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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC09273.18 |
| From Archive Folder | Collection of 50 letters of Horace J. Hammond, a soldier in the 189th regiment New York volunteers |
| Title | Letter from Horace J. Hammond to Eleanor Hammond regarding money, debts and homesickness |
| Date | 1 January 1865 |
| Author | Hammond, Horace J. |
| Recipient | Hammond, Eleanor |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Wishes her a happy new year. Everyone is healthy except Joseph, who has a cold but is recovering. Glad to hear she is all well. Heard about the note from Armstrong; thought Betsey was going to let her have some money. Advises her that if Betsey will not let her have any money, she should talk to Jerome and see if he will give her some money to pay Armstrong with. Will hopefully receive some pay soon that he can send up to cover whatever money is owed. Asks if the creditors will wait for him to get paid so he can cover the debt. If she pays him $30, maybe he will wait until fall to be paid the rest of the money. Might not receive any pay after this next round until his time is up, so she should "do [her] best with it." She must sell the half ton of hay to whomever she can find who is willing to take it. Asks her to take care of herself and Oscar and to remember to keep warm. Tells her to pray to the Lord, for "he will be a friend that will stand by you at any time." She must keep some of the money for herself. Wishes he could be at home right now, but cannot return until his time is up. It was better that he volunteered when he did instead of waiting to get drafted. The shanty is very comfortable. Will stay at this location until spring comes. Roads are so bad that they could not move even if they wanted to. Winter in Virginia can be very cold. Wishes he could give her a hug and a kiss, but takes solace in the fact that he will be able to actually kiss her soon. Would rather be at home. |
| Subjects | Soldier's Letter Union Forces Military History Marriage Union Soldier's Letter Civil War Holidays and Celebrations Health and Medical Women's History Finance Soldier's Pay Debt Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Children and Family Religion Military Camp Infrastructure |
| People | Hammond, Horace J. (fl. 1864-1865) |
| Place written | City Point, Virginia |
| Theme | The American Civil War; Women in American History; Agriculture; Health & Medicine; Religion; Children & Family |
| Sub-collection | Papers and Images of the American Civil War |
| Additional Information | Hammond enlisted on August 17, 1864 at Avoca, NY as a Private. He served largely at City Point, Virginia, the headquarters for General Ulysses S. Grant. While at City Point, he was injured when a fellow soldier's rifle discharged and the bullet became lodged in his leg. Doctors removed the bullet and Hammond recovered without having his leg amputated. Hammond was discharged on May 30, 1865. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |
| Civil War: Recipient Relationship | Wife |
| Civil War: Theater of War | Main Eastern Theater |
| Civil War: Unit | 189th New York Vols., "G" Company |