Vermont Civil War, Lest We Forget

My arm is now doing well. I have suffered much with it, but hope it will now get better fast; I am in a good place & have considerable many [??] call to see me bringing me flowers, strawberries etc. - Write me immediately address as per date. I am yet weak but can walk about the room.- Hoping that you are all well & that I soon shall be. I am as ever your Loving Son.

(printed heading on paper, along with a drawing of a dove carrying a letter:)

The U.S. Christian Commission
sends this as the soldier's messenger to his home.
Let it hasten to those who wait for tidings.

"Fight the good fight of faith."

Dear Father & Mother - I received your kind letters last evening with Freds being the only one I have received from home since I went to the "Front" I am better and think I am improving - My arm which was in a very bad condition when I came here is much better & I think is now doing well - Mother I thank you very kindly for your noble letter; I love you dearly & thank you for your kind and noble utterances - I was very glad to have so many write; I will write Fred before long - Father I hope you will write again soon.I was wounded the 18 of May, not the 19 as I wrote you first -Uncle George Cressy has been to see me; he has written you today - I was very glad to see him - I have had a good many visits from folks in & around Washington. I have been favored with a great abundance of boquets - some very splendid flowers indeed - they make my room look more cheerful - I have at present two very beautiful boquets - I have received a good many visits from Ladies about here, or rather from about Washington; they have been very kind bringing flowers, strawberries, oranges, jellies etc. - Representative Baxter from Vt. has been to see me a number of times - He seems interested in my case & says if there is any thing that I want to let him know & I shall have it - He says if I am not satisfied with my treatment here to let him know & he will have me removed - a number of citizens about here have told me if I wanted any thing to let them know - If my arm gets along well - which I hope it will I shall be all right - I have some kind friends & you must not have any trouble about my suffering or wanting for attention & care - Yesterday a couple of young ladies called on me - one of whom is married & her husband is an Officer in the Corps to which I belong - bringing me some flowers, strawberries, wine Jelly etc. They want when I get smart enough to move that I should go to their home and stay awhile - they say they have a nice cool room for me - I would like much to stop there awhile as it is a most lovely shady place - but I'm thinking of a little gray cottage among the mountains of Vermont - & when I get able - which I hope will be in three or four weeks - I mean to get a Leave of absence to go there - How think you that will do? I keep up good spirits - am able to walk around the room but on account of my arm I keep pretty still - I am now sitting on the side of my bed writing - I have stopped to rest a number of times since I commenced this but while I was writing, wrote rapidly - I fear you cant read it - There are a great many things I would like to say but am so tired I will defer till another time or till I see you - Love to all tell Alonzo & Marian Rose & Em all to write - Good Bye -

(printed heading on paper, along with a drawing of a dove carrying a letter:)

The U.S. Christian Commission
sends this as the soldier's messenger to his home.
Let it hasten to those who wait for tidings.

"Fight the good fight of faith."

I am still - I think - on the gain but rather slowly - have pretty fair appetite - am able to walk around the room though I keep my bed most of the time - I am in a cool room by a pleasant window & have on the whole pretty good care - I keep up good spirits most of the time - I am wanting a meal of brook trout very much but must be contented to wait a few weeks - I am intending to come home when I get able if I can get a Leave of Absence & I think I can - Whether I shall be at home as soon as the 4th of July I cannot say but guess about that time - I hope I shall have no pull back - I have just eaten a plate of Ice cream, do you think it good for sick folks! My sickness of course is caused by my wound, being in good health at the time of it's occurrence - I have just had a call from Capt. Newman an original Vermonter, who lost an arm in the mexican War - he is anxious to do anything for me I want It is very pleasant to have so many kind friends - It is quite cool here today - Wounded men keep arriving nearly every day shipload after shipload - could you go through the many Hospitals about here & see the thousands & thousands who are wounded you would get something of an idea of the terribleness of war - But even this is not the worst feature of war, it is on the Battlefield where men are wounded & torn & mangled in every conceivable way, but why am I writing thus rather should I speak of the glorious results we shall accomplish by means of this war, which must be obtained through the entire overthrow of the military power of the South - But I am too weak to write a long letter - I am very anxious to learn the result of the Baltimore Convention "Abe" no doubt will be nominated for President & I rather think [??] for Vice President, but this is not so certain - I am longing to get home, where I can see you all, home seems dearer to me than ever, still I must wait a few weeks -I have been interrupted a number of times since I commenced this letter by friends calling & occasional resting - [??] young ladies just called bringing me some nice flowers, strawberries, they are very kind - But Dear Brother I must close - hoping God's blessing may attend you all I am as ever your Loving Brother

I wrote you a long letter some days ago - the day Uncle George left here - which I expect you have not received - as I gave either that letter or some other one to a man to put in the Office and he thinks he must have lost it. But I will write a short note this morning and send along- I have written Fred also Alonzo & M. I wish you to see the letter I yesterday wrote to Lou & Marian as I gave them quite an account of my being wounded etc.

