Dated “Hilton Head S.C / Sept. 28^th, 1863. Addressed to “Dear Cousin.” 4 pp. in ink on unlined paper, 5” x 8. Exhibits fold-marks, and slight fading, else VG, and entirely legible.

Seely Conover was a 21 year old private mustered into Co. “B,” 115^th New York Infantry, 8/11/1862. He was listed as POW, captured at Harper’s Ferry, 9/15//1862, paroled the next day. Later promoted to Corporal, 10/11/1862, he was wounded at Deep Bottom, VA. on 8/16/64, and once again a POW, was exchanged 11/12/1864, returning to his regiment 3/14/1865, and was mustered out of service 6/17/1865.

Conover’s 115th New York was mustered in August 1862, and immediately on entering service found itself captured with the Harper’s Ferry garrison by forces of Stonewall Jackson in route to Antietam in mid-September 1862, and paroled to Camp Douglas, at Chicago. Returning to service in November, the unit was dispatched to the southeastern theater where it saw action at the Battle of Olustee [FL]. The spring of 1864 found the 115th 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 participating in Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign to the close of the war. During service it lost 135 killed and mortally wounded and 188 by disease for a total of 323, and was listed as one of “Fox’s Fighting 300” regiments.

In this letter Conover discusses the health of various regimental soldiers and writes blisteringly of the draft and his attitude toward all malingering boys at home, along with tidbits well as his paymaster clerking job at the “Head” [Hilton Head]. As Follows:

“The draft has caused quite a commotion at the North. It seems perhaps thousands who ought to come and aid their struggling brethren in the field are paying their Three Hundred leaving their friends, fathers, brothers to fight toil and die on a field where thousands have already fallen noble sacrifices to a holy cause. In after years when the gratitude of a nation shall embalm their memories then can they think yea they were in sore trouble and helped them not. They implored my aid but I turned from them and paid the bounty of cowardice rather than lend a ready hand. And heart to stay his very life blood.

O think not that I willingly upbraid them. Many no doubt there are who no doubt would experience great hardship in coming but they no not a little of the hardships of men who left their families months ago. They left wives as dear to them and children as sweet as any that remain. They have been separated from them a long long time and their nearest yearn for one more embrace but alas! No one is willing to brave the hardships they have already undergone but would rather see them doubled nay trebled ere they would say “courage” brother I come to help with augmented strength. We must conquer then we can return to our wives and children and parents and friends much quicker.

And what think you the feeling of the soldiers in the field toward their brave men at home? I will not attempt a description as I should utterly fail. But enough of this. We think that if women had a chance to enlist the ranks battle scarred veterans would soon be filled.

I am still in the office of the Chief Paymaster here at the Head and shall most likely stay as long as as long as the Reg. stays in the Department. I have as much as I can do all the day and sometimes part of the night. I like the place very well…

I would tell you some thing of Morris Island and the war here generally but you are entirely ahead of us and know things there long before they happened here. For instance a northern daily paper says we have half of James Island which we have not got yet but expect to have in weeks. Do you see how useless it is for me to attempt to give you any new from here. I will send you a picture Frank and I had taken some time ago.

Fine letter from a 115^th New York paymaster venting his feelings over the draft and reluctant-to-serve civilians at home. In protective sleeve.  [JP]  [ph:L]

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