37th Massachusetts Infantry CIVIL WAR LETTER Camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia

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37th Massachusetts Infantry CIVIL WAR LETTER Camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia:
$36.00

CIVIL WAR LETTER

This Civil War letter was written by Pvt. William A. Bartlett (1831-1897) who enlisted in Co. D, 37th Massachusetts Infantry during the American Civil War. William was the son of David Bartlett (1805-1836) and Cordelia Morey (1808-18xx). William married Alida Priscilla Fish (1829-1898) on 29 March 1854 in Westhampton, Massachusetts. Together they had at least five children:Clarence Alton Bartlett (1856-1929),Ida C. Bartlett (1857-1883),Mary A. Bartlett (1860-1915),Carrie M. Bartlett (1862-19xx), andCharles Watson Bartlett (1865-19xx).

Bartlett was above the median age for enlistees in the American Civil War and his age and health seems to have limited his ability to perform the full duty he desired. He complained of pain in his arm which seems not to have been caused by his duties as a soldier but possibly an old complaint — rheumatism. If he served in battle with his comrades of the 37th Massachusetts, he did not speak of it in any of these twelve letters. When his regiment was ordered to New York City in July 1863 to restore order during the draft riots, he did not accompany them, preferring instead to remain on a special detail that afforded him light duty at the Corps headquarters.

From the letters we learn that he was sent to a hospital in Washington D. C. prior to the end of 1863 and in the spring of 1864 he was still awaiting his discharge from the Veteran Reserve Corps. His military records state that he was mustered out of the service on 15 April 1864.

At the time of his enlistment, he gave his occupation as a carpenter. In the 1870 U. S. Census, he also gave his occupation as a carpenter. In the 1880 U. S. Census, however, no occupation is given for the 48-year old veteran who seems to have been an invalid “at home.” William and his wife Alida made their home in Blandford, Hampden county, Massachusetts after the war.

TRANSCRIPTION

General Sedgwick’s Headquarters
Camp as usual
March 8th 1863

Dear Wife,

I must try to write you a short letter which you must excuse for today as I have wrote one to E. Janes & my arm is tired although I think it is better than it was. Everything around here remains the same. Augustine Janes ¹is very low. His discharge papers are ready for him to go home but I am afraid he will never reach there alive. He has the chronic diarrhea very bad and yesterday he told me that he passed as much as a half teacup full of fresh blood and his bowels and back were very sore. I saw him with his clothes off Friday. He was not anything but skin and bones.

I bring the mail from the regiment to the company and I shall call in to the hospital and see him every day as long as he stays here if I can. There is over 40 sick in the regiment — only one from our company. I do not know how many deaths there has been in the regiment. The rest of the W. boys are all well.

I received your letter of March 1st. I hope this will find you all well. Tell the children Papa would like to see them if he could. I thank Anna very much for her letters. I hope they will do me good.

My love to you all. From your husband, — William A. Bartlett

How does Uncle Lewis get along this winter?

¹ Presumably Justin E. Janes of Westhampton who enlisted in Co. D, 37th Massachusetts at the age of 25 and died on 29 March 1863.

TERMS

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