I think I am gaining already I am stronger, feel better & my arm we think is getting along well - Of course it is very sore & pains me much - I have a good deal of pain in - as it were - my left hand - although it is off, no hand there, still it seems as though I had a hand there; I can feel the hand & fingers so plainly & every now & then sharp darting pains run through my fingers wrist arm etc. It is curious but still the fact - I have considerable many visitors some of which I have never before seen, they are very kind How much I want to get home - I truly love you all so dearly; it will be so pleasant to be with you a few days or weeks - I shall not try to go home till I get pretty smart; it will be better for me -

Lincoln & Andy Johnson are our candidates for the President & Vice President; it is a strong nomination - I hope you are well - write very soon - address as before Regards to all who inquire for me -

I am happy to inform you that your son is now doing well. It was found necessary to amputate the arm, which was skilfully done, and borne by your son with great and commendable fortitude. I see no reason to doubt that he will rapidly recover and be able in due time to leave us in health.

I have got me a quill pen, so look out for [??] long letters etc. - your kind letter dated June 5th & mailed June 9th was yesterday received - I need not say I was very glad to get it, as I am always pleased to get a letter from you - My arm which is very sore & pains me considerable is we think doing well - One cannot have such a severe wound without some pain & suffering - I am very thankful my wound is no worse than it is - I am now sitting on the side of the bed with a stand before me on which I am writing - I have to put a weight on my paper to hold it down while I write - I find the left hand with which I used to hold my paper gone - It is very early & a most lovely morning - still - clear - pleasant - cool - I have a very pleasant location, near a pleasant window - which is very cool - I am able to walk around my room some - which of course rests me much - I had a very good visit with Uncle George - is good to see him especially as I was wounded & weak - Think I shall call on him when I go home; I am hoping I shall be able to persuade him to go North with but dont know whether I shall be able to or not. I shall try - suppose everything is looking beautiful, now in Vermont - How much I am longing to visit you - I hope your lives and healths will be spared - I have quite a number of visitors call on me; it is very pleasant; the hours do not seem so long - some come specially to see me, others to visit generally - Yesterday Mrs. Representation Davis of New York called; she gave me some flowers & cake & talked awhile pleasantly - then went away - she is a South Carolinian by birth, she told me, but no rebel- Soon after a gentleman & three young ladies called to see me; they brought me some nice flowers, canned peaches & cake - But dear father I must close - Much love to dear mother & all the rest of the family - Write soon - You dont know how glad it makes me to get a letter from home.- Affectionately Your Son

I am feeling quite smart today - I think my arm is getting along nicely though to me it seems rather slowly - I hope I shall have no pullback, but that it will continue to get better until well - There are five of us in the room I am in - I am by a very pleasant window, from which the scenery is very pleasant - Our food here is not all I could wish - there is not enough variety - and dinners especially are too monotonous - still I get along very well - Dont worry but what I'll get along well enough in the eating line - I can manage that - I often think of some good old Vermont dishes, such as Griddle Cakes, Boiled Victuals, Fried Potatoes, Green Sauce, Berries etc. - then I want some Johnny Cake & good fresh Butter to say nothing of a little warm maple sugar & the like - But I will pause in this long catalogue of eatables or you may almost dread to see me coming home - but never mind. I want to eat everything when I do get there.

