8th New York Light Artillery CIVIL WAR LETTER from Newport News, VA - NICE ONE

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8th New York Light Artillery CIVIL WAR LETTER from Newport News, VA - NICE ONE :
$56.01

Civil War Letter

Henry Scott Murray (1836-1905) was the son of John Murray (1798-1877) and Jennet (“Jennie”) Scott (1801-1884) of Bovina, Delaware county, New York. His parents were natives of Scotland — were married there in June 1821 — and came to New York state with at least three children in the early 1830’s. Henry was the second of several more Murray children born in the United States.

According to theHistory of Delaware county(1880), Henry “early learned the tinsmith trade, and in 1857 entered into business with C. B. Shafer. Nothing was said of his education but his letters suggest that his command of the English language was reasonably good for a tradesman; he perhaps benefited from instruction by his Scottish parents who typically excelled academically at the time.

Henry’s muster roll abstract indicates that he was 25 when he enlisted in the 8th New York Independent Light Artillery on 26 September 1861 for a period of three years. He was described as a 5′ 9” tinsmith with blue eyes, light hair, and a florid complexion.He mustered in on 30 October with the rank of Corporal. By the time he re-enlisted in January 1864 as a veteran, he had risen to the rank of Sergeant. TheHistory of Delaware countyclaims Henry was “with the 8th N. Y. Battery in all its engagements” though these were few in number. He mustered out with his regiment at Norfolk, Virginia, on 30 June 1865.

Though he does not mention him in any of his Civil War letters, Henry’s younger brother, John Murray, Jr. (1838-1863) also served his country and is listed as one of eleven Bovina natives to die in the war. In September 1862, he enlisted in Co. E, 144th New York Infantry and died of typhoid fever at Folly Island, South Carolina. He was buried in the Beaufort Cemetery. Henry’s brother John may have been the recipient of Henry’s 1862 letters written during the Peninsula Campaign.

After the war, Henry returned to Bovina and re-entered the tinsmith business. In 1868, he served as the Town Clerk. On 26 October of the following year, he married Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) A. Coulter (1839-1907) of Bovina — an enterprising young woman who delayed her aspirations for a family of her own to teach in a Presbyterian-sponsored Freedman’s school in Virginia after the war. Lizzie’s brother, Walter Coulter, recorded the nuptials in his diary entryon Monday, 26 October 1869: “At the residence of the bride’s father by Rev. J. B. Lee, Mr. Henry S. Murray to Miss Elizabeth Coulter, all of Bovina. They go to Niagra tomorrow.”

In 1875, Henry secured a patent on the Delaware county milk pan. Marketed as the “Dairymen’s Best Friend,” this invention enabled the dairy farmer to keep his milk at a more uniform temperature thereby guaranteeing a better quality of butter. The invention was sufficiently successful for Henry to relocate from Bovina to Andes where he went into production of the pan — an occupation that lasted for the remainder of his lifetime. He died there in 1905.

References:

History of Delaware County, New York(1880)
Lizzie Coulter Goes South, Part I— a blog by Bovina Town Historian Ray LaFever
Lizzie Coulter Goes South, Part II—a blog by Bovina Town Historian Ray LaFeverLizzie Coulter’s 1868 Travel Diary and Walter J. Coulter’s 1869 Diary are archived at theDelaware County Historical Associationat Delhi, New York

TRANSCRIPTION

Newport News, Va.
April 15th 1862

Dear Brother,

I now sit down to write you a few lines as we have again received orders to march from here in the morning at eight o’clock. I understand that we are to go towards Yorktown about fourteen miles from here to a place calledYoung’s Mill. Casey’s whole division will leave here tomorrow. The whole division was out on drill this afternoon about a mile from here. It was a fine sight to see about twenty thousand men all under march at one time. There is one artillery company attached to each brigade and maneuvers with the infantry. We are attached to the Second Brigade. ¹Our Brigadier General’s name is [Oscar E.] Kline.

The weather is now very pleasant and the roads are getting quite dry so that it will not be so bad moving as it would have been a week ago.

There is not much news here at present. One of our boys got badly kicked yesterday by a horse. He was cleaning his horse when the horse turned round and kicked him on the head, knocking him senseless. He was taken to his quarters and the doctor called but he still remains insensible and was taken to the hospital at Newport News today. His recovery is thought doubtful. His name is [George D.] Eighmy. I think he was from Roxbury.

Our company is now full. It has been filled up out of the brigade to which we belong. There was two men out of each company transferred into our company in order to fill our company up.

Our mail does not get here very regular. I have had two letters from you which were written before we left Washington. I had a letter from Campbell yesterday which was written nearly two weeks ago. There is but little sickness in our company at present. I am well as usual. I think the Southern climate is going to agree very well with me. We are getting as brown as Indians. When we get a chance to look into a mirror, I am afraid we won’t know ourselves.Bob White and all the other Bovina boys are well.

I will have to close as it is getting late and my candle is nearly burned out and the boys are all gone to bed — but I must write as long as I can. I have said that we were going to march towards Yorktown tomorrow. There will no doubt be a bloody battle fought there before long but whether we will be called into action there or not, it is impossible to tell. The battle at Yorktown will no doubt bethe decisive battle. If won by our troops, it will crush the rebellion as Richmond will most likely be taken about the same time as it is said here that Banks and Fremont are marching on to attack it. May success follow them is the earnest wish of your affectionate brother, — H. S. Murray

¹ The Second Brigade of Casey’s Division was commanded by Brig. Gen. Oscar E. Kline. The Brigade was composed of four regiments — the 90th Indiana, the 26th New Jersey, the 17th Indiana, and the 10th Ohio.

Bob White (ca. 1900)

² Robert (“Bob”) Alexander White (1833-1913) is frequently mentioned in Murray’s letters. Bob was born in Ayreshire, Scotland. He was a blacksmith in Bovina before enlisting with Murray in the 8th New York Light Artillery. Like Murray, he enlisted for three years but was discharged on a surgeon’s certificate of disability in September 1862 after only 11 months.

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