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ALVIN ANDREW AND THE CIVIL WAR
(Compiled by Bill Gateley)
Introduction.
The inspiration for this little document came from a collection of three letters written during the Civil War. The original letters belonged to Winkie [Helen Hunt Andrew] who made the initial transcriptions, loaned them to us temporarily, and assisted us in making additional guesses about their contents. Two of the letters are from Alvin Andrew to his brother Alex and one from Alex to Alvin. In addition to the letters themselves, we have included some supplementary information which we felt is desirable to properly set the stage.
The letters are of course handwritten. The difficulties of reading such writing coupled with some ravages of age of the paper and numerous eccentricities in spelling and punctuation have resulted in a large number of question marks in the transcriptions. Beyond these question marks, we feel that the reproductions below are reasonable representations of the actual contents of the letters.
Who was Alvin?
William Alvin Andrew, the youngest child of William and Harriet Andrew, was born in Ontario, Wayne County, New York on October 24, 1831. His only brother was Alexander C. Andrew, the Ogden daughters' great-grandfather (thus about 1/16 of the genes of each Ogden daughter are identical to those of Alvin).
Alvin was married on April 27, 1853 to Dolly A. Williams. They had one daughter, Alvinette (later Mrs. Allie Jagger of Marion, NY). Alvin's mother died in 1858, four years before he was mustered into the Union army.
The New York 9th Regiment Heavy Artillery
The Muster-in Roll displayed on the next page (it was obtained from the National Archives and Records Service) shows that Alvin joined Company B of the 138th Infantry Regiment of New York on September 9, 1862 when the Civil War was little more than one year old. A brief history of the regiment (whose designation was later changed to the 9th Regiment Heavy Artillery) is also shown on the next page. A Union army company usually contained 50 to 100 men and was commanded by a captain, and a regiment was made up of about 10 companies and was commanded by a colonel. Note that for the first year and a half or so of its existence the regiment was busy building and garrisoning several forts in the Washington, D.C., area. Among these forts was Fort Gaines from which the first of our letters was written.
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Letter from Alvin to brother and sister (Alex and wife?), Nov. 22, 1863 |
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Fort Gaines NO 22/63 Dear Brother & Sister with pleasure I will improve this opportunity in writing a few lines to you to let you know that I am in the land of living yet awhile that my health is vary good now the ??? boys are all quite well oneley three or fore on the sick list I received you good letter and that knice ??? presant to. I am vary mutch obliged to you I was vary mutch pleased with it Oh how good those pairs wer and cake to that aint all it reminded me that I have some friends way ??? north yeas I have had reasons to think so before I would be glad to go and make them a visit when will the time come I am tired of waiting but that dont do me anny good I must wait untill the time comes I dont blame the north so for this war we could not healp it with out a misirble compirmise whitch would have been a nevor lasting shame to the north yet I shall be glad when the strugle is over and I am once more a free man yeas I would be glad to know that every man was free black and white for I cant believe that it is write that man should have so much power over another I become more convinced of the fact every day of my life power is the ruinnation of man oneley look at the slave dealor you can see that he gets his feelings so hardend that it is nothing for his to shoot a man no more than it would be for me to shoot a squirrel the same thing will apply to souldering the man in power over the souldier but I wont dwell on that subject anney longer you will get tiard of it why is it that Bixby dont owe anney thing in his one name I am glad you did not let him have that monney if that is the case I suppose that Dolley starts this week I shall be glad to see hur again the time drags and wars a vary slow it was to bad that she had to go home as we were situated at that time it made me feel vary bad at the time and I shall meet her with out strech armes to wellcome hur back I tell you a friend in need is a friend in deed I had bin to a good deal of exspence and thare was nothing to hinder hur from staying so far as matters was concerned hear was it really neceisary for hur to go home or not why should mother try to hinder you from seeing Dolly what does it mean I will try and find out when Dolley comes I was glad to hear that york state had gon so strong for the union yes I would have bin vary glad to have bin thare to put in one vote for the union but know pap would let me go it is a good thing some times to have a pap to tell on what to do and what you cant do we are have not got the barracks don yet they are a going to move us into the cook house tomorrow morning I am to work on the houses yet we have got up for building more is the barracks one is the cook house and mess house the officers quarters and a house for the ??? Sargent quarters all together it makes it quite a job I thought I would not write to my good wife today seeing that she was coming down for ???. she will start before she would get the letter I thought that I would write a few lines to father but I cant it is too late in the evening I thought that I would write a sort of a request in regard to what I want dun with what little property I have got I think it would be rite for me to do so under the existing circumstances I think I will do so in my next it will be under stood what my desiars are tell father .....???..... to no it is good but I cant get you I have no news to tell you today this sheat is nearly ful but it is far from being interesting now I must close so goodby may God bless you all Alvin Andrew |
This next letter is dated only five days before Alvin's death and presumably never reached him.
