Massachusetts Civil War Letter, 1862, Ms.1989.091

Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech

Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia 24061
Business Number: 540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu
URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu

John M. Jackson

Abstract

Letter written from Massachusetts by "thy loving Madre" to "My dear Henry" during the American Civil War, mentioning the hardships and benefits of soldiering, the camp experiences of "Eddie C. W." [Edmund C. Whitney, 53rd Massachusetts?], the barracks at Camp Stevens in Groton Junction, but focusing largely on personal matters.

Administrative Information

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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Massachusetts Civil War Letter, Ms1989-091, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Massachusetts Civil War Letter was donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1989.

Processing Information

The processing and description of the Massachusetts Civil War Letter commenced and was completed in February 2022.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of a single letter written by "Thy loving Madre" to "My dear Henry" during the American Civil War. Writing from an unidentified location on October 31, 1862, the correspondent remarks on the physical hardships and benefits of soldiering ("An experience of a few months might do you great good physically, if it did not happen to over-do you.") She reports on the camp experiences of "Eddie C. W." (likely Edmund C. Whitney of the 53rd Massachusetts Infantry), describes the barracks at Camp Stevens in Groton Junction, and mentions the impending departure of the regiment, possibly for New Orleans. The letter focuses largely on the activities of mutual acquaintances.

General

This item had been donated, accessioned, and originally cataloged as the "Civil War Homefront Letter." An examination of the contents suggested that "Massachusetts Civil War Letter" would be a more appropriate title for the item. The writer mentions Camp Stevens at Groton Junction, a locale in Massachusetts. Elsewhere, the writer indirectly mentions people that would be associated specifically with Lancaster, Massachusetts. She notes the activities of a "Mr. Symmes" and "Eddie," both associated with a local bank. According to the obituary of Edmund C. Whitney (1837-1897) of Lexington, Massachusetts, Whitney served as assistant cashier in the Lancaster Bank, working under cashier C. T. Symmes. Elsewhere, the letter hints that the name of "Eddie's" wife was "Nellie," who had a connection to Nashua [New Hampshire]. Edmund C. Whitney was married to Cornelia Sheppard, whose family lived in Nashua.

Both this letter and the letter in Ms1989-088 (Lancaster, Massachusetts Civil War Letter) seem likely to have been written to Cyrus Henry Merrick (1829-1914), brother of Spencer R. Merrick. The letters were acquired from the same source on the same day. The writer twice mentions the name "Spencer" and seems to refer to the intended recipient at one point as "Mr. M."