Civil War Letters Between Two Brothers
Introducton
These are copies of letters that written by two brothers with Warren County roots. James Oscar Tyrel joined the 118th Regiment NYSV, Co. D. He wrote letters home throughout the war as did his older brother Charles Tyrel, who had joined the 22nd NYSV, Co. E. Both enlisted at Chester, where Charles lived out his remaining years after the War. James, known Oscar, died of gangrene in 1864 at Harwood Hospital in Washington DC. These letters are included here with the permission of Tom Dunne who had done another fine job for this site. You will notice that the transcription is the actual spelling. No changes have been made or errors corrected.
James Oscar Tyrel
James Oscar Tyrel was born in Hebron, Washington Co., NY August 5, 1841. He joined the 118th Reg. NYSV, Co. D in Chestertown, Warren Co., NY August 6, 1862. Fought at Drewys Bluff, and was shot in the knee at Cold Harbor, VA June 1864, and died in Harwood Hospital, Washington, DC, of Gangrene, July 9, 1864. He is buried at that hospital. He went by the first name of Oscar. Letters from James to Oscar are in MAROON PRINT. Their are 18 letters here from James.
Charles M Tyrel
Charles M Tyrel was born in Hebron, Washington Co., NY April 24, 1839 and joined the 22nd NYSV Co E in the town of Chester, Warren Co., NY. He was shot through the neck at Bull Run and taken prisoner for 8 days. Charles died in the town of Chester, Warren Co., NY June 12, 1912, and is buried in the Rural Cemetery, in Chestertown, Warren Co., NY. Letters from Charles to James are in GREEN PRINT. Their are 10 letters here from Charles.
Source: Transcribed by Thomas Dunn
1861
September 1, 1861 - No known location
Dear Brother I received your letter day before yesterday and am glad you are all well I have been sick for the last week but am better now we have exciting times now we expect an attack every minute we have been building forts on these hights and now have got them fortified so that we feel secure there is a string of forts that command each other around the hights and then we ?? as scouting about once and we go out three or four miles and station pickets and then send out scouts the last time the Co went I unwell and did not go out went to see the Brgad drill under our generel the Presedent was there and Wm H seward to when we got back the word came that one of our men was wounded it apears that some of our men went out scouting and went to far and was fired on a ball striking ones cap he droped his gun and ran with the rest back to the main body Fletcher Leapham said he would go and get it he went and looked but could not find it when he came back Reylolds wanted him to go on to a hill they started and when about half a mile from the rest a ball struck Reynolds in the right brest gowing through him at this Lapham I shot the man dead we think Reynolds will live
You wanted to know how much I would sell the steers for if you can not get $75 seventy five dollars for them I want to winter them if there is enough to winter them on of my part on my place Lafayette wrote that there is four tons of hay and Emmaline wrote that she had let out her cow if I think my foder will be enough to winter the steers I want you to see how much foder I have and write to me all the particulars do not sell for less than seventy five dollars write about my corn and write if there is any pumkins in my corn tell me how much stuf there is tell Oscar that I shall write to him before long and I want him to take care of the steers this winter if I keep them if I got a chance to send the money to Uncle Sherman I shall send it to make the payment in november
Give my best wishes to Emmeling and the rest of your folks tell mother that I would like to see her much that I dream of her most every night give my love to Oscar Tita Ella and Lafeyette
Direct as before Charles Tyrel
October 3, 1861 - Upton Hill, VA
Dear Brother I received your letter last night and I was glad to hear from you and am sorry to that you are unwell I know what it is to be sick I have had a number of spells of sickness since I left you and Oscar at Chester but am now well and hearty you have probably heard before this time that the Army of the Potomac has made a movement forward and I will try and give you a few praticulars last saturday we had an inspection General Mc Dowel examined every man in our Regiment and he took notice of everything that was not right even to a hatpin that was off one mans coat he keept us standing from 9 o clock till 3 as soon as we got back to camp we received orders to prepare one days rations and be ready to march at a moments warning then all was life and activity
Give my wife to be all ???? write as soon as you get this and tell me all about mother Tyrel
PS
