American History: Premier Auction

Lot of 89 letters from Edward Anderson, accompanied by photocopies of four more letters that are not present, five address blocks on small pieces of paper, two notes from the Second Auditor's Office of the Treasury Department regarding Delilah Anderson's application for a widow's pension, dated March 17 and 23, 1865, a note with payment of tuition for Anderson's daughter, Mary, and a registered letter receipt from December 14, 1863 that likely accompanied one of the payments Anderson sent home.

Edward Anderson enlisted in December 1863 as a private. He was mustered into the New Jersey 1st Artillery. He was the father of three - two school aged children (Mary Ellen and George) and one toddler (Belle), who, in his letters, constantly asks if she remembers him since she is so young. While he is in service, his third daughter was born and there was some confusion about picking a name. He let his wife pick the name (Elizabeth), but then he could not read her letters and it took several tries before he figured out what that name was! In several letters Anderson makes it clear that his wife Delilah is illiterate (and he says that he does not want their children to have the same issues and that they need to stay in school). She has to have someone else read his letters and write letters for her (which may account, also, for why he sometimes has trouble reading them). On April 22, 1864, he writes: "I know that you can't write yourself, but that is no excuse for you. If you only wrote this - I have received your letters - that will have been plenty....Now try to write a few words when you get this and let me know little about home." His spelling is phonetic. 

It isn't until early March that the Battery begins to see any action. Most of Anderson's early letters are instructions on what Mrs. Anderson needs to do, questions about whether or not she received the money he sent her, status of the children (illness, school, etc.) and the like. By his letter of March 4, 1864, they are at least out on patrol. "We have been out on a reconoying [reconnoitering] for five days and we came home yesterday. We went as far as James City, about 90 miles from Brandy Station. We met no Rebels in any force. The C Corps had a little fight at Madison Courthouse and captured a few rebels but from the looks of things there will be a general move before long....There comes in a few rebel deserters every day and give themself up as they are tired of the war."

May 21, 1864: "We have drove the rebels at every place yet where we have met them, but with big loss. Last Tuesday night from 4 o'clock and to dark was a hard afternoon. The fighting was a desperate one. Our infantry lost great many."

June 1, 1864: "I must not forget to tell you what happen yesterday of a Negro wench she come out and put fire to a Amonitions kist (?) and blow it up. wounded 6 of our men with her self. it is supposed that her Master told her to do it."

June 7: "We are now about 1200 yard from the rebel line of work. They is in fortification and so are we. The rebels they make their attack in the night now and lie still in the day time, but we have repulsed them yet so far and I hope we will be able to do so. The worst we are in want of is water. We have a good luck yet in our battery considering the fighting we have done and I hope and trust that God will have mercy on us as that is our only trust we have to depend on here..."

June 19: "We have been on the campaign now for nearly two months. This is the longest and hardest campaign all the soldiers say since the war commence[d]. The longest campaign before this was under McClellan and that was 22 days. The fighting here in front of Petersburg has been an awful time for five days today and is still going and yet on. The left of our line we have not been engaged today yet but I don't know how soon we will be. Last Wednesday the Negroes of Battery Corps made a charge on the rebels work in front of Petersburg, Negro infantry and cavalry, and that was a great undertaking, but the darkies gave a yell 'fort pillow' and then they went against the rebels guns as fas[t] as they could run. Our battery was placed about a mile in front of the rebels redoubt for support for the Negroes, but the rebels did not reply to our artillery again. They fired all times at the darkies, but they won the day. The captured every redoubt the rebels had in that line, their guns, horses, ammunition and all in that redoubt in front of us was of splendid 12 lb guns."

"Our skirmish line is within 600 yards from Petersburg and the rebel line about 200 yards outside the City. Some of our batteries has been shelling the depot all day today, but where we are we cannot see what damage is done to it, but the railroad bridge is shot down by our artillery."

"All the way as far as we have marched the rebel inhabitants destroyed all the wells and springs before they left so we could not get any water to drink, but now we pay them for it. We take down the houses and build breastwork of them. There is splendid corn field here all around goo many field. The corn is up to your arm but is all destroyed now."

June 24: "We have seen some hard fighting here this forenoon and all yesterday. We had our gunner killed Wednesday. He was shot through his head by a shell and instantly killed. Another man was killed a few days before and some wounded. The time is hard here at present but I don't dare to write all I like to but I trust that God will soon bring this war to a close and that we may enjoy the blessing of peace in our land and nation again."

