Period Newspaper Entries for 89th NYVI August 2013

The following link is part of the New York State Museum and Veterans Research Center's online entry for the 89th NYVI. While many of the individual entries on this page do not refer to the newspaper and/or date of the edition, it is a useful set of clippings in one place:

http://dmna.state.ny.us/historic/reghist/civil/infantry/89thInf/89thInfCWN.htm

 

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday February 18, 1862 ran this article.

Army Correspondence. On Board Ship Aracan, Hatteras Island, Jan. 28, 1862.

Mr. Mirror - Our Company left Elmira and proceeded to Washington and encamped about a mile and a half from the Capitol, near Bladensburgh Toll Gate at a place called camp Clay. We remained in Washington about 5 or 6 weeks, and were highly complimented by the military authorities there, and on the last day of the year Senator Dickinson presented us with a splendid stand of colors, valued at $300. We were received there by Gen. Casey, and ordered to proceed to Annapolis and join Gen. Burnside's Expedition. We did so, and arrived at Annapolis on the 5th of January, and embarked on board ship Aracan and proceeded with the rest of the expedition to Hatteras Inlet. Our voyage was rough, and a heavy storm and wind came on, and drove several of the vessels ashore, and man of them were wrecked - some steamers amonst the rest. We arrived here, off Hatteras, on the 14th, and was not towed over the bar until the 25th. I tell you Champ, we have seen rather tough fare on board ship - some six hundred of us packed down in the hold to sleep at night; sea biscuit and fat pork for rations, and water dealt out by the quantity for each man; and to sum it up, we are now to be set ashore here on this beach, a poor barren tract of land, scarcely wide enough to form a battalion on. Our Colonel lost both of his horses on the voyage from Annapolis down; they were on the Pocahontas which was wrecked on or above Cape Hatteras, about 25 miles from where we now are. I tell you I am much opposed to the idea of our regiment being sent ashore here, and the Expedition to go up into North Carolina without us, but such is the fact. I was hoping to have a chance in this fight, and now am completely mortified with the thought of doing garrison duty on this poor shore. I tell you I can sing now to my heart's content --

"Lo on narrow neck of land, twixt two unbounded seas I stand."

We may however, in the course of a month or year, be released from this place and ordered up into the country. Gen. Burnside says he will send for us a s soon as possible, which means, I suppose, when he gets ready. We are now in Pamlico Sound, in sight of Secesh in earnest. I have not seen a newspaper to read since I left Washington; so you can have some idea of the place.

Yours truly,

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, May 27, 1862

Roanoke Island, April 22, 1862

Friend W. - I have not heard from you in some time, so I thought I would write to you and let you know that I am very well at present, with the exception of being lame, stiff and sore, after a march of sixty miles in 48 hours, and a big fight in the bargain. We made the greatest march, and did the hardest fighting of any regiment in the Burnside expedition. We took a rebel battery of five cannon, and took some prisoners. When we left our camp, we went to destroy a canal that the rebels were in possession of. They were building gun-boats, and we thought we would go over there and route them and take their boats, and destroy their canal. But the rebels had heard of our ____ and ____ ____ to pass, within two miles of the canal. We were marching along all quietly, Hawkin's Zouaves were ahead of us, our regiment next and the R. Island 6th next in order. The first thing we heard was firing by the Zouaves; they drove in the rebel pickets, and the next thing they opened their battery on us. But their range was to high they shot over. We had three cannon with us and some shell, we brought to bear upon them - We had some experienced gunners with us; a whole company of marines. These marines loaded and shot five times to the rebels once. But the rebels had the advantage, they had pits to crawl into, so our shells could not hurt them much, so we were ordered to charge on it. The Zouaves made the first charge and were repulsed with considerable loss. Then our turn came and we made a charge, and at the same time the New Hampshire 6th poured in a volley of musketry on them, and then the rebels began to retreat. They ran in every direction. So we gave them the hardest thrashing that they ever had.

They were two thousand strong. We had about 3,000. But they fought desperate. Their loss about 150; our loss, killed and wounded, 75. The name of the place where the battle occured was Camden, about 60 miles from Roanoke. Our men after that long march and fight, were greatly exhausted. I am so lame to-day that I can hardly walk.

