[Rarebooks] F/S Civil War Letters

[Garry R Austin]

We are pleased to offer for your consideration the following;

THE CIVIL WAR LETTERS OF JOHN EATON, JR.
OF THE SECOND NEW HAMPSHIRE AND LATER THE FOURTH NEW HAMPSHIRE  
VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS

John Eaton was a native of Corinth Maine, born September 17, 1843. His  
parents moved to Pittsfield New Hampshire when he was quite small. He  
enlisted in Company B, 2nd N. H. Volunteers and was mustered into  
service June 1, 1861. As that company had more than its complement of  
men, he was transferred to Company E of the same regiment. Here he  
served throughout the famous Peninsular Campaign being slightly  
wounded at the Battle of Williamsburg. From there he went to Yorktown,  
where he became ill with pneumonia. He was transferred to Portsmouth  
Grove R.I. He remained there for a long while without any significant  
improvement. Thus, he was sent home in anticipation of his death by  
Consumption. This was February 15, 1863. However the pure air of  
Pittsfield seemed to restore his health and vigor. He removed to  
Concord N.H. for work. While there, the enrollment for the first draft  
took place, but before the day of drawing had arrived, John removed to  
Portsmouth to accept a job. Soon afterward the Provost Marshall  
appeared and notified him he had been drafted. John Eaton was a  
volunteer and took umbrage at being coerced into service. He reported  
to Concord, was accounted for, and returned to Portsmouth. He had been  
given two weeks to arrange his affairs but he enlisted instead. He was  
sent to Washington D. C. a member of Company H, 4th N.H. Volunteers.  
 From that time forth, Eaton was part of the army commanded by General  
Benjamin Butler and participated in all the battles and skirmishes in  
which the 4th was engaged; from Drury's Bluff to Petersburg Virginia.  
When the Petersburg Mine was blown up and the Battle of the Crater  
commenced, Eaton was terribly wounded in the right forearm by an  
explosive bullet, shattering the bone. Source; H. L. Robinson's  
Pittsfield N.H. In The Great Rebellion.
Eaton is a dedicated and hard working soldier. Like so many others his  
letters reflect the boredom of camp life and the sense of purpose and  
trust in one's god for one's safety. He is not a well educated man and  
has issues with spelling and sentence structure but what he may lack  
in education he more than compensates with courage, concern for family  
and belief and purpose.

The Letters; There are four letters from the field to home and two  
from home to him form sister Emma;
The Letters;

John Eaton. Camp Baker, Maryland. December 8, 1861. Three pages to his  
brother, Green Eaton and sister Lucretia, on a patriotic letterhead.  
Mostly disjointed thoughts, missing home, sending home money etc. He  
is well, has received letters and newspapers and locks of hair from  
home. The regiment expects a fight and are ready to move.

Emma A. Walker. Pittsfield N.H. August 15, 1862. Two pages to her  
brother, John Eaton. News of home and all is well. She doesn't think  
the draft will come to Pittsfield. There are several enlisting but  
others she names will pay a $300.00 bounty.

Emma A. Walker. Pittsfield N.H. August 1862. Four pages to her  
brother, John Eaton. News of home and all is well. A heartfelt letter  
reflecting on how even though John is sick and somewhat discouraged he  
might have been lost in the battle near Richmond otherwise. She  
encourages him to be prepared for death if it must come. She relates  
that a fellow soldier of John's has returned and is telling their war  
stories, she wants to hear those stories from her brother. Enlistments  
are not forthcoming so there will be a draft. She hopes he can come  
home and stay with her. She and her husband will live in the village  
this winter and go back to the farm in the summer.

John Eaton. Washington D. C. Sunday 20, No year. Four pages to his  
brother, Green Eaton. His regiment is in Maryland. They are always  
expecting to move. John thinks of his brother and home daily. "Well  
one of our boys got shot last sunday he was readin a letter that he  
gut frome his wife, he just got up and a bullet come and shot him". He  
says " we expect thar is fittin to day we can her guns verry  
nery" (sic). He is sending home money that he wants put in a bank, but  
if he doesn't come home it should go to Lydia. He is going on guard  
tomorrow.

John Eaton. Bermuda Hundred Va. Foster Plantation, August 28, 1864.  
Three pages to his brother, Green Eaton, on a patriotic letterhead.  
Letterhead is "Song For The New York Second Mounted Rifles" with  
vignettes. John has been in five battles since the 12th of the month.  
"I come out all write. I got two balls put thru my coat...thar was  
nuse that I was shot the boys was glad when they see me". (sic). His  
regiment is one mile from the rebel lines. "we fort the 15 and 16 all  
day long. We got drove back two miles. We lost 140 men in our rigment  
14 in my company......we have hard times now we suffer but I am  
well" (sic). They expect to move out. "I was on picket 84 hours that  
is hard, johny rebble keep shuttin all the time  and so did I" (sic).

