CIVIL WAR LETTER - 93rd New York Infantry, Expects Fight Soon near Petersburg VA

Description

Civil War Letter
Civil War Letter - Written by Soldier in Company "I" of the 93rd New York Infantry
This Civil War soldier letter was written by Jerome Sears (1833-1864), the son of Hiram Sears (1802-Bef1860) and Sarah Adams (1808-18083) of Lake, Washington county, New York.
Jerome enlisted in Co. I, 93rd New York Infantry, on 25 December 1861. He enlisted as a private and rose in the ranks to Orderly Sergeant of his company before he was wounded in the fighting at Deep Bottom, Virginia, on 15 August 1864. He died on 24 August 1864 at the Satterlee General Hospital in Philadelphia.
Jerome Sears of Co. I, 93rd NYSV
Jerome’s younger brother, George W. Sears (1837-1910), is mentioned from time to time in these letters. George served as a private in Co. A, 123rd New York Infantry.
Jerome wrote all of the letters to his good friend and Methodist clergyman John Milton Webster (1828-1914), the son of Orrin Hollister Webster (1800-1862) and Theda Streeter (1802-1872). Webster was married to Chloe Mary Barney (1832-1922) in 1853.
Drum Corps of the 93rd New York Infantry at Bealeton, Virginia, August 1863
Transcription
Headquarters 93rd NYS Vet. Volunteers
Near Brandy Station, Virginia
May 3rd 1864
Dear Bro. Webster,
I wrote to you about the 20th of March if I remember right. I thought you would write to me as soon as you could after Conference but as we are to move very soon, and I may not have a chance to write in a long time, I will write again notwithstanding I have not heard from you. I suppose you have heard ere this that we have been assigned to the 2nd Corps. We are in the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division. Gen. Hancock commands our Corps. General Birney the Division. Gen. Hays the Brigade. I like our position well so far. We have been here about ten days. Before you get this, I think we will be on the move somewhere. We don’t know where. Grant don’t let us know all that is going on. We can’t go far south before we will have to fight unless the enemy fall back. We are within ten miles of the rebel force.
We are all in good spirits but we expect to have to fight very soon. One of our new recruits cut his thumb off this morning. It looks to me as if he was working to get out of the service.
Since I wrote last the Lord has done a great work in the 93rd Regt. About four weeks ago, Bro. Kerr and me built a place for prayer. We met there once a day to pray for the outpouring of God’s Spirit in our regiment. In the evening we held meetings in our artillery camp near our regiment. God done a great work in the batteries there. Many were saved from their sins. God began to work in the 93rd in reclaiming backsliders. It was not long before we had eight or ten to meet with us. We kept on praying for the salvation of souls.
We left headquarters and that stopped the meetings in the batteries. After we got here, we commenced holding our meetings out in the open air about a hundred rods from our camp. The work is going on increasing in interest and power. Sinners are saved in every meeting. Our number has increased to twenty-five and it seems to me as if half of the soldiers in this command are awakened.
God is working in His own way. The work is thorough and deep. Our chaplain is standing still and seeing the salvation and this is about all we know of him. I think he is a good man, but he has no faculty of working in a revival. He baptized some yesterday who desired baptism. He does not try to discourage us in the good work. He seems to be well pleased with the course we have taken.
I heard that you were sent to Beecher though I have not seen the minutes of the Conference. Please send them. I am quite anxious to hear from you before we march for it will be a long time before we get any mail after we leave here. I think there will be hard fighting down here this spring. Many in our regiment may be killed. I may be one of them. It will be all right any way—I am the Lord’s, entirely His.
Bro. Webster, try to come down sometime the summer when we are not marching. Remember me to all your family and pray for me. I saw Leroy two days ago. He is well. Yours affectionately, — Jerome Sears
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