Eli Barrick Letters

September the 21, 1862

Miss Emma Barrick

Dear Sister, I seat myself to let you know that we are all well at present and hope that this will find you in the same state. We started from Camp Mingo the morning of the 18th and the next day about noon we got to Camp Union. We got off the cars at Bellaire and then crossed the Ohio River and got on at Benwood. There is 9000 Rebbles within ten miles of this place. There is about 600 Virginia Boys here and about 700 of us. Our Colonel telegraphed to Marietta this evening for four or five thousand men to help us but I do not know but what we are enough for them ourselves. We have good times since we left Camp Mingo. We have not had to drill any since we left. We have plenty to eat and drink. I must go and get my equipments on and be ready for battle. That is orders now.

We had expected to be called every minit all night but still we all rested very well and did not get into any battle and I do not hear anything about it this morning. I do not think we will leave here soon. That is the talk but I do not know where we will go. We have better barracks here than we had at Mingo. I must bring my letter to a close for till you make this out you will be tired. I send my best respects to inquiring friends.

Eli Barrick

I seat myself this morning to let you know that we are all well and I hope these lines will find you all enjoying the same blessing. I received a letter not long from you and was glad to hear from you and know that you were all well. I all so got a letter from Peters and Luther got one from Jacks. (Note: Luther & Eli went into the service on the same day, 08/20/62, but Luther received a medical discharge 12/21/62.)

Well Father you said that Ed(?) True said that if some of the Boys did not get furlows or get home they would run away and some of the rest of the Boys got letters and they say that if I do not get home I will die. That is a positive lie. I am not particularly homesick. It is true I would you all, but then if I could get a furlow at this I would not.

Well Pop our Colonel says that this is the best drilled Regiment that he ever saw for the time we have been in the service. There has been Regiments from allmost every Union State and the Citizens of Cumberland say that we have the best dress parade that was ever here. We have light bread all the time since we come here and beef the most of the time.

Well Pop you have herd that the Rebble Army was so ragged. I believe that there is something of it. We have taken about 75 since we have been here and they was hard looking men. Dirty and ragged as filthy a looking men as ever I saw.

I must stop writing for this time. Give my best wishes to all inquiring friends and keep a good share for yourself.

Your Son
Eli
Good bye Father

Kind Mother,

I seat myself this morning to inform you how we are a getting along. We are all well and in good spirits and I do hope that these lines will find you enjoying the same blessings. Well Mother I would ask you to come and see us but then it would not suit the way we are fixed here. There was talk last night that the Maryland Regiment that is here and we will go to town and camp in houses. If we do that you can come then and see us. It is reported that Jackson is within 40 miles of this place and Siggle (Sigel?) is at his heels driving him right this way. The report is that here or about 15 or 20 miles from here is the only places that he can make his escape but I think that he stands a very poor chance here for you know that the 126th Ohio is here and they are all right.

Well Mother, about me being home sick is not so. I never had an excuse since I have been in camp and better times than we have here I never saw for we have plenty of good vittles. They are fresh all the time and good light bread and you know that is what I like. It has been raining for two days now and we have nothing to do and then on Saturdays we do not drill nor Sunday so for four days we have nothing to do but eat and talk. (Tell Jacks that I have not got that picture yet. I have not had a chance yet. It may be that they wanted it to fatten their hogs but I can not help it.) (?)

I will stop writing for this time but still remain your affectionate Son,

Eli Barrick

Kind Friends,

I seat my self this Sabbath morning to let you know that we are all well. We left Old Cumberland the evening of the 12th. We started about eight o'clock and got here about 5 o'clock yesterday morning. This is the nicest place I have saw yet. This is pretty level country here, the ground is middling swampy. We are in our tents in the woods about 7 miles from Martinsburg and about 20 miles from Harpers Ferry. There is talk of an attack here soon. There is a good many pickets out. Our Colonel took off his stripes and started out to look round. I do not know how many troops there is here. There is a couple Calvary Companys and a couple Battery Companys and the 1st Virginia Regiment(?) and the 126 Regiment.

