CIVIL WAR - UNION - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 03/17/1862 - HFSID 251201

CIVIL WAR - WAR-DATED LETTER FROM A UNION ARMY SOLDIER
This war-dated letter was written by a Union soldier to his friend early in 1862, from Fort Warren, Massachusetts, a prison for Confederate prisoners. It was written in the wake of several Union victories and reveals high morale among Union troops and high faith in the abilities of Abraham Lincoln and General George McClellan. It also reveals some interesting details about life in a prison for prisoners-of-war, including the gleeful schadenfreude that the author felt at the prisoners' plights.
Autograph letter signed "Jacob Roberts/U. S. Army". 4 pages, 7¾x9¾, 1 sheet folded, front and verso. Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, March 17, 1862. Addressed to B. F. Cander, Esq., Woodbury, N. J. In full: "Dear Friend The [illegible] and excitements of ones [sic] life here causes us to forget our promises sometimes and thus I have neglected my promise ere this because of some error of the head - often has my thought been with you and often have I though over 'the little incidents of my last visit home - that week was one for me to ever remember - the exciting ordeal of an examination was inter-mingled with the pleasure of seeing friends - undoubtedly the papers have told you of my success and this more that I am now free from suspense - Although it forms a period in ones [sic] history and is the source of much relief to me - I must confess I do not feel so very much elated or that I need now cease studying - Since the examination my attention has been called as much to my books as before - and shall most likely be till other ordeals in anticipation are passed through with - Army life so far has been very pleasant to me and very instructive - Daily we form new associates and ones that out present position and pro-fession gives us much sooner and more desirable to what our position or occupa-tion at home would - Since my arrival home we have had 2 Generals - 17 Colonels - 15 Sr Cols - and 18 Majors sent us from Lenna - It was a very in-teresting sight to see them and even now they are the subjects of much crit-icism and laughter - Dressed in their snuff colored-jeans with stars in number according to rank and put in rooms to [illegible] as thick as soldiers - Many of them were without good money and many of them had not changed their linen for three weeks - How humiliating for ex congressmen - duelist [sic] - and planters with such rank to come down to such confinement - without money - or friends but little better living than the so called (by them) blue coats - In one room we have 24 of these distinguished personages and Buckner and Lightman each have a room in the basement by themselves with a sentinel [sic] ever at the door to keep them from having communi-cation with any one - The taking of them and other victories has been a source of much excitement to us and to be candid we hope this excite-ment many continue - the celebration of the victories and the partaking of good suppers has been one of the principal sources of enjoyment on this isolated place - An occasional serenade by the Ft Sumpter band and the visit of some of the 'Cols Daughters' Boston cousins down here has made much pleasure and somewhat modified our bachelor proclivities After heavy 'imprisonment' here for some weeks with-out seeing the fair damsels - their appearance and sweet voices act like a charm with us and we become oblivious to our proper duty ere we are aware of it - The cousins visit here has cause us to visit Boston probably when we should not have done had we never seen them - The Col commanding is a fine old man - a good christian and one never likely to shrink form duty - He has been in several wars in Florida and Mexico and in the Army about 40 years - Yesterday being so storm we (The Col - his wife - his daughter his son - Dr Peters and myself) held service in his room - Imagine us Episcopaleana in the little church by ourselves - Thankful have I thus become fir the service - The more I get [illegible] with it the more I esteem it - But I must close - The first time we meet I believe was at a caucus of the democratic party - I shall hold the same faith and still believe my-self as strongly in favor of crushing out rebellion as any - Nearly all of the officers here are of the Democratic school - Many are opposed to H Greely & especially when he makes such outrageous and slanderous [illegible] upon Genl McClellan as he has done of late - All here have the strongest confidence in Uncle Abe - his Cabinet and his Commander of the Army of the Potomac - With a renewed interest in your success I hope to be remembered to my friends and allowed to remain your friend and humble servant Respt". Fort Warren served as a prison for Confederate military and political prisoners during the Civil War. This letter was written in the wake of several Union victories in the American Civil War, including Ulysses S. Grant's victory at Fort Donelson (Feb. 11-16, 1862), as well as the naval battle between the ironclads CSS Virginia (better known as the CSS Merrimac) and the USS Monitor, which turned a potential Confederate rout into a draw at Hampton Roads, Virginia. It reveals that Union troops (or at least the ones at Fort Warren, which still stands today) had high morale and plenty of faith in the abilities of President Abraham Lincoln's administration and General George McClellan, who commanded the Union Army of the Potomac. Lightly toned, foxed and creased. Random ink stains. Folded once horizontally and twice vertically. Pinholes where folds meet. Lightly discolored along folds. Light tears at top and right edges along folds. Otherwise in fine condition.