When I first got into the fight, I trembled all over. But I soon got over that. I found I might as well sail in. But when I got to camp and thinking it over, I made up my mind that I did not want to get into another fight. But we have got to go in a few days somewhere in another direction. We are ordered to cook up four days' rations.

Give my respects to all my enquiring friends. You must tell my old friend, George Frisbee, that I have had the pleasure of facing the enemy once, and that I don't know but I shall again very soon. I think I would as soon fight rebels as to fight panthers on the Beaverkill. I don't consider there is much pleasure in either.

I don't see any prospect of getting home this summer. If McClellan and the other generals were doing as much as Burnside, I should have some hope. but now I think I am stuck for one year at least. You must write and send me some papers.

Yours, &c.,

Wm. H.

(this was probably written by William Hitchcock, since of only two Wm. Hs in Co. I. Wm Halstead was not in the battle and died while the company was ashore fighting)

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, May 20, 1862.

Army Correspondence. Roanoke Island, No. Carolina, Camp Dickinson, May 5th, 1862.

Mr. Mirror - Agreeably to your request I have send enclosed the names of the members of Co. I, 89th Regt, now encamped at this place:

Captain, T. L. England

1st Lieut. R. P. Cormack

2d Lieut. Julius S. Rowe

 

Privates

Privates

Wm. Andrews

Wm. Becker

Robert E. Bowne

Lebbeus Baxter

Hiram Brown

Edward L. Coon

John Davidson

John Dougherty

Chas. Feibig

Artemas D. Flowers

Geo. B. Gray

Wm. I. Gilbert

Harvey Henderson

Benjamin Harder

Sherman Hoyt

Geo. W. Hitchcock

James Johnson

Addison Jones

James E. Knishkern

M. S. Keator

Wm. S. Law

Jas. Little

Augustus Mason

Mitchell McCornelis

Sheldon T. Olmstead

John H. Patterson

Darius Purdy

Wm. Rivenberg

Philander Shelliman

George Stott

John Thompson

David Thomas

John I. White

O. B. Boyd

Calvin Gregory

Wm. Drummond

Died

Burr Bronson, Wesley Epes

Wm. C. Halstead, Isaiah Murphy

Horatio Bronson

Chas. Blanchard

Leon Black

Willard Blinebry

David E. Case

David P. Dixon

Reuben Dyer

Henry H. Epes

Charles Flowers

Henry Flowers

Anderson Gorton

Harmon Gross

Burton Hine

Patrick Hughes

Wm. Hitchcock

Geo.W. Houck

Alexis Jones

Ira D. Jacobs

Levi I. Kniskern

Daniel Lee

Nathaniel Law

Daniel Mains

John A. Munn

Jeremiah O'Donnell

Smith B. Patterson

John D. Pine

Wm. A. Robinson

John Sullivan

James Simmons

Phillip Schuff

Wm. Stott

Thos. Thompson

Albert Vandyke

Wight James

Robt. Zeah

Daniel M. Drake

Chas. Graham

Chas. Silliman

 

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, May 20, 1862

A Delaware Soldier's Funeral,

Roanoke Island, April 24, 1862

To the Friends of W. C. Halstead

It now becomes my painful duty to give you an account of the sickness and death of your beloved friend. We all thought at first that it was no more than a bad cold; and as he got worse, and it became necessary that he should go to the hospital, the Doctor told me that he was not dangerous, but he thought that he had the typhoid fever. After he had been there two days, I heard he was getting along finely. I do not remember the dates, but one week ago last Sunday I saw him he was then very sick. I got three letters for him and I was not able to read them; they remain unopened.

I should have written right away, but we were ordered to get ready for an expected battle, and was kept in a whirl of excitement till we got back from the battle, and I found him dead. I saw him the day before we left, and he looked better than he did Sunday. The Doctor thought he was getting better, but said he was not out of danger. He died about 8 o'clock on Sunday morning. Cormack and I went to the hospital Monday morning and found him laid out in good order. We then went to the landing and got a coffin and put him in, and took him to camp. He was buried by the side of A. B. Bronson, at 10 o'clock Tuesday, in military order; which was a Corporal and 8 men as an escort, under arms, then followed Co. I, the Captain, Lieutenant and Chaplain of the regiment, in the rear. The regimental music followed the escort and corps, playing the death march with muffled drums. When the body was let down, the religious services were gone through with by the chaplain, then 9 volleys were fired over the grave and we started for camp. He lays in a beautiful grove of evergreen, and a fence shall be put around the grave.

