148th NEW YORK LETTER – PORTSMOUTH, VA – APRIL 1863, MENTIONS OF ANTIETAM AND HARPERS FERRY

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Item Code: 2023-664

Shortly after the 148th New York Volunteer Infantry was formed, it was ordered to the vicinity of Suffolk, Yorktown, and Norfolk for garrison duty.  It remained in the area until 1864, when it was transferred to the 18th Corps and served in support of the Army of the Potomac during the latter parts of the Overland Campaign and Siege of Petersburg.  The regiment was also heavily engaged as a contingent of the Army of the James at Drewry’s Bluff and Bermuda Hundred.

Private George Mack enlisted at the ripe age 44 on 9/14/1862 and mustered into Company C.  He penned this letter on April 13th, 1863 from Camp Folger near Portsmouth to his niece.  In the letter, he requests photos of his family members and offers to send his picture and have his wife forward pictures of herself and immediate family.  He says, “Ellen, yours of the 3rd reacht me in due time all safe with your Grand Mothers picture enclosed there in.  I am verray pleased with it and shall all ways keep it as precious – in return I will send you mine – your humbly Uncle Geo. with his whiskers all over his face like an old Hebrew or Jew with gun in hand ready to Doo Duty for my Country.”  He goes on to say that he would like to gather pictures to help his memory in his eventual declining years. He later says “the Rebels are seeing hard times, they are hungry and ragged it will not be many months now before we bring them to terms… after we conquer them this country will have to be guarded by our troops for a long time… no doubt some big battles yet.”  He mentions being placed in charge of an ambulance and team of horses, charged with transporting sick and wounded to hospital and carrying out business for the hospital and commissary department.  He seems to make a rare and empathetic reference to slavery saying, “I like my place and feel contented and hope to doo some thing to forward the cause of freedom to the poor suffering bond man.”  On the final page, he details a letter he received from George Edwin of the 8th New York Cavalry, in which George detailed his experiences at the Battle of Winchester during the Maryland Campaign, having to stage the famed night escape from Harpers Ferry, being on the right flank of the Army of the Potomac at Antietam, and a recent experience of evading capture while on picket duty.

The letter is written on unlined paper folded in half and is in nice condition.  It was folded into thirds and the creases fall between lines of writing.  There are two small holes/areas of separation under 0.25” where the two horizontal creases meeting the vertical half fold but is otherwise undamaged.  The writing is bold and legible with portions of the ink having faded to a period appropriate shade of dark brown.  A cover is included which has been opened at the left side.  On it is written “Mr. David Mack Essex Middlesex County Conn.” A series of three numerical addition equations.  A post mark is blurry and incomplete but appears to read “NORFOLK ??B 35”.  A 3-cent stamp is still securely attached, with the left edge missing from the opening of the letter.

This letter is an interesting and honest glimpse of the life and state of min of a garrisoned soldier who would soon enough be very busy with his ambulance in some of the great battles of 1864 and 1865.  [cm][ph:L]

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