We have a right smart time down here I rechon and it is a right smart ways up to where you are dont know when I shall be home I ???????? be home next winter and then again I ??????? least always cant see it
C Tyrel
PS Excuse my bad writing and spelling I dont know as you can read it when it gets up there as it is wrote with a pencil but it is all I can get to write with
Charles Tyrel
November 29, 1861 - Upton Hill, VA
Mortimer Dear Brother it being Sunday I will try and few lines to you I received your letter night before last and I was verry glad to hear from you and that you were all well we are in the same place that we were when I wrote to you last at Uptons hill and I think we will stay here this winter as the success of the great Naval Expidition lessens the prospect of fighting here in Virginia verry soon except skirmishing on the outposts You spoke in your letter about the hardships I have to go through a soldiers life is full of them but what makes it worse is having to work one day hard and the next do not anything but Iget useed to it and I stand it verry well as my health is verry good it is verry cold here we have to ware our overcoats the most of the time but I supose that we feel the cold on the account of our sleeping with them on I am glad you have sold the sleds you have done better than I expected I was afraid you could not sell them Give my love to all tell mother that I dream of seeing her most every night write often and I will do the same
direct a/ before Charles Tyrel
1862
January 1, 1862 - Philadelphia, PA
Dear Oscar I received your kind letter and will proceed to answer it so here goes in the first place I am well my neck is as good as ever for which I am thank full I hope you are well and are enjoying yourself I hope you will have a happy New Year In the year that is before you you will go through many seanes and endure many hardships and privatiors that you have no idea of now so enjoy yourself while you can We had a christmas dinner and it was a big thing I tell you turkey mince pie potatoes pickels all we could eat and such cheering you never heard we have amnsements of all kinds go out whenever we chose all we have to do is to ask for a pass and we get it so the time passes verry plesantly I cant think of any more to write so good bye and a happy N - Year write soon
C M Tyrel
January 17, 1862 - Upton Hill, VA
Dear sister your letter was ?? I received last night and I was glad to hear from you and as I have a few leasure moments I thought I would write a few lines to you I am well as ?? common and I hope you are I would like to see you all very much but I suppose I must wait till the war is over or till my time is out but I think the war will be over in less then six months and I will be at home with you at least I hope so every thing goes to show that the war will be short but desperate and in all probubility I will be in some hard battles before I get home at least I want to be in one or more and if I am killed in the service of my country I die in a just cause give my love to all
C M Tyrel
Jan 23 I wrote this letter the 17th and now I write a few more lines I am well now there has been a great Union Victory in Kentucky The war will be over in a short time now, Charley
Dear brother I received yours of the 16th and was glad to hear from you I am well and I am as healthy as I ever was in my life I weigh one hundreds and sixty six pounds I never was so heavy in my life as I am now I was on patrol guard last night and had bussy time we were paid of last Wednesday and yesterday a lot of the boy went to Alexandria and they got a lot of whiskey and got drunk and made a great disturberence and we patrol had our hand full for a while but at last they got quiet and we went to bed about two o'clock so I got a little sleep I am going to send $ 15 home by Mr Warren Duel who is gowing home in a little while to stay six months I have no news to write I do not know where we shall go when we leave here but I think that we will have a hard battle at Menassays yet but I must close tell mother that I often think of her and I would like to see her very much I think I shall be home in less then six months give my love to all C M Tyrel to M Tyrel
No date - Georgetown Hospital
Mortimer Dear Brother I have got nearly well again I hope this will find you all well at home when I got over beaing sick my wound was so near well that I could not get a furlough so I will have to stay till next spring I supose that it is verry lonesome up there this winter but you must all wait for better times I have got my pay I will send $ 20 in this letter let Emeline have all she wants and the rest pay to Uncle Sherman and the same as I told you when you was here write all about how you get along with your work
Charles Tyrel
September 5, 1862 - No location