John Eaton. Campbell Hospital, Washington D.C. October 7, 1864. Two  
pages to his brother, Green Eaton. He is well, with the exception of  
his arm. He wants his name added to the checklist so he can vote when  
he gets home. "get a vote ready for Old Abe for me".

The Lot; $600.00 Postpaid. Trade Considerations apply.

Eaton's Regiments
2nd Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry

Organized at Portsmouth May 31 to June 8, 1861. Moved to Washington,  
D. C., June 20-23, and duty there till July 16. Attached to Burnside's  
Brigade, Hunter's Division, McDowell's Army of Northeastern Virginia,  
to August, 1861. Hooker's Brigade, Division of the Potomac, to  
October, 1861. 1st Brigade, Hooker's Division, Army of the Potomac, to  
March, 1862. 1st Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the  
Potomac, to February, 1863. New Hampshire, Dept. of the East, to June,  
1863. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of the Potomac,  
to July, 1863. Marston's Command, Point Lookout, Md., District of  
Saint Marys, to April, 1864. 2nd Brigade, 2nd Division, 18th Army  
Corps, Army of the James, Dept. of Virginia and North Carolina, to  
June, 1864. Provost Guard, 18th Army Corps, to August, 1864. 1st  
Brigade, 1st Division, 18th Army Corps, to October, 1864. 3rd Brigade,  
1st Division, 18th Army Corps, to December, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd  
Division, 24th Army Corps, to June, 1865.

SERVICE.-Advance on Manassas, Va., July 16-21, 1861. Battle of Bull  
Run , Va., July 21. Duty in the Defences of Washington, D. C., at  
Bladensburg and Budd's Ferry, Md., till April, 1861. Moved to the  
Peninsula, Va., April 4-8. Siege of Yorktown April 10-May 4. Battle of  
Williamsburg May 5. Occupation of Williamsburg till May 24. Battle of  
Fair Oaks, Seven Pines , May 31-June 1. Picket affair June 23-24.  
Seven days before Richmond June 25-July 1. Oak Grove June 25. Savage  
Station June 29. White Oak Swamp , Charles City Cross Roads and  
Glendale June 30. Malvern Hill July 1. At Harrison's Landing till  
August 16. Malvern Hill August 5. Movement to Centreville August  
16-26. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 26-September 2.  
Bristoe Station or Kettle Run August 27. Battle of Groveton August 29.  
Battle of Bull Run August 30. Chantilly September 1. Duty in the  
Defences of Washington till November. Operations on the Orange &  
Alexandria Railroad October 10-12. Movement to Falmouth, Va., November  
18-28. Battle of Fredericksburg December 12-15. "Mud March" January  
20-24, 1863. Operations at Rappahannock Bridge and Grove Church  
February 5-7. Ordered to Concord, N. H., February 26. Duty there and  
at Fort Constitution, Portsmouth, till May 25. Moved to Washington, D.  
C., May 25-28, and duty there till June 11. Moved to Hartwood Church,  
Va., June 11, and rejoin Army of the Potomac. Battle of Gettysburg ,  
Pa., July 2-4. Williamsport July 11-12. Manassas Gap , Va., July  
22-23. Ordered to Point Lookout, Md., July 25, and duty there guarding  
prisoners till April, 1864. Ordered to Yorktown, Va., April 7; thence  
to Williamsport April 22. Butler's operations on south side of James  
River and against Petersburg and Richmond May 4-28. Capture of City  
Point and Bermuda Hundred May 5. Chester Station May 6-7. Swift Creek  
or Arrowfield Church May 9-10. Operations against Fort Darling May  
12-16. Drury's Bluff May 14-16. Bermuda Hundred May 16-27. Port  
Walthal May 26. Moved to White House, thence to Cold Harbor May 27- 
June 1. Battles about Cold Harbor June 1-12. Non-Veterans left front  
June 8, and mustered out June 21, 1864. Regiment detached from Brigade  
June 9, and assigned to duty at Corps Headquarters till August 13.  
Assaults on Petersburg June 15-19. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864,  
to April 2, 1865. Duty in trenches before Petersburg August 18 to  
September 1. Ordered to Wilson's Landing September 1 and duty there  
till October 1. Expedition to Barnett's Ferry September 27-28. Moved  
to Aikens Landing October 1. Duty in trenches before Richmond till  
March 3, 1865. Battle of Fair Oaks October 27-28, 1864. Moved to Fort  
Monroe, Va., March 4-5; thence to White House Landing March 18 to  
establish a depot for General Sheridan's Cavalry, and duty there till  
March 24. March to lines north of the James March 24-28. Occupation of  
Richmond April 3. Duty there and at Manchester till July. Provost duty  
in District of Northern Neck, Dept. of Virginia, till December.  
Mustered out December 19, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 15 Officers and 163 Enlisted men killed  
and mortally wounded and 6 Officers and 166 Enlisted men



