CIVIL WAR LETTER - 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery, Describes Defenses Wash DC !

Description

Civil War Letter
Civil War Letter - Written by Soldier in 2nd Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery
In 1868, Theodore Frelinghuysen Vaill (1832-1875) published the regimental history of the
2nd Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery
which was originally organized as the 19th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry. He served with the regiment as a private from 1862 to September 1863 when he was made a sergeant. He was promoted in March 1864 to 1st Lieutenant as Adjutant. He was mustered out of service on 18 August 1865 at Fort Etha
n Allen in Washington D. C.
Theodore was the son of Rev. Herman Landon Vaill (1794-1870) and Flora Gold (1799-1883) of Litchfield, Connecticut. His siblings included Catharine Harriet Gold Vaill (1824-1898), Charles Benjamin Vaill (1826-1881), Elizabeth Sedgwick Vaill (1828-1909), Abbie Everest Vaill (1829-1897), George Lyman Vaill (1831-1833), Sarah Hopkins Vaill (1834-1862), Clarissa Champlin Vaill (b. 1836),
Joseph Herman Vaill
(1837-1915), Julia Maria Vaill (1839-1912), and Mary Woolsey Vaill (1842-1871).
Theodore was an 1858 graduate of Union College. He married Alice Mercy Dudley (1842-1920) after the war, published the afore-mentioned regimental history, and served as the editor of the
Winsted Herald
until his premature death in 1875 at the age of 43. He is buried in the Winsted Old Burying Ground in Winsted, Litchfield county, Connecticut.
Theodore was wounded in the fighting at Fort Fisher—a mere flesh wound in the left hip by a “cast iron ball from spherical case shot.”
1st Lieutenant & Adjutant Theodore F. Vaill (Note this image does not come with the letter).
TRANSCRIPTION
Headquarters 2nd Brigade
Defenses South of the Potomac
Near Ft. Lyon, Va.
Wednesday morning, May 27, 1863
Dear Father,
Yours of the 17th & 18th was received on Wednesday 20th, the same day I mailed a letter to you. We are all well here and very pleasantly situated. George Mason has got a tent pitched, floored and furnished (elegantly) for the reception of his wife who he expects in a day or two.
Enclosed please find which is part of the pay I received day before yesterday. (We are now paid up yo May 1st) of the 10 are for Mary W. Vaill, & you will please send it to her when opportunity offers. The remaining will doubtless be useful to you in some way. If it will buy a likely calf to raise, I suggest that it be put to that use provided you don’t need it more for something else of which you are the best judge.
Maj. Gen. Heintzelman, commanding Department of Washington, visited us yesterday and inspected the works in this vicinity. He is a fine looking man of small stature with gray hair and beard, about 55 or 60 years old, I should judge. Gen. Hooker telegraphed two days ago to have every precaution taken against a surprise by the enemy in this neighborhood & our guards have been doubled, and two companies now go out on night picket returning at daybreak.
These redoubts form the extreme left of the Defenses of Washington south of the Potomac and therefore we are supposed to be an important point of the Rebs should attempt a dash in this direction. The army is in fine trim & excellent health and spirits—and just now in high glee over the success of Gen. Grant.
I had a letter from Sarah Beebe a few days ago. Please write soon. Love to all. Received a Library letter from Frank Wadham—very good. Your affectionate son, — T. F. Vaill
TERMS
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