Dear brother i will now write a few lines to you to let you know about our movement we started from plattsburg a monday and arrived at new york wednesday morning about three o clock where we stayed till about five then we started as we supposed for the sity of washington we stoped in baltamore and got our supper at the very house where Edward Birg was shot we had to march we had to march about a mile and a half through the sitty when we got there there was not cars enough to cary us so we had to stay there all night we were so crouded that we could not sleep we stayed in the cars all night all that they could git in and in the morning we drawed our guns and that after noon we started again and come about nine or ten miles where we are incamped our camp is about a half of a mile from washington junction we have got a very plesant place it is located in a heigh hill about thirty rods from the railroad on one side and about a half of a mile on the other we are also surrounded by four or five other ridgiments we have got our tents built we have to lay six in a tent i have got a very good company i will now tell you there names William Stanard Hiram Drake Leoren J Barten Charles Osbern Pelhusy Priestly and myself we here that the twenty-second ridgiment is all cut to bieces i cannot git the acount of meny being killed i have seen the acount of some of the ??? i saw it in the paper that capten Clenden was ded capten Ormsby and a good meny others but i cannot here eny thing from Charles i wrote to Leafayette when we were at new york i have written home fore or five times and have not received but one male you think i do not want to here from home if so you are mistaken i want you should write to me often you have a comfertable place to write while i have to take it as i can get it some times on a bord and some times in a box male you do not git my letters i will mention that I sient eighty five dolars by Charles Faxon my clothes is at Walkers if you have not got them we were shown the most hospitality philidelphy of eny where since we come from home i can not think of eny thing to write so I will close this from your brother Oscar
Direct to Washington DC Co D 118 Reidg
Care of Capten Smith
Oscar Tyrel
September 14, 1862 - No location
Dear brother i received your letter of the 7 this morning and was glad to here from you i have written to Charles but have not got eny answer yet we were thurty six of us out on picket yesterday we heard canon adening all of the four noon and a part of the after noon when we came in it was after dark our camp was moved and our dthings all turned up side down my over coat and canteen i have lost but hope to find them again we that packson got badly cut to pieces yesterday our men let them git into the river and then they let them have it the river was red with blod for miles our loss was small while that of the rebels was very grate prehaps you would like to know about our fare and how we stand it we have good fare when we have eny yesterday we went on picket write after breakfast and had nothing till we came in about nine o clock only what we toold i will now tell you what we hear for our ratons we have good pork and potatoes and good bred and rice and coffee and as nice shugger as i ever saw for brown shuger i will now say some thing about the contry it is very plesant and furtile but not as handsome as in penslevania it is more hily the corn is about twelve feet heigh we had a mes of boild corn last night for our super i had a leter from Enos last night i was glad to here from him and was more pleased when i received one from you I cannot writ much more for this side of my paper is not ruled so i must close this from your afectionate brother Oscar Tyrel
Direct to S J
Denests Postofics
Baltamore CO
118 Ridgiment NY
Co D
October 1, 1862 - Camp Wool James
Dear Brother I received a letter from Charles night before last and was plesed to git it but when i came to read it it made me feel very bad he says Oscar i will tell you how i am uounded and then you can judg how i am the ball went through my neck one inch to the left of my wind pipe and came out one inch from the back bone makeing a hole two inches across he says Oscar come and see me if you can come do come for it mabe the last time we shall have to see eachother he says he has ben through six battels and I did not git a scrach till the last one but Oscar come and see me and i will tell you more about wor but i cannot write much more for i am a giting tiard