I have been told by those that have been sick in the hospital, that they have the best of care, and that all is done for the sick that could be were they at home. But, O, how much rather would any be to be with their friends in the hour of sickness. But such is the will of God, whose ways is past finding out. And He has said that "all things shall work together for the good of such as put their trust in Him." and though our friend is stricken down in his youth we have a full assurance that what is our loss is his gain, for he died in the full assurance that his Redeemer lived and that in Him he should live also. And when we think of him we can think that he now is with Christ, and there to remain in the sunshine of God's love forever and ever. And may each one of you so live as to meet him there, is the earnest prayer of your friend and well wisher.

Wm. A. Robinson

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday May 27, 1862 - titled, From the 89th Regiment. Roanoke Island, No. Carolina. Camp Dickinson, May 11th, 1862.

Dear Champ - You asked me several questions, and I suppose you want my answers.

1st. "Would I like to live permanently in the South?" That is difficult to say, as I have not been in the South, strictly speaking, only in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina, and the people here do not call themselves southerners as we call them. To this, my answer is, were I comfortably situated here, I should prefer it; but if I were a poor man, I should most assuredly prefer living in the North.

"How is slavery managed," you asked. Well, at present nobody can answer that, because since the war, the owners of slaves are mostly rebels, and as soon as we take any place they all flee away, and if they do not, their niggers do, and they come to us in companies 15 to 150. If they were properly worked, fed and clothed, I tink they would be as well off, if not better, than most of them on this Island running loosed, without anyone to look after them in sickness or in health.- Either in a moral or physical sense, they have a good time at present, as the Government employs all that will work on forts and breastworks. But when this war is over, I do not know what these poor contrabands will do.

As to democrats ever becoming abolitionists, in the sense of Phillips, Sumner, Greely and Garrison is too absurd to ask. Not but what all true men wish that slavery, the bone of contention, were disposed of somehow to the satisfaction of the parties interested. I suppose yo desired I would give a lengthy description of all these questions, and I will as soon as can get time to write more about these things, and see more of their workings. J. O'D

(The author would be Jeremiah O'Donnell of Co. I.)

The Broome Republican Wed. November 12, 1862 ran a letter dated Oct. 12, 1862 from Charles Bogardus of Company K

