CIVIL WAR LETTER - 27th NY Infantry - Burnside Expedition & Deserter Thieves !

Description

Civil War Letter
Civil War Letter written by John Edson, Company E of the 27th New York Infantry.  They awoke to good news about Burnside's expedition, and writes of a deserter who stole items upon his departure from the regiment.
This Civil War soldier letter was written by John Boultwood Edson (1839-1863), the son of Elijah Edson (1812-1878) and Achsah Edna Wright (1818-1905) of Rochester, New York.
John enlisted as a private on
7
May
1861 to serve two years in Co. E, 27th New York Infantry. He mustered out with the company on 31 May 1863 at Elmira, N. Y. Although some sources say that John “died in the service in December 1863,” I can’t find any evidence that he reenlisted unless he happened to go to California to bring mules back East as mentioned in the final letter.
Other family members mentioned in John’s letters include his sister Miriam Crane (Edson) Clements (1841-1891), who became the wife of Thomas Clements (1839-1902) in 1862. Albert H. Edson (1842-1863) who served in Co. Am 8th New York Cavalry until he was mortally wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg on 1 July 1863. Harriet (“Hatt.”) E. Edson (1832-Unk)
TRANSCRIPTION
Camp Franklin, Va.
February 13th [1862]
Sister Hatt.,
The parcel brought by J. T. Clague has come and am thankful for its contents—especially the ran and needles.
You spoke of a young man by the name of [George W.] Kent having called. I do not wish him mentioned again in any of my letters to me. He is a deserter, he having obtained a furlough for ten days, his mother being sick and not expected to live, as he said. He has been gone 23 days an has no intention of returning to the company. He is a thief in the bargain. He also obtained a coat on a loan of a corporal out of Co. K in this regiment. You would know it. It had two stripes upon each sleeve…the boys all despise him. He dare not come back now. Please send nothing by him for he is not to be depended upon. Have nothing to say to him. I was astonished when I read your letter.
We awoke this morning with the news from Burnsides Expedition ringing in our ears & gladdening our hearts.
I expected to receive more letters by John Clague than I did. Have you got the letter which I sent? It is time you received it and also one I wrote and sent before that one in which I sent home the photograph of General Slocum and Col. Bartlett.
You should have meantime received these letters as I thought a good deal of those photographs. Your truly, — John B. Edson
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