108th York Infantry CIVIL WAR LETTER - Gen Burnside Fight Near Richmond Etc
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:114592 |
CIVIL WAR LETTER
This Civil War letter was written by James “Birney” Van Ornum (1842-1918), the son of James O. Van Ornum (1813-Aft1862) and his first wife, Cynthia Dodge (1811-1857) of Russell, St. Lawrence county, New York. Birney enlisted on 11 August 1862 in Co. K, 106th New York Volunteers. He was transferred to Co. I, U. S. Veteran Reserve Corps after being wounded in action on 2 April 1865 in the final assault at Petersburg. He mustered out of the service on 7 July ...1865.Birney’s young brother, Nathaniel (“Nat”) Dodge Van Ornum (1845-1864), enlisted as a private on 18 August 1863 in Co. H, 2nd U.S. Infantry as a substitute. He was killed in action on 10 May 1864 near Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. Another brother, William Van Ornum, enlisted in May 1861 to serve two years in Co. I, 14th New York Infantry. After he was discharged, he took a job as a saddle and harness make in Washington D. C.Also mentioned from time to time in his letters is a cousin named James E. Van Ornum who also served in Co. K, 106th N. Y. Vols. James E. was wounded in the arm at Cold Harbor on 1 June 1864 and subsequently transferred to the 11th Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps.TRANSCRIPTIONCamp of 108th Regt. New York Vols.
Culpepper, Va.
April 30th 1864Dear Sister, I received your kind letter some time since and am thankful for the privilege of answering it even at this late hour. You must excuse me if you do not get letters from me as regular as you might wish for you know we must take our chances for writing when we can get them. The summer campaign is soon to be commenced and the army is fast preparing for it in every possible way. We have Brigade drill by Gen. [W. H.] Morris or Battalion drill by our Colonel nearly every day.There was a report in our camp yesterday that Gen. Burnside was in Brandy Station with thirty-five thousand men but I can hardly credit the rumor though we have it from quite reliable sources. If this rumor is true, we are no doubt calculated to have a hand in the big fight between here and Richmond but we have confidence in our officers and believe we have help enough to accomplish what our generals undertake.The last time we were on picket, four deserters from the Rebel army came into our lines for protection. Deserters are coming in more or less nearly every day.Luke Van Ornum has lost his house and barn by fire only a short time since. His loss is estimated at $1, 000. I am sorry for his loss for he has worked hard for it. I am sorry for all the folks north who have property in houses for their houses are so liable to burn up and I am afraid some will get burned in them yet or else that the wind will blow the house down on their hears and hurt some of them. I cannot help thinking of them—they are in so much danger. We can build one of our houses in a single day and if it burns up, there is nothing lost but we go to work and build another.I have no news from Old Russell to communicate. I have but very few correspondents there since Father’s folks moved to Malone. The last time Father wrote, he said Andrew was going to Russell to show Mr. Lewis about the hop yard.I think I shall write to Uncle Harry today. I have had some photographs taken but I am ashamed to send them to you or anyone else but they are the best I can get here. I will enclose in this. One is for you and one for Aunt Monica. Give my love to all the folks and write often.Affectionately your brother, — James B. Van OrnumTERMS$3.00 postage in the United States. We accept Paypal. Postage combined for multiple purchases. Please wait for me to send the invoice, otherwise will pay a much higher postage rate!For International buyers: We are now using eBay's Global Shipping Program. We had too many packages sent via the post office go missing. So we believe this program will be safer for us - and for you.We're members of the American Philatelic Society, the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, the Confederate Stamp Alliance and the Illinois Postal History Society.We only sell genuine, original letters (no copies or reproductions). Some of our letters have been transcribed and nicely presented for future genealogists and history buffs on the Spared & Shared blog. We've been selling on eBay since 2001. BID WITH CONFIDENCE.
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This Civil War letter was written by James “Birney” Van Ornum (1842-1918), the son of James O. Van Ornum (1813-Aft1862) and his first wife, Cynthia Dodge (1811-1857) of Russell, St. Lawrence county, New York. Birney enlisted on 11 August 1862 in Co. K, 106th New York Volunteers. He was transferred to Co. I, U. S. Veteran Reserve Corps after being wounded in action on 2 April 1865 in the final assault at Petersburg. He mustered out of the service on 7 July ...1865.Birney’s young brother, Nathaniel (“Nat”) Dodge Van Ornum (1845-1864), enlisted as a private on 18 August 1863 in Co. H, 2nd U.S. Infantry as a substitute. He was killed in action on 10 May 1864 near Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia. Another brother, William Van Ornum, enlisted in May 1861 to serve two years in Co. I, 14th New York Infantry. After he was discharged, he took a job as a saddle and harness make in Washington D. C.Also mentioned from time to time in his letters is a cousin named James E. Van Ornum who also served in Co. K, 106th N. Y. Vols. James E. was wounded in the arm at Cold Harbor on 1 June 1864 and subsequently transferred to the 11th Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps.TRANSCRIPTIONCamp of 108th Regt. New York Vols.
Culpepper, Va.
April 30th 1864Dear Sister, I received your kind letter some time since and am thankful for the privilege of answering it even at this late hour. You must excuse me if you do not get letters from me as regular as you might wish for you know we must take our chances for writing when we can get them. The summer campaign is soon to be commenced and the army is fast preparing for it in every possible way. We have Brigade drill by Gen. [W. H.] Morris or Battalion drill by our Colonel nearly every day.There was a report in our camp yesterday that Gen. Burnside was in Brandy Station with thirty-five thousand men but I can hardly credit the rumor though we have it from quite reliable sources. If this rumor is true, we are no doubt calculated to have a hand in the big fight between here and Richmond but we have confidence in our officers and believe we have help enough to accomplish what our generals undertake.The last time we were on picket, four deserters from the Rebel army came into our lines for protection. Deserters are coming in more or less nearly every day.Luke Van Ornum has lost his house and barn by fire only a short time since. His loss is estimated at $1, 000. I am sorry for his loss for he has worked hard for it. I am sorry for all the folks north who have property in houses for their houses are so liable to burn up and I am afraid some will get burned in them yet or else that the wind will blow the house down on their hears and hurt some of them. I cannot help thinking of them—they are in so much danger. We can build one of our houses in a single day and if it burns up, there is nothing lost but we go to work and build another.I have no news from Old Russell to communicate. I have but very few correspondents there since Father’s folks moved to Malone. The last time Father wrote, he said Andrew was going to Russell to show Mr. Lewis about the hop yard.I think I shall write to Uncle Harry today. I have had some photographs taken but I am ashamed to send them to you or anyone else but they are the best I can get here. I will enclose in this. One is for you and one for Aunt Monica. Give my love to all the folks and write often.Affectionately your brother, — James B. Van OrnumTERMS$3.00 postage in the United States. We accept Paypal. Postage combined for multiple purchases. Please wait for me to send the invoice, otherwise will pay a much higher postage rate!For International buyers: We are now using eBay's Global Shipping Program. We had too many packages sent via the post office go missing. So we believe this program will be safer for us - and for you.We're members of the American Philatelic Society, the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society, the Confederate Stamp Alliance and the Illinois Postal History Society.We only sell genuine, original letters (no copies or reproductions). Some of our letters have been transcribed and nicely presented for future genealogists and history buffs on the Spared & Shared blog. We've been selling on eBay since 2001. BID WITH CONFIDENCE.
00068
