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(CIVIL WAR CORRESPONDENCE OF CHARLES EVANS): War date correspondence of Charles Evans, who served...

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(CIVIL WAR CORRESPONDENCE OF CHARLES EVANS): War date correspondence of Charles Evans, who served...
(CIVIL WAR CORRESPONDENCE OF CHARLES EVANS): War date correspondence of Charles Evans, who served in the Adjutant General's Office for the State of New York, as well as letters of his wife Alice, consisting of thirty war-date letters, dating between Oct. 8, 1860 and Dec. 24, 1864. Most of the letters are written from Albany and are addressed to their son Walter in New York City who was apparently attending school. The correspondence is mostly of a personal nature, but history occasionally intercedes into the letters. In a letter written by Walter's mother, she describes in great detail a political procession, during her visit to New York City in the Fall of 1860. The letter, dated, Oct. 8, 1860 to her sister Ida she describes going to "...fifth Avenue a large and beautiful street. Houses close together as they can be built on both sides of the St. and they were all crowded with people windows full steps full sidewalks full to see the great procession....they marched slowly by us and they did look splendid. I was perfectly delighted thenyo8u know every company had a band of music at one time as far up and down fifth Avenue as our eyes could reach it was one solid blaze of light...then they had fire works from some houses to cheer them on they ware [sic] also very fine, each company had large and splendid banners with mottoes on them, one banner asked this question: 'whish will you have'; it had four sides and on each side was a picture of the different parties one side presented Douglas a little sort fat red face, cross looking man on another side was Lincoln splitting rails &c. another company had drawn by four span or H[orses] a little cabin with two or three trees around it and old Lin[coln] outside splitting rais. another Co. had draws by four pan of H[orses] the White house that was very pretty it was made of something this with lights in the inside it looked just like the pictures you have seen, the motto was 'Lincoln at home', a great many wore handsome banners..." A letter by Charles Evans, dated Albany, Mar. 11, 1862 notes that "...The Cannon is just firing a salute on the arrival of the news of the evacuation of Manassas by the rebels..." Alice pens another letter discussing politics in Albany on Oct. 12, 1862: "...I hear a great deal here of McClellan's popularity with the soldiers - from officers & from many sources beyond a doubt that the wounded & those [illeg] dying, would on the [illeg] filed, when they saw them pass, made their last efforts to shout for him...I have never seen a person here that doubled the great fondness of the troops for him, but many think he is too cautious...and it is said the great reason that the President Keeps him in command, is knowing that the troops have much confidence in him, & that is so...The Republicans had a demonstration here on Friday, I think, cannon firing...bonfires & so forth but unfortunately it was a dark rainy night..." Moving on to a subject a little more close to young Walter she notes: "The draft is all ready, & may be levied immediately, & may not - I was told by the Judge Advocate General, that they expect a little trouble in New York City, brickbats & the like but they can manage that probably..." On May 16, 1862 she makes further comments on the McClellan issue: "...I think it made Hooker rather unpopular, his thinking McClellan showed incapacity, as it was easy to take Richmond as he thought & shou7ld by his order to the Army & then failing entirely to do so, his opinion seemed of no account & rather flat..." On Aug. 9, 1863 she comments upon meeting New York governor Horatio Seymour who was accused of being a Southern sympathizer when he criticized Lincoln's policies: "...I saw the Governor a few evenings since, & am always glad to see him, is so pleasant & gentlemanly, and a very different kind of man altogether, from what the Tribune makes him, he of course must have his faults, but the Tribune is far to severe...I see Republicans that don't pretend to justify it & the Journal here, a preeminent Republican paper, lashes it pretty hard sometimes - I see it seldom but like to read it, as I always want to read both sides if I read at all..." The Evans' appeared to be solid Democrats as Charles writes to his son regarding the nomination of McClellan for President especially in regard to what was going on in Kentucky: "... You can see that the course & policy of the Lincoln Administration if pursued will either drive the State into the arms of the rebels or crush out every spark of liberty remaining there. This is harsh treatment to so loyal and patriotic a state as 'Old Kentucky' has always proved herself to be..." The war date correspondence is accompanied by approximately fifty additional letters and pieces of ephemera from the post-war period. All the letter bear the usual folds, but otherwise quite clean and in very good condition. $300-500