CDV of Isaac Mead, most likely taken while waiting for transfer to the Veterans Reserve Corps (collection of Dale Call)
The following letter is from the collection of Dale Call:
Camp Aiken Bridgeport Aug. 29 1862
Dearest Esther,
How did they make out yesterday at the church about the sexton? Who rang the bell? We had service in the Chapel tent Sat. evening from 8 to 9. It was first rate, the minister is just the one to please the soldiers. Next morning we had service in the Chapel tent. I should think there were twice as many citizens as soldiers. At the close of the services a collection was taken up to help pay for the Chapel tent, books etc. In the evening the soldiers went to church in the city. Each company marched by itself. I should think the church would hold more than one although it is not as large. It was crowded so that the isles were about full & some sat on the pulpit stairs. Our company sat on the bench around the altar facing the congregation. In front of me sat Mr. P.T. Barnum the great museum man and humbugger. At his right hand sat the Colonel of our regmt. So you see I sat among other big men besides myself. The singing was good. They had a melodeon [Ed. note: this is a reed organ used in smaller churches]. Some of the men behaved so bad yesterday that they had to put them in the guard tent. I enjoy myself very well. Some things are nice and some not. Today I went into the city & got an army knife. I ate my dinner with it, put it in my pocket & that is the last I have seen of it. I paid .87 cts. I find quite a number of nice men in the company. Today we chose Wm. Todd for our cook & James Hearne for assistant cook. Wm. Todd has cooked on tryal for some time now. Today we had to sign papers so as to get the rest of our bounty money. It will be paid in a day or two. We some expect to go away in a Wednesday or Thursday. I guess not until Thursday. A great many people come on the ground to see the soldiers. Tuesday evening we expect top dedicate the Chapel tent. I don’t know as I have told how we have come by the tent. The minister who preaches to us has a vacation from N. York. He used to preach in Bridgeport. He is first rate in beging and has begged enough to warrant getting the tent. He says that if the people in B. don’t care enough about the soldiers to finish giving the tent he will give what he has advanced. So last night another collection was taken. I wish the people of Greenwich would come over here some of them. It seems quite refreshing to see a familiar face besides those who are here. Today I saw Wash Merritts wife. I should not have known her is she had not spoken first. I also saw Kate Avery. She is in B. visiting. Thomas Edwards came this afternoon. Another man joined today. I don’t know him. He is a quere looking man. Tell mother and the rest of the folks that I will write soon. I will write to your folks soon. I hope you & the children are well. Don’t get lonesome.
Your affectionate husband,
Isaac
The following letter is from the collection of Dennis Urban:
Sept 10, 1862 (Wednesday)
Fort Marshall Baltimore
Dearest Esther:
I feel first rate. I have just had a good dinner: and for desert a letter from you. A little while ago I saw the letter man go by with a handful of letters. Soon my name was called. I was on hand at once. This pencil [probably a mechanical pencil] is very nice and I thank father for it. At first I could not make up out what you ment by magor Mead. I guess Mr. Webster would spell it major. Am I right? I am on guard to day. I feel very well. Last night at dress parade very strict orders were read. We have to drill considerably now. Some of the cannon of the fort were fired off this morning. They didn’t sound very loud. (Thursday morning) I wrote Ophelia yesterday. You must read it. We have beautiful prospect from here. The fort is on a hill overlooking a portion of the city and quite an extent of country. In sight are a number of factorys. I notice that one of them is smoking night and day. Sunday as well as Monday. We are encamped just outside of the fort. The soil is not like Greenwich soil. It is white dust like a road. Part of it is red like brick dust. What little grass there is, is very thin. A washwoman is around bringing cloths she has washed. Washing a colored shirt is .04 white one is .05. Cheap enough, but I thought I would try my hand at it; so last Monday I got a wash basin and went to work. I washed my towel and hung it up to dry. Then went to work on my shirts. The washtub was rather small but I made out very well. I next washed myself & felt clean. I have not as yet been able to make any thing as yet to earn money. I hope to soon. My funds