(Note: J. Eaton owned the farm directly north of the farm of Alvin's father.)
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Friday, September 16, 1864 Dear Brother Alvin I have been looking over your letter tonight it is about a month since I received your letter I don't know but you will begin to think that I have forgotten you but that is not the case I think of you every day and what you are doing I thought when I got your letter I would write rightaway but I have been very busy along back a gettin ready to sow wheat I finished sowing that piece that you sowed this afternoon The draft has not taken place yet I suppose it will soon if the quota is not filled by volunteers and substitutes I have been trying to get one I had one engaged a whil a go He give me the slip Was to pay him for one year Bixby has gone to Bufflaw to get substitutes I sent for one but I dont know as he will get any I have been thrashing this week Would you like to now how much grain I have got Wal I will tell you I had forty bushels of wheat two hundred of oats from ten acres sixty of barley from four acres twelve bushels of peas from two acres So you see that I shall get rich this year the drowth was too much for spring crops except corn I think my corn will be pretty fair we have had plenty of rain since the first of August The grass looks green as it does in the fore part of the summer you wantted to know what I thought about the war closing I dont think that it will last more than another year Sherman taking Atlanta and the taking of Mobile makes it quite encourageing I think Grant will take Richmond Some of our democrats say so now they begin to turn their tune I think if we elect Old Abe this fall I think they will cave before long dont you. you will vote for him again this fall wont you say you dont have any papers to read I will send you some Alvin Pa said I must tell you that he was well and had got his wheat sowed and got stone enough drawed along the road to lay a wall down to eaton line he took that board fence away and plowed craped the bank so as to make a good foundation for a wall. I guess he has worked to hard he looks rather poor Sunday morning how do you do this morning it is warm and pleasant to day Alvin I heard last night that you had been orderd back to the front again hope that is not so. There is a going to be a picknic next tuesday on the lake shore for the benefit of the Soldiers aid society I think there will be a large turnout I wish you was here to go wouldent we have a nice time Alvin you say father hasent done the right thing about that wheat I talked with him about it he says he hasent got only enough for bread he sticks to it that you said let it go untill you come back the draft is to come of to morrow in places where the quota isnt filled I dont know whether I shall get a substitut as now Bixby hasnt got back yet we are a going to the ridge to metting to day I finish this so I can male it I will send you a paper with it now Alvin dont feel hard because I have delayed writing so long you will answer this as soon as you get this wont you I wont delay answering yours so long again excuse me this time wont you so good bye for this time give my respects to the bryans Alex Andrew |
Some Background for the Third Letter
The Middleton from which the third letter was written is probably the small Virginia town located about fifteen miles south of Winchester on I-81. At this point in time Sheridan (Union) and Early (Confederate) were seesawing up and down the Shenendoah Valley between Strasburg (a few miles south of Middleton) and Halltown (some fifteen miles northeast of Winchester).
The "monoxley fite" which Alvin discusses is the Battle of Monocacy. The following description of that battle is from the Historical Times Encyclopedia of the Civil War:
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Battle of Monocacy, Maryland, 9 July 1864: On 5 July the vanguard of Lt. Gen. Jubal A. Early's command forded the Potomac River into Maryland. Union authorities in Washington, D.C., plagued by conflicting reports, responded slowly to this Confederate invasion. Only Maj. Gen. Lew Wallace, commander of the Middle Department in Baltimore reacted decisively. Sifting through the vague intelligence, Wallace readied his small command and selected a defensive position behind the Monocacy River east of Frederick, Maryland, where the road forked into the Baltimore and Washington pikes. Lt. Gen. Grant, belatedly realizing that Early's corps had departed Petersburg, finally dispatched Brig. Gen. James B. Ricketts' division of the VI Corps northward. Ricketts joined Wallace on the 8th, thereby bringing the Union forces to more than 5,000 men (one of which was Alvin). The Confederate army, slowed by diversions and a leisurely pace, arrived at Frederick at sunrise the next morning. One division cleared the town, and skirmishing continued until Early decided to assault Wallace's left flank, where Ricketts' seasoned veterans were deployed. The Federals, in fierce fighting in a wheatfield and cornfield repulsed three Confederate charges. About 4 p.m. Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon launched a riveting, massive attack that broke two Federal lines before a third hurled him back. Gordon regrouped and in another vigorous charge cracked Ricketts' front. Wallace ordered a withdrawal, and the Federals retreated toward Baltimore. Wallaces's valiant, stubborn defense, costing him 1,880 men, delayed Early's advance on Washington for one vital day. When Early reached the capital's outskirts two days later, the remainder of the VI Corps manned the works. The Battle of Monocacy perhaps saved the Northern capital. |