I cannot go for the reason that i cannot git a pass to go so far i tryed yesterday he says he has got neather money or paper or invelops or stamps he had to beg the paper and invelop that he sent to me an had to send it without a stamp he says that he has not got the money that Emaline sent to him I wrote to him yesterday and i borowed two dolars and sent to him i sent him some paper and stamps and one invelop now i have not got but one shiling so if you have not sent me eny money before you git this send me five dolars and some postag stamps i do not want eny only three cent stamps it is thought by what reports we git that this war will soon be to a close the rebels have sent in a preposition for a settelment we here the cannon awful roar in the direction of washington we think it is a salute for if it was batttle we should here more I cannot write much more now for i must go to my dinner I am not very well today am so to be able to drill but Wiliam is not he has got a fever and is lying on the bed but is not very sick I hope he will be able to drill in a few days for it makes me feel bad to have to go out and leave him but i must chose Direct as befor this from your brother Oscar Tyrel
October 21, 1862 - Georgetown
Mortimer Dear Brother I suspose you have got home how did you find Oscar I was very lonesome after you left and for a few days I was worse but I am better now I have been down in the town twice so you see that I am doing well it is quite cold here now I have got some new cloths and I can keep warm enough Green sent the paper that you wrote to him about but it will do no good for Dr Brown says he will give no furloughs for if he does he will have to give to all in the hospital and then he will have no patients left I shall wait till I get my pay and then try again give my respects to all yourstry
C M Tyrel
October 29, 1862 - Georgetown
Dear brother and friends at home i have not heard from you since you left camp wool but i think you will be glad to hear from me for we have made a grate move we are now incamped on balover heights near fort eathen alien on the sacred soil of virginia we marched from the place called the soldiers homes the distance of about eight mils we started about three oclock and some got here about seven but i and bill got in about nine but we should not have got in that night if it had not bin for the surgent major for our loads was so heavy and we had bin sick and was compleetly tiard out a when we went as far as we could we picked our place and camped for the night prety soon we hurd old Buraguard as we call him he hiard a teem to carry us a piece the distance of two mils and then we had to march about a mile up up up and when we got up i was hapily disapointed to find our tent up and a good place to bunk in and rest i am better now but have not done enything yet we came through pass where Charles was and i think i saw him but we had got past so i culd not tell for surten we stayed about two mils from there an most all day i asked lutenant Birg if i couldnot go and see Charles he sayed they did not know what time they would start so i could not go then but i think i can go down from hear well i cant think of eny thing more to write so i will close this from your brother Oscar tell mother i often think of her and tita and ela
Direct to Generel Abacrombeas
Hed Quarters VA
118 Regiment NYSV Co D
i forgot to say one out of our regiment dead we got there his death was caused by the march and many sick
November 20, 1862 - No location
Dear brother I received your letter in due time and was glad to hear from you but was sorry to hear that you had bin sick yet i have bin sick my self a most of the time since you was to our camp in maryland if you remember i had a very bad cough then i got some better of that i am now sick with the ganders but i guess i will git around in a few days dont borrow eny trouble about me for i presume we will be marching on to richmond before you ? will hear from us again for Burnside is the man he is now advancing on richmond as fast as posable we have all strong faith in him we think now this wor will be brought to a close in the cource of this winter but we cant tell eny more about it then you can well i must tell you about about our house it is seven by nine feet square and is about 4 feet heigh with logs we have got a stove in it and three bunks so if we should stay hear this winter we will be comfortable but i am getting tiard and must close this from your brother Oscar Tyrel
Direct to Washington DC
118 regiment
Co DDecember 7, 1862 - No location
Dear Brother it has bin some time since I recived your last letter I will now write a few lines to let you know that I am gitting tough and fleshing up every day I am well pleased with the way you sold Jimy horse and as well pleased with the way you bought yours you wished to know in one of your letters what you should do with my money in case I should git poped over keep it on intrest till Tito is of age and then let him have it if you got eny letters Mother write how she stands if I have written to her but I dont know as she will answer it I would like to hear from her but I suppose she is where she can injoy herself the snow fell about 4 inches here night before last it is now very cold well I guess I have scribeled about enough so I will close this Oscar to Mortimer