are rather low but I guess I shall make out. I think one of the men is crazy. He has acted strange for a number of days. Last night I slept in the guard house. Every two hours the next relief is called out. This man would call out the wrong men. He had no business in there at all. I shall try today to have him taken care of. He was crazy at first and was sent home. Afterwards he was better and was b(r)ought back. Has John Lockhart dug the potatoes yet? It would be a good plan to pile the weeds together while green so that they may rot. A little dirt thrown on the piles would make them rot better. I have pretty good tent mates now. One who was with me in Bridg(e)port [Camp Aiken, 30 miles from Greenwich) I guess has rather a bad complaint. Some of the boys say so. I think he acts so. We have pickets stationed out now. Last night the Liet. Col. went around to see if they were faithful. He was disguised and tryed to pass(?). The man proved faithfull. Yesterday at guard mounting (this was in the morning) the Lieut. Col. came around to see how the men looked. He scolded one because he did not have his brasses clean. He looked at me and said “here is one who has cleaned up.” He said the same of another. We are pretty well loaded down with harness which has considerable brass on it. This must be kept clean and bright. Some one stole my rubber
The lock of hair that Isaac Mead sent home with his letter from Fort Marshall in 1862 (collection of Dennis Urban)
blanket the other day. It had my name painted on it. A great many things have been stolen lately. I forgot to send a lock of my hair before but I send it now with much love. Have you got my likenesses from Stamford? When you get start smart enough I wish you would have your likeness taken. I would like the childrens with yours together in a group. I did not like to take one of the old ones because I wanted a new one when you get able. Perhaps you could have yours on one side and the children’s on the other side of the case. Send by mail. Your loving husband
Isaac
The following letter is from the collection of Walter Powell:
(Envelope addressed to Mrs. Isaac L. Mead, Greenwich, Connecticut)
Camp near Brook’s Station, May 20, 1863
My dear wife:
For a few days back I have felt but little like writing. Today we shifted our camp. We now are about ¼ mile east of where we were. This is a very pleasant place. I think it will be healthier here than in our old camp, for there was an old dead smell occasioned by the decomposition of one thing and another that had collected during the Winter. This camp is on high ground. Near us are two or three old houses. We see but very few houses that would be called decent in the north. The most of them are out of order. In the first place the building of them was imperfect. They don’t have as good carpenters here as Henry Mead & Stephen Stotoof [Stoothoof]. Next they don’t seem to see the necessity of keeping a place in good order. I bought my dinner today of the sutler. I got 10 cakes for 20 cts & a small slice of cheese for 10 cts. All we have drawn today to eat is a loaf of bread for each man. This we got this afternoon. I used to hear some say that a soldier has enough to eat and a plenty to spare, but generally we don’t have much to throw away. I get along very well most of the time for if I am hungry the food tastes sweeter when I get it. I could have got along this month without buying as I had hard tack but I felt dainty. I gave one of the men who had to go on duty, enough hard tack for his dinner as he had none. I am broken out with the heat. Perhaps it is on account of the woolen clothes that I wear. I itch sometimes so bad that I can’t help digging. In your last letter you ask if I lost my testament, needle book and money. I didn’t lose either. They were all in my pockets except my needle book that you gave me. That I sent with some of my clothes to be stored at Hope Landing. I have another needle book which is much smaller that I carry in my pocket. Lieut. found it while we were at Stafford Court House. He took the contents out, and I have taken care of the needle book since. Lieut. Peck was with us on picket before the fight. I heard a Lieut. say he saw Lt. Peck in the garden by the house near where the artillery was stationed, lying on his face and with his hands trying to dig down into the ground to hide from the enemy. I guess he has been taken prisoner. It is possible some of our Co. are killed but I think the most of them are prisoners. Two are in the hospital wounded. One of them (John Doharty) is a prisoner paroled. John was shot through the side. He is able to be around. He came to camp for a short time yesterday.