I was out this morning about 200 yards. John Harper (O8/19/62; mustered out with company 06/25/65) was with me and we had a big mess of walnuts. We would of went further but the orders was that no one was to go out of hearing of the bugle and another thing they did not count it safe for 3 or 4 fellows to go alone without their arms.

We left Adam Maughiman (O8/19/62/Appointed ? / mustered out with company 06/25/65. Died 1921. Buried at Zion Cemetery, Sherrodsville, OH) and Henry Richardson (08/22/62. Appointed from Corporal Nov. ? 1862. Died May 15, 1864 of wounds received May 12,1864 in battle of Spottsylvania, Va.) at Old Cumberland. Adam is cooking in the Hospital for the sick and Henry is one of the sick. There was about 100 left behind out of our Regiment sick.

We got but little news at Cumberland but we will get less soon. I wrote Jack a letter two weeks ago and sent my likeness to him and one to George and Emma and sent a likeness in it to. You wanted to know where Corinth (?) Shuster was. He started home the evening we left Cumberland.

I will stop writing for this time by asking you to write soon.
Eli Barrick

My Dear Sister Emma,

I seat myself this evening to reply to your most welcome letter that I received the evening of the 6th.

Well Emma you said that if I was there on New Year we would have a party and dance. You can have the party anyhow whether I am there or not and just think of me and that will do just as well.

Em I want you to tell me about George. I expect that him and some of the rest of the boys is carrying on very large.

It is pretty cold here now. It snowed yesterday about two inches and I was on picket. This morning another fellow and me went out to hunt rabbits and we was out about one hour and I shot two rabbits with my old gun in two shots. Lewis (Louis O Beamer? O8/19/62; Discharged 10/29/64 for wounds received 5/12/64, in battle of Spottsylvania, Va.; arm amputated.) is cook now and he cooked them for our suppers.

Well Em there was talk about an attack here but I think that will never be. There is no Rebble troops here but there is lots of Rebble Citizens here. We have plenty to eat and we can draw clothes any time we want them. I drawed another pair of pants yesterday.

Well I will stop now by requesting you to write soon. This leaves me well and I hope it will find you enjoying the same blessing.

Eli

Dear Mother,

I seat myself this pleasant morning to pen a few lines to you to let you know that I am still well and harty. I received a letter from Em a few days ago and read it with much pleasure and I just now received one from Pop and he said that if I got the chance to inquire for his relatives. There is talk of us being detached to General Millroy's (Milroy - Milroy was at Winchester, south of Martinsburg) Brigade and if we do I suppose we will get there as Millroy's Brigade is there now. I do not know what you ever left there for that is much nicer country about there than in old Ohio but it is awfully destroyed now. There is nicer farms than yours near Winchester that are deserted and a great deal better houses too. The Ohio and Baltimore Railroad is completed and it is making times very lively here.

We have some winter here now but it is not very cold but there is some snow.

I was vakinated a few days ago but I do not believe that it will take hold on me.

The Boys is all well but Henry Richardson and Nicolas Hoopengore (Hoopengarner? Co. G. 8/16/62. Appointed Corporal 9/5/62/ Sgt. 11/20/64; mustered out with company 6/25/65.) but they are on the mend now and Eli Sherretts (no record found) was left at Cumberland and I have never heard from him since. I would like for you to write where he is. James Justus (no record found. Was probably with the 123 or 11O Rgts. The 110th served with the 126th in the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division in the Battle of the Wilderness) wrote us a letter and I wrote him a letter. The 123 and the 110 Regiments are at Winchester.

I have nothing of importance to write so I will stop for this time. This leaves me well and I do hope it may find you enjoying the same blessing.

From your son

Eli

Dear Friends,

I seat myself this afternoon to let you know that I have been sick for sometime but am now on the mend doing as well as can be expected. I am taking no medicine now but feel awful weak and nervous but I am very well attended to and I do not want you to bee uneasy about me. I feel all right as if I was home. I do not think of home anymore than when I was well.