1863
January 3, 1863 - No location
Dear Brother Mortimer it has bin a long time since I received a letter from you I have written to you since I received yours and have waited for an answer and now I will try to tell you what I am about I am as well as can be expected considering what we have bin about this week last sunday night about twelve oclock we was called out formed unto a line of battle the first four companys that got formed unto line was ordered to march on the double quick for the rifle pits when we arived there we was orderd to load there we waited till daylight where by an accident of one company of the boys one of the best of our men was shot through the body he lived till tuesday afternoon he was buryed thursday afternoon his name as you will hear before you git this was James Huse a more solam funerel I never attended with muffled drums ahed eight men with arms reversed nexed the bacors nexed each side of the ambulence and then the company we miss him from our company very much if there had bin half of the shot by the rebels we should not felt so bad as to have one shot by carrlessness I have bin on picket two days this week I had a new years dinner it was a cup full of bred and milk we was on picket where they kept cows and I for one know how to milk when I find cows oh I forgot to say that Jimy was shot by a felow by the name of Stover I cant think eny thing more to write so I will close this from your brother Oscar
February 9 & 10, 1863 - Camp near Belle Plain
Dear Brother Morte I received your kind letter and also one enclosed from sister Emme I was verry glad to hear from you I am quite well now although not as tough as I was before I was wounded I am back to the Regt again I came back the ??? of Jan and have been first on duty this morning for the first time it is verry hard times here our wood and water is hard to get we have to fetch it a good ways I had to stop writing yesterday to tend some buns that I was cooking and now will finish my letter there is no news to write of any account except the moving of the 9th Army Corps to Fortress Monroe and the ??reserve to Alexandria which I think is a good sign that there will be no more fighting in this vicinity and there is some talk of sending the two years troops home I hope they will but I must close my best wishes to all the friends good bye fore the present
C M Tyrel
Dear sister Emme I received your kind letter and I was glad to find that you had not forgoten me while I have been away off down here among the heathen and among theaves robers and cutthroats you do not know how glad I be when I get a letter if you did you would write every day when I get a leter from home it cheers me up for many a day I hope one day / and that before long / to see you all and talk over old times but I must close good bye
C M Tyrel to Emme Tyrel
April 9, 1863 - Camp Adirondack, near Washington DC
Mortimer as I have bin writing to Laffayette and as it will cost no more to send two letters then one and as I am alone I will scribble a few lins to you I am about as well as I have bin eny time since I left Virgina but I am not tough and I am afraid I cannot stand it to march this summer which we shall probaly have to do before long I hope so at eny rate for if we stay here we shant have eny men fit for duty in two months we only report 400 hondren men now fit for duty I think if they would send us where we could kill off our Leientenant Colnel and Doctors we would injoy better helth and there fate is set and seeled if they ever go into battle with us but Colnel K for mischief and I dont think that I have received all you have written but I must close and write some to Ema receive this from your brother Oscar and write soon please excuse all mistakes and bad writeing Oscar to Mortimer
Sister Emma It is some time since I have written to you and I guess I may as well write part to you as all to Mortimer I would like to see you all very much but I suppose I shall have to wait a while till Uncle Sam gits them ugly boys whiped out we have got one woman in this ??? I get letters from Charles about every week but I must close for I have got to go up to the Hospittle on guard receive this from your brother Oscar to Emma Tyrel
April 13, 1863 - Camp Adirondack, near Washington DC
Dear Brother Mortimer as I have drawn my pay today and we expect to leave hear in the morning or the regt is going they say I have got to be left behind but I shall not be alone for there is seventeen of our boys marked for the hospittle but about the money I sent $ 40 dolars by express it all goes to John H Wetherhead in one package and them that it is sent to go there and git it I want you should git it and take care of it you need not put it out untill I write again for I may come up there for ought I know strainge things hapens in this world I hate to be left behind but if I must I must I will try to make the best I can of it to march and carey my knapsack in the condition I am now in I cannot I got quite smart and went on duty and that brought me down agan so I am not able to march I recieved your letter of the 9th the 10th just after I had written a good long letter to Leafayatte and a few lines to you but I must close this from your brother Oscar J Tyrel to Mortimer S Tyrel
