(12) 1862 CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS LETTERS FROM CAMP MARTIN / FORT GAINS 71st NEW YORK

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(12) 1862 CIVIL WAR SOLDIERS LETTERS FROM CAMP MARTIN / FORT GAINS 71st NEW YORK:
$565.00

Outstanding and original, Lot of 12 Handwritten Manuscript Civil War Soldier\'s Letters dated between June 1, 1862 and June 27, 1862. All 12 letters are written by Private John Clarkson Jay Jr. of Company F, 71st Regiment New York State Militia from Camp Martin, at Tennallytown, D.C. (near Washington). Private Jay was the son of the famous Physician and acclaimed Conchologist John Clarkson Jay Sr. and great grandson and namesake of Founding Father and first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court John Jay.

Eleven of these fascinating Civil War Soldiers letters are written to Private Jay\'s mother with the 12th was written to his father - John was a very dutiful son and wrote home just about every other day and the letters give a wonderful picture of life in a Civil War Camp defending Washington, D.C. Each of the Letters are written on identical, four page, folding letter sheets measuring 5 1/8\" by 8\". All are addressed from \"Camp Martin\" which was located in \"front of Fort Gains\" in what today is the Tenleytown section of Washington D.C. Jay even addresses two of the Letters from \"Tent No. 3\".

The Letters are a fascinating record of Life in Camp and are chock of information on daily routines, drills, dress parades, inspections, etc. Private Jay names and talks about his tent mates and in the Letter dated June 10th reports \"I forgot our little nigger. We have hired a little fellow for four dollars a month\". Two days later Jay writes \"not yet mustered in; there is some dissatisfaction; 20 or 30 have already deserted. We have dismissed our little nigger, he was too lazy...\". Jay\'s father being a doctor, obviously instilled the importance of health and safety into his son as the Private often reports on his health, the quality of the drinking water and food etc. On June 19th he writes \"Company marched to surgeon to be vaccinated; I thought you would prefer that I should be vaccinated with vaccine from a respectable source. I wish you would send some immediately\". Of special interest is the Letter Dated June 20 and June 21. In this Letter Jay speaks of the impending review by \"President Lincoln, Sec. State and Sec. War.\". The next morning Jay reports \"Last evening we were reviewed by President Lincoln, the sect. War & several Generals. It took two hours and was very tiresome\".

Private John C. Jay Jr. was obviously a well to do and very well educated soldier from a prominent New York family. While these letters contain a vast amount of information about the life of a Civil War soldier in Camp protecting Washington, D.C., it is also interesting to note the perspective from which Private Jay views his service which would conclude after 3 months when the Regiment would be mustered out. It appears that later in the Civil War, Jay enlisted as a surgeon and served in New Orleans.

All twelve letters are in very good condition overall. All are written in pencil and the handwriting is neat and quite legible. There is some scattered light soiling and light edge wear but overall the letters are well preserved and display nicely.

A fascinating Lot of 12 Handwritten Manuscript Civil War Soldier\'s Letters written by Private John Clarkson Jay Jr. of Company F, 71st Regiment New York State Militia from Camp Martin, at Tennallytown, D.C. and a fantastic addition to any collection!!!

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