This four page letter in ink was written from Falmouth, Va. On February 16^th, 1863. In the first part of the letter, Eugene does a lot of sweet talk to his girlfriend Georgia… unfortunately, Dunham would be killed in July that year at the battle of Gettysburg and never be able to marry his sweetheart.

Dunham was 23 years old when he enlisted as a 1^st Sergeant at Albany, NY on 8/8/61. On 8/30/61 he was mustered into Co. D, 44^th New York Infantry. Promoted to 2^nd Lieut. on 8/19/62, and to 1^st Lieut. on 4/16/63. He was killed in action in the fighting on Little Round Top on July 2, 1863 at Gettysburg, being struck in the face by a Minie ball. He is buried in Hamilton Center Cemetery in Hamilton, Monroe County, NY.

THE FLAG OF THE 44^TH NEW YORK WAS DECIMATED AT THE BATTLES OF FREDERICKSBURG AND 2^ND BULL RUN. IT WAS SENT TO THE STATE HOUSE IN ALBANY, NEW YORK TO BE PLACED ON DISPLAY. IN THIS LETTER, EUGENE DESCRIBES THE PRESENTATION OF THEIR BEAUTIFUL NEW 44^TH NEW YORK FLAG.

“Did I tell you about our new flag? It was to have been presented to the Regt. by General Butterfield, but he was away that day & the presentation was made by Gen. Griffin. He closed an appropriate speech by saying “Soldiers of the 44^th I have but one thing to say to you, stand by this flag as you stood by the old one & the country can ask no more of you.” It is the most beautiful flag I have seen in the field of the finest silks. The stars are not sewed on but worked into the blue. The spear head of the staff is silver. As a Regt. The 44^th has stood by its colors in every fight. It has never forsaken them. Where the flag went the Regt. followed.”

Here are some interesting portions of the letter:

• “It is hard to see brothers fall, awful to see comrades slaughtered. I said to myself when in the combat at Fredericksburg, “My God! If this is war deliver me!” I thought & seriously too for sometime after that there was no use in struggling any longer. A feeling will come over the soldier often a defeat that he cannot shake off, a feeling of dread & discouragement. It will wear away perhaps by degrees but very slowly an encouraging letter from some dear friend at home. A word of kindness, a word of sympathy, a patriotic thought. Be it ever so brief, from one we can trust & respect & love at home revives the spirit, brings back the determination does much towards driving away that dread… They turn my thoughts from brooding over our hardships & misfortunes into the right channel & I think again of the rectitude of our course & resolve anew that I will stand by it still.”
• “I know that someone must fight, someone must fall, or anarchy will come down on us like night & the world’s best hope of liberty will go out with the destruction of this Republic.”
• “Col. Conner’s wound was not dangerous. It was in his right arm. A Minnie ball passed through it at the elbow breaking both bones. By the best of care he has just saved it from amputation & that is all. It will never be of much use to him again… He said he attended the reception of McClellan in Boston a few days ago & had the pleasure of shaking him by the hand once more. The General as usual spoke in high terms of the 44^th.”
• I well recollect what a time I had one New Year’s Day five or six years ago & that puts me in mind of what one of my men said last New Year’s. We were on a Reconnaissance to Richards Ford on the Rappahannock that day. The first Brigade had crossed & we were lying on this side with orders to cross if we heard any firing in the advance. At one time we heard two or three guns & fell into line ready to start. The water was between two or three feet deep & very cold. Just then one of the men gets up & says, “If you please gentlemen, I’ll be excused as I generally go skating New Year’s instead of swimming.” It turned out that we did not do either that day, but if you like skating as well as I do you never will regret learning.
• ”As a Regt. the 44^th has stood by its colors in every fight… some of its members leave failed to stand by it & have barely left it to its fate. Apparently not caring whether it was borne aloft to victory or draggled in the dust by traitor’s hands & one of those was a representative of the town of Hamilton & an old schoolmate of mine, Crunston. He has not been with the Regt. in six months when last heard from he was doing guard duty in Portsmouth, R.I.. about the 15^th of June he was ordered to report here for duty by the 1^st of Feb. or he would be considered a deserter. He did not comply. We gave him 15 days grace. Yesterday he was dropped from the rolls as a deserter. He is not alone. There were nine from Company D in his same situation & were dropped with him.”
• “The 9^th Army Corps has gone to the Peninsula & the report is that two others will follow soon. The general impression is that the Army of the Potomac will be divided & sent to different points some South & West.”

While the letter is only signed “Eugene” (it was just a little too formal to write you whole name to your sweetheart), there was only one “Eugene” in the 44^th New York. Condition of the letter is very fine, written in nice dark ink.

Transcription:

Camp near Falmouth, Va.