April 15/ 63 as the regiment has not gone yet I will write a little more and send it along I guess likely enough we wont go farther than down to the city there are three three regt gone so I guess we wont go write soon this from Oscar
May 5, 1863 - Suffolk, VA
Dear brother Oscar
Billy has a letter ready to send you I must scribble a few lines too. Where not likely to stay here long. Things are going on first rate. The fight here has proved a perfect victory. The rebels were obliged to abandon this fortification to prevent being flanked and captured or cut to pieces Hooker is doing well. He is about showing that our confidence in him has not been misplaced. The rebs however much they may try to conceal it are becomming dispondent and we are now marching strait to victory. We are not likely to stay here more than a day or two. I hope we shall go to join Hooker. I packed up a whole lot of letters which came here and sent them back to Eckington Hospital some of them wer for you. I have been comisary, worked in fatigue, stood in rifle pits and done whatever has come along and feel much better than when I was in Washington I have got a niet picture of Jessie. My wife got all the money I sent her safily the pictures she has had the one we had taken framed. I have got more papers on hand than I can read in a week. There is no excitement here now. No sound of cannon or musketry and at night the Whippowill songs the owl first and the froge chirp and one is hardly reminded of war times acept ???? when he rools over and bumps his head against a gun or gets pricked by a stick and a miniture stump under the blanket. But the storm which has passed over here will be renewed elswhere untill on the next fourth of July I have real faith to believe in and may enjoy a ??? which shall be nothing less than the rest of the whole nation. The commintment of a new carear of Peace Good by far this time. Write often ever your sincere friend.
Dal
P.S I need make no appologies to you for writing for you know under what ???? ?????? a soldier writes Dal
May 11, 1863 - Washington DC
Dear Brother I received your letter of the 5th day before yesterday I was glad to hear from you I am geting along quite well I have got in to help wete-on the table in the dining room there is some of the ones that has bin there there time is out so I can stay there all summer if I want to and it is easy so I probily will stay here all summer for it is a very plesant place nice shade trees all around nice flowers of all kinds I was in the glenwood semetree a few days ago and a more splended place I never saw there came in a lot of wounded men here yesterday wounded in every way imaginable I think ocording to the news we got last night that the 118th is in Ritchmond we git all kinds of news so we do not know whether to believe it or not I received a letter from Bill and one from Palhowsie day before yesterday they are well I have not had eny letter from Charles since the battle commenced I cannot find eny acount of but two or three being killed in that regiment I cannot think of much to write so I will replace what I cannot write by sending ??? from Oscar Oscar to Mortimer
May 14, 1863 - Fredericksburg, VA
Dear Brother Mortimer I received yours of the 19 April and of may 5t acknowleging the receipt of $ 39 the other letter with $ 20 I think is lost for the mails was robed between Agnis Creek and Washington at that time if you have not paid it in to Uncle sherman keep it till I return give Emaline what she wants and the remainder keep I shall be home in June I do not know what day there has been another battle fought here our regt lost eleven men wounded the praticlars you have heard in the papers before this time in your letter of the 19th April you spoke of some things and I thank you for it I will be glad when I see you again and then we will talk over matters
C Tyrel
July 2, 1863 - Eckington Hospital, Washington DC
Dear Brother Charles I just received your kind letter and was very glad to hear from you except to hear you was at home for I supposed you had reainlisted and was back in the field I am quite well except a very sore mouth which bothers me dredfuly I have a very good place but little work to do I only have 17 beds to see to and only 5 of them are now ocupide and they are all able to make there one bed this is not like ??????????