Camp Pleasant Valley

1 Brigade, 3 Division, 89 Reg., Co. K

Oct 12, 1862

Dear Uncle Peter - I thought I would write you a few lines concerning our late battle of Middletown Heights and Sharpsburg. As we marched out of Frederick we could see our battery playing on the rebels off on the other side of the mountains, driving them by inches over the long range of mountains. We moved on in quick time in the direction of our artillery; Presently we came to the foot of the mountains; we marched up slowly while our cannon were sending shells into the woods ahead of us. As we reached the brow of the mountain we formed in line of battle. The left of our regiment, companies K, E, V and B, had not got quite in line, when whiz came the musket balls. The order was given to drop; then came a shower of balls like hailstones, and a yell from the enemy gave us confidence that they were charging our batteries, not knowing our brigade was there to support it. But, quicker than lightning, our regiment was up and poured a murderous volley amongst them. Then our 6-gun battery opened a deadly fire on them with shot and shell, when they turned and ran down the hill, and retreated to the valley. Oh, how our artillery did play on them - it was horrid. There it was that Chris Knight was shot through the heart. He never breathed after the shot hit him. and Job Knapp was wounded in the leg and Simpson from Unadilla. If we had not dropped as we did, nearly every man in the regiment would have been shot. Our company was riddled. The firing continued all night. The 33rd Ohio charged on the enemy over a stone wall, where the rebels lay in masses four deep; but the Ohio boys did not know it. Uncle, there was fighting in those Ohio boys! They bayoneted two at once, and clubbed their guns and fought two to one - - - On the other side of the mountain the rebels lay thick as could be. We had to march right over them. In some places their dead lay two deep. Oh, I shall never forget the sight. Many dead and wounded rebels did we musicians carry to the rear. You must know that the rebels had just as good care taken of them as our own men. Wednesday we catched up with the rebels; McClellan headed them from crossing the Potomac; they had to fight. Here was where the great battle of Sharpsburg was fought. After our brigade got shelled out of the cornfield, our company was pushing ahead as skirmishers. they crossed Antietam Creek. McClellan was giving the rebels Hail Columbia on the right and old Burnsides on the left. After we crossed the creek the enemy got range of us, somehow, and the way the shells flew and burst among us was all sorts. We lay down under the hill till the order came to charge on their batteries. Every man rose, fixed his bayonet, and up the hill we went with a yell. They retreated with their batteries, fighting like devils; we did not take their batteries, but drove them through Sharpsburg. Our flag sergeants were all shot down - two out of our company, sergeant Eaglesfield and corporal Miller both shot with the flag in their hands. Both our State flags and National colors are all full of shot-holes; but they look just as pretty to us as when, at Washington, Daniel S. Dickinson presented them to us. The battle was a hard one. Many of our Broome county boys lay dead on the bloody field. Charles Benn fought bravely. Uncle, it seems awful to you at home to go into battle - it is not so with us. We get so excited that we do not think of the danger we are in. The rebels got out of cannon balls, so they fired rail-road iron at us. They made the darndest noise - some of them came so close that they almost brought me to the ground. The fight lasted two days. It was four days before we got our dead buried. The rebel dead lay in winnows across the field. We used them for fortifications to hide behind; what do you think of that! The rebels tried to flank us, but did not succeed; though they had a cross-fire on us and killed many of our men.

Well, I am out of it, and tough and sound as an ox. I can only thank God for the preservation of my life. I have seen some of the boys - L.M. Corbett for one. They complain some at having to live on salt horse meat. We have got used to it. I have been at Middletown battle, Camden battle, got shot out of cornfield battle, and battle of Sharpsburg, and aint dead yet. My love to all.

From the Drummer Boy,

Chas. A. Bogardus

New York Herald, Tuesday December 16th, 1862 - This article gives an account of the Battle of Fredericksburg, and lists many casualties. Among those listings are in the fourth column:

Corporal W. A. Shepard, Co. A 89th New York, fingers amputated

Henry C. Adams, Co. A 89th New York, hip

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, January 6, 1863, titled From the 89th Reg't N.Y.S.V. (Correspondence of the Delaware Gazette)

In Camp Opposite Fredericksburg, Va, December 19th, 1862

After the depression consequent upon a great defeat have partly risen and our spirits again flow in their usual channel, I will endeavor to write to you about the battle, but shall confine myself to a detailed account of the part our own regiment took in the action, hoping to interest those of your readers who have friends here. On the evening of the 10th of December we received orders to get in line and proceed to the bank of the river opposite the lower end of Fredericksburgh to cover the operations of the engineer corps while putting in the pontoons. Between 11 and 12 o'clock we were in position and the boats began to arrive, each drawn by six mules; the night was intensely cold, snow on the ground and ice on the river, and it is no exaggeration when I say we were nearly frozen. The work of laying the bridge proceeded slowly and without interruption until 5:45 A.M., when we were greeted by a sharp volley of musketry from the enemy, who were concealed from view by the buildings, fences and walls on the opposite side. The compliment was immediately returned by us, and sharp firing was kept up for some time, but nothwithstanding this fact and that the artillery kept up a steady fire at the same time, they forced the engineers to retire from their labors with quite a list of casualties. Our own loss in this fire was one killed and several wounded. Immediately upon the retiring of the engineer corps the firing on their part ceased. The bridge at this time was nearly two-thirds of the way across the river; at 8:30 another attempt was made to finish it with like result. Again we had quite a set-to with them; at this time several were wounded in our regiment, some severely, quite a number slightly. On this occasion the engineers again lost a few men. Twice again during the day was this tried with similar results. 4 P.M. had arrived and the laying of the bridge was not yet effected. Our loss was one killed and 25 wounded.

