44th New York Infantry

Item LTR-460

Description

8 page original Civil War soldier's letter written in period ink and war dated.

Headquarters, Albany
September 19th 1861

Dear Sisters,

I find myself seated once more seated to write a few lines to you. I expect you will think by this time that I have forgotten to write or that I don’t care enough about you to spend time to write. But this is not the case. To tell you the truth, I have been very busy since my return. The next day after my return our company had to do guard duty. We have to mount guard by Company now and it takes 59 of the company besides the Officer of the Day and the Officer of the Guard. I had to act as Sergeant of the Guard and if I didn’t have plenty to do than you need not gripe. In the first place we had to form in front of the Lieutenant Colonel tent for inspection. Then we had to march to the Guard House and salute the Officer of the Day by presenting arms. Then we had to divide our men into the reliefs and post a corporal to each relief. Each relief consisted of 18 men and a Corporal to post there. Than I had to arrange the time for each relief to be posted giving them 2 hours on and 4 hours off and it is no fool of a job I tell you. Well I got this all arranged and in running trim. When the orders come that the 43rd Regiment was to leave for New York and that we had got to post a guard around the Brick Barracks. So I had to detail my second relief to go over there. That broke my grand guard up. Then I had to get a new relief in place of the second which took some time. But I made out to get around in time to relive the third relief. Then our Regiment detailed one hundred and two of our best drilled men that was not on guard to go down to the steamboat landing as an escort for the 43rd. But oh if you could see the crowd that we had to drive back with the bayonets. They rushed on us to see and part with the soldiers. Some would beg and some would pray and some would swear to get the guard to let them through and part with their friends but our orders were very strict not to let anyone pass on any condition whatever some of the women would throw themselves with all their might against the guard and swing their hands and pull their hair and tell them that if they would let them through they know they would go to heaven. But we had to deny them. One woman succeeded in breaking over the line and getting to where her husband stood and parted with tears as the guard led her back over the line. Oh if it was not tough. You need not ask me to judge. While I am writing now I sit by the window where I can look out and see them mounting the guard. I tell you it is a pretty thing as well as solemn. Well I will return to my subject. While there was going on at the Brick Barracks, our Regiment was forming and marching out of our Barracks to escort them down and there was a bigger crowd in our camp than you often see in DeRuyter or any where else. I had to double the guard at some posts and some of them I had to triple to keep the citizens out and the soldiers in. I had to keep on a run from one Barracks to the other for about two hours and I tell you it was no fool of a job if you allow me to judge. Well when this was over it was nearly sunset. After they had left the Barracks the keys of the guard house cells was handed over to me to take charge of the prisoners that they left.

One was the fellow I told of having a court martial before I came home, the other one I don’t know what his offense was for. I could not get around to feed them until after 8 in the evening. I went up to the cells without any guard with me to feel them. I had to unlock the cell door and open it to pass in the bread and water. Oh I tell you if they did not beg for me to get them a blanket to lie on but I am now allowed to do so and than they wanted me to let them sleep together. But I could not do it and I had to turn the key on them and leave them as I found them. Then I went over to our guard house and was called on to take care of two more prisoners. I took care of them. And one of the sentinels sang out sergeant post number 4. I had to start off with a file of men to the Brick Barracks and there I found another man behind the line and I had to put him in the guard house. Then I started for our guard house and before I got half way, I was called back to take charge of another prisoner. Then I was called to the other guard house to take charge of two more prisoners and they kept me running so until I had 11 prisoners. Then I heard the escort coming back and I had to throw open the gate and post six sentinels to see that none but the proper ones come in and by this time it was pretty near 12 o’clock than the Officer of the Day came around and we had to turn out the Guard and form in two ranks and salute him by presenting arms. Then I had to take two sentinels and go the Grand Rounds. That is in this way. I take two guards with muskets one on each side of myself, that’s three abreast. Then the Officer of the Day stood behind me. Then the Officer of the Guard in the rear and to the left of him and the Lieutenant Colonel to the right of the Officer of the Guard. This formed the Grand Rounds. Then I had to march them to the second sentinel. When I got within 15 paces of him, that is the sentinel, he commanded me to halt and say who goes there. I said Grand Rounds. Sentinels says, advance Sergeant Grand Rounds with the counter sign. They all stood at the halt while I advanced and gave the countersign. The sentinel says the countersign is right, advance Grand Rounds. The Officer of the Day then advances and at the same time I about face and take my place between the two sentinels and give the commands forward march. When the Officer of the Day comes up to the sentinel he faces to the rear and orders arms. I march right by and the Officer of the Day falls into his place and we pass on to the next sentinel and so on through until we get back to the guard house. I did not get around to sleep until half past three in the morning. Then I lay down and at half past four I was called to post Number 2. I went out and found four men that wanted to get in. One was one of our men that had been home on a furlough and returned with recruits. I passed them in and waited until 5 and called out the relief. Then I lay down and slept about two hours. Then I had to get up and see that the next relief was posted. Then I had to go over to the Brick Barracks and see to the prisoners and feed them and when I got to my breakfast it was 8 o’clock. At 9 our time for Guard duty was out. Then we had to do police duty the rest of the day until 6 o’clock. Then we had a dress and general order parade. That ended that day’s work. Our General Orders Roll Call is at 9 in the evening and 5 o’clock in the morning. Then we have to drill until breakfast. Then from 9 to 11, then 3 to 5 o’clock dress parade. Yesterday we had moved into the Brick Barracks and now I think I have made a long excuse enough for not writing sooner. If it is not, I make it a little longer by stating that inside of these drill hours, I have to drill on awkward squads in the company movements and then in drill hours I have to drill a squad in the use of arms and it occupies most all my time. The boys talk of running me for 2nd Lieutenant but whether they will succeed in getting me in or not I can’t tell. I have had the command of the whole company but do you mind I did not ask for it. The 1st Lieutenant asked me to do it and so I toke the command. The men seemed to be very well pleased and the Captain stood and looked on since that time. I have not drilled in the company much but had had to drill squads most of the time. You must tell those that want me to write to them that they must take it cool until I can get around and like enough it will be some time before I can fulfill my promise. Tell George and Josh that they don’t take married men yet. I wrote to Father about it when I wrote first you will have to read this to all the children and tell them this will have to suffice for all at the present. Tell them I think of them the same as if I wrote tot them and they must excuse me until I get more time. I have had to write this on the run. Our Regiment is filling up very fast. Yesterday we had sixty-eight new volunteers come in together. We have go on our company roll about 130 names now. Tell everybody to write me a letter whether I answer it or not. I will answer them as soon as I can. I have not had a letter since I came back and seems lonesome when the mail comes and I won’t have any news from home. Write often and tell the girls and boys to write often whether I write or not and as often as I can I will write. Tell Father and Mother I am well and hardy and don’t have time to get lonesome only by spells. Keep up good courage and be lively and not think of me and worry for I will look out for myself. You will have to excuse me for this time for I have got to go and be drilled by the Lieutenant Colonel in the use of arms so that I won’t drill the company wrong. Write soon. Give my Love to all. Write all the news you can think of.

From your Unworthy Brother,

Henry D. Burdick

W. B. Don’t forget to direct your letters Company D, People’s Ellsworth Regiment, Albany, NY