Elmira Prison Letter 1864

Civil War Elmira NYV Prison Guard Letter Jan 9 1864 Item number: 320185669996

Civil War Soldiers Letter from Jacob Larben (or Larfen) of the NYV Prison Regiment to his brother John. Jacob was a Guard at Elmira Prison. The letter is dated January 9, 1864. The three paragraphs are divided into a rathre formal greeting and take my pen in hand kind of relationship. He looks forward to the war ending in the Spring and states that Father Lincoln is attempting to bring to a close this terrible occasion. Do not fear. The Union will win and the Sessionist will repent. The second paragraph gives a few details about Prison Camp duty: it reads as written: Prison duty thu it be safe is much harder on the spirit than would be the wizzing of shell and ball. The rebels here are a sad lot, wounds and disease take many and our provost are less than gentel when dealing with them.

This great old Elmira Prison Letter is for sale on Ebay.

1749, Noddles Island.

1749,Noddles Island,Boston, Wm.Clarke letter, Item 170162458877

Letter dated December 1749, Noddles Island; where William Clarke has written to (Shute) Shrimpton Yeamans discussing the French amd Indian War, conditions of the buildings on Noddles Island, currency is unstable due to the war. He also talks about the land coming to Colonel Shrimpton from the old Indian land patent, the Million Acre purchase in New Hampshire.

This great old Noddles Island letter is on Ebay.

1806 Letter, Burlington Vermont

1806 Letter Burlington Vermont Item number: 300171869686


Dr Brother:

We arrived safe at home a few days a ago - I sipt (sic)at Middlebury several days, in order to affect something with regard to Banks -

When I got there - they had a bill before the house for a State Bank.
This Bill was brought forward by the opposition to the Banking interest and was carried one branch for this place, and another at Woodstock, before it passed the (worried (?) some of our friends left the house and they took that opportunity to propose an amendment and have one branch at Middlebury which was carried

- however we were glad to get rid of it the bill being one of the most inconsistent things ever brought before any Legislation

- It anticipates no capital as only five hundred dollars is appropriated to put it in ---and when the bills are issued if the State pleases they will pay them otherwise they will not as the State is not suitable and of course the holders of bills must loose them if they are not disposed to pay them

- When I get my business arranged I shall set for Boston / It will be uncertain whether I will come your way or not - If I should be in haste it will be better for me to go down the north turnpike....
...M Jewett."

1903 Kansas City, Missouri Letter

1903 Kansas City, Missouri Letter Item number: 200172634566

A personal letter by the Clerk of the Criminal court addressed to “My old friend Billie… you stick so close to Pony, [Missouri] now, don’t think that I don’t like Pony, and Pony people, infact I have wanted to come back to Pony ever since I left… why don’t you come to Butte once in a year, and call a fellow up and have a few more ‘bunches of rye’ together. One cant get lonsmn out here for there is an missalaneous croud dropping in here … as any Bohemian quarter in Paris.“ He then writes about his brother in law taking a “trip down the Mazoo” which will be a failure as “money making scheme.” “I will spend the late fall and all of winter in Southern California, Utah & New Mexico…I have seen some very bum prize fights… there has only been two good ones.” Etc… Signed “Chas Renick”.

This great Kansas City, Missouri letter is for sale on Ebay. If you would like to place a bid just follow one of the links to Ebay on this page.

1857 Abner J. Lowell Letter

1857 Abner J. Lowell Letter Item number: 230189476815

A May 25th 1857 letter from Abner J. Lowell to his cousin that mentions fishing voyage where "The Schooner was rolling rales (sic) under." It was written in small Point, and mentions a place called "Oak Hill". Abner says that the fishing voyage was rough for 48 hours. He also makes mention of the stationary being used and of the vignette which decorates it being a likeness of Col. J.C. Fremont.

I went and had a look in the 1860 United States Federal Census for Abner J. Lowell. I found a few people of intrest.

Abner Lowell Westbrook, Cumberland, Maine, 12, 1848 Maine
Abner Lowell Portland, Cumberland, Maine, 48, 1812 Maine
Abner T Lowell Bucksport, Hancock, Maine, 6, 1854 Maine
Abner Lowell Bucksport, Hancock, Maine, 62, 1798 Maine
Abner Lowell Palermo, Waldo, Maine, 15, 1845 Maine
Abner W Lowell Barnstable, Barnstable, Massachusetts, 57, 1803 Massachusetts
Abner Lowell Newburyport Ward 6, Essex, Massachusetts, 60, 1800 Massachusetts
Abner Lowell Raymond, Rockingham, Massachusetts, 35, 1825 New Hampshire

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Pittsford, Culpepper, Vermont, 1864

1864 Culpepper Vermont letter 10th Vermont Item number: 160176966468

1864 soldier's letter written camp near culpepper, Vermont. April 4th to MC Boyne, or Bogue in Pittsford, Vt. Written by John A Sheldon, Captain, 10th Vermont volunteers. Sheldon is answering the letter and says he is trying to secure a commission for Willie Peabody, and will notify of any incidents regarding the Pittsford boys.- I have recently promoted John Dike to a corporal.

