Joseph Howland got a week’s furlough about the middle of October and we all went North together. Just before leaving Washington Eliza writes: We did a few errands, went to see the Indiana boys at the Patent Office again, and to the Columbian College Hospital, and also to call on Will Winthrop, now Lieutenant of the [...]

Oct. 14. Moritz got back from Annapolis all right. Found Dr. Bacon and delivered the basket. There was no prospect of their going before next week. All the 15,000 had not yet arrived and only one transport was ready. The railroad was blocked all the way by immense trains of stores, ammunition, etc., and Moritz [...]

Oct. 9, ‘61. As I told you, Dr. Bacon left either Monday night or early yesterday for Annapolis with the 7th Connecticut. They seem to have been the first ones dispatched, for yesterday others went, and, as I write, a long train of baggage and men equipped for a journey is passing down the street. [...]

Washington, Oct. 7. After dinner to-day we said good-bye to Dr. Bacon, now Surgeon of the 7th Connecticut, and he left in the night we suppose, with the regiment, to join the second great land and naval expedition for the southern coast.

Oct. 6. After dinner yesterday we drove out to the camp of the Rhode Island 2nd, to see the friend of our infancy and of hay-loft and cow-stall memory–Col. Frank Wheaton, son of Dr. Wheaton of Pomfret, Connecticut, to whose farm-house Mother took us all to board, the summer after Father’s death. It is about [...]

Oct. 1, 1861 Very little to tell you about except a few calls, including one from Mrs. General Franklin to ask us to take tea with her to-night. Lieutenant Lusk of the 79th, whom we used to know as “Willy” Lusk, also came. He seems to have grown up into a very fine young fellow, [...]

Rev. Henry Hopkins to Eliza Woolsey Howland. City Hotel Hospital, …………… Alexandria, Oct, 1861. My dear Mrs. Howland: I want to tell you how I am coming on here in my new field, for at Washington I received the impression, which it will take a long time to wear away, that you and Miss Woolsey [...]

Sept. 11th, 1861. Where do you think I am writing? In the Patent Office, where we heard the other day that a large number of sick men had been brought from the 19th Indiana regiment. We found them in a dirty and forlorn condition and have come to do what we can. The whole regiment, [...]

Caroline Carson Woolsey. Sept. 18. Charley left on Monday to be with his regiment, which has been drafted into the U. S. Service–the first step towards Washington. The members singly can resign at any time, and Charley will do this when called upon to leave the city. .   .   .   .   [...]

Abby Howland Woolsey Lenox, Sept. 15, 1861. Charley talks of going down to-morrow to be inspected and mustered into State service with the regiment–the Home-Guard. He thinks his fine for non-attendance will about equal his railroad fare down and up. He is to stay over night and will see Mary at Astoria.

Lenox, Sept. 12, 1861. To-day has been very beautiful. Such floating clouds and corresponding shadows, such liquid blue on the distant hills and such gold green on the nearer meadows! We saw it to advantage at sunset, from Mrs. Sedgwick’s house. Only Miss Catherine was at home, and we saw her in her own little [...]

Lenox, September. My dear Girls: Abby, as usual, is writing away vigorously, and I am very sure her letters to you are better far than mine would be, therefore I always give place to her; but do not think me indifferent to you or to any little circumstance whatever connected with you in the most [...]

  Ebbitt House, Sept. 5. I hope you are not entirely without starch this damp, sticky day, and that you have kept “Manassas”[1] busy all the morning bringing wood for the fire. Since my note we have had the confirmation of Jeff. Davis’ death, reported yesterday. If he is really gone, I suppose we mustn’t [...]

Camp Trenton, 1861. Miss Woolsey, Ebbitt House: I have the honor to acknowledge your favor of the 2nd inst., and would beg leave to say in reply, that the stores will be most acceptable, and in order that you may have no further trouble in the matter, an order signed by our Surgeon, Dr. Grant, [...]

The home letters, full of sweet air and peaceful views, were delightful to get in the dust and confusion of Washington, which, however, with all its discomforts, nothing would have induced us to leave. Among the letters of introduction which made our way simple and pleasant were those from Cousin Wm. Aspinwall to Senator Dixon [...]

Mary Woolsey Howland: Astoria, Sept., ‘61. Dear Abby: Sarah and I have been all the morning arranging flowers. . . . Our roses are most luxuriant this year, and just now we have outside the front door two large orange trees from the greenhouse which are one mass of blossom and perfume the whole place. [...]

Astoria, Monday, Sept. 2nd. Dear Georgy: Your interesting letter was highly appreciated by little May, as well as by her parents, who thought it very kind of you to elaborate so nice a little story out of the materials. May’s artistic efforts were revived by it and all her inspirations lately breathe of camp life [...]

The nurses were required to take the oath of allegiance to the government, and to secure passes, in all of which G(eorgeanna). helped them, also securing government ambulances to carry them to their destination:–“Dr. Asch begs to inform Miss Woolsey that he has seen the officer in charge of the passes into Virginia. It will [...]

Lenox, Aug., 1861. My dear Georgy: You need not speak so coolly of our staying here three months. Three weeks will give us enough, I guess. It is actually tiresome not to have anything to do, after being so busy in New York. We only take one paper too now–the Tribune, and that does not [...]

Sanitary Commission, Washington, D. C. Treasury Building, Aug. 17th, 1861. Miss Woolsey: In absence of Mr. Olmsted I answer your note in regard to supplies for the 25th N. Y. We will give immediate attention to this Regiment, and will gladly furnish them any supplies we have on hand for their comfort. There are now [...]

Government hospitals were multiplying in Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria. As regiments were ordered forward extemporized camp hospitals were broken up, and patients were sent back to these large general ones in the rear. By this time J. H. had ordered his horses and carriage sent on from Fishkill for our use and we were constantly driving [...]

“Boston rockers” were an untold comfort to the men able to sit up. The first of the many sent to us were from Daniel Gilman’s father and placed as follows:— Alexandria Hospital, Aug. 14, 1861. My dear Miss Woolsey: The eight chairs are very thankfully received and shall be disposed of precisely as you proposed. [...]

New Haven, August, ‘61. The Second Connecticut Regiment returned on Monday and Willy and I rushed out to see them pass, poor, way-worn, tired fellows, as they were; and in their ranks we saw Dr. Bacon prance by, much to our surprise as well as pleasure. His family are all spending the summer in the [...]

Astoria, August 12th. Dear Girls: If mother and the remaining three kept to the programme, they all left for Lenox on Saturday and are at last settled in their summer quarters, much to my relief. So long as they would not come to us, I think it was highly necessary for them to go somewhere, [...]