1st New York Infantry - Wounded & Captured at Chancellorsville

Item LTR-8573

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 2 pages, written in period ink.


Camp Butler
March 1st 1862

Lieutenant Colonel J. Fred Pierson

Dear Sir,

I received this a.m., too late for use in the muster roll, yours consisting of the muster roll of the recruits from Addison with dates as you desired them to be. In the absence of this and by Colonel Dyckman’s order, I made the dates as they were upon the old descriptive lists. The dates of enrollment were December 19, 1861 to January 16, 1862. The date of muster from January 7th to January 16th . The date of my muster enrollment is December 15, 1861. And by Colonel D.’s order also, all are reported as mustered by “Lieutenant Colonel Pierson” and remarks opposite each name, “Sworn by S. D. Clinton” or “by”, whomever each individual recruit was sworn. I regret very much that I had not their roll sooner. I find on the company books the men all registered as described on the old descriptive lists, dates and all. Some of them had gone into other companies so that I did not see how it could be possible to be done otherwise. Then I have proceeded especially as I did not feel at liberty to make such statements and explanation to Colonel Dyckman as would have been necessary in order to making the muster roll of the company as it would have been if I had had the proper descriptive lists. I trust it will not be a source of any embarrassment or annoyance to you. I am

Very Respectfully Your Obedient Servant,

E.Van Tuyl
Captain
1st Infantry New York Volunteers