Harriet Roosevelt Woolsey to her sisters, Jane and Georgeanna. Fishkill, Sunday. My Dears: We came up here last Thursday, and you may imagine it was somewhat of a relief to get Mother away from the everlasting Fair business that, for the last few weeks, has completely run her off her feet. . . . New [...]
Jane Eliza Newton Woolsey to her daughters, Jane and Georgy. 8 Brevoort Place, March 9, 1864. My dear Girls: We are all sitting together at the round table, Abby looking over the old letters from Point Lookout, and reading an incident occasionally aloud; Carry composing an address on her Bloomingdale orphans for their May anniversary. [...]
Caroline Carson Woolsey to Jane Stuart Woolsey at Fairfax Hospital. General Meade’s Camp, Near Brandy Sta., Dec. 7th, ’63. Dear Jane . .–The train which left at 11 yesterday morning brought me through all right last night, by dark. A telegram from General Williams, sent to the conductor and meeting me on the train, said, [...]
Harriet Roosevelt Woolsey to Jane and Georgeanna Woolsey. New York, Dec. 2, ’63. Dear Girls:–Charley’s rheumatism is better and yesterday he walked without his cane. When he gets on the doe-skins (the triumphs of art that Mother is now at work upon) and his india-rubber knee-cap, I think he will be all right. At any [...]
Point Lookout, Md., Oct. 7th, 1863. Special Order No. 123: The female nurses will be relieved from wards 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, is and 14, and they are strictly enjoined to abstain from any intercourse with the Prisoners of War. A. Heger, U. S. A. __________ Circular, No. 17. Point Lookout, Oct. 7, ’63. [...]
Surgeon-General’s Office, Washington, Sept. 26th. Surgeon Heger, U. S. A. Sir: The Secretary of War has directed the transfer of seven hundred wounded prisoners from Chester, Pa., to Point Lookout General Hospital. . . . Upon their arrival you will discharge the female nurses (both of Miss Dix’s and Mrs. Gibbons’ selection) reserving only one [...]
Abby Howland Woolsey to H. Gilman. Brattleboro, September 17. I hope soon to hear of the girls’ arrival at Point Lookout. Georgy wrote us of her night at your house and how good you all were to her and to her soldiers too. Mother is much interested in the hospital here and has been up [...]
Jane Stuart Woolsey to Joseph Howland Point Lookout Hospital, September. Eliza’s help and all her little nice things were, and are, invaluable to us. . . . Things promise pretty fair here in every respect. The surgeon in charge is civil and ready to support us in everything necessary. The post is a queer one, [...]
Abby Howland Woolsey to H. Gilman. Brattleboro, September. We have had our first letters from the girls at Point Lookout, and everything promises pleasantly. The only grievance is the chaplain, whose face is “as hard as a wooden chair,” and who looks as if he had fought through life, inch by inch. He is fanatically [...]
Eliza Woolsey Howland to Mother. Fishkill., August 24. We ought soon to hear from Charley, and if Mr. Hopkins’ rumor is true we may feel at ease about him for the present, for Meade won’t attempt a movement without the conscripts. Do you see that Charley himself is one, although in the service already? Let [...]
Georgeanna Muirson Woolsey to her Mother. Fishkill, August 5. Dear Mother: Thank you for your nice note which came last night. . . . No wonder you regret Gettysburg. You will be gladder all the time that you went there and did what you did; and you will be ready to give me great praise, [...]
Abby Howland Woolsey to Harriet Gilman. Fishkill, July, 1863. It took so long for letters to come from Gettysburg, and Mother and Georgy had so little time to write, that we didn’t hear often. They have come themselves at last; arrived Tuesday, midnight. . . . Georgy came up here this noon, and we have [...]
Caroline Carson Woolsey to Abby Howland Woolsey. Astoria, July 15th, 1863. We left in such a hurry we had no time to leave directions for the servants, except to close the house early, and be very particular about fastening the doors and windows. . . . While driving out here we heard distinctly the cannon [...]
Caroline Carson Woolsey to Abby Howland Woolsey at Fishkill. 10th St., New York, Monday, July 13, 1863. Dear Abby: It has come–resistance to the draft! The city is in a tumult and Uncle Edward wishes us to go out to Astoria in the 6 o’clock boat. The regulars are all out and the streets are [...]
…a copy of this original paper written by Charley June 4th: “Major General Meade, commanding 5th Corps. General: I have the honor of transmitting to you herewith a copy of a telegram just received from the President respecting sentences of Daily, Magraffe and Harrington. (Signed) C. W. W., A. D. C.” –and Charley had the [...]
Jane Stuart Woolsey to a friend in Europe. Washington, May 25. We have just been spending a month in Washington, my first visit since the war, and the city certainly looks like war-time, the white tents showing out of the green of all the hills, headquarters’ flags flying above all the remaining bits of wood, [...]
“Headquarters Army of Potomac, April 30. Major General Howard: I have the honor to enclose to you the accompanying statement concerning the position and forces of the enemy. Very respectfully, Your obedient servant, Chas. W. Woolsey, Lt. and A. D. C.” _____________ Copy of telegram: “The Major General commanding directs that General Sedgwick cross the [...]
Abby Howland Woolsey to her sister, Georgeanna. NEW YORK, Feb. 9th, 1863. Charley sends his ” regrets ” from Headquarters for the Bond wedding. We get his letters with wonderful despatch. A letter written Saturday night delivered here by twelve on Monday! General Williams had reached Falmouth again and will be very busy. The four [...]
What the children played in those days is shown by the following little letter: Little May Howland to Georgeanna. NEW YORK, January, 1863. Dear Aunty: Did you get my letter I wrote you from Moremamma’s? You must come home now and nurse me, I have the chicken pox. . . . The children play that [...]
From Jane Stuart Woolsey: PORTSMOUTH GROVE. My dear Cousin Margaret: Now that I have been long enough in this place to have learned tolerably well my topography, the names and titles of my coadjutors, how to make out my diet books, etc., . . . I can take breath (and “my pen ” as the [...]
Georgranna Woolsey to her brother-in-law, Joseph Woolsey. P. G. HOSPITAL. Thank you, my Colonel, for the doughnuts and comic papers. They are just what the men prize most, and under every pillow I shall establish a little nest of both! . . . I always accompany a “Life of Headley Vicars” with a piece of [...]
The boxes of home supplies now had Portsmouth Grove Hospital as their principal destination. The following is one of the letters in return for supplies: The games, as well as the slates, which came in the boxes and barrels, are a great delight. I have just been over to see Fitch and set him up [...]
Jane, Sarah Woolsey and G. were meantime nicely established at the hospital six miles from Newport, R. I., with a jolly little thin board house built for the nursing staff; their rooms 10 x 10, furnished from home with every comfort, and work fairly begun. Jane Stuart Woolsey to Abby Howland Woolsey: PORTSMOUTH GROVE, January, [...]
On the 22nd of September, 1862, a gleam of light had shone, the President had issued “his preliminary proclamation of emancipation; and now on January 1st, 1863 came the announcement of full liberty to the captives. Extract from the Proclamation. “I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power vested in [...]
Eliza Woolsey Howland to Chaplain Henry Hopkins December, ’62. Charley, you may have heard, has gone into the service as lieutenant in the 164th, but he was detached at once for staff duty and is aide to General Burnside and a member of good old General Seth Williams’ mess–just where we would most like to [...]