Edwin Benedict Letters, 1862-1863

Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife and says how he is tired of eating salt meat and has found he has lice. He describes the new order he and his friend John received to guard a plantation house of an Englishman that had recently been robbed. Edwin outlines a plan to number their letters to each other to keep track of responses and laments that they recently missed out on the oranges on the plantation.

Letter "No. 5" from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 March 1

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Soldiers--United States--Attitudes

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Sweet potatoes--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Louisa Plantation (La.)

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Saint Charles Parish (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes in reply to his wife and was surprised the wet letter found him since the mailboat SS Ella Warley and SS North Star collided. Benedict continues his previous letter's thoughts on the war as a divine lesson in humility.

Letter "No. 6" from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 March 2

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Soldiers--United States--Attitudes

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HuntingâAnecdotes

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Louisa Plantation (La.)

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Saint Charles Parish (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife about a failed wild cattle hunting trip through the wet marsh, and concludes that perhaps salt mule is not so bad after all.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1862 December

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Fort Jackson (La.)

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Mississippi River

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife and describes his promotion to corporal and daily life such as food rations, food prices, weather, and travel on the Mississippi River.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1862 December 18

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Women prisoners of war--United States

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African Americans--Dwellings--Mississippi--Ship Island

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Ship Island (Miss.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Fort Massachusetts (Miss.)

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife, topics include laundry, the construction of Fort Massachusetts on Ship Island (Miss.), dirty ship conditions, ship repair, spring-like weather in December, and women rebel prisioners. Benedict describes the people on Ship Island as "babies of all shades" living in log huts and hovels "much like your father's pigpen not much larger." A second letter written "in hast" included and sent from New Orleans mentions 2 companies left behind on Ship Island, General Banks, and uncertantity for what is next.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 February 10

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Sugar plantations--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Levee--Mississippi River

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Military camps--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Soldiers--Wounds and injuries--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Military telegraph--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Railroads--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Louisa Plantation (La.)

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Saint Charles Parish (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife and details an order to relieve another company and take guard of the Railroad between Brashear City and Algiers and also guard the telegraph there for about 4 weeks. They traveled with and left the New York 160th and Company B to guard different posts along the railroad, including Lafourche Parish. Sights from the trip included deserted sugarcane fields that lay to waste. Benedict details not being able to bring their tents, building huts out of cypress and receiving an injury during building only to have tents arrive by train the next day. Near their site are several sugar mills, mansions, and whitewashed cabins, and people were building up the levee "making a new bank to keep in the river if it should break loose we should be under water at short notice."

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 February 14

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Sugar plantations--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Oranges--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Juglandaceae--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Soldiers--United States--Attitudes

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Louisa Plantation (La.)

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Saint Charles Parish (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife on Valentine's Day. He writes about guarding Louisa Plantation and talks about trading and buying food from some of the enslaved people on the plantation.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 January 15

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Sugarcane--Louisiana--New Orleans

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Military telegraph--Louisiana--New Orleans

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Sawmills--Louisiana--New Orleans

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Camp Parapet (New Orleans, La.)

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New Orleans (La.)

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Algiers (New Orleans, La.)

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife about guarding the telegraph operator while awaiting news from General Banks, travel from Camp Parapet to Algiers with wet laundry, and sharing cargo space with barrels of sugar. Benedict describes sights from the travel including wasted "shugar cane that is spoiled for want of men to gather it and manufacture" and the work at the docks that Company G remained in New Orleans to carry out.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 January 17

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Oysters--Contamination--Louisiana--Brashear City

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Snipers--United States

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Battle casualties--Louisiana

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Prisoners of war--United States

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Teche, Bayou (La.)

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict writes to his wife and daughter and describes getting sick from fried oysters. He details the destruction of the rebel steamship Cotton with the participation of the New York 75th Infantryâs sharpshooters, documents casualties, close calls, and misheard orders. He also mentions the Vermont 8th Infantryâs captures and criticizes the confederate soldiers: âThey are a miserable loocking set of men as I ever saw there clothing consists of every thing you can thinck of some with shoose and some without I am sick of the sight of brand brimed hats long slab sided men thin face long nose the carracterristic of every Southerner hereâ Benedict begs his family to write more often.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 January 19

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Soldiers--United States--Attitudes

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Brashear City (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife in happy reply to a letter that he long awaited. He jokes about being quartered with Companies F and K in a variety store and suggests she should shop there as he thinks they âcould suite you both in quantity, quality and price.â He mentions Berwick Bay being nearby and that he does not think he would want to live in Brashear City, as it does not have a church or school for the children. He mentions the New Orleans Opelousas and Great Western Railroad, not yet receiving payment, the cost of butter, and answers Maryâs question about what they ate for Christmas.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 March 1

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Soldiers--United States--Attitudes

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Louisa Plantation (La.)

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Saint Charles Parish (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes to his wife and rails against the arrogance of the South, laments the suffering of slaves, and describes the war as a divine lesson in humility for slave holders.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 March 20-21

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Soldiers--United States--Attitudes

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Louisa Plantation (La.)

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Saint Charles Parish (La.)--History--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, writes that they are leaving Louisa Plantation and returning to camp and will miss the comfortable accommodations but will be happy not to keep watch during the night. A friend he made on the plantation encouraged them to take the mosquito netting with them, and Edwin describes the uncomfortable heat, bugs, and appreciation for the netting.

Letter from Edwin Benedict to Mary Benedict, 1863 March 5-6

Soldiers--Connecticut--New Haven--Correspondence

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United States. Army--Military life

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Soldiers--United States--Attitudes

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Sugar factories--Louisiana--Saint Charles Parish

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Louisiana--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Louisa Plantation (La.)

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Saint Charles Parish (La.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

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Benedict, Edwin

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Edwin Benedict, a Union soldier, replies to his wife's letter, describes the sugar refinement process at Louisa Plantation, mentions working on the telegraph line, taking care of his clothing, and talks about the food they have been enjoying.

Louisiana Digital Library

Edwin Benedict Letters, 1862-1863

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