425

Lot 425: Forty One Civil war Letters

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Lot  425: Forty One Civil war Letters
<b>CW¥U¥Letters</b><hr><b>Important Archive of Forty One Letters
from the Union Prison Warden at Dennemora</b>

<b>[Prison WardenÕs Civil War Archive]</b>
425 [Prison WardenÕs Civil War Archive] A wonderful collection of letters written by John C. Beattie, Keeper of the Prison at Dennemora, New York, primarily during the Civil War period. There are a total of 41 letters, 27 of them written by Beattie; the other 14 were written by other family members. Beattie mostly wrote to his wife and children, Martha and Robert. Interesting content and in overall Very Fine.
Excerpts from letters of 1862-3 include: '...all is quiet at the prison since that convict was kilt. If we have one more kilt then we would be all right...'; '...for the convicts I think their throats shall be sore - these had a good breakfast dinner and supper, to good for them. I think Bill is at Biekman with Gen Pope. He will see hard times and may be dead before this time...'; 'There is a Rail Road that runs from Portsmouth to Richmond. I think the way that Gen Burnside Army will go to Richmond...'; I wish I new what they was a doing. It takes so long to get the news here. Burnsides has gone over the river after the rebels. I think Burnside will lick them out. O how many will have to bite the dust...'; [Robert] wrote ' '... it is not a healthee place. They was better when they was on the march. It would be better for the Regiment to march 10 miles a day than lay in them tents...,' '... A Copper Head brought in a report that Gen Hooker was whipped. That hit me hard nock...,' 'Well we will soon hear of a battle between Gen Meade and Gen Lee. Oh that I could guide a ball to his Heart that would end this War...', 'If Willie can get $900 he had better enlist and give the money to Cate. It is the best thing he can do. If he donÕt he never will have $900.'
Letters of 1864-5 include such commentary as: '...Gen Slocum has gone with Sherman. So Robert me have seen Macon...'; '...If Lee should send out a large force from Richmond, we shall hear of a big fight.' As the War drew to a close, Beattie notes on April 3rd: 'If [Robert] gits home safe let the Garden grow up with weeds for I did not think he would come out alive. But I think he has been in his last battle.' And, a wonderful letter written on April 27, 1865 includes: 'We hear a report that Booth has been shot...I am sorry that they did not take him alive so they could have hang him. He ought to be burnt at the stake. I am sorry that Gen Sherman has made a fool of himself. It looks as if he had sold out to Johnson or Jeff but we have got Gen Grant left.' A letter of June 4, 1865 reads: [re:convicts] 'We have 200 soldiers about all of them are Democrats, all McClellan. They say if little Mac had been elected they would not have been sent up here. Some are bounty hunters and deserters. That is all.'
Truly a historic collection. (41 items)