Letter from Two Soldiers, 1st New York Engineers, New York City Joining Regiment

Description

Two Letters from new-to-be members of the 1st New York Engineers, Company "L", written the day before mustering in, 30 August 1864, 2 pages, from New York City, Merritt L. Pierce and William Beckwith, both men were in the city looking to get into the Navy and enlisting the help from a Doctor Mattocks for the purpose.  Beckwith writes that "
it is impossible to get into the Navy without a little grease and that they will not get from us.
"  Pierce relates the same sentiments and writes "
I have given up going into the Navy because we cannot go there without going through the brokers hands and that will cost us from 75 to 100 dollars.
"
In very good condition, bottom of first page trimmed and with pencil notations.
Merritt L. Pierce joined the 1st New York Engineers out of happenstance when he went to New York City hoping to enter the U.S. Navy.  He was from northern New York state and ended up joining the 1st New York Engineers on 31 August 1864, enlisting in Company "L" along with other friends from his hometown.  He served with the regiment for the rest of the war in Virginia during the Petersburg and Appomattox Campaigns.