I am sorry Ophelia got hurt. Do you remember when I got hurt in the ancle at the mill and George Williams brought me home? As soon as my ancle was in the hot water the pain was gone. I expect you will have a very good garden this summer. I feel quite anxious to know how the things will grow in the part next to the house. I think the dose I gave it last spring will take effect this summer.
Friday morning.[May 21st]
I received your letter yesterday afternoon. Yesterday morning I thought I would look into the state of affairs in my pants. I found they had been rented by a few grey backs. I at once gave them notice to leave, for although my pants are one size too large for me yet there is hardly room for more than one. I saw enough to convince me that these grey backs planned to have their descendants occupy the same place, so I thought I would have a house warming. I got a camp kettle and plenty of soap and after my breakfast I started for a brook in the woods. I took my pants off and gave them a good boiling, then washed them, boiled them again & then rinsed them thoroughly, rung them out and hung them up to dry. I next took my shirts & socks and washed & boiled them. After washing myself thoroughly without boiling I arranged my toilet. My pants were not quite dry but dry enough. Last night I scratched a good part of the night. I don’t know anything to write about Oliver Ingersoll. He is missing. You spell Smith Smyth. It may be they spell it your way. The Morrell you spoke of who came from N. York & died suddenly was brother to the George Morrell in our Co. I am very well now with the exception of the scratching. You spoke of the meeting at Jerome’s. I used to like the meetings at private houses: they seemed more sociable than the meetings held in the Chapple [Chapel]. I have a very poor place to write and as it is almost mail time I will close this.
From your affectionate husband
Isaac L. Mead
The following letter is from the collection of Dennis Urban:
Colombian College Hospital [Washington D. C.]
June 9th 1863
My dear wife,
I received the letter you mailed from New York the 18th on the 19th. I wrote to Lucretia by the next morning’s mail which I suppose you have found out by this time. Another man died last night in this room making the third since I have been here. I continue to gain very slowly. Yesterday I was troubled with the piles. Towards evening the ward master gave me some ointment which seemed to ease the pain somewhat. It is not so bad today. This morning I had a cup of coffee and some bread and butter for my breakfast. I have had bread and milk most of the time.
One of the men in this room is out of his right mind. Sometimes it is very annoying to hear him talk. Night before last he wanted his horse watered and in the night he drove his horse.
That picture of mine that I sent you is hardly worth any better frame than it has as although it cost a dollar, yet it is a very cheap kind of picture. I may possibly send a better one if I have a good opportunity while in Washington. I don’t receive quite as many letters as I would like but perhaps the folks at home have as [valid a] reason for not writing as I have had. The reason I haven’t written oftener is I have not felt able. I have written the days I have felt the brightest. I must give you credit for some letters you have sent but I have not received. I have received only Lucretia’s letter dated June 5th and yours of 18th since Father’s. So you see news from home is very scarce. I want you the next time you write to commence about 15 minutes sooner and so fill your sheet full. Write a little coarser hand if you can’t do it any other way.
Yesterday I didn’t sit up any to speak of on account of that difficulty (piles) but this morning I sat by a table and ate my breakfast. After breakfast I sat in the kitchen nearly an hour shaving and washing myself. Now this afternoon I guess I have been up an hour. I have some good reading. This morning I read some about the Fulton Street prayer meeting — its origin — the way it is conducted, &c. I like to hear about the meetings at home. I am very glad to hear of the conversion of so many of the young folks I know. I hope the work may go on for there are many more out of the ark of safety. This is the time for Christians to grow strongly by working in the vineyard. I wish I were more of a Christian. Tomorrow I am in hopes of getting some strawberries. The Dr. says I may eat them but I have not as yet been able to get any. Are newspapers scarce in Greenwich? I have to pay 5 cts for those I get here so I generally let the news go. Once in a while I learn a little of what is going on but not often.
Your affectionate husband, — Isaac