More letters and papers
The 56th New York seeks recruits, September 1864
By fall 1864, attrition had taken its toll on the 56th. The three-year enlistments of the men who joined in 1861 had expired, or were about to, and casualties from combat and disease further depleted the regiment's ranks. But somehow, the false impression was given back in New York that the regiment was at full strength. Col. Van Wyck thus was moved to write this letter:
Headquarters U.S. Forces
Morris Island Sept 19, 1864
Capt Pronk
Provost Marshall,
Yesterday we received a detachment of 75 most of them from your office. A very
fine body of men. Nearly all make the same statement that from the time they
started from home until they were mustered and afterwards it was industriously
represented that the 56th was full. That same thing was frequently told them in
Goshen [N.Y.] and that many were thus prevented who desired to come to this
regiment. Had the men there driven off gone to the 124th [the famed Orange
Blossoms, the 56th's brother regiment] I would not have complained but many went
to regiments from other localities. When the last call was made I felt much
inclined to go north with a recruiting detail. But we had all been home too
recently and I thought the least our friends at home could do would be to fill
up their own regiments and at all events that they would contradict any
misstatements in regard to us. We were not quite filled up last Spring, are
loosing by deaths and discharge and about 140 to be mustered out who did not
reenlist. A regiment like an omnibus never gets full. We are so far away that
before we can hear of a misstatement and have it corrected, the injury has been
already done. Do me the favor to have some large posters struck off stating that
the regiment is not full and all desiring to enlist for this regiment can do so.
Send printer’s bill and I will send it.
Yours,
C.H. Van Wyck
Days of innocence, when war seemed just a lark ...
In November 1861, just after the 56th had arrived by rail in Washington after traveling down the Hudson River from Newburgh, N.Y., to Manhattan, Pvt. William R. Miles, age 19, of the Co. L sharpshooters penned this letter to a friend. He gives a capsule briefing of the regiment's activities during this period, a summary that corroborates almost verbatim what the regimental history has to say of this period:
Washington, November 16, 1861
Dear Friend Alfred,
It is my turn to write now I believe I told Sarah the last letter I wrote to her
to tell you that I enlisted did she tell you? If she did it is no news now. When
I wrote you my last letter I had no idea of enlisting or I should have told you.
I want you to enlist with me. When I come home which will be in a week or so
tell all your friends that want to enlist to wait and put down their names down
on my paper as I shall recruit if I come to Conn. I enlisted at Callicoon [N.Y.]
went to Newburgh a city on the Hudson River about 60 miles from N.Y. City
encamped there stayed there a week or so had tip-top times. Sat at a regular
table had every variety of eatables and luxuries slept on straw with a blanket
over us have plenty to eat and to wear.
We tent generally 6 in a tent-hut there are 6 in my tent to night.
We left Newburgh at 6th inst about ten o’clock at night on 3 steamers bound
for NY where we arrived about eight in the morning. When we landed in NY and all
the regiment but our company got off and we had a time all alone. I tell you we
robed the staterooms of towels and combs, soap and other like articles. Crossed
the river to Jersey City stayed there till the regiment arrived which had been
marching in NY where we were presented with colors. Our banner is green to
designate us as a rifle company. We left Jersey City for Philadelphia about 8 in
the evening arrived in Philadelphia about 2 in the morning took breakfast of
ever variety of meats and vegetables. At present left Philadelphia about 9 in
the morning arrived in Baltimore about 4 in the afternoon took supper and left
Baltimore about 9 in the evening arrived in Washington about daylight. We are
now encamped on a hill (No connection of Sarah’s) about 1 mile from Washington
1600 is our regiment. The capitol is a splendid building but is not finished
yet. It is built entirely of marble, it takes ˝ hour to walk around it. My
sheet is getting full and I must stop. Write soon for I do not know how long we
will stay here. Direct to W.R. Miles your friend Care of Capt Tyler, Camp of the
Tenth Legion, Washington D.C. Excuse. Me.
Enclosed I send a portrait of our Colonel and a national song which was composed
by one of our regt.
“We have come from the mountains or Old Granite State.
I received your letter today after I had sealed mine.
(Miles enlisted Oct. 15, 1861, at Callicoon Depot as a private. On Nov. 5, 1861, he mustered into Co. L. He was promoted to corporal Dec. 5, 1863. The date is not given for his eventual muster out, but it probably was in fall 1864. The portrait on the patriotic stationery is of Col. Elmer Ellsworth, a friend of President Lincoln's and the first Union officer to be killed in the war. Ellsworth was shot to death in 1861 after he took down a Confederate flag flying from the roof of a hotel in Alexandria, Va.)