Tillotson, George W. (fl. 1830-1918) To his wife
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC04558.032 Author/Creator: Tillotson, George W. (fl. 1830-1918) Place Written: Camp Dickinson, Roanoke Island, North Carolina Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 19 July 1862 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20 x 12.5 cm. Order a Copy
Still in hospital. Family: "...how I do wish Dear Lib that I was at home to share your troubles, anxiety, sorrows, and to relieve you in some of your phisical [sic] labors.... How I tremble to think how near Georgiana also had been to the brink of the grave." Recounting his own problems with typhoid, increasing health, lack of news from regiment.
Tillotson was thirty-one years old when he enlisted as a corporal on November 5, 1861. He mustered in H company of the NY 89th infantry or Dickinson Guards and later promoted to Sergeant. He was discharged on December 18, 1864.
[draft]
Camp Dickinson Roanoke
Island July 19th 1862
Dear Wife
I have just received your letter of July 5th,, I should have got it the other day but our captain and several others neglected to send the mail down to those of their companies that remained here so that there were only three Co's got mail. Oh! how I do wish Dear Lib that I was at home to share your troubles, anxiety, sorrows, and to relieve you in some of your phisical labors, though anxiety and sorrow for our loss and our danger to loose I feel acute enough here. How I tremble to think how near Georgiana also has been to the brink of the grave. You scold me a little because [2] I did not give the particulars of my sickness. The fact is I dont know many of them of my own knowledge for there is between two and three weeks lost time to me that I know nothing about. They say I was crazy but I could'nt have told. I have had typhoid fever and a hard run at that. I think I shall get right along now. I had lost lost flesh all the while til I wrote you last three days ago, since while time I have gained a pound a day. The regiment is still at Norfolk. Some of the have got letters from the boys there they say that they [inserted: are] haveing a bully time there that they can get anything that want cheap, [3] and that they can get the dayly papers every day, but it is different here, for I have not heard a word of war news that is from Richmond since sometime before the regiment left, I should like to know what is going on, but I suppose I shall here sometime. I dont think that the regiment will ever come back here but that we shall be sent for to pack up, all that is left and come, to join them. I hope it may be so for I should like to get off of this island of sand wood-ticks and fleas once more. The mail is going out this afternoon so I must close to be in time. Write. Take care of your own [4] health while you are so overtasked takeing care of the children. May Heaven protect them and you.
Yours ever,
George W. Tillotson
P.S. I had to borrow a stamp [strikeout] from Dan he had it suck onto an envelope as you could guess. Dan has left the hospital
George
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.