Dated “Camp Tiler Oct 28^th / 62. Cover address: “Mr. Joshua Rider / Burtonville / Mont../ NY…w/Three cent stamp, postmarked “Chicago / Ill / Oct 28.” Letter address: Friend Joshua3 pp. in ink on line paper, 5 x 8”. Exhibits fold-marks, Else VG.

Schuyler Gordon enlisted at age 19 as a private and was mustered into Co. “D”, 115^th New York Infantry, 8/16/1862. He was captured at Harper’s Ferry, later paroled, and was later WIA at Strawberry Plains, VA, 8/14/1864, and also at some point promoted to Sergeant. Mustered out with his regiment, 5/18/1865.

Gordon’s 115th New York was mustered in August 1862, and immediately upon entering service was captured with the Harper’s Ferry garrison by forces of Stonewall Jackson in route to Antietam in mid-September 1862, and paroled to Chicago’s Camp Douglas. Returning to service in November, the unit was dispatched to the southeastern theater where it saw heavy action at the Battle of Olustee [FL]. The spring of 1864 found it attached to the Army of the James and engaged at Bermuda Hundred, Drury’s Bluff and Cold Harbor, before joining the Ft. Fisher expedition and eventually joining Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign to the close of the war. During service the 115th lost 135 killed and mortally wounded and 188 by disease for a total of 323, and was listed among “Fox’s Fighting 300” regiments.

In this letter Private Gordon write of sickness within the regiment and camp life in general while on parole in Chicago. As Follows;

“…It has been quite cold here for the 7 or 8 days But this morning it is warmer. Asa is verry sic k and so is Edward Kellog. The Rest of us are all well. Sam is as tiff as a Bear. Alf has got the mumps but is getting over them. The Boys that went home has got back. I knot know what will do with them . And order was Read to the Regt. that some of company___ and others would be court martialed The 29^th. We have pretty Easy times and Good living just now and I can just right up beat any women in Charleston…

All the talk here this morning and yesterday that we are a comming to Fonda I don’t know what to think about it and Don’t care much. We are comfortable here and I have no fault to find. Rod is the same old Coon. Nick and me is agoing down to Chicago on a pass. We are as happy as Clams and Enjoying ourselves the soldiers life suits me verry well..”

Solid camp letter of a 115^th New York enjoying his last carefree days on captive “parole” before his regiment heads back into the war.   [JP]  [ph:L]

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