I am pretty well provided for - yesterday afternoon I was wishing I had some kind of sauce to go with my supper - well - in the course of the afternoon I received some nice custard & stewed cherries sent by Mrs. Representative Davis of New York - She is in Washington now - she is a very pleasant lady, a South Carolinian by birth - & then about supper time. I received a nice plate of strawberries from an Ohio lady. so on the whole my supper went very well - The ladies seem to be doing everything for the sick & wounded - may God bless them - Today just as I was finishing up my dinner a lady came in bringing some very nice chicken soup prepared by herself. She gave me some soup & some chicken which were very nice, so much better cooked than the chicken we get here. But excuse me for writing so much on eatables. I don't hear from home often enough - one letter a week may seem often to you but it dont to me - do write some of you two or three times a week, even if you write short letters - Where is [??] ? Where is Rose? Why don't they let me hear from them? I have no news of special interest to write - I expect there will be a big move down "front" soon - will wait for news - Since I have been here I have received, the letter written by you folks & Fred - one written by father & one from Lon & Marian - that is - this many from home - But I must close Love to all - Think I'll come up and see you in the space of a few weeks - good Bye - Lovingly Your Son

I am feeling just as though I wanted to sit down by your side and have a general good talk; talking over ten thousand little things which to you & me might be interesting, but to outsiders might appear trifling & frivolous. - Your's & father's letter came to hand yesterday & very glad I was to get it as it had been a long time since I had heard from you; glad you are all well - The letters you speak of, retain till I came home - It is very warm here now - last night was very warm. I lay with scarce a thing over me all night besides a raised window - This Hospital formerly was a Ladies' Seminary - a large three story building - there are something, I suppose like 150 patients here probably not quite so many - all Officers - I do not think however that it is any better than many other hospitals about here where are both Officers & enlisted men, nor do I believe we fare any better. - nor ought we - still I like under these circumstances to get the very best care I can - I am gaining in strength - I have been down stairs and out of doors and since I came here day before yesterday- my arm is so very sore that I have to walk very carefully so as not to jar it. I think the wound is gaining steadily though it seems to me slowly - The fact is I have had a pretty bad wound & have had some pretty hard pain, still I am so thankful it was no worse - When I was coming on the Boat from Fredricksburg here, my wound in some parts of it began to look sort of black. I was fearful it might [??] but it resulted in sloughing off a little - that is a piece of the end of the stump sort of matterated & came off - I did not know but enough of it would come off to leave the end of the bone bare, in which case a second amputation would become necessary - but the sloughing off ceased & I think the bone will be well covered - I think the sloughing off retarded the healing of the wound leaving a larger place to heal over - still I think I have a good stump left yet - wounds in this part of the arm are dangerous & usually take some time for them to become well - Lt. Walbridge -2nd Lt. in my company lost his right arm about in the same place I did my left & after coming to a Hospital in Washington finally died - he was wounded after I was - For a few days there has been quite a lull before Richmond as far as fighting is concerned, but the "Ball" will soon [??] & I prophesy there will be an awful struggle - The fact is there is no better fighting men in the world than the "Army of the Potomac" and if Lee would come out of his entrenchments fair & square to give pitched battle - man for man - the Army up the Potomac would just "wipe him out" - The end is not yet "but I look forward believing that by & by we shall see an able peace - It is tremendous hot today & I shall not I fear write you so long a letter as I thought to when I commenced - The ladies continue to call; they are very kind bringing me many little luxuries for which I am very thankful - Day before yesterday five ladies called to see me; they brought me some reading matter, some mulberries, oranges & cake - Yesterday two more "angels" as we call them came - One of them brought me some most excellent currant jam & old fashioned doughnuts - The other brought an Indian Cake - Johnny Cake - 'twas very good - I think she must be a good cook. She is certainly a good girl - she had heard I wanted some Indian cake so she brought one - these things seemed like home, regular farm style, so much better than a great deal of this city cookery - There are 2 Captains & 2 Lieuts' in the same room with me - three from New York, one from Indiana & my honored self from Vt. We are all doing well now - one is shot through the shoulder, one through the groin, one in the side & hand & one has an amputated leg. We are all pretty cheerful most of the time, occasionally a little pain, but perhaps even there in some other room, unknown to us some one may be dying - The knowledge of this throws a sadness over our minds - We sorrow over the [??] and fallen & thank God that we are still spared, at least I have such thoughts - Some one dies here seemingly almost every day & in & about the city of Washington in the several hospitals many very many soldiers die daily - Go through the streets of Washington almost any time & you will see the long lines of ambulances carrying the dead, the brave & fallen to their long home - The gay laugh on - men as before pursue their "favorite phantom" but somewhere, somewhere, in the crowded city, or in the quiet country town, there are friends who mourn, friends who shed tears, for the patriot dead, moistening & consecrating anew the land of their nativity to freedom & the rights of man. I often think of the different work of different generations - some are favored with peace & plenty others engage in war and make the grand historic epochs upon which historians almost always seize to mark the rise and fall of empires and the grand revolutions in society. Our revolutionary fathers passed through war, suffering & trials to secure the boon of freedom then came peace & for years peace followed & our Nation flourished - but this generation is seeing a terrible time - we are travelling a rough way - the ground is moistened by tears the road is slippery with blood, but the tears must be shed, the road must be travelled - the blessings of Liberty must be saved for ourselves & posterity - the Rights of man must be maintained & Democratic principles [??] Democracy must triumph -