This letter is on Ebay. Just follow one of the links on this page if you want to have a look.

Spanish & Philippine American War Letter

Spanish & Philippine American War letter Item number: 160176735028

Bayambang, PI Company I, 17th Infantry April 19th, 1900

Mrs. E. C. Bates,
My dear sister,
Mr. Bates letter came a few days ago. I was glad to hear from you all. Glad to hear that you were improving and hope you will get completely well again. We thought we would get to come home this summer but the way things look now, we will be here at least another year. We’re having more men killed on this island now at the present this than any time since. We have been here ?? to your face is mucho mego. That means “your friend” and where they get behind your back. They would cut your throat. They captured three men on the 29th just not long ago. Then they tied them to a stake and burned them alive and then drug them through the town and then cut their head off with bolows and such things is that are happening every day.



Looking up and the ?? has formed small bands of 25-50 bolow men and they rob all the natives and kill all the soldiers they catch away from their command. So you see you can’t ??? at all. We thought after we broke up all the large bands of ?? that the army would be reduced and some of the troops would get to go to the states. But I don’t think many of them would be sent back before another year. Our ball of the 14th infantry has gone back to the states. The ball of the 18th and 20th infantry will go home in May. We have been one year and one month, nine days and I think we will be another year. While I can’t stand it if it’s like the rainy season that was the course of all the cause of men’s death. Five companies of us of some regiment had quite a scrap in the 8th of this month on Sunday. We left here at 1pm on the 5th of this month and marched all night that night without any supper and went to camp at 6 o’clock and stayed like that til night and started out on the 7th and went to camp that eve at 5 o’clock. Got up the next morn at 3 o’clock to march to the mountains about four miles where we stayed at night and got our position by daylight. And I wished you and Mr. Bates could have seen the mountains. We have had the fight. General McAbolous was on that mountain with a squadron men well entrenched. Against us, took out mountain in tenn. ?? Is not in it well over our company was to attract the enemy and I trust Bradford gave me orders to take my squad of 7 men and take in and over guard in front of the hill where the enemy was are the rest of the company went out as flankes on both sides. A company was sent out on the left flank. Me and L company was sent out under command of Lt. Col. Rober. On the extreme right to get in the rear of the enemy. They had to march (8) mile over the mountain to come behind the enemy. While company D and the scouts come up the ravine on the right flank and we had the front where company A got all on the mountains on the left flank. The ladrous went up, then A company captured our post and burned the stalk ?? thin into the main body. When company A got around all the main body, we opened up from the front. The scouts got in from the rear they didn’t know what to do. But they retreated as far as they could. If A company had waited 30 minutes longer before they flanked them, and the scouts to get behind them, we would have demolished all of them. We kill about 20, wounded a good many and captured about 18 prisoners. Nothing will ever go down in records as driving General McAbolous and General Antoinio Montenegro out of there positions and if we had there positions, all the troops on the island couldn’t have driven us out but they didn’t have the nerve to stand. We had our officeIf they had stayed in their position, they would have killed all of us very freely. The reason they left their position, they thought we had them surrounded.Our officer wounded through both thighs; 1st Lt. Morrow of company D. He is getting along very well. I will send you a map of the hill in this letter.



General Montenegro surrendered to me and my squad on our port on the 9th day after the fight. I will send you this paper when get it. I have the paper now that the piece about the infantry but it can’t come and want to send it. I will wait until get the right one. Will jaru is better really now than those. Health now is poor for some time. Weight 180 lbs. yesterday. Please tell Mr. Bates to tell Mr. Clay that I haven’t been able to hear from Dr. Lester in Manilla at the 3rd hospital yet. I wrote to him but haven’t received any answer. He will be your back to the states. He is only a contract doctor and as you hear from him, I will answer his letter. And tell Mr. Bates to give the members of company H to give best wishes and kindest regards. And tell them the regiment will never be forgotten by the troops in the Philippine Islands and we would all like them to return again in the near future. Well we’ll close for this time. Write soon. I hope when this letter reaches you it will find enjoying good health. As it leaves me well that by the time this letter reaches you it find Mr. Bates enjoying good health. Mr. Bates said time ago thank him to please send me some chewing tobacco. Has he gotten better this time. Well good bye for this time you Bates write to your brother Corporal H. ???



