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Following in the Footsteps of the Onesers - 121st NY Infantry
The previous March 14 entry from Chaplain Adams, and the March 16 Letter of Sgt. Hartwell present an interesting dichotomy of the moral character of soldiers and men in the 121st and Army at this time; one representing the perspective of the spiritual guide of the 121st, the other perspective from within the ranks.
This difference may serve as a character template for the development of 1st person interactions at Sailor's Creek.
“Thursday, March 16, 1865
Under marching Orders Had Co Drill & Battalion Drill Brigade Dress Parade. It has been a very windy day.”
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Letter 96 – Petersburg, Virginia. 16 March 1865
(Paragraphs inserted at points for greater ease of reading)
"March 16, 1865
Camp of 121st N.Y. Petersburge Va.
My Beloved Wife & Boy,
To night I am alone, my tentmate has gone home on furlough & as I cannot be or feel easy doing nothing I will spend the evening penning a letter to you which may not be altogether uninteresting to you as I relate some of my experiences of life in the Army. Many fine young men have enlisted in the army confidently expecting to return with as honorable a name as then they started from those loved at home where many promises were made of fidelity, temperance & morality.
Some few carry this out to perfections and come out at last even better that at the outset. But large majority incline the other way, lose all control of themselves & allow themselves to be drifted onward in the road to ruin. In this regt. I know of many young men that left home determined to resist all temptations of a demoralizing influence but they have one by one like the autumn leaf fallen & into habits varis characters not likely to honor them or help them in their future. Profanity, drunkardness, gambling & licentiousness are the worst evils & enemies an army of young men could have to contend against. Thousands of young men have learned to love ardent spirits & to get beastly intoxicated on the same here whenever they could procure it let the cost be as extravagant as it may. They say they never used it before coming in the army, but why they need it be used here mare than there? On they tell me it keeps them from taking cold during extreme heat or cold weather or when they are nearly exhausted to revive them. Now I have been as much exposed as any and I have never allowed myself to use it on any account & here I am today in perfect health & no thanks due for liquor. Some think they cannot be a soldier without using profanity at the beginning & end of each sentence they utter. Thus far I have seen no occasion to use it & have abstained from the use of it. Gambling like swearing is carried on in great extent by a large majority of the men, first they commence for playing for pies, apples, cigars or any other small innocent stakes, by & by they are captivated by the play & venture large sums of money, the result is conclusive, many lose therby all or nearly all their hard earning which are generally pocketed by some more artful & successful player. I have never allowed myself to gamble on any account for the least thing. I argue that self & family need all my earnings therefore I have none to throw away.
Licentiousness is the meanest & lowest of all others. Between those at home seem to cast aside all honor & like a beast go about seeking whom they may discover but generally get devoured themselves, disease of the loathsome kind fastens upon them & they die with rottenness. This evil I have ever studiously avoided & shall as long as I have a wife worthy of honor. thus you see by their voracious ways our soldiers are many of them ruining themselves for future usefulness for a lack of a little will or stability of character decision at the right time.
Now I do not claim I am free from fault or that I am perfect but this I do mean that a man can make himself happy & useful, he can command the respect of all by his demeanor before his comrades. He can choose between evil and good. He can make himself a failure or a gentlemen. It is getting late & now I just retire for the night.”
Sgt. John F. Hartwell
To My Beloved Wife and Boy At Home, p. 336-337
Written and Transcribed by Tom Steele
The previous March 14 entry from Chaplain Adams, and the March 16 Letter of Sgt. Hartwell present an interesting dichotomy of the moral character of soldiers and men in the 121st and Army at this time; one representing the perspective of the spiritual guide of the 121st, the other perspective from within the ranks.
This difference may serve as a character template for the development of 1st person interactions at Sailor's Creek.
“Thursday, March 16, 1865
Under marching Orders Had Co Drill & Battalion Drill Brigade Dress Parade. It has been a very windy day.”
>
>
>
>
Letter 96 – Petersburg, Virginia. 16 March 1865
(Paragraphs inserted at points for greater ease of reading)
"March 16, 1865
Camp of 121st N.Y. Petersburge Va.
My Beloved Wife & Boy,
To night I am alone, my tentmate has gone home on furlough & as I cannot be or feel easy doing nothing I will spend the evening penning a letter to you which may not be altogether uninteresting to you as I relate some of my experiences of life in the Army. Many fine young men have enlisted in the army confidently expecting to return with as honorable a name as then they started from those loved at home where many promises were made of fidelity, temperance & morality.
Some few carry this out to perfections and come out at last even better that at the outset. But large majority incline the other way, lose all control of themselves & allow themselves to be drifted onward in the road to ruin. In this regt. I know of many young men that left home determined to resist all temptations of a demoralizing influence but they have one by one like the autumn leaf fallen & into habits varis characters not likely to honor them or help them in their future. Profanity, drunkardness, gambling & licentiousness are the worst evils & enemies an army of young men could have to contend against. Thousands of young men have learned to love ardent spirits & to get beastly intoxicated on the same here whenever they could procure it let the cost be as extravagant as it may. They say they never used it before coming in the army, but why they need it be used here mare than there? On they tell me it keeps them from taking cold during extreme heat or cold weather or when they are nearly exhausted to revive them. Now I have been as much exposed as any and I have never allowed myself to use it on any account & here I am today in perfect health & no thanks due for liquor. Some think they cannot be a soldier without using profanity at the beginning & end of each sentence they utter. Thus far I have seen no occasion to use it & have abstained from the use of it. Gambling like swearing is carried on in great extent by a large majority of the men, first they commence for playing for pies, apples, cigars or any other small innocent stakes, by & by they are captivated by the play & venture large sums of money, the result is conclusive, many lose therby all or nearly all their hard earning which are generally pocketed by some more artful & successful player. I have never allowed myself to gamble on any account for the least thing. I argue that self & family need all my earnings therefore I have none to throw away.
Licentiousness is the meanest & lowest of all others. Between those at home seem to cast aside all honor & like a beast go about seeking whom they may discover but generally get devoured themselves, disease of the loathsome kind fastens upon them & they die with rottenness. This evil I have ever studiously avoided & shall as long as I have a wife worthy of honor. thus you see by their voracious ways our soldiers are many of them ruining themselves for future usefulness for a lack of a little will or stability of character decision at the right time.
Now I do not claim I am free from fault or that I am perfect but this I do mean that a man can make himself happy & useful, he can command the respect of all by his demeanor before his comrades. He can choose between evil and good. He can make himself a failure or a gentlemen. It is getting late & now I just retire for the night.”
Sgt. John F. Hartwell
To My Beloved Wife and Boy At Home, p. 336-337
Written and Transcribed by Tom Steele