Friday morning July 3d well I suppose about now you are injoying a good breakfast while I sit hear a writeing for the canker is so bad in my mouth that I cannot eat but enough about myself I suppose you have great times with the Copperheads or have they played out I wish they was played out forever for the Copperheads and ???sons are a curse to the Nation. but I must close please excuse all mistakes and por writeing and except this from your brother Oscar to C M Tyrel C M Tyrel
Dear Brother Mortimer I recieved your kind letter of the 21st in due time and was very glad to hear from you I sent 5 dollars before and now I will send $ 10 dolars more we are musterd in for two months more pay which we shall git between now and the 15th I think this is a very easy way to earn $ 13 dolars a month it makes no diference whether we work or play were just as sure to git our pay as I am in rather ill mood for writeing I will close please excuse this short and poorly written letter this from Oscar to Mortimer.
July 16, 1863 - Eckington Hospital, Washington DC
Dear Brother Mortimer it is some time since I have heard from you and thinking perhaps you had not received my last letter I thought I would write agan I wrote to you in my last letter to Charles and sent $ 10 dolars to you I think it was the 6 of July that I wrote last I guess perhaps you are thinking about comeing out to be a soldier I have got tierd of hospittle life I have tryed twice to go to my regiment but have not gone yet. Last monday morning when the Doctor came in he sayed that the 118 was down to the Depot I told him I wanted to go and join them so I got my knapsack and packed it and went down to the depot but behold they was not there nor had not bin there I believe they are at yorktown now I cant help thinking all the time about them did Copperheads in the city of new york but I must close please excuse all mistakes and poor writeing and except this from your brother Oscar to M S T
Dear Sister Emma I will now try to write a few lins to you to let you know that I have not forgoten you I think of you and Mother very often and little Willie, and Tita and Ela. In my last leter I sayed I had a very sore mouth it was caused by takeing calamel it eat my mouth very bad but it is about well now I have not lost but one tooth by the afects of it but I must close give my best respects to Father and Mother, and Sister and brother. this from Oscar to Emma
Emma
No date - Camp Raham, Washington DC
Dear Brother it beaing a long time since I receaved a letter from you I thought I would write to you I am now in the D C We are encamped in the suburb of the city there is a great meny rumers to the affect that Washington is to be attacked shortly We are to march tomorrow I do not know where there will be a fight in a short time with out doubt they had a little fight in Baltimore as we come through We had orders to ???????? the Regiment to 1046 and Capt Clendon Capt Peabody Lieutendent Grist is ordered to NY to get more Recrutes tell Oscar to stay at home and not think of enlisting We had hard fare from the time that we left Albany till we got to incamped at this place we fare better now tell Oscar and Layfeatt to write to me you must write often as I have to write to Emmaline often I cannot get much time to write you tell mother that wrote to her in a letter to Emmaline write as soon as you get this from your brother
Charley Tyrel
Camp Raham, Washington DC
22nd Regiment NYSV
Co E Capt Clendon
October 5, 1863 - Norfolk, VA
Dear Brother as we have moved since I wrote you last I will write again we are incamped about two miles notrh of Norfolk surrounded on all sides by swamp we are all sick there is not 100 men in the regt but what is excused by the doctor as for me I am better than when I left Ghowcester Point I have had shake since we started I am now in the regt Hospitel our co is heighly represented for ofocers and men aside from the cook, there is two corparel which comprises the whole of co D fit for duty cant write eng news for we do not take the paper now for we have not bin payed off yet and my money is every cent gone and I would like to have you send me a dolar as son as you git this write soon this
from Oscar
to M S Tyrel
November 29, 1863 - Portsmouth, VA
Dear Brother I will now write you a few lins to let you know that I have not forgotdon you I think of you very often and would like to see you but we have bin so buisy moving around and fixing up that I have most forgoton whether I have answerd your last letter or not but however I will call this an answer well we have got good quarters this winter we are quarted in an old ??? factory we have got it fixed up so we have got comefortable quarters for this winter I sent $ 30 by express to Mortimer the 9th and have not heard from it yet but I guess I will hear from it by time we draw again I would like to come home on a furlough if it wont for this damd fevor and ??? but enough that what are you up to this winter I recon you dont have so much fun as we do down hear this winter but our fun will soon play out we are not elected to stay in so good a place as this long but I must close except this from your afectoonate brother Oscar to Le