Eli Sherretts has come to the Regiment and he looks as stout as a horse. Henry Richardson is still not well and Fred Roof (8/22/62; Transferred to Co. D, 24th Reg., Veteran Reserve Corps, 3/15/64; mustered out 6/27/65 at D.C.) is not better. He is bad. Henry Moses is very low. (Henry S. He is mentioned in I, Vol. 46. O.R. Sgt. Major - commended for leading assault on Fort ? during Appomattox Campaign 4/2/65, mustered out with Rgt. 6/25/65; buried West Lawn Cemetery, Canton, Ohio). You must excuse me with these few lines for I am very tired.

Eli Barrick

Dear Brother,

It is with great and renewed pleasure that I seat myself this evening to reply to your welcome letter that I received not long since and read with much pleasure. That was the second letter that I have got from you but I was sorry to hear that you was so unwell but it found me well and all the rest of the boys on the mend and when you get this I hope it will find you and all the rest well.

The Boys all say they would like to see you and James Hines (8/15/62. Mustered out with company 6/25/65) says he wants you to answer his letter.

Well Lute you wanted to know whether the Boys talked about deserting. They are well satisfied now. John Harper talks the hardest of any of the Boys but he is all right since we have been paid off.

Ken Richardson got a letter from James Justus today. Jim talks very favorable. He is well and all the rest of the Carroll County Boys. I have nothing to do but chop the wood that we burn and that is not much. There is not news to write so I will not write any.

From your brother
Eli

Respected Parents,

It is with the greatest of pleasure that I seat myself this beautiful Sabbath morning to inform you that I am well and harty and that I received a letter from Kate yesterday stating that Pop was on the mend and it afforded me great pleasure and I hope these few imperfect lines will find him still better and the rest well.

We left Martinsburg on the morning of the 25th and got to this place the same day and stayed here till the morning when we took up a line of march for Greenland Gap a distance of 23 miles. We went 15 miles and encamped for the night. We started the next morning at 4 o'clock and got to the gap at 8 o'clock. We stayed there till noon and then we went 8 miles further to a place called Mount Storm. There we stayed 5 days. We blockaded the pike for eight miles so that the Rebs could not come that way. We then started for this place. We got within eight miles of here when we was ordered back to the gap. It was reported that the Rebs was advancing on the gap. We got there about sundown and found it to be a false report. The next day our Company and Company D went on a scout. We went 25 miles to the top of one of the highest mountains of the Allegany's. We got back the third day and the next day about 3 o'clock we started again for this place. Within 7 miles of here we encamped for the night. We got here the next day at 9 o'clock. The Boys all stood it well. Adam Maughiman is still in Martinsburg. We will go back there again. The people of Martinsburg wants us back. There is much excitement here now that the papers give good news.

I would like to hear from Pop today. I want you to write and tell me when any of you get sick and how bad you are. If I had not got that letter from Kate I would have come home on furlow but I guess it's not necessary now.

Son,

Eli

It is with pleasure that I seat myself to converse with you through the dull medium of the pen though I hope the time will come when we can converse face to face.

The weather is warm but cloudy and middling wet and I am in this old camp about 5 miles from Washington not doing one thing and you are at home and have that much to do that you do not know which to do first but I hope you are a good Boy. Oh! excuse me for calling you a Boy. I will not do it again. I spoke before I thought. (Well Mr. Washington I expect that you are a making the girls come right down to it bottom or no bottom.) (?)

I have not heard from the Regiment since the battle ( Second Winchester or Battle of Martinsburg. June 14,1863.) and I think the time very long not to hear. I expect though there is some of the Boys that I will never see but I hope I will bee disappointed and meet them all soon. Here in this old camp I do not like to stay but still we have very good times.

Well George I expect that when this reaches you there will bee a great many drafted in my old neighborhood but for my part that is just what I would like to hear for there is some men that ought to bee in the services of their Country and I hope they will get drafted.

