These letters were written by Charles Hiram Morrill (1838-1904), a 24 year-old resident of Andover, New Hampshire, when he enlisted in Co. E, 10th New Hampshire Infantry. He was wounded in the Battle of Cold Harbor and was recuperating at Knight’s General Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut when he wrote some of these letters to his brother, George Harriman Morrill (1842-1880) who served in the same company.
Charles and George were the sons of Hiram Morrill (1808-1864) and Mary McClure (1809-1895) of Andover, New Hampshire.
[Note: The first two letters are from the collection of Jim Doncaster and are published by express consent.]
Letter 1
Fredericksburg, Va.
December 25, 1862
Dear Mother,
Not having anything to do today, so I thought that I would write you a few lines. My health is very good and hope that yours in the same. Our regiment is out on picket duty this morning. We are in sight of the Rebel pickets. They are on one side of the river and we on the other. Our men talk with them when they are a mind to. They say that they want the war to close as much as we do. They say they don’t think that they can whip us out but they shall fight us as long as we shall want to fight. I don’t blame them one bit for fighting us.
If you have not sent me a box yet, I wish that you would put in a bottle of Perry Davis’ Painkiller or Hall’s Stimulants. I have got a cold and cough some. If it is not better [soon], I think that I shall go and get some medicine of the Doctor. Frank Davis is getting better. He will be around again in a few weeks. John Russell of E. A. is very sick. We have quite a lot of sick ones in this company just now. The boys are well from there.
I saw Mark yesterday. He is well. It is the talk here that we are going into winter [quarters] in a short time. It is thought that we shall go to Washington to stay through the winter. I hope that we shall. Then we can get things from home with[out] much trouble.
Have you heard from George Lapley? I have not had any letters from him for a long time. How do you get along as for firewood this cold winter. It [may] look strange to you to live through the winter where there is no snow. I had rather be in New Hampshire where there is any quantity of snow than to be here. I am sick of this kind of living.
How do you like your new neighbors that live in the Nason house? Does Eastman [live] there now?
The Captain told me this morning that one half of this company hasn’t able to do any duty. Three have died and three have been discharged. I wish I had been lucky enough to have got my discharge. I can’t think of anything [more] to write. Today is Christmas. I would like to be at home to take supper with you. I wish you a Happy New Year. I must close as the mail is a going our now. I will try and do better next time.
From, — C. H. Morrill
Letter 2
Portsmouth, Va.
November 6, 1863
Dear Mother
It has been some time since I wrote to you so I thought that I would try and write you a few lines this evening. My health is very good and hope this will find yours the same. We are having very nice weather. I suspect that it is getting to be quite cool there about these times.
There is to be two men shot in our camp ground tomorrow. They are subs and belong to the Eighth Connecticut Regiment. Our regiment has got to help form a line around the men that is to be shot. They have deserted three times. It seems hard to see men shot in this way. 1
There is three of the subs of this regiment will have to be shot before long. They have got to scare the rest so they won’t desert. There is a large number of troops here and coming here from North Carolina. I think that they are going on a raid up towards Richmond. I don’t think that we shall have to go on account of having so many subs. If they had a chance, most of them would desert. The boys are all well that came from there.
How does Saler’s wife act now? Does she keep company with Alden’s wife? That wine that you sent me by Lieut. Chase was nice. I have not tasted of the cheese but once. Shall keep it to eat when I get out on picket. I shall try to get a furlough so as to be there Thanksgiving but don’t think there is much of a chance to get a furlough at present. I would like to come “wright smart well” (this is a Southern phrase). How did J. A. act while he was there? He has some hard stories to tell about some of the men. Then you well know what the Moulton’s are to tell stories.
You will have to put up with a short letter this time for it is most time to shoot these men and the mail will go out before we get in. I am going to the Capt. and see if he won’t let me stay in my quarters for I don’t want to see the poor men shot. I must write a few lines to George so I guess that I won’t write anymore this time.
Write as soon as you can and a good, good long letter and I will try and do the same. I will do the best that I can towards it.
From your loving son, — Charles H. Morrill
1 According to one list of the Union Soldiers Executed, only two of the 8th Connecticut soldiers were executed and it carried out on 9 November 1863 by firing squad. The deserters names were Mitchell Vandall and Francis Wales.
Letter 3
Knight’s General Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut
July 24, 1864
Dear Brother [George],
I will drop you a line this morning to let you know where and how I am. I could not get my furlough extended. The doctor had got orders not to extend any furloughs. If I had got [my?] Dr. to write to the Dr. [here?], I could have got it extended but don’t know but I am about as well off here as anywhere. They can’t send me to the regiment yet awhile. There is a [lot] left to be sent [to] their regiment from here today. My wound is quite painful this morning. It will feel better after it has a chance to rest. They are a going to send a lot off to some other hospital. I don’t know whether I shall have to go or not.
If there is any lettres come for me, I wish you would send them to me. Put “Ward C” on one corner of the envelope. I guess I will not try to write any more this time but will write again soon. Write soon. Tell Mother I will write to her soon.
