Mystery letter

[ranger326]

I recently found this paper (one sheet, front and back) while looking through an old ledger that apparently belonged to my gggrandfather. His name was Samuel Saylor, jr. He, and his son, Andrew Jackson Saylor enlisted into the 133rd PA.

I do not know who wrote this. I question whether it was Andrew because I know he was wounded at Fredericksburg (the narrative never mentions the engagement only that they marched there) and he was sent to Point Lookout for the duration of his service. To the best of my knowledge, all the locations of the "marches" are correct and in the correct order (a few I cannot make out). One puzzler is that the year looks like it is written "1863" but they were in service in 1862. Maybe the writer just meant that he was writing this a year later?

My best guess is that it was written by either Samuel or Andrew as "record keeping". The writer mentions money so I wonder if this has anything to do with bounty or pension.

Thoughts?

d

 

[James N.]

This is a bit hard on my 68-year-old eyes; maybe it would help if you transcribed it.

 

[dlofting]

I read the marches as:

Washington to Arlington
Arlington to Alexandria
Alexandria to Fairfax Seminary
Fairfax Seminary to Sharpsburg
Sharpsburg to Snickers Gap
Snickers Gap to Washington
Washington to Falmouth
Falmouth to Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg to Falmouth
Falmouth to Chancellorsville
Chancellorsville to Falmouth......and from there we left for home.

This fits with the record of the 133rd PA in the NPS Soldiers and Sailors Database. The unit mustered out on May 26, 1863......hence the 1863 date on the first page.

I can make out a lot of the words on the second page, but the sentences don't seem to make sense to me.....must be reading something incorrectly.

 

[dlofting]

Here's what I think the first four lines on the second page are:

I went into the army something for to learn

Did not gain to the army any money for to earn

But I will tell you something friends that you should better do

Looks to me like the start of a poem or limerick.

 

[ranger326]

Thanks guys!
Your fresh eyes work wonders!

FYI. Andrew would have been 17 when he wrote this (assuming he wrote it). In February of 1864, Andrew would enlist in the 22nd PA cavalry.

 

[Northern Light]

Here's what I think the first four lines on the second page are:

I went into the army something for to learn

Did not gain to the army any money for to earn

But I will tell you something friends that you should better do

Looks to me like the start of a poem or limerick.

Or the words to a song?

 

[Northern Light]

I wonder if he was listing his service, towards getting a pension because he had been wounded. Just throwing that out there!

 

[rosefiend]

I liked the tiny "This is true" written at the bottom of the first page.

The second page reminded me of my g'g'g'grandpa's ledger, in which he kept track of the days he worked and the number of loads ("lods") of wood he collected. (He made charcoal when he lived in Pittsfield, Massachusetts -- nickname was "Coaly" Smith). But your ancestor had better handwriting than mine.

 

[E_just_E]

I think that it was Samuel who wrote this. The last part (darker ink with the date 1866) mentions that it was work performed by Samuel. The handwriting in the first part is the same.

 

[ranger326]

They all seemed to have nice handwriting back then. I think the type pen had something to do with it. They certainly practiced it more than most people today.

I appreciate all the ideas and the fact that you folks took time out to respond.
I plan to transcribe the ledger in the near future. Maybe something else will turn up.

Just another aside, the letter makes a notation, "Andrew J Saylor is married."
Andrew was married in January of 1866.

Regards to all,
d