At this juncture Gen. Burnside sent an order to Col. Fairchild to send 100 men across in boats to drive the rebels out of the city. The undertaking was regarded as hazardous in the extreme; the left wing of our regiment with a detail of five men from each company of the right to make the required number, was chosen, and when near dark, 5 boats, with 20 men each, proceeded across under cover of the fire of the artillery, and the remainder of the regiment effected a landing with little trouble, charged into the city and took 65 prisoners, and the 89th had the honor of being the first to enter the city, notwithstanding the fact that the New York reporters have given the credit to the 7th Michigan, who, be it understood, did cross soon after and in the same manner, at another bridge, taking 35 prisoners. The bridge was then finished in a few moments and the night occupied in crossing the troops. During to-day the cannonading has been the most terrific and unceasing from our side I ever heard, and Fredericksburg is a complete wreck. The next day we occupied the city and the day was spent getting the troops in position. I am sorry to say acts of vandalism, in numerous instances, were committed, which disgrace any civilized people. Extensive libraries shared the common fate, and the streets were strewn with cart loads of valuable works of all and every conceivable description, which were trampled under foot, with none to save them. Fifty shells, more or less, have passed through each building - the doors, windows and fences were burned by us while there, and it needs only the torch of the incendiary to blot the city that was once a place of refinement and taste from the face of the earth. When will discipline become a part of the United States army? God only knows, but while these things are tolerated they will rebound upon us as sure as justice follows crime. Think of these things people of the North, and cease your fault-finding with our Generals for using men to guard what you term rebel property, for it is better to spare the men for that than to suffer the demoralization that is sure to follow.

Saturday, the 13th, the battle opened early in the day, and continued all day. Our corps was not called in till near dark and not till charge after charge had been unsuccessfully made upon the enemy's works. While our formation was in progress, the enemy shelled us as long as they could see. Our brigade of 6 regiments charged the works and like the others, were repulsed with heavy loss. This is the first time we ever turned our backs upon the enemy and I hope it will be the last. Thus closed the day.

On Sunday General Burnside proposed to charge the works with his old 9th army corps, himself leading them; his aid came among the officers to see how they felt in reference to it; receiving no encouragement, the plan was abandoned, for the poorest intellect in the ranks coud see the hopelessness of the case.

All Monday we lay in the streets of the city, and after dark the regiment was sent to the front to support the pickets; two hours after we were ordered back and at 10:30 in the evening began re-crossing the river, leaving 2000, brave fellows cold in the embrace of death, and bringing off eight thousand wounded, with a loss of four thousand missing. By day light all were across and the pontoons were up, and every body asked what next. The most incomprehensible part of the whole is, why did not the enemy shell us while in the city - the city already destroyed, sixty thousand of us helpless in the streets, their cannon pointing at us from all parts of the height, and no chance to reply with any effect.

Of Company I, John Munn, of Hamden, is missing, and was last seen during the charge, and it is feared he fell. Sheldon T. Olmstead, of Croton, is also missing.

R. P. C.

(the author would be Robert P. Cormack of Co. I)

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, January 20, 1863 - Titled, From the 89th Regiment, Camp Opposite Fredericksburg January 11, 1863

Mr. Mirror - Since you heard from me last, many changes have taken place with us. We have been in all the battles of the Virginia campaign including Maryland. We suffered terribly on the marches through that State. We were severely engaged at the battle of South Mountain and Antietam; at the latter place we lost half of our Regiment. We also helped lay the pontoon bridge across the Rappahannock River, being the first to cross over into the city in boats. We also were engaged in trying to storm the Rebel works on 13 Dec. 1862. Our once fine Regt. now only numbers 200 effective men. Our Company now only numbers 47 men for duty; we once had nearly 90, so you can see, we have lost in one year nearly 50 per cent. Another year what then? There is nothing of importance doing with us at present. Once in six days we picket 24 hours on this side of the Rappahannock and the enemy on the other, the stream being 40 rods wide. We are still in front of the city; our boys go over once in a while to the Rebel pickets acoss the river in the fog, take breakfast with the rebels and have a smoke and they come over to our side and do the same. We have an understanding not to fire on each other. So you see really if it were not for the leading men we could be friends. We have suffered a great deal in this campaign. I tell you, your 144th N.Y. Vol, has no more idea of war, than the little boys have in Bloomville and I am amused sometimes at reading the correspondence of some of our men in that "pet regiment." They tell of picketing before the enemy, but I doubt if one in ten ever saw a rebel in his life. Having no more, I remain,

Yours truly, J.