I want you to write me a letter and give me all the news for I would like to read a letter from my brother. This leaves me well and I hope it will find the Friends all enjoying the same blessing. I will close for a time.

Your brother

Eli
Oh! I must tell you we have fish pretty near every day. We catch them ourselves in the Potomac, and plenty of blackberrys and huckleberrys to. My best wishes to you all.
(This P.S. belongs to either letter 6/27/63 or 7/12/63.)

I seat myself this Sabbath afternoon to let you know that I am well and where I am and I hope these few lines will find you all well. We left Camp Distrabution the 25th of June. We was armed and sent here to protect Washington City and I do not know how soon I will get to the Regiment. I have never herd from it yet. Miram Swank (Martin Swick?) from Co. A and G.W. John (no record found) from Co. H(?) of my Regt. are with us. John's home is about one mile from Aunt Polly Barrick's.

It will bee five weeks next Tuesday since I have herd from any of you but if you are all well as I am and I knowed it I would not care, but I would like awful well to read a letter from some of you this evening. John wrote since I did and herd from his folks so I don't see why I don't get a letter to. I have wrote several and no answer and if you did not get them very likely you won't get this so there is no use in writing much. Just wate till I come Home and then I know you will get them. This leaves me well.
From your son,
Eli
Address Co. D lst Union Battalion
Fort Ethan Allen, Va
Via Washington D.C.

Mother, I had one of the nicest likeness cases with my likeness in it a standing up that you ever saw. I was a going to send to you and the Sabbath morning that we left (June 14, the day of the battle at Martinsburg) I could not take it a long and so I give it to Mrs. Cook's Son (Peter J. Cook; 8/15/62; Co. F: Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corp 6/15/64) to take to his Mother to keep till I come back and I don't no whether I will ever get back so very likely it will be lost.
Eli Barrick

Dear Parents,

It is with pleasure that I embrace the present time to address you once again. I have the pleasure to inform you that my health is good and I am enjoying myself well. I hope these few lines will find you all enjoying the same blessing.

I have received several letters from home that I have not answered and the reason why was that we have been on the march for sometime as you can see by the papers. I am standing marching very well and for anything else about the march you can get better infirmation from the papers than I can give so I will say nothing about that.

Adam Maughiman is not well at all. He left the Company last night. He is to do something at the Hospital. I suppose he will cook. Ken Richardson is as stout as four yoke of cattle so you may know our Regiment is in good condition.

We got the Carroll County Union last evening and I see there will bee no draft! - bully for that - Ohio can raise her quota by volunteers and I hope she will do it every time. If my time was out tomorrow and I was likely to bee drafted I would volunteer very quick. John Gabie (Killed in battle of Flint Hill, Va., 9/21/64) left his Company on the march and was sent to Washington. I do not know whether he is much sick or not but I think not.

I must close for this time.

from your Son,
Eli Barrick

Mrs. Polly Barrick

Dear Sister, It is with pleasure that I embrace the present time to let you know that I am well and hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same great blessing. Well Polly you told me in your letter that Lute was gone to New Philadelphia and you would ask Mrs. Reardon (SP?) that is store keeper if I would like to buy something from you.(?) I would cheat you like forty. I expect you would get tight if you have anything to get tight on. (?) Well Polly I think you ought to write to me oftener now for you have everything that you need to write with and the such a good chance. You ought to see the old Monroe Boys. They are just as independent a chaps as ever walked the roads of Virginia. We have everything down here that a man could ask for but Women and they are so deceitful that we do not care for them.

Well Polly I want you to write me a good long letter and give me a small history of every thing that is going off in Ohio. I have nothing of importance to write so I will close for this time by giving my wishes to you all. Excuse all mistakes and bad writings. Your brother and well wisher,

Eli Barrick

Dear Mother,

It is with love and respect that I seat my self to let you know that I am well and do hope these few lines will find you enjoying the same great blessing.