4th Regiment, New Hampshire Infantry

Organized at Manchester and mustered in September 18, 1861. Moved to  
Washington, D. C., September 27-30; thence to Annapolis, Md., October  
9. Attached to Casey's Provisional Brigade, Army of the Potomac,  
Octeber, 1861. Wright's 3rd Brigade, Sherman's South Carolina  
Expeditionary Corps to March, 1862. District of Florida, Dept. of the  
South, to September, 1862. Brannan s Brigade, District of Beaufort, S.  
C., 10th Corps, Dept. of the South, to April, 1863. United States  
Forces, Folly Island, S. C., 10th Corps to June, 1863. 1st Brigade,  
United States Forces, Folly Island, S. C., to July, 1863. 1st Brigade,  
1st Division, Morris Island, S. C., 10th Corps, July, 1863. 1st  
Brigade, Morris Island, S. C., to January, 1864. District of Beaufort,  
S. C., to February, 1864. Foster's Brigade, Dodge's Division, District  
of Florida, February, 1864. District of Beaufort, S. C., to April,  
1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 10th Corps, Army of the James, Dept.  
of Virginia and North Carolina, to May, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd  
Division, 18th Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1864. 3rd Brigade,  
2nd Division, 10th Corps, to December, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 2nd  
Division, 24th Corps, to March, 1865. 3rd Brigade, 2nd Division, 10th  
Corps, Dept. of North Carolina, to August, 1865.

SERVICE.-Expedition to Port Royal, S. C., October 21-November 7, 1861.  
Capture of Forts Walker and Beauregard, Port Royal Harbor, November 7.  
Duty at Hilton Head, S. C., till January 21, 1862. Expedition to  
Florida January 21-March 2. Occupation of Fernandina, Fla., March 5.  
Occupation of Jacksonville, Fla., March 12 to April 8 (Cos. "E" and  
"F," Provost duty at Fernandina till April.) Regiment moved from  
Jacksonville to St. Augustine, Fia., April 9, and garrison duty there  
till September 6. (Cos. "B," "H" and "K" moved to James Island, S. C.,  
June 8. Action on James Island June 10. Moved to Beaufort, S. C., June  
12, and duty there till April, 1863.) Regiment moved from St.  
Augustine, Fla., to Beaufort, S. C., September 6, 1862, and duty there  
till April, 1863. Expedition to Pocotaligo, S. C., October 21-23,  
1862. Action at Caston and Frampton's Plantations, Pocotaligo, October  
22. Expedition against Charleston April 4-11, 1863. Expedition to  
North Edisto River April 17-28. Moved to Folly Island, S. C., April  
29, and siege operations against Morris Island till July. Expedition  
to James Island July 9-16. Secessionville July 16. Siege operations  
against Forts Wagner and Gregg, Morris Island, S. C., and against Fort  
Sumpter and Charleston till January, 1864. Capture of Forts Wagner and  
Gregg September 7, 1863. Moved to Beaufort, S. C., January 17.  
Expedition to Whitmarsh Island February 20-22, 1864. Moved to  
Jacksonville, Fla., February 23, and return to Beaufort, S. C.,  
February 26. Veterans on furlough March-April. Non-Veterans at  
Beaufort till April 12, then ordered to Gloucester Point, Va. Butler's  
operations on south side of James River and against Petersburg and  
Richmond May 4-27. Capture of Bermuda Hundred and City Point May 5.  
Chester Station May 6-7. Swift Creek (or Arrowfield Church) May 9-10.  
Operations against Fort Darling May 12-16. Drury¿s Bluff May 14-16.  
Bermuda Hundred May 16-27. Moved to White House Landing, thence to  
Cold Harbor May 27-June 1. Battles of Cold Harbor June 1-12. Before  
Petersburg June 15-19. Siege of Petersburg June 16 to December 7. Duty  
in trenches before Petersburg June 23 to July 30. Mine Explosion July  
30. Demonstration north of James River August 13-20. Strawberry Plains  
August 14-18. Bermuda Hundred August 24-25. Duty in trenches before  
Petersburg till September 25. (Non-Veterans mustered out September 18,  
1864.) New Market Heights, Chaffin's Farm , September 28-30. Duty on  
north side of the James, operating against Richmond, till December 7.  
Fair Oaks October 27-28. Expedition to Fort Fisher, N. C., December  
7-27. 2nd Expedition to Fort Fisher January 7-15, 1865. Assault and  
capture of Fort Fisher January 15. Sugar Loaf Battery February 11.  
Fort Anderson February 18. Capture of Wilmington February 22. Advance  
on Kinston and Goldsboro March 6-21. Guard Railroad from Little  
Washington to Goldsboro till August. Mustered out August 23, 1865.

Regiment lost during service 3 Officers and 82 Enlisted men killed and  
mortally wounded and 5 Officers and 194 Enlisted men by disease. Total  
234.