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, April 14, 1863 - Titled, From the 89th N.Y.S.V.

Dear Mirror - - I had a very pleasant trip in my my journey from Hancock to Fortress Monroe, but to my surprise I learned, when there, that the 89th Regt. had moved to Suffolk, some 60 miles from Newport News, where I had left the Regiment when I started for Bloomville. This has been a very fine country once; the most aristocratic place in all Virginia. But these "Lords of the soil," being mosty secesh, have left for Richmond with their families, leaving only their negroes for our entertainment. There are some 1500 or 2,000 of those poor creatures hereabouts, left to the tender mercies of the Government, and I suppose you have some idea what that is. Our boys are all well, and send their best regards to you.- - I am trying to get some 'curiosities' for you, but they are very scarce, as others have made it a point to pick them up.

We are not very comfortably situated at present, as our tents are very poor, and March is the worst month of the year.

Yours, &c., Co. I.

New York Herald, Saturday April 25, 1863 - This article gives an account of the capture of the battery across the Nansemond River, and lists caualties. Among those listings are:

Killed:

Sargeant Marvin Watrous, 89th New York

Jehiel Smith, 89th New York

Wounded:

Charles Fish, 89th New York, left thigh

William Utter, 89th New York, in arm

C. M. Yarns, 89th New York, in foot

E. C. Tompkins, 89th New York, in arm (amputated)

Charles Weaver, 89th New York, in thigh

Charles Purdy, 89th New York, in leg

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, August 18, 1863 - Titled Army Correspondence

Camp Convalescent, Near Alexandria, August 9, 1863.

Friend Champ - - Being still confined here as an invalid, I thought I would drop you a few lines, although the weather is quite "liquidating," (the thermometer only stands at one hundred and six degrees in the shade) informing you that "I still live," as Zac. said just as he gave up the ghost.

I must give you some idea of this camp, for it is in fact and reality a great "Institution," a "big thing." In the first place Uncle Sam runs this machine "by contract," as you would readily see if you will step over and dine with us. On the fourth of July, we learn an appropriation of two thousand dollars was made to furnish a dinner for the convalescents. The dinner consisted of a spoonful of beans, a very small piece of pork, a small slice of bread, and a pint cup of very weak lemonade. That was our extra dinner, so you can judge what our every day fare is. This extra allowance made us all exclaim, "who wouldn't be a soldier?"

This is the place where broken down soldiers are kept to recruit for the service again, and is of itself quite a city. There are fifty barracks, each containing one hundred soldiers, with about the same number of buildings for the officers in charge and the attendants. Four dining rooms and two cook rooms comprises the "internal improvements," all located in a basin formed by high rounding hills, about midway between Washington and Alexandria. There are always over five thousand convalescents here. Dr. Sandford B. Hunt, of Buffalo, is the Medical Director, and Dr. R. B. Landon, of Verona, Oneida Co., Surgeon in charge of the New York troops. Dr. Landon, is a cousin to David G. Landon, of Delhi. The Dr. is one of "nature's noblemen," a skillful, humane, and attentive Surgeon. The attention he bestows on all, has made him hosts of friends and his praise is on the tongues of all the afflicted under his care. Dr. Hunt, is also, an eminent physician, and if we are deficient of "grub," we more than make up in having the services of two of the best Surgeons the army can boast of.

As for war news, we have not much, and the "heated season" has set in with such earnestness, that we rather guess our boys have enough to do, to "keep cool."

Uncle Sam is getting quite an addition to his army in the way of colored soldiers. A brigade of colored soldiers will be ready for the field in a short time, and will probably be under the command of the gallant Major Gen. Birney. The "colored individual" are all loyal, and take to soldiering, as a "duck takes to water." There are several good regiments of free colored "pirsons" organized and camped near Georgetown, well drilled and under good discipline, and anxious for a fight. They ached all over for a chance to meet Lee face to face, while on his raid into Pennsylvania.

