Lucy Curtiss, Warren, Conn., July 2, 1863
Title
Lucy Curtiss, Warren, Conn., July 2, 1863
Subject
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Sources
United States. Army. Connecticut Artillery Regiment, 2nd (1863-1865)
Description
Lucy Curtiss writes to her brother Homer of the false newspaper report that his regiment had been mustered out of service and that he would return home, preparations for the Fourth of July holiday, and family news.
Date
1863-07-02
Text
Warren Conn. Sunday
July 2nd 1863
Dear Homer
If you saw last Tuesdays
Tribunal you will not wonder that we
have not written to you since then
When we read that the 2nd Conn Vol.
Heavy Art. Were mustered out of U.S.
service & started for home yesterday “ie.
Monday, June 26 – I had no more doubt
that you would be home within a week
than I have now that you are not
here – I never will believe a news-
paper report again. Our Daily stopped
coming the next day after it perpetrated
that fattest, blackest lie of the season
and I for one was glad of it for
such a falsifying journal is a
nuissance in the family + “a
disgrace to any people”.
All preparations for The Fourth were
postponed till the last moment,
waiting for the soldiers to come home
+ take part in planning - + I guess
finally nothing will be done, but a
few who feel like celebrating will go
to Litchfield where great things are to
[page 2]
be done. Charlie Marsh came here
last Thursday + invited me to go with
him. You have heard that “by patience
+ perseverance the rat ate through
the cable”. I was not engaged +
accepted Charlies invitation with
a great laugh in my sleeve to think
how persistent he had been. + I
presume his sleeve was also full
thinking how he had got me to do
what he knew I did not wish to.
If you mean to boat ride or
romance around a great deal
in any way with Aggie you
will have to hurry home + then
work with energy + skill for
a certain naval officer in our
midst seems to be making the
most of his “Leave” by absorbing
the time + attention of that
lovely miss – They are as chipper as
two kittens. It seems to be quite
a new phase in Augustines
character which we see developing
from day to day – so I thought
I would mention it.
Thomas Carter & family, including
Sarah Sturtevant arrived in town
last Thursday, while we girls were
[page 3]
visiting with Mrs Tallmadge, by
Invitation. Sarah is a good girl
+ I am glad to see her back again,
her three years which she was to
spend West has not been quite
so long as yours in l’armi, for
she left Conn. a month after you
+ returns, I fear, as much as a month
first – Miss Pattie Van Vleck (né Carter)
is also in town, + Silia
Charrie, Flora & Miss Coleman are
expected tonight. So you see you
soldiers are about the last of our
company to come in. If you do
not make your appearance
pretty soon you will be reported
“Absent without leave”. Eunice
will not be here till the first
of August. We have, of late
been cultivating the acquaintance
of Miss Hungerford, or Phebe
as she wishes us to call her,
For once I think my first impres-
sion was correct she is all my fancy
painted her but I take to my self
no great credit for penetration
for she is so open hearted that
any one could see at this first
interaction, just what she was –
in quality- I mean not quantity
[page 4]
as you can judge of a piece of
goods by the sample which hangs
out of the paper, I like her
better every time I see her. The
deeper I go the richer the mine
but always the same metal I
expect to find- no veins of
an inferior quality - yet - - -
I don’t think you would like
her at all, she is not your style
Yes you would too, you could
not help liking her she is so good
but you would as soon think
flirting with a psalm book
not that she is troubled with
Ed. Stones disease, far from
It. She is fat + jolly but she
has the soundest common
sense I ever saw displayed in
one of her age, 23 years. There,
now come home + tell me
I have gone into ecstacies over
a very common place school marm
It is Monday morning now
as cool + calm + bright as the day
Herbert wrote of long ago. I
am writing with my sleeves
rolled up, ready at a moments
warning to plunge into the
wash tub & scrub away like
any think. We found a soldiers blanket
under your bed after you left home + we
washed it up. Was it yours? Leucie [Lucy]
July 2nd 1863
Dear Homer
If you saw last Tuesdays
Tribunal you will not wonder that we
have not written to you since then
When we read that the 2nd Conn Vol.
Heavy Art. Were mustered out of U.S.
service & started for home yesterday “ie.
Monday, June 26 – I had no more doubt
that you would be home within a week
than I have now that you are not
here – I never will believe a news-
paper report again. Our Daily stopped
coming the next day after it perpetrated
that fattest, blackest lie of the season
and I for one was glad of it for
such a falsifying journal is a
nuissance in the family + “a
disgrace to any people”.
All preparations for The Fourth were
postponed till the last moment,
waiting for the soldiers to come home
+ take part in planning - + I guess
finally nothing will be done, but a
few who feel like celebrating will go
to Litchfield where great things are to
[page 2]
be done. Charlie Marsh came here
last Thursday + invited me to go with
him. You have heard that “by patience
+ perseverance the rat ate through
the cable”. I was not engaged +
accepted Charlies invitation with
a great laugh in my sleeve to think
how persistent he had been. + I
presume his sleeve was also full
thinking how he had got me to do
what he knew I did not wish to.
If you mean to boat ride or
romance around a great deal
in any way with Aggie you
will have to hurry home + then
work with energy + skill for
a certain naval officer in our
midst seems to be making the
most of his “Leave” by absorbing
the time + attention of that
lovely miss – They are as chipper as
two kittens. It seems to be quite
a new phase in Augustines
character which we see developing
from day to day – so I thought
I would mention it.
Thomas Carter & family, including
Sarah Sturtevant arrived in town
last Thursday, while we girls were
[page 3]
visiting with Mrs Tallmadge, by
Invitation. Sarah is a good girl
+ I am glad to see her back again,
her three years which she was to
spend West has not been quite
so long as yours in l’armi, for
she left Conn. a month after you
+ returns, I fear, as much as a month
first – Miss Pattie Van Vleck (né Carter)
is also in town, + Silia
Charrie, Flora & Miss Coleman are
expected tonight. So you see you
soldiers are about the last of our
company to come in. If you do
not make your appearance
pretty soon you will be reported
“Absent without leave”. Eunice
will not be here till the first
of August. We have, of late
been cultivating the acquaintance
of Miss Hungerford, or Phebe
as she wishes us to call her,
For once I think my first impres-
sion was correct she is all my fancy
painted her but I take to my self
no great credit for penetration
for she is so open hearted that
any one could see at this first
interaction, just what she was –
in quality- I mean not quantity
[page 4]
as you can judge of a piece of
goods by the sample which hangs
out of the paper, I like her
better every time I see her. The
deeper I go the richer the mine
but always the same metal I
expect to find- no veins of
an inferior quality - yet - - -
I don’t think you would like
her at all, she is not your style
Yes you would too, you could
not help liking her she is so good
but you would as soon think
flirting with a psalm book
not that she is troubled with
Ed. Stones disease, far from
It. She is fat + jolly but she
has the soundest common
sense I ever saw displayed in
one of her age, 23 years. There,
now come home + tell me
I have gone into ecstacies over
a very common place school marm
It is Monday morning now
as cool + calm + bright as the day
Herbert wrote of long ago. I
am writing with my sleeves
rolled up, ready at a moments
warning to plunge into the
wash tub & scrub away like
any think. We found a soldiers blanket
under your bed after you left home + we
washed it up. Was it yours? Leucie [Lucy]
Original Format
ALS
Files
Citation
“Lucy Curtiss, Warren, Conn., July 2, 1863,” Linda Lear Center Digital Collections and Exhibitions, accessed April 18, 2024, https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/1735.