Beschreibung:

Lot of 56 letters (35 war-date) from the Hosford family of Connecticut. Thirty five of the letters are from Benjamin Franklin Hosford and William Addison Hosford, dating from April 30, 1861-April 7, 1865, to family members, especially their mother, concerning their service in the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery during the Civil War. The archive contains 17 letters from Benjamin F. Hosford, all but one to his mother Sophia Hosford, concerning his Civil War activities. Benjamin Franklin Hosford (1835-1864) was born in Williamstown, MA, the seventh child of Arad (1795-1859) and Sophia Bardwell Hosford (1802-1872). He enlisted at New Haven, CT in April 1861. He was mustered into service in Company D, 19th Connecticut Volunteers (renamed the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery) and served until he was shot in the head and killed on October 19, 1864 at the Battle of Cedar Creek in Virginia. His earliest letter is from New Haven, CT, on April 30, 1861, informing his mother that he and his younger brother Charles Lyman Hosford (1839-1927) have both enlisted in the Winsted Rifle Company [2nd Connecticut Volunteer Infantry], and are now quartered in this city waiting further orders....It does not seem now that we will have to face the enemy at all, but if we do, I am ready to "pitch in." On May 20, Hosford wrote his mother from Washington, DC, and reported that he arrived in the nation's capital on May 14. We have been very busy since in fixing up our camp grounds....We do not contemplate any fighting within the time for which we enlisted [three months], although we are all mighty anxious to step over into Virginia, and "clean out" a few encampments of secessionists, who are already in sight of us on the oposite [sic] banks of the Potomac river. By early June, Hosford's regiment was still in Washington. In a June 5 letter to his mother, he wrote that Our boys are all healthy, and itching to have a scrape with the Southern devils. Two of Hosford's letters home describe his time back in Connecticut after his three month's service ended. It appears that he looked for employment before re-enlisting in the service with the 19th Connecticut Infantry sometime in September 1862. By October 1 Hosford was in camp in Alexandria, VA, and told his mother that we have a double duty to do now, viz. guarding the City of Alexandria & drilling every ½ day besides. I am on Patrol duty every other night in the city and as often as every 3d day besides. Later that month Hosford was afflicted with bilious fever, which he referred to in a December 4 letter to his sister. I certainly have had a long, hard time of it with the Bilious fever. It will be six weeks tomorrow since I was taken down and I am not well enough to go into camp yet. I was taken by the Surgeon to a private boarding house in town...where I have received the best of care all for 4 dollars per week, which is considered very cheap here. The fact is, this is about the only Union family in the city, they are northern folks. The Secesh people charge from 7 to 10 dollars per week for board, and there are lots of sick officers of the army here who are obliged to pay 10 dollars a week for a place to stay, and poor at that. Hosford had recovered from his illness by the beginning of 1863 and was stationed in Fort Worth, near Alexandria, VA, which was part of the defenses of Washington, DC. By the fall of 1863 and winter of 1864, Hosford was working as an army recruiter in a Conscript Camp at Fair Haven, CT. In an October 1 letter to his mother, Hosford described his duties at the camp. My duty at present is to inspect all the conscripts as they come in, to see that they have none but Government clothes, etc., etc. He was back at Fort Worth by the beginning of 1864. On January 29, 1865, Hosford wrote his mother that the Confederate forces were deserting in large numbers and that Lee's army was on its last legs. A great many Rebels come into our lines & give themselves up every day & I believe Genl. Lee's Ar