1865 Union Soldier's Letter Private Jerome Bliss, 97th New York

  

1865 Union Soldier's Letter - Private Jerome Bliss, 