The contrabands who have flocked here by the thousand, are laboring industriously in the quartermasters department, and tilling the confiscated lands of absconding rebels. As a whole they are very useful, in doing the heavy work, in carrying on the war for the Union.

We are looking for a speedy winding up of the rebellion. Lee's army is heartsick, and Jeff. is desponding, and the Union troops are for a quick and decisive campaign, so that those who survive the conflict, may return to their homes, and be once more with their friends.

There are several Delaware boys here in the parole camp, taken prisoner at the battle of Chancellorsville. They enlisted in the company of Capt. R. T. Johnson, of Delhi. They are all anxious to be exchanged, so as to escape the confinement of a parolled camp, but there is no knowing when there will be an exchange, as there is some misunderstanding between "Jeff." and our commissioners.

You have doubtless seen that Uncle Sam is determined to make the rebels respect the Union soldiers regardless of their color or nativity. So if a colored soldier is not treated according to the rules of civilized warfare, our government will retaliate in kind.

There are about eleven hundred New York troops here, and we believe the empire State is not represented by a solitary executive officer in camp to look to their interest - - the Col. Commanding being a Pennsylvanian, and the Captain a Massachusetts man.

A regiment of the stoutest convalescents is formed and drilled every day, usually for an emergency anytime, and in case of an offensive demonstration of the enemy, about five thousand good fighting men can be thrown into the surrounding entrenchments, so that the convalescents are no less than a standing army for the defense of our national capitol.

As a Delaware paper is a rare sight here, I would be pleased to see a copy of the "Mirror," and we may be able to "see ourselves as others see us."

Sergt. Wm. Hitchcock, Co. I, 89th Regt.

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, May 10, 1864 - Titled From the 89th Regiment

Folly Island, S.C., April 16th, 1864

Mr. Mirror - Thinking a few lines from the 89th, old and new, would not come amiss, I have written you this letter. Everything here as far as nature is concerned, is smiling. The weather has become settled, the days warm and pleasant and the breeze from the Atlantic delightful. But we are not to enjoy these things, it seems; we have received marching orders for some point north, we don't know where, but we suppose it will be Va, where it seems Gen. Grant means to fight a terrible battle; the troops are leaving Florida too, for that state. We were in hopes that we would not get into the army of the Potomac again, but I think we shall. We have had a large number of recruits come to us and I understand many more are on the road; probably they will meet us at Newport News, or, wherever we go. Some of the veterans returned over a week ago, and this morning another squad came. The men on recruiting service have been recalled, but have not got here yet. The Regiment has been very busy for some time past fixing up a new camp and some of the companies were finished, so you may know that the men were a little disappointed, but it is a soldiers fortune and of course it is all right. There was a sharp firing yesterday over in Stono Inlet, between our gunboats and the batteries the rebels try once in a while to put in position. It resulted as usual, in their being driven off. I expect you will be flooded with specimens of sea-shell from Folly Island for all of the men must, have been collecting for a month past and sending on to their homes. Adams Express Co, has done a large business for a week or two. It seems rather strange for us old memebers, to be filled up in numbers; by the time we are filled up, there will, practically speaking, be nothing left of the old 89th. the greatest confidence is felt, that the war will be ended this summer and God grant that it may be so, for it is really horrible to set down and think how many lives have been taken and how many have been crippled for life, to say nothing of the insanity and misery that has been produced. I hope the day and time is not far distant, when Christianity and reason will amicably settle all differences without the use of gun and sabre. The people north, think they are right and will fight till the last; the south are just as confident that their cause is just and they will not give in till their physical power gives out. Thus it always has been, but I trust that the day is not far distant when this dire necessity will no longer exist. We have just signed the pay rolls and will be paid this forenoon. The order has been given to pack up and be ready to embark at Pawnee landing this afternoon. We may go around by Hilton Head, if we do, probably we shall not get to Fortress Monroe before the 21st, or we may go direct north and be there by the 19th, at any rate it will be necessary for people who send letters to the regiment, if they want them to come directly through, to direct to Washington, D.C., or via Fortress Monroe. Three days rations ordered and every man to put what he wants into his knapsack, for no boxes will be allowed. I had intended to have given a little better description of things but we must leave immediately. All letters and papers from home thankfully received.

