Comments and Tags
Be the first to comment on this item!
American Civil War ➔ Letter, Charles E. Hulbert To H. B. Hulbert
Identifier:
2011.37.22Description:
This collection of letters was written by Charles E. Hulbert of Watertown, NY to his brother H. B. Hulbert of Watertown, and his mother, Mrs. J. M. Hulbert of Grand Rapids. They were donated to the Museum by a local family who visited the Museum's "Thank God for Michigan: Stories from the Civil War" exhibit. The letters will be added to the Museum's extensive archival holdings from the Civil War. They offer a soldier's point of view on many aspects of the conflict, but particularly notable is Hulbert's vocal anti-slavery stance. He calls slavery a "curse" and in 1864 wrote, "Thank God, slavery has received its death blow. And I believe God will bless us for resolving to do even at this day, what ought to have been done years ago, viz. to abolish the institution which was a curse to the owner and the owned."; Monday MorningApril 27th
While waiting for Ike (?) to get breakfast I will try and finish this letter as the pay rolls must be completed by Wednesday evening and Col. Root is in a great stew to have a chance to go out on a reconnoissence with one or two of the regts of this brigade so I am anxious to get the rolls done today for fear of some such expedition as he has already ordered 3 days rations to be issued.
Well Hez Only send the $40 to mother either by draft or by express. Enclosed you wil find a duplicate of the note I gave George Donner which I wish you would endorse on the back and either send it to me or else to George Patchen Esq Depanville so that in case anything should happen to us here there would be no trouble about it. I will send the $10 to Mr. Douglas & then if I run short I can borrow more by & by. You might ask Currie if he is doing a note business now days.
Two months pay is now due us and if they do not fine me more than $50 or $100 I shall soon be "above board" & think I can keep there & begin to lay up something too. If New York state will only pay off her troops when Uncle Sam don't it will prevent a great deal of inconvenience, trouble , & discontentment. But what a long letter I am writing!
I am glad to see you are improving in letter writing. I found only a few mistakes in spelling which you can correct. "Necessity, scholars, conscious, furlow".
Study punctuation & the use of commas, colons, & semi colons & periods, also the use of capitals & soon you will be as good as I am, ahem! I really hope you will write more frequently and you may correct any mistake you chance to find in my letters. If I had the funds I would have a dozen of your vignettes taken. Perhaps you will think me blue as you read this letter; well I am not very blue , tho somewhat green, I am in as good humor as ever but for my court martial scrape I would feel as full of the old cat as ever & even now I am not very down in the mouth.
But I must go and work at the payrolls again & will wind up this long letter hoping to have it answered soon. Write once if not twice a week, I will answer you promptly. There was a balloon ascension this morning near Falmouth- quite a frequent sight now days.
As I may be summoned before the court today I will defer writing more until evening.
C.E.H.
It is nearly time for the mail to go and as they have not summoned me be before a Court Martial yet & as it may be days before I am if at all, I will wind this up. It is thought by Col. Root that we will march tommorow. I will keep you posted as to my case. We are hearing good new from the south west.
Good bye your affectionate brother Charlie