Feb 16, 1863

My Dear Friend Georgia,

We returned to camp last night after a three days tour of Picket duty. The order today is “rest.” I have concluded that I could enjoy my rest in no other way so well as in writing to you. For though I sometimes feel incompetent to the task & sometimes have to do it hastily, yet it is always a pleasure, always a source of enjoyment. Your last letter came in good time & has been read & reread with that pleasure which only I can feel in reading only your letters. What noble thoughts! What words of encouragement it contained. I reproached myself immediately forever harboring for a moment – one discouraging thought or faltering an instant in that determination to struggle on to the end. It is hard to see brothers fall, awful to see comrades slaughtered. I said to myself when in the combat at Fredericksburg, “My God! If this is war deliver me!” I thought & seriously too for sometime after that there was no use in struggling any longer. A feeling will come over the soldier often a defeat that he cannot shake off, a feeling of dread & discouragement. It will wear away perhaps by degrees but very slowly an encouraging letter from some dear friend at home. A word of kindness, a word of sympathy, a patriotic thought. Be it ever so brief, from one we can trust & respect & love at home revives that spirit, brings back the determination does much towards driving away that dread. Such words such thoughts I find in your letter. They turn my thoughts from brooding over our hardships & misfortunes into the right channel & I think again of the rectitude of our course & resolve anew that I will stand by it still. I know that someone must fight, someone must fall, or anarchy will come down on us like night & the world’s best hope of liberty will go out with the destruction of this Republic. Accept my many thanks Dear Georgia for those kind words. I will treasure them up with many others you have said to me & still work on. We will look at the bright side, hoping, trusting that there dark hours will be followed by others “bright & glorious.”

Col. Conner’s wound was not dangerous. It was in his right arm. A Minnie ball passed through it at the elbow breaking both bones. By the best of care he has just saved it last night. The letter was written by his sister for he can’t use his hand at all yet. The wound was healing slowly & he was quite contented at his native home in Exeter, N.H. He said he attended the reception of McClellan in Boston a few days ago & had the pleasure of shaking him by the hand once more. The General as usual spoke in high terms of the 44^th. And that “Oad, Oh My! What an apostrophe to the genius of Hiram! In the language of its three first words, I think it “magnificent beautiful & splendorous.” The handwriting is strangely like his or I could hardly believe him the Author. Say Georgia how has he been since December 18^th 18 hundred & sixty 2, has he not been sick?  Is he well now? If his certainly bound to stand on “friend hill Whair Old Bouyfart stood” if he don’t in the end become a “herow.” To be sure he occasionally spells a word wrong but for all that I am proud of him & Georgia. I think his “case” worth “konsidering.” If that is a fair sample of the literature of your write societies you must all “laugh & grow fat” over them.

So you have become a skater too! Surely the world moves I should like to see you on skates. I don’t know but it was because the idea had never entered my head but I did laugh when you said “I have learned to skate.” I never saw a woman on skates yet, but I know I am behind the times. It used to be a favorite amusement with me. I well recollect what a time I had one New Year’s day five or six years ago & that puts me in mind of what one of Rappahannock that day. The first Brigade had crossed & we were lying on this side with orders to cross if we heard any firing in the advance. At one time we heard two or three guns & fell into line ready to start. The water was between two or three feet deep & very cold. Just then one of the men gets up & says, “If you please gentlemen I’ll be excused as I generally go skating New Years instead of swimming.” It turned out that we did not do either that day, but if you like skating as well as I do you never will regret learning. Success to your efforts but I can’t help thinking how queer you would look on skates. Did I tell you about our new flag? It was to have been presented to the Regt. by General Butterfield, but he was away that day & the presentation was made by Gen. Griffin. He closed an appropriate speech by saying “Soldiers of the 44^th I have but one thing to say to you, stand by this flag as you stood by the old one & the country can ask no more of you.” It is the most beautiful flag I have seen in the field of the finest silks. The stars are not sewed on but worked into the blue. The spear head of the staff is silver. As a Regt. the 44^th has stood by its colors in every fight. It has never forsaken them. Where the flag went the Regt. followed. But some of its members leave failed to stand by it & have barely left it to its fate. Apparently not caring whether it was borne aloft to victory or draggled in the dust by traitor’s hands & one of those was a representative of the town of Hamilton & an old schoolmate of mine, Crunston. He has not been with the Regt. in six months when last heard from he was doing guard duty in Portsmouth, R.I. About the 15^th of June he was ordered to report here for duty by the 1^st of Feb. or he would be considered a deserter. He did not comply. We gave him 15 days grace. Yesterday he was dropped from the rolls as a deserter. He is not alone. There were nine from Company D in his same situation & were gone to the Peninsula & the report is that two others will follow soon. The general impression is that the Army of the Potomac will be divided & sent to different points some South & some West.

Well I haven’t heard from home in an unusual long time. Ellen & Helen are getting negligent. Hy owes me a letter but perhaps he is busy writing “Oads” & will have to be excused. Poor Hy! I don’t wonder he is “agitated about the hart & hed” especially the “hed.”

The two papers you sent came in due time, thanks for them too. I was glad to hear your health was better, your school must be nearly out now. I know very well how teachers feel when the end of the time draws near after being shut up all winter. You have had a long trial & I believe were I in your place I would take a short vacation now. Say from March to October anyway. & then if my health was not good from October to March again.

Well Georgia I have run against the end of my sheet so for a time I will say to you good bye. Remember me to Rosella & believe me your friend,

Eugene

Letter is accompanied by a brief amount of research material including a Xeroxed copy of a printed version of the letter sent to Dunham’s father after his death; and a typewritten transcription of Eugene’s letter.  [mi s,ld]

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