Yours truly, W. K. Rivenburg Co. I, 89th, N.Y.S.V

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday, May 10, 1864

Gloucester Point, Va, April 27th, 1864

Mr. Mirror - I wrote you a short letter just before we left Folly Island, but as we had quite an eventful time on our passage, I thought I would let you have the particulars. On the sixteenth we left Pawnee Landing, in the coast Monohansett and went to Hilton Head. While lying in the harbor I took a quiet survey of things as they appeared to me from an inside harbor view. In sight are fifty-six frame buildings, some painted white with porticos and green blinds. Two large warehouses and a splendid wharf, two forts (earthworks) and a lookout, built on the top of a house situated on a hill, one church and a school house and any amount of little shops and tents. The negro quarters are built outside, about a mile from town. While lying here I saw in the distance, two deserters shot. The 76th Pa. Zouaves and a regiment of Cavalry were here doing Garrison duty. In the harbor there were about 50 craft gunboat transports and store-ships, two iron-clads and the Vermont Frigate of the line. Hilton Head is on H. H. Island, just across the channel, on St. Helena Island, is situated Port Royal and upon the main land about 18 miles, you will find Beaufort, We put to sea in the evening, had a good passage until the 19th, the anniversary of South Mills and the Nansemond fight, then came up a blow from the north-east. The Captain had predicted this all day, from the fact, that two scoons, birds, were following us. The boat we were in, was called the Ranger, was built for a hay barge on the north river. It rolled, tumbled and pitched around in every direction but ahead, for we made only about four miles an hour, with all steam up, and would not have gotten to Fortress Monroe this summer, if the fortunate breeze had not at last come and taken us along at about 9 miles an hour. On the 19th, when about 20 miles south Hatteras, the gale came up and kept increasing in violence, till at last everything was going topsy-turvy. The horses fot loose below and went jumping around among the passengers, many of whom were seasick; at that the boats worked loose on deck and smashed the railings and everything was in general confusion. As a last chance we --- --- --- --- being head on to them. We took on a pilot and went and anchored; it was a beautiful place and the sight paid us for the danger we had gone through. The two places, Morehead City, and Beaufort lay before us, the spires glistening in the sun, made us homeless wanderers, think of the dear ones and their happiness in the dear old home! We could easily tell that we were in N.C., by the wind mills. We saw three young ladies on the wharf and it was amusing to see the men rush to the side to get a glimpse of them. The harbor was filled with government vessels well manned. I guess that not many blockade runners get in here. The people here, thought that we had come to reinforce them, for they had been attacked at Plymouth. At last we put to sea again and after much rolling and pitching we arrived at Fortress Monroe on the 22nd, from there we came here and are now waiting for the order to move to Richmond Our baggage has been reduced and everything looks like an early move. You will in all probability hear from us again soon. W. K. R.

Bloomville Mirror, Tuesday October 18, 1864

From the 89th

The remnant of this glorious "Fighting Regiment" had a hand in the late fight before Richmond, as will be seen soon by the following extract of a letter from our correspondent. The term of enlistment of the 89th expires on the 20th inst. Our correspondents letter is dated at Point of Rocks, Va, October 4th. He says:

Our Regiment (what is left of it,) remains at the front, holding the position that they worked so hard to take. I find it difficult to obtain a correct account of the battle, I was detailed on guard duty some miles away. The battle, however, was a hard fought one. Our Regiment lost its banner - that noble flag we had carried all through the war. No wonder it was lost when all but one of the color guard was either killed or wounded. I do not know the loss of the regiment. Our Company (I) went in the fight with 14 or 15, and lost 8 of them, as follows:

Lieut. H. H. Eppes, taken prisoner.

Corp. Daniel Lee, do

Corp. Daniel Mains, do

Hiram Brown, do

Serg't Charles Graham, wounded, supposed mortally

Corp. W. Blinebry, wounded in the breast, badly

George W. Houck, wounded in the hand, will probably lose his arm.

Solomon Butts, wounded in the leg.

By this you will see that our Company suffered badly, losing over half that went into the fight. Capt. R. P. Cormack is wounded in the head, only slightly, however. We captured 3 forts, 16 guns, a large number of prisoners, a line of works, &c. - {Del. Express.

 

 

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