Civil War Letter Group, William & Orlando Chamberlin 86th (Co B) & 89th New York

Description

Civil War Letter Group - William Chamberlin 86th New York, Company B, Steuben Rangers, and Orlando Chamberlin 89th New York.
8 Civil War Letters, 6 letters with covers. Plus one prewar (1858) and one post war (1880) letter. 10 letters total.
6 letters written by family to soldier William Chamberlin. 2 letters written by soldier Orlando Chamberlin to family.
Letter 6 is the best of the group.
Letter 1: August 12 1862. ID on cover “No 45”. Nice 1862 Cameron Mills CDS. One letter from 3 family members. 5x7, 2.5 pp ink. Newsy letter. Mentions William having seen Abe Lincoln.
Letter 2: September 12 1862. ID on cover “No 50”. Corcoran Farm Hospital. 5x7, 2 pp ink. Newsy letter.
Letter 3: April 14 1862. ID on cover “No 33”. One letter from 3 family members. 5x7, 4 pp ink. Newsy letter.
Letter 4: Warehouse Barracks, Elmira NY, March 14 1864. Postmark on cover “Elmira NY”. Letter from brother Orlando R Chamberlain who is about to be mustered into 89th NY. 5x7, 3 pp ink. Newsy letter. Warehouse Barracks was camp Cheming (see cover on next letter). The infamous Elmira Prison was originally a barracks for "Camp Chemung", a key muster and training point for the Union Army during the American Civil War, between 1861 and 1864. The 30-acre (120,000 m2) site was selected partially due to its proximity to the Erie Railroad and the Northern Central Railway, which crisscrossed in the midst of the city. The Camp fell into disuse as the war progressed, but its "Barracks #3" was converted into a military prison in the summer of 1864. It was the prison holding the largest number of Confederate POWs. Its capacity was 4,000, but it held 12,000 within one month of opening.
Letter 5: October 18 1861. ID on cover “No 14”. One letter from 3 family members. 5x7, 4 pp ink. Newsy letter. “…do the best you can to put down rebellion & treason”, “…you are a going of where the enemy is you will be exposed to the arrows of death every day”.
Letter 6: December 26 1861. ID on cover “No 22”. One letter from 3 family members. 5x7, 4 pp ink. Great content! “Orlando (William’s brother) has been in a battle at Balls Bluff he said they drove them to Leesburg and he said there was 40,000 of the Rebels they tore down the Rebels forts…he felt just as though he would like to hear the cannons roar and the steel clash together”. “We hear that two men of your Reg has got to be shot for bad conduct. Oh how awful it is for men to be shot in cold blood but it must be done sometimes for they must behave themselves & then there will be no such trouble of having to shoot our own men…”.
Letter 7: June 30 1861 (no cover) from Orlando Chamberlin who was just mustered in and is on his way to Washington. 8x11, 2 pp pencil. Talks of getting overcoat, equipment and guns.
Letter 8: undated partial letter (no cover) from Orlando Chamberlin. 5x7, 2 pp pencil. “I shall stick to the stripes and stars as long as I live but I hope the rebels be subdued before long”. “…we must crush treason that is what we come for now”.
Letters 9 & 10 are pre war and post war letters.
1858 8x11, 2pp ink
1880 5x7 1.5 pp ink
Any questions just ask.