You will all you will see in this sketch of the battleground, you can’t see any infantry but A company on the left flank over the mountain. And the advance guard below, that is my squad that is shooting up straight at the enemy. The paper wasn’t large enough to give all the companies. You will see where General McAbolous went straight up and jumped through the hole on the other side. You will see him making his escape down the mountain and you will look at the picture I sent you of Aguinaldo Cabirsh. And you will see the mau that surrender to me last Wednesday a week ago (General Montenegro). We have been after him for a year and just got him to speak good English. He was in New York 3 years. All the grass marks X are the mountains kept the where we had to charge up. The mountains in the search. There aught to be a back trail but you can’t get per it. In the sketch I will put a checkmark where the trail is to the other mountain. Well I want to write our mom and will send you a paper that gave a letter about the scrap. I will send you another paper in a few days. Well goodbye for this time. Write soon to your brother. Show this picture to some of the home troops and you could give it to the rancher. I would think they should be glad to get it. We burned all his headquarters. If you don’t give it to the people, send it to Billy. I will send you some of things I captured from McAbolous after the fight.

1796 Moses Jewett New Salem, Massachusetts

Autograph Letter Signed from Moses Jewett, dated New Salem, Massachusetts, May 10, 1796. Addressed to Mr. David Joseph Mallibran. It reads, in full:

Dear Friend:

You formerly observed to me, in one of your letters that nothing made a more ridiculous figure in a man's life than the disparity we often find in him, sick and well; thus one of an unfortunate constitution is perpetually exhibiting a miserable example of weakness both of body and mind. Sickness is a kind of early old age, it teaches us a diffidence in our early state, and inspires us with the thoughts of a future; it gives so warning a concussion to those props of our vanity, our strength and youth that we then think of fortifying ourselves within, when there is so little dependence on external. Youth at the best is but a betrayer of human life in a gentler and smoother way than old age; it is like a stream that nourishes a plant on a bank and causes it to flourish and blossom in the sight and at the same time, it is undermining at the root. Happy are they, my friend who learn not to despair, but shall remember that though the day is past and their strength is wasted there yet remains one effort more to be made. Reformation is never hopeless, nor sincere endeavors ever unassisted, he who implores strength from above will find danger and difficulty give way before him.
...Moses Jewett."


This New Salem, Massachusetts letter is for sale on Ebay. Item number: 300167189841

John Prince Knight. San Francisco California Letters

1850s San Francisco California Letters Item number: 330180082954

38 Pre Civil War Handwritten Letters. Most to: John Prince Knight. San Francisco California. And a few to other family members in Massachusetts. From: Most from Family Members & a few friends. Most from Boston & a few from other cities like Brighton, Germantown and one from Burlington College. & few other cities 1850 - 1866. Most later 1850s to early 1860s. [ 18 with year dates either on postmarks or letterheads & 20 without year dates] Mentions In Part: Visiting & Visitors - Wine bottle broke in Franks hand quite badly across the palm while drawing the cork - Sarahs wedding anf who attended - Henry Baldwin out in Brighton is engaged to a Sheep Killers daughter - Sleighing has been good - There is to be an ? immense cast at the Foundry and we expect several friends over to see the sight - The Brother Cup is perfect both in shape & color I can't imagine how it could have come such a distance - Daisy and Anna are playing and shaking the table so I can't write - Baby Daisy has Lung Fever, Dr. Channing - Trips to Brighton Massachusetts and New York City - Lydia talks of having a Ambrotype taken soon - Mr. Hooker took his dinner to the Mill to be ready for the train - Social at the House, all you will need is plenty of Light, you have lamps enough for the whole house but we have no oil, the can is at the Mill, got the Church cookery - Gift of a rocking chair - Goat attacked by dogs, men to the rescue - Their old friend Capt. Thomson died of cancer - Sick in bed for a number of weeks - Lovely Easter & Easter Sunday with flowers - New family dog named Dash, followed our old potato man came to see us - We had the house illuminated one night. A splendid procession formed on this street just in front of the house. The firing of the Cannon shook the house and caused one of the little ? lamp to fall from a bar on one of the front windows in my room ....., I threw a clock and shawl over the flames without sucess..... - It is prudent for you to be on the Wharf all night alone? - Writer updates John on all of the trees. The English Walnut you planted is eight feet high, Devils Walking Stick is about seven feet high ..... - Mr. Alger took us all over to the Foundry to see a large boiler for a Steam Ship cast - Mother died, I arrived the second day after the funeral - Mr. Bray has been making me a pair of skates from a mismatched old pair he found in the house. He took off the runners, fixed them onto a pair of Mahogany soles which he cut out very nicely .... & More.

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