In a long letter of June 28, he tells the folks about a friend from the 15th New Jersey and several others that they know from Readington and nearby towns. "Our Battery lies at present close by the 15th rigement [regiment] so I hath a good chance to find out about Joseph. the fighting was going on yesterday on the other side of Petersburg but our Battery was not engaged this time the 2nd and 6th Corps is at rest at present time and that is the first rest we hath since the campaign commenced the 4th of May. there is a great deal of sickness in the Army at present time and it comes from that poor water we have here and the weather is very hot and dry. The hot weather in New Jersey is nothing as what it is here but I have stood it good so far yet I have heard there have been a draft in Jersey ....I see in the New York Herald Saturday June 25 that last Tuesday the 21 of June when the second Corps hath that fight that the Rebels captured four of our guns and that we recaptured then again, but that is not so. the rebels captured the guns and they got them yet the guns belongs to the 12th New York Battery. they was captured not more then 300 yards from our Battery to the left of us and after they captured them they took that line of work of ours but that was recaptured again in the evening by our infantry. Both the guns was not. We took two of our guns out for fear have them captured as the breastwork was not very strong..."

Everyone seems to be tiring of the war. July 3: "Here is no fighting going on at present more than little artillery firing in the night when they relieve picket. Were we are stationed our men and the rebels have made a bargain between themselves not to fire as long as neither party don't advance their lines. So there haven't been any picket firing this last week. Our outside line and the rebels line is about 200 years apart. Then the artillery line and our line of battle a mile further behind."

July 21: "We are at our camp yet up to this time and we are not any closer to Petersburg yet as what we have been for some time. But the cannonading between our line and the rebels has been heavy for the last two days and night, but I don't know what damage has been done to the rebels. There has been no damage done to us for whatever."

July 31: "We left our camp the next day after I wrote to you as I told you that I did not expect to stay there a great while. We marched the night of the 27 inst. A distance of about 15 miles and came back to front of Petersburg yesterday the 30^th. While we was there there was some fighting but our battery did not getting yet when we came back to Petersburg. There the fighting was going on very briskly but we did not get into that ??? so we hath good luck this time now. We are in camp close to the front and I expect we will [take] the front lines now very soon as our Corps has not been to the front for sometime."

"Yesterday the 5^th Corps captured one line of the rebel work and several forts and guns from the rebels in front of Petersburg. Today is the Sabbath and everything is very still today in front and I hope it will remain so… anyhow, the weather is very hot and dry again and dust very bad for marching."

August 2: "I don't think we will stay here long before we will move to another new place and I think it will be to Pennsylvania as we hear the rebels are there again. we have not hath any fighting here since in June. there was a fight last Friday but our Battery was not in to it this time and that is the only one we have not been in to this Summer. We captured one line work from the rebels and they captured one brigade of Negroes from us. how many there was wounded and killed I don't know. That we can't find out and we blowed up some rebel forts since that time. It has been very still to the front of us. we hath a hard week last week on our march to Joneses Landing on the James River but we are rested now again and rain is needed bad."

Shortly after Anderson left for the Army, Delilah moved with the children from Readington to her parents' house. About August a piece of property came up for sale near her parents and she decided it would be a deal. Many of the letters from late summer deal with the purchase of this property. It is probably a good thing they did since Anderson would not survive the war. Toward mid-August, he had a short bout of a gastro-intestinal illness, but recovered in short order.

August 17: "We have left our old camp. We left there Friday night and crossed the James river and on the Sabbath morning the fighting commenced and lasted till last night. Yesterday, Tuesday, was a hard day, but blessed be the name of God we have not up to this time had a man killed or wounded in our battery, but the poor infantry have suffered awful. Their loss is very great. We captured many prisoners and two rebel Generals were killed. One was brought in to our Battery and buried there. He was a fine looking man."

August 18: "We left our old camp last week and went across the James River on the night between Saturday and Sunday, and as soon as we got over the river the ball (?) was open about an hour before the sun rose and lasted nearly all the day. on Monday morning the fighting commenced again very heavy but through the day it was not so heavy but on Tuesday the fighting was severe all day and great many lifes lost. we [captured?] three lines of the rebels work on a charge but we were not able to hold them but was repulsed from them again. we captured four guns from the rebels and some say we captured 10 but I see but four. our battery was planted in the edge of the roads about a mile from the rebels work. When the battle commenced it was rather in the hollow so that the rebels shot and shot went over us."

August 20: "We are two Divisions got back, then other two we don't know where they are. We left them on the other side of the James River and we got away in the night all safe and got back to Petersburg again yesterday. And last was shelled in our position while we was asleep and one man badly wounded from a shell. We had to get up and harness up under the rebels' fire and get away the best we could. It rained very hard at the same time."