Yours truly, — C. H. Morrill
Letter 4
Knight’s General Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut
September 28, 1864
Dear Mother,
I will write you a few lines this morning. My health is very good. My boils have got most well. It is the talk now that we are to get paid this week. I hope we shall. Then I hope we should be transferred to Manchester. I want to get there for I think I can get a chance to come home once in awhile. I wish you would tell George to ask Shirley if I can vote there this fall if I get a chance to come home. I claim Andover as my home. If I can do so, I shall be a Lincoln man while I am in the hospital. Else I can get a chance to vote for McClellan. The sergeants are sending the McClellan men to the front. Perhaps they will take me. If I can vote, I think I can get a fifteen days furlough about the twenty-fifth of next month.
I have received your letter of the 25th. Was very glad to hear from you and to hear that your health is good. The pay master has come to pay the Veteran Reserve Corps but is not going to pay us. I don’t know when we shall get any pay. I got that money that you sent. Was very glad to get it. Now I can get my clothes washed. You wanted to know if I get any garden stuff to eat. No, we get none of the kind. There is three here from my company and six from Co. A of the 10th Regiment that I am acquainted with and some that belongs to other New Hampshire Regiments. I do not go out any nights and not much day times. The boys go out into the city and get to drinking, then to fighting. When we get paid—if we ever do—there will be a plenty of fighting going on. I don’t want you to worry any about me. I shall not haver any trouble with any of them. I hope the time will come before long when it will be so I can be at home to step about. Eleven months more—that will soon slip away, but it looks to be a long time to look ahead.
Tell George West I will write to him in a few days. I had a letter from Jack Moulter yesterday. He said that there was but five in my company for duty, fifteen sick and the rest in hospitals. Our Capt. is coming back to the company again. I was glad to hear that we are having the cool weather.
September 29th. I will finish my letter. I seen a man last night that lives in this city. He told me that he was to Concord last Tuesday. He said that he saw Gen. Gilmore in the cars. He told him they was going to send for us soon or all that would not be fit for duty in thirty days. I don’t think that I shall get to Manchester for I think I shall be fit for duty in less than thirty days. I guess I will not write anymore this time. Will write again in a few days. If I had a stamp, I would put it on this & have no chance to get one here. Your affectionate son, — C. H. Morrill
Letter 5
Webster Hospital
Manchester, New Hampshire
December 19, 1864
Dear Mother,
I have had the pleasure of receiving your kind and welcome letter today. Was very glad to hear from you and to hear that tier health is so good—or good enough to go to Concord. I wish that I had known of Aunt’s death. I should have got a pass and gone up there, Uncle has met with a great loss and all that have lost friends have to sympathize with him.
I hardly know what to write. My health is very good. My wound is a little better than it has been. A piece of bone came out yesterday. It has pained me more the past two weeks than it did the first month after I was wounded. The small pox is in the hospital so you had better not come down here. I have to go into the ward where it is three times a day to carry their grub to them.
I wrote to George today. What was the reason that he did not go to the funeral? I shall be at home the last or first of this or next month. The Sergeant is going to give ten days passes. I have to sit up all night once in ten days to keep a fire in the range or stove. We burn coal. I have not time to write much this time. Will try and write more next.
Give my best respects to all. From your affectionate, — Charles H. Morrill
Letter 6
Manchester [New Hampshire]
January 18, 1865
Dear Mother,
I received your kind and welcome letter of the 15th. Was very glad to hear from you and to hear that your health is good but sorry to hear that George is sick. Hope that he will not be sick long. You must make him to do as you want him to do and not let him go out and take cold. I have had the chills now. What they are I never want to have them again. I was troubled a little with them a few days ago.
I don’t know when I shall be up there. I have got a good chance [but] am afraid if I get a pass and come home just now I shall lose it and get sent to the front. There is about a hundred going to the front from here this week or the first of next. I shall come home as soon as I can. If George don’t get better, I shall get a pass. Let me know how he is when you write.
When Sabia was there she did not think of coming down here. When she got to the Petter Place, Syd said that she was going to Manchester and wanted her to go with her so she though she would come. She said that she was sorry that she did not think of it when at Andover for she thought perhaps you might wanted to have sent something. I see Syd most every day. She is going to [ ] down here as soon as we are paid off. I don’t know when we shall get paid. I guess that it will cost Solon more that he thinks for to have her live here. Then there will be one less up there. I hardly knew what to think about her—whether to believe all the stories or not. Probably part of them are true. You said that you heard that Solon had lost his leg. 1 They have not cut it off but want to. He don’t want to have it cut off. Probably it will never be of much use to him. If I were in his place, I would have it off. My wound is not quite so well. It has broke out again and is very sore. No, I have not got the small pox and probably shall not have it. I have been exposed to it a number of times. One of the doctors told me that he thought I must have had it very light. If I had not, I could not take it.
If Jess is a prisoner, he cannot send any letters. I hope he will come up all right sometime. I have not time to write anymore this time. Write soon.
Your affectionate son, — Charles H. Morrill
1 The only soldier named “Solon” in Co. E, 10th New Hampshire Infantry that I could find was Solon Cooper (1835-1904)—a shoemaker from Andover who was “wounded slightly on May 16, 1864” at Drewry’s Bluff, Virginia. He was discharged for disability on 13 May 1865. His burial information on Find-A-Grave says that he died of blood poisoning from a gunshot would received in 1864.
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