James Edwards was born Aug 2,1844. He was working as a farm laborer for $8 dollars a month for George W. Porter of the Town of Elba, Genesee County, NY, when he enlisted October 1, 1861 at Utica, NY, at age 18 to serve three years. He mustered in as private, Co. A, 76th NY Volunteer Infantry, October 9, 1861. He was sick in hospital in Washington from Sept 11, 1862 until February, 1863, and was killed in action, July 1, 1863, at Gettysburg, Pa.
Louisa Porter and Ephraim Edwards, James' parents, were married September 18, 1835 at Deerfield, Onieda County, NY. His mother died July 7, 1852. Ephraim married Mary E. Fulmer (his second wife) on January 6, 1855. The second marriage produced a daughter Elizabeth.
Letter head has an American flag on the left side of the front page.
Upton Hill Sept 7 /62
Dear father
I now set down to write you a letter to let you now that I am well at present and hope your the same we have been in two battles one at gainsville Capt Grow was hit three times but he will recover I hope so at eny rate because he was now Coward to go in to battle under there was two killed seven wounded and we had two days fighting at bull run there is 10 missing in our company
it has been so we could not write letters untill to day. the Colonel Warttee was going Washington and he said he would take a letter for me when I get my pay I will send it home they give us 5 months pay
I wish this war would end to night because I have enough of it not because I am afraid for I am not I shall try and do better about sending my money home. I have not had a hirt on in three weeks and marched day and night I should think we have near tred about three hundred mile we had our a good share of Va. tell all the folks I would like to see them
write as soon as you can direct Co A 76 Regt Doubledays Brigade Washington D.C
James Edwards
Mount Pleasant Hosp
Washington D.C.
Dec 20 /62
Dear Father
I received your letter about 3 hours ago and was glad to hear from you I have not wrote but three of four letter sence I have been to the Hosp
when I had been here about 3 weeks when they put me in charge of a tent with 19 Patients but for 3 or four weeks back there has been now one in it but myself but to day I got nine wounded men and have kept me runing all day some of them are badly wounded some in the Head and legs
about 3 weeks ago George Porter sent me a Barrel half full of apples and rest full of Berres and curnts cakes and abut 10 pounds of maple sugar wal anough of that I intend to stay here until next spring then go to the regiment the first of January
I have eight months pay coming to me I intend to send the bigest Heft of it to you I cant write eney more now so good by untill next time write soon and I answer it.
James Edwards
These letters were transcribed by B. Conrad Bush, 1940 Reading Road, West Falls, NY, 14170; e-mail Bushresear@aol.com; from original letters found at the National Archive, Washington, DC.
Spelling, punctuation and capitalization are retained as in the originals - paragraph breaks added for easier reading.
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- Last Updated August 15, 1999