I have not yet sent this letter, but will soon - the weather continues very warm yet, which is bad for wounded men - there is however a little more air stirring - I am hoping to be able to get home sometime between the 1st & Middle of July. the time is of course a little indefinite - I read a good deal now - Well good bye for now much love to all - all write soon.

I am still gaining strength but my wound though healing steadily heals very slowly. I presume it will take six or eight weeks yet to heal my arm up soundly. In relation to my visit home, I have about given up trying to set the time, and will leave it in this way come, when I get able - I fear however I shall hardly be able to get home so soon as I mentioned in my last letter - I will try and have patience - you know I naturally am a little impatient to have a wound or sore get well; that is - I always was from a lad up - Do not construe this letter that I am not so well as I have been, for I am; I am not getting along so fast as I had hoped but I think all will be well - Hoping to see you in the space of a few weeks I am as ever your affectionate son - Newton

The fact is I really have had a very serious wound & have suffered from it considerably; but I am now so I go up & down stairs - a little carefully however - and am doing well - N.

I am here yet; I have been before the Board of Examination, but have not yet found out what they are going to do with me - I probably shall find out in a few days now - then I shall let you know - I think the chances are rather in favor of my being discharged still I may be put on Light Duty or something of that kind; can't tell yet. The weather is very fine; Are you through haying? When is Freeman's meeting? My arm is getting along now pretty well; has not got entirely healed yet. I have no very important news. Give my kind regards to all - You remember in Fred's letter I wrote him since I came here that I spoke of Lt. Col Chamberlin as being wounded; he has since died, his wife was nearly crazy - I have not yet learned [??] for certain the Nominee of the Chicago Convention; I think it will be McClellan . I am fully disgusted at the efforts at these miserable peace as any [??] man - the fact is that the only true & the quickest way to end the war is to push it right through with the whole strength of the nation; these peace men are doing more to prolong the war than almost anything else; it is to them the South look for aid; it is they who give aid and comfort to the traitors; it is through the nominee of this Chicago Convention, if elected, that the Rebels hope to effect a compromise; the election of Lincoln would be Equivalent to a good army in putting down the Rebellion; the traitors know that he is given unconditionally to the support & prosecution of the war & that if he is elected war must go on till they are defeated;- but if a peace man is elected they hope to patch the matter up with some compromise or other. The very thought of compromise pains me - thousands of our bravest men have sealed their devotion to their country with their hearts blood & millions of treasure have been expended; and shall all this be in vain? Shall the government offer peace to armed traitors? Shall we, the loyal citizens of United States get down in sackcloth or humiliation before traitors, men guilty of treason the highest crime known to Government, and sue for peace? it is [??], ignoble, base, degrading to harbor such thoughts- My manhood will never come to this even though I have but one arm to strike in defence of my country.

Good Bye My Dear Parents - May God bless you for your love & kindness to me your loving son - Newton

I have received an honorable Discharge and am now on my way home. I am now at Uncle George's - Shall be at home in few days.

From more expenses than I expected, especially the first of year. I need more money than I brought with me. I wish you would send me fifty dollars; send check. Address
"N. Newton Glazier Brown University
Providence R.I."

It is now ten o'clock Saturday evening; I have just returned from a great Union Mass meeting held in Market Square in this city. At 4½ o'clock this afternoon the church bells were rung; at 5 o'clock a salute of 100 guns was fired; & this evening has been devoted to speeches, illuminations, decorations, music etc.etc.; thousands of people were present. Next Wednesday there is to be a great time, Vast preparations are being made. This evening I heard Gen. Burnside, Senators Sprague & Anthony and other distinguished speakers. Providence is a live city. Affectionately

11th Vermont Infantry (aka First Heavy Artillery, Vermont Volunteers)

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