1862 CIVIL WAR SOLDIER LETTER NEAR MOUTH OF YORK RIVER

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Up for auction is an original Civil War letter written by Union Soldier George Frederick Elliott to his mother. He wrote this letter on board the John Warner near the mouth of the York River . The letter is dated April 8th, 1862 . The letter is filled with great content. George Elliott was with the 1 st Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment at the time he wrote this letter. The 1 st Connecticut Heavy Artillery Regiment was one of the first regiments in the North to agree to a three year enlistment. George Frederick Elliott and his brothers, James Peters Elliott and Edward Augustus Elliott, all stepped forward and volunteered for service at the beginning of the Civil War. You could call James Elliott a Civil War lifer for he reenlisted at the end of his three years of service and stayed in service to his country until the end of the Civil War. His brother George, the man who wrote this letter, served his three years and then left the army in 1864. George Elliott served along with his brother in the 1 st Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment. Brother Edward served in the 5 th Regiment of the Connecticut Infantry. Edward disappeared from his regiment in the summer of 1862. It is unclear whether he deserted or if he was captured by the confederate forces and killed. Both James and George Elliott were writing letters home, in 1864 and 1865, stating that they did not know what had happened to their brother. I have not corrected the spelling in the letter below. He writes: Tuesday Apr 8 th 1862 On Board the John Warner near the mouth of York River Dear Mother Finding plenty of time that was like to run to waste I take this oportun-ity to write you a few lines. I Should Send you Some money by this mail if I was only Sure that it would ever reach you, but I have Some fears as the Mail is intercipted by the Government until this Division of the Army has accomplished what it has in view at present So that it may not be foiled by any conjectures of the Union Soldiers falling into the hands of Spies. we dont know w we are going to land but think it is at York . we are within Rifle Shot of a Fort that is Said to have been occupied by the Rebbels only last Saturday. we left Fort's Scott & Richardson on last Wednesday Morning and Alexandria Thursday and arrived at Fort Monroe Friday. marched to Hampton the same day we encamped near Hampton that (Friday) eve w we remained until Sunday when we Struck tents and Embarked on this Steamer and left Hampton bright and early Monday Morning passing Fort Monroe on the way w we arived about two P.M. yesterday. I Should tell you about the ruins of Hampton that I saw as well as the fine View we had of the Yankee Cheese Box (as the Rebbels call the Moniter) that Cheese Box has given them timely Warning and I think it very Approroriately Named the Moniter. I will leave the rest of the Space to write on a later date before the Mail goes as perhaps I may be able to tell you Some thing more about w we are to land. Yours, George. Aprail 11 th 1862 Dear Mother We have Landed and are Making great preperations for a Battle . our Regt is to be the Siege Train and will use almost every kind of Heavy Ordanance and plenty of each kind at that. the new Recruits will act in conjunction with the Sappers and Miners while that part of the Regt which have been Drilled will have to work the Guns. Yesterday I Saw Gen McLelan he Came into our Camp just after we landed (between the hours of 5 and 6 P.M.[ ) ]. I have been almost of a mind not to write So much of what I conjecture but I thought that it would be best to have you prepared for what might happen. but dont let these things fret or worry you, for if I am Wounded I Shall consider myself more fortunate than those who are killed, and if I am among those who bite... read more

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