August 22: "We left our old camp again and are now in the camplace where we had the Battle the 22nd day of June but now we have a good fort to stay in now to day everything is ???? yet but yesterday we had heavy fighting all day but that is no news on the Sabbath day. the fighting commenced Saturday night above 2 o'clock and lasted til 9 in the forenoon. We did not lose any men in our Battery or any in the fort. We are 1400 men in that fort of infantry and Artillery. We have our Corps back again from the other side up the James River. We have had very wet weather here now for a whole week and it has been hard on the Army, and the weather is not yet(?) you know that I look to sleep out the doors but now I get enough of it but I hope and trust in God that this war will soon be over and peace once more restored again as there has been lifes enough lost mow the 5th Corps lost great many yesterday at the Weldon Railroad but the rebels lost good many too and lost the Battle. the rebels have heavy works in front of us and we can see them very plain from our works. when we came in to the fort there was 3 regiments of Negroes in to it but the officer knowed that will not do so they sent out the negro and send in 2 New Jersey regiment for our support. they knowed the Jersey men will not fight on the side of Negroes. there is good many sick in our Battery at present time but I am got right well again and I hope I will stay so as here is a bad place to be sick much."

August 26: "...after I finished my letter yesterday the fighting commenced and became general in the afternoon between 3 and 4 o'clock. 2nd Corps lost heavy. we lost a good deal of Artillery and was drove back. the loss of Artillery officer and man in this fight was greater than in any other fight yet this summer, but I thank God that I am still safe yet... I thought you will feel uneasy if you heard the 2nd Corps had been in to a Battle and you not hear from me."

September 6: "The last two weeks they have enlisted and are down here now, some of them have deserted ready and gone over to the rebels. The Rebels are coming in to our lines nearly every night. One night this week there come in 61 rebel soldiers. They say that they are tired of the war and think it will come to a close this fall."

"There was more rejoicing in the Army of the Potomac when the news came that McClellan was nominated President than there will be if the whole rebel army surrender. There is but very few soldier any more for Lincoln. They all go in for their old friend, Little Mc."

"There have been no more fighting here since the Battle at Reams Station on the Weldon Railroad, only artillery firing between the lines and that is got to be a daily business. We have a new railroad now in running order to where we lie now, and every time when it comes up or down the rebels shelling it. There is one place where they can see it when it passes one of their forts, but they have not hit it yet so far as I have heard."

About this time, Anderson had become ill again. September 18: "I can tell you dear wife that I am in bad condition. I feel bad two ways, sickness and disappointment, and I can't help it any more. I know it is wrong to give myself any trouble, but I can't help it.The doctor was here this afternoon. Tongue looks better than what it did yesterday, but I am so weak I can't get around anymore but just in the camp. I haven't been up to the for to the Battery for nearly two weeks. I am 1 1/2 mile back to the rear with the horses."

By the end of the month he is getting better, but not completely well yet. Anderson sent a quarter to each of his children for candy, but apparently his son did not receive his and felt a bit angry that he had been forgotten. Anderson wrote a letter directly to his son letting him know that he had indeed sent the quarter, but it must have been stolen from the mail.

By the end of September, Anderson has been sent to the hospital at City Point, where he can get better care. By October 22, the headline to his letter is "Sickel's Barracks Hospital, Alexandria, VA." He also informs her that he is trying to get a furlough in hopes that he can recover at home. He apparently succeeded, and when the furlough was over (about November 14) he reported to the Beverly Hospital in New Jersey.

December 6: "I am sorry to write to you what condition I am in. I am down to the bed and can't get up at all. I am worse than what I have been yet. I will like to see some of you come down to see me if you can at all." A few days later he is asking Delilah to send food to him. He seems to get better for a while, then go downhill again. By mid-January he is asking to see his wife again, as he has been in "bad condition" for over a week.

By January 26: "You must come down to see me immediately as I am getting worst and can not write to you any more, but don't take no children along as the diphtheria is around here. Come Monday if you can as I am very poorly." He also wrote down a hymn on the same day.

February 15: A letter is sent to Delilah by Caroline Cox, one of those brave nurses who volunteered to work in the hospitals. She writes that Anderson had taken a turn for the worse and if she wanted to see him, she had better hurry. Anderson is still trying to get home and giving Delilah instructions to this end. The nurse writes in a postscript: "Since writing the above I have had some conversation with Anderson. He desires me to say that whatever way you come for him to bring plenty of warm wrapping and Buffalo robes for him. I write you this as his message, with his love, but I fear it is no use myself to encumber yourself with these things as I am sure he could not live to take such a journey. He would not bear it. So you must lose no time in coming on to see him."

Feb. 19: "Dear Madam, I have sad news for you. Your husband died this morning at 9 o'clock. And although you are expected here tonight, I thought perhaps something might detain you from coming. Do you wish the body buried here or do you wish it taken to Staunton? If we have no word it will be buried at this place but it can be taken up at any time. Your Husband died in the bright hope of a heavenly Home while very desirous of reaching his earthly home said he was willing to submit to the Lord's will. Yours &c./ Gilbert Lane, Chaplain USA." Two subsequent letters from Chaplain Lane inform Mrs. Anderson of the burial and what she needs to do to receive his effects.