American Historical Ephemera & Photography

Small archive of 8 letters spanning 8 July 1861 - 14 April 1863, all addressed to his wife, Marie Mason Edwards (1828-1885). Various dates and locations. Condition generally good with expected wear given age and use.

Written just a few weeks after enlistment and two weeks before Bull Run, the first letter (2pp) in the archive deals mostly with pay. Edwards does not that "there was a man shot in a Reg joining our last night they think but little of shooting a man in this part." Following Bull Run, Edwards writes a lengthy 4pp letter on 20 August 1861 stating that he might be headed home to secure more recruits for the regiment. He reminds his wife not to share any news that she receives from him as other women in Bethel do. Additional letters of 1 December 1862 (2pp), 22 December 1862 (2pp), 22 February 1863 (8pp), 4 April 1863 (6pp), 10 April 1863 (4pp), and 14 April 1863 (2pp). Content includes discussion of the regimental leadership and concerns over ability of commanders, particularly his old commander Col. Nathaniel Jackson who he says "was lauded to the skies, but as soon as he left his pretended friends were his bitterest enemies." Contains news of the new sutler "Chas," with a portion of a letter written by Chas to his sister, updates on officers in his regiment, a brigade inspection, and other general news.

Clark Swett Edwards (1824-1903) of Bethel, Maine, enlisted on 6/24/1861 as a captain and was commissioned into Co. I, Maine 5th Infantry. He steadily rose through the ranks, mustering out as a colonel on 7/27/1864 and attaining the rank of Brigadier General by Brevet on 3/13/1865. The 5th Maine was a hard-fighting regiment which over the course of its three years service participated in critical engagements including First Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor. Edwards led the regiment from January 1863 until the regiment mustered out in 1864. Th 5th Maine has the distinction of leading the charge on the enemy's works at Spotsylvania, capturing more prisoners than the number of men in the regiment, and capturing three times the number of battle flags of any other Maine regiment.