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August 16/64 in camp near Middleton expecting a batle. We haf to sleepe with our harnis on in readdiness in case we are needed. Dear Brother we are now in camp near middletown we came hear friday night we could not go enny farther on the account of the Johnnies we could see sixteen cannon looking at us so we thought it best to hault I don't know wheather they will attack them or not I exspect there will be a hard battle somewhare before long. I supose you wounder what we are doing as I used to when at home don't realise that we are marching from place to place to head the rebs off Alex, what do you think about this war do you think it will close vary soon you wanted to know what I thought a bout it I dont hardeley know what to say to you but I supose it will turn out about the same as the rest have you have more of a chance to know how things are going then I do. You have papers to read while I hardeley ever get a paper to read we all feel discouraged a bout not closing vary soon Alex what do your papers say a bout the monoxley fite I believe I know something about in that battle myself and I understand the papers say hear that the rebs lose was heavier than ours and that we coverd our retreet in good order I know better than that you wanted to know if I had bin in all of the fites. I have bin in all the battle that our regiment has bin write in the ranks but I wish I niver could see or know of a nother battle again our company was ordered to guard a large covered bridge that went over the river at monoxsey junsion and we was ordered to hold it at all hasords it was saposed to be the most exsposed place in fite but the rebs swong around so the enemy guns couldn't hurt us on a count a stone wall but the shell did come over thick and fast. I tell you brother we lay clost to the mother earth as posible Dear brother I don't know but you may think that I am a fraid to trust you or that I am a fraid that some one wants to take the advantage of me the fact of the buisness I want to do the thing that is write I don't feel willing for father to have what he could handle by law I do believe that he wants it and would take it if he could get it he has even talked write out allmost I don't know as he means to take the advantage or means to be disonist but he likes monney to well I am afraid he sets his afecttions to much upon the things of this worlld. I want to ??? help ??? and trust may God help me to do rite I do feel as though I had dun some thing for him all readdy there is on the place enough of his What are you a doing nowdays Alex I hope you wont be drafted fore it is a hard thing to be a souldier words cant exsplain but I must close give my love to father. Tell him that I think of him vary often tell him that if I aint able to meete him hear in this dark and gloomey wourld may we meete where pain and sorow is niver known Yes I hope we will all meete thare We have a mother thare and a sister thare. I know I am a wicked child yet I don't mean to be a vary wicked boy at least I will try not to be oh when will this dark cloud pass a way oh that god with his mytey streanth would take a hold of this matter and bring our rulars and commanders to think where they are and what they are doing I received your letter last Sabath the first mail we have had since we left Washington I tell you I was glad to get the mail if I ever was in my life may god bless you and may god permit me to meet you all face to face Your afecttionate brother Alvin Alex write often can't father think of something to say to me or don't he want to |
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The Battle of Winchester |
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The town of Winchester is located on I-81 in the Shenandoah valley in the northern tip of Virginia. It is about 70 miles west of Washington and has a current population of about 20,000. The Battle of Winchester (aka the Battle of Opequan) took place on September 19th, 1864 about 2 miles east of Winchester. The Union casualties included 697 killed, 3983 wounded, and 338 missing. The following passages about the battle are taken from Bruce Catton's book This Hallowed Ground: The Story of the Union Side of the Civil War: Sheridan had been slow getting into action. He had a strong advantage in numbers, but guerrilla warfare in the valley had been carried to such a pitch of perfection that he had to use a good many of his men to guard trains and supply lines, and he seems to have overestimated Early,s strength. In addition he was not altogether sure of the quality of his troops. He had the VI Corps from the Army of the Potomac -- as good a combat outfit as there was in either army -- but the rest of his men did not seem quite so solid, and he had taken his time about launching an offensive. But on September 19 he was ready, and he came down and crushed Early in a hard, sharp battle near Winchester. The battle began badly. Somehow Sheridan's marching orders got fouled up and his troops came to the field slowly. The first attack was knocked back on its heels, and around midday it looked as if the Confederates might win an unexpected victory. But Sheridan was all over the place in person, riding at a pelting gallop on his big black horse, his hat gripped in one hand and his starred battle flag in the other; he reorganized his lines, brought up his reinforcements, and at last drove home an irresistible charge, a whole division of mounted cavalry shearing in behind the Confederate flank, every man in action -- and Early's army went hurrying south through Winchester, and for the first time in the war the North had won a victory in the Shenandoah. |
Alvin was wounded during the Battle of Winchester and died two days later on September 21, 1864.
He was buried in Lot 21 in the Winchester National Cemetery at Winchester, VA.
A stone in the Andrew plot in the Furnaceville Cemetery in Ontario Twp., Wayne Co., NY, has the following inscription:
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Wm. Alvin Andrew died Sept 21, 1864 aged 32 yr. 10 mo. 24 da. He died at his post |