think if Abe had not croaked we would be in Washington by this time, as we were ordered there after Lee surrendered. But things have changed since the dog died. I suppose there was a great time up north when the news of Abe’s death reached there. There was a great time in the Army.

Our Regt. goes now by the name of Sheridan’s Cavalry. Since we started on this march, we were put on the advance and liked to have [illegible] the fellows in the rear.

Genl. Wright saw us pulling out like blazes and wanted to know who the hell we were and what we were doing so far ahead of the Corps. We passed him several times on the road and he didn’t know what to make of us. The fellows were yelling and singing all along the road like devils. But here I must end this gabbing, as my paper is getting full. So give my love to all the family, as they are too numerous to name, and tell John to write soon.
D. T. Eckerson

Give my regards to Mr. Beck, Mr. B. B. Smith, Jake Day & Brothers, and all inquiring friends. And write soon as it is a long time since I have had a letter.
Dave

Camp Near Richmond Va
May 27th 1865

Thos. D. Eckerson

Dear Sir:
I received your letter Dated May 4th Last night, and having nothing else to do, thought I would scribble a few lines in return. I see you have a little excitement once in a while. If it is nothing else, you must have a Bonfire.

I should like to know who that was that told Lundie that we were doing Provost Guard duty. I know we have not been doing any such duty this spring. No such luck for the old 1st.

Genl. Wright has issued orders to the Brigade Commanders to give 1/5 of the Officers & men Passes to visit the City of Richmond. He wants to give the whole Corps a chance to see what they have been fighting for so long, and has pledged his word for the good conduct of the men to the Commanding Officer of the Post (Genl. Halleck). Seven of our Comp’y. went yesterday, and I am on the list for tomorrow.

I am very sorry to hear that Ed Davidson was drowned, but he may turn up yet. It is not certain that he is drowned, is it? I hope not.

The weather is very hot down here and I dread that march to Alexandria. I know there will be many a good fellow laid out on that tramp. I think it is a dam shame that after the men fighting so long and live through it all, to be marched to death. This Government must think a great deal of her soldiers. If Washington was in danger, how dam quick they would get transportation for us. But now the war is over and they don’t care a straw for the men. The more that are killed, the less there are to pay off. I say to hell with such a set of Suckers. They could get Transportation for us like rolling off a log. But no, they want to kill some more of us yet. There is six allowed to die out of a brigade a day in this hot weather. Last month it was four, but if they kill me they have got to be sharper than I am, I think. But here I must cork up as I want to go down to the James and have a wash, so give my love to all the Family and tell an inquiring friends that I have got a whole skin yet & they can expect me in Jersey sometime between now & 67. Tell Charlie he must keep away from Hay Cutters or I shall attend to his case when I get there. Tell Adaline I am pleased with the card. She is the same as ever. I am watching the Marriages N.Y. Herald every day to see her name on it, but can’t see it yet. I think I shall have to pick out some young Soldier boy for her. Give my Regards to Jake Day & Beck, A. Beck & Wife, B. B. Smith, & Phil H. Van Glahn and all the rest that you see.
David T. Eckerson
Co B, 1st Batt. N. J. Vols
1st Brigade
1st Division, 6th Corps

Give my regards to Uncle Jake and family, uncle P. B. & family, and all inquiring friends.

P.S. please let me know about that money in your next. I sent the letter yesterday. If it only gets to you, and if the money is where you can get hold of it, why use it and keep your watch by all means.
D.T.E.