Describing Battlefield Voting and More During the Civil War

[Civil War]:

[Autograph Letter Signed, from a Union Quartermaster to His Wife, Describing Battlefield Voting During the Election of 1864, Interesting Riverboat Travel, His Duties as a Quartermaster, and More].

Deep Bottom, VA: October 18, 1864. [4]pp., on a single folded sheet. Original mailing fold, light wear and toning. Very good. The author has signed at the end, but his signature escapes comprehension. Item #13316

An informative Union Civil War letter from a member of the Quartermaster department for the 112th New York Infantry Regiment in Virginia, reporting home to his wife about various recent activities. The letter is interesting for several reasons, chiefly for describing voting activities in the field of battle during the Election of 1864. Lincoln and others in the government had ignored sentiment to postpone the election, probably since an overwhelming majority of soldiers in the field were loyal to the sitting President. The write mentions that he recently traveled to Deep Bottom with "State commissioners to take the election vote" and then details the current mood and voting habits of his fellow soldiers: "Our Regiment has not been in any fight since the one in which Maj. Ludwick was wounded. They are in very good spirits and I think have done themselves credit in sending home as much money as they have. Frank Wheeler, Irishman though he is, voted for Abe Lincoln. Our Regiment will go Lincoln by a large majority. About 3/4ths of all the votes. There is a commissioner here to take the votes of the men to the county. The 3rd New York will go largely for McLellan."

The letter is also intriguing for the writer's description of his recent travels from Fort Monroe: "I returned from Fort Monroe last Saturday. It was after breakfast when i set out from the hospital, and about 9 o'clock before the boat started for up river. The freight and cargo on board the steamer were quite miscellaneous. We had white troops & colored troops, brigade commanders, regimental commanders, several men with their gold stripes on their arms and citizens of every description. Christian Commission delegates. Sanitary delegates. Newspaper reporters. State commissioners to take the election vote and sutlers to take the money away from the Soldiers. Of all the crowd there were but 2 or 3 whom i had ever seen before, and not one with whom i have any sympathy.... I read some and slept some and about 4PM we were at City Point. Then I took a tug for Bermuda 100, and did not know how I should  get to Deep Bottom.... It was quite dark when I reached the pontoon bridges for though only about an hour's ride by land from Bermuda 100 to Deep Bottom, it is 18 miles by the crooked course of the river. I found the Quartermaster with the teams here."

The author also writes in some detail about his duties in the quartermaster department: "I felt somewhat easier than I did going down for the responsibility of conveying $25,000.... I stayed with Shaw [William H. Shaw, 1st Lieutenant and Regimental Quartermaster for the 112th New York in 1864] and in the morning we rode up to the Regiment. The men & Officers were all glad to see us. A lot of new recruits to be clothed, inspections &c &c. I did not enjoy the day much.... This morning I left again to see the men. The hospital here is at Point of Rocks. The 10th Corps Hospital is about a mile from the Quartermasters tent and the 28th Corps Hospital is at Point of Rocks about 6 miles distant. I have been busy all day, and am now quite tired. I have seen all of our wounded men, carried them their letters &c." He then expresses a desire for his own horse, which are "very scarce" in Virginia; as such, "a good one will cost $2.25 at least."

Price: $750

Status: On Hold