Well Mother I suppose you are anctious to hear how we got through this last campaign in crossing the Rappahannock. (Mine Run Campaign.) My Company all got through safe but there is several missing in the Regiment - the Adjutant and one Lieutenant is all the missing of the officers.

The talk is now that our Corps is to go to Texas so if that is the case we will have to go all Winter but if we get to stay here we are well fixed. W.P. Shocknesse (8/22/62. Promoted to Com. Sgt. 11/20/64), A.Harpers (? No record found), Henry Richardson and myself have a nice log cabin with a fire place so we can live just right. We are mutch better fixed than we was last Winter.

L.O. Beamer is just about as he was when he left. I got a letter from him a few days ago. The Captain (Jacob Weyand) got a letter from the Hospital that stated that G.W. Dayhuff was dead. He died the lst of this month. (Died 12/5/63. Buried in Washington, D.C.)

I got them gloves that you sent me last Monday Evening while I was on picket and I tell you now there was a proud Boy about that time. Well Mother you talked about sending me a box if we stay in Winter quarters. I will tell you if I want you to send me anything. Very likely toward Spring I will send for a box. We are very busy and I will not write mutch. Excuse all mistakes and I will write soon again. Your Son,

Eli
My best wishes to all.

Miss Emma Barrick

Dear sister, I seat myself to drop a few lines to let you know that I still remember you. I have not got a letter from home for about two weeks but I hope this evening there will bee about one dozen for me.

Well Em, it is raining pretty fast this morning and freezing too. That is just what I like to see for if it sets in wet there cannot bee a move any more this Winter and I think that we can put down the Rebellion just as quick by laying here in Winter quarters as by marching all the time. We was to have inspection today but it is so wet that we will get shet of it and you may bet that will soot me for I would just as leave set by the fire as do anything else.

Well Em I will send you a treat for New Years but you will have to get it yourself so you can get just what you please for the money. I will send fifty cents - I think that will get all the candy you can eat.

I suppose you are going to school these times. If you are I want you to learn fast and bee a good girl for till I get Home I want you to bee able to bee teaching yourself.

I will close for this time hoping to hear from you soon.

Eli

Miss Em Barrick, Kind Sister, I take the privledze this Sabbath morning of penning a few lines to you in answer to yours of the forth which I received a few days ago and was glad to learn how you were gettting along but I want you to tell me in your next letter what ales Pop. You have been writing he was sick but never wrote what was the mater. We have had a great deal of rain for the last week but it is very plesent this morning. Well Em I have good news to write this time. J.C. Gurney(?) has been discharged and will bee home soon and he says he will go to see my sister Em so you can prepare for his coming. I got a letter from Lewis Beamer yesterday and he says he has had the small pox but is about over them now. The Boys in the Company are well and ready for a march as soon as called on but if the weather stays as wet as it has been the Army can't move for a long time. Em I am glad to hear our Township has raised their quota of men. Why did you not send Martin ??? Givins (?) to our Regiment. I would love to see some of the Boys from old Carroll County come and join us but I suppose they are all gone before this. I have nothing of importance to write so I close for this time. Hoping to hear from you soon. Your brother

E Barrick

Mr. G. W. Barrick

Dear Brother, your longed for letter came to hand last evening bearing date of the 17th which found me well and anctious to peruse a letter from you as your letters are few and far between.

Well Brother, Lute told me you was talking about coming to the Army but I would advise you to stay where you are for you have no idea of the hardships of a Soldier. You would have to do as you are told if you was here. Anyhow, it is your place to stay with Pop as he is not able to see about any thing and when my time is out if the War is not over you will bee 16 months older and likely of a different mind. But if you wish to go then I will say nothing to the contrary but will take your place and you can take mine.

Well G.W. by what Lute tells me I suppose you will have yourself a woman before long but I don't want to dance in the hog trough. Bully for Socky and old Rachel. . . .

G.W., Lewis says if you don't write to him he will not write you another letter. The Boys are all well and in the best of spirits.

. . .

I will close for this time. Hoping you will write soon.

Eli Barrick
Tell Em I will write her a letter in a few days.