Leofayette W Tyrel
excuse all mistakes
December 17, 1863 - Newport News, VA
Dear Brother I now set myself down to answer your kind letter of the 4th which I received yesterday I think you did not receive my last letter before you wrote which if I remember wright was the 30 eth of last month we have made a great change from good to bad since then then we had good quarters good bunks good husks beds and good living from that to hard tack and the ground for a bed but we will soon have our tents stockaided and then there will be more room the box has not got hear yet but I shal expect it before long I wrote in my last letter for you to send me two dolers at the presant time I want some money very much but if I do not git it I will not spend it there is some consolation in that we had a wright smart thunder shower night before last down hear If you inlist, inlist to come into this regt but I but I must close give my love to Mother and Emma tell Leafayette I will answer his some wormer day Please excuse mistakes and poor writing and write soon this from your afectionite brother Oscar to MST
I Weigh 140 lbs
Oscar
1864
April 5, 1864 - Bowers Hill, VA
Dear Brother I received your kind letter of the 27th yesterday was very glad to hear from you and friends at home to know that they are injoying good helth I am tough and harty and able to eat my dayly rations a company of our men and a regt of Calvelary went out to Sufolk night before last and returned last night captured two reb ofacers and one private warent that a big thing the boys that you are acuainted with are both sick D J Perry is sick in the Hospitlle at Hampton near Fort Monroe was very sick the last I heard was not expected to live C Underwood is in the camp Hospittle hear is gitting better I am on guard today acting in the heigh oface of corporal as it rains like split it dont go so bad though I dispise the position in fare weather we are hevey real spring showers now it rains a little every day and sometimes more I cannot think of eny news to write you spoke of not receiving an answer to your last letter I have answered all I hear received but I must close and write a little to Mortimer so good bye for this time give my love to Emaline and the little one from Oscar to C Tyrel
Mortimer
Dear Brother as I am writeing to Charles I will write a few lines to you to let you know that I have not forgoten you I am well and hope this will find you injoning the same blessing you spoke about buying Ed Pierces bees I wish you had bought them for your writeing about bees just made my mouth water for som honey my pen is very poor I would like to have you buy me a good gold pen and send to me but I must close and write a little to Emma please excuse mistakes and poor writeing and except this from your brother Oscar to Mortimer
Emma
Dear and ever rememberd Sister I once more attempt to write a few lins to you to let you know that I have not forgoten you though I am forgoten by all others then friends at home give my love to Mother and all the rest and except this from your ever loveing brother Oscar
April 5, 1864 - Petersburg, VA
Sunday morning hot and sultry but not so hot as yet, as yesterday though it may be before night. We marched to about 5 miles yesterday morning founed the rebs in force We formed a line of scerimishers of the 8th ??? and the remainder of the Brigade in line of Battle and advanced through the woods when withen about five rods of there lines works we received orders to fix bayonet they took leg boil and ran like edev as the frenchman sayed we kept up heavy scermishing all day long unknown as yet our object being acomplished at night we returned to Camp where I am in hopes we will be permited to spend the Sabath in quiat Camp life but then we are ready when Old Benn says go ahead boys we are the boys that are always ready it is reported that the 8th Cpt lost 1/8th of there men and the 115 Ky sufard worse then eny others on acount of there being towalk tairing up the railroad and destroying the telegraph betwen Petersburgh and Richmond Wednesday morning May 11th back to Camp once more safe and sound after tusday hard marching and fighting I am happy to say without loosing a man of our regiment the other regiments in our brigade lost sevearly in skermishing we had a few wounded by shells I think during the fight of Monday and Monday night we killed as meny as four to there one of us I do not think our Generel wants to take Petersburgh for we was within about two miles of there yesterday when we received orders to fall back we was out skermishing so we had to cover the ratreat I think they had gott enough of it for they did not fire on us at all after we started to fall back but I must quit for I do not believe you can read this so good bye for this time this from your brother Oscar to Mortimer
Give my love to all inquireing friends