Calvin A. Haynes of East Nassau, NY, at the age of 24 enlisted in August 1862 at Troy in the 125th New York Infantry Regiment. His letters home to his wife Lucy have been transcribed by John Minitti of Winchester, MA, and are here reproduced, with some editing, courtesy of the New York State Library, Manuscripts and Special Collections.
Haynes is writing from Camp Douglas where he and fellow 125th soldiers are on parole following their surrender at Harpers Ferry.
by David Flint
Chicago Oct 15th 1862
My dear Wife
I recieved your first letter a few moments ago. I was so glad to hear from you. I did not know but you had forgotten me. This makes twelve letters that I have written to you. I wish that you would try and write a little oftener. I should think that you could write as often to me as I do to you.
I have not been very well for a few days. I have had one of my old fashion biles and it made me sick all over. I wish that I could see you and little Ella now, it would do me good I think.
I am in hopes that we shall leave here before a great while for if we dont we shall all be sick. Thre is about two hundred sick now and it increases every day. It is cold and damp here, the boys are all as stiff as an old cart Horse. They can hardly walk a laying on the damp groun.
I wrote a letter to you last sunday tellin you that I thought that you had not better come out here.
I suppose that you have recieved it before this. I sent one over a week ago with my Ambrotype in it. You did not say that you had recieved it. If you would only answer my letters I would write to you every other day. I should think you could as well as not. Cant you Lucy?
You wrote that you had no money, why do you write so. I have not a dollar in the world. I have had to spend what money I took with me to get the comforts of life. I lent Emsworth (Haynes’ brother-in-law) five dollars and he has left. I dont know where he is. I hope he is safe. You have got money enough you have got a $100 in the bank and I wish that you would not write to me that you have no money for you know that it hurts my feelings and I have my feelins hurt often enough without you doing it Lucy. If you had rather suffer than to go to the Bank and get your own money I cannot help it for I have not got any to send you. Nor enough to make myself comfortable. If I had not of had money with me I don’t believe I should have stood it until this time. You should go to the Bank and get all of the money you need, if you do not I shall feel bad for there is no telling when I shall get paid off in ten months. We have all kind of rumors here about where we are agoing. The last report was that we were agoing to be sent to Troy or Albany. That is rather too good to be true.
I am afraid. Channcey Rice’s wife is out here and David White’s wife and Elener Coleman. I wrote to you that I had writtten to John Andrews and he had answered it. He was here to see me the other day, we had a good visit. He sent his best respects to all of you. He wanted me to go home with him and make a visit but I could not get away.
The boys are all a getting desperate, they have been used so that they dont care for anything. They dont care anything about their officers, they wont mind a word they say. The best thing that they can do with us is to send us home for we are not good for any thing.
If you do not go and get money enough to make you comfortable I will never forgive you in the world. You will, wont you Lucy. Take good care of Ella and write to me often wont you. No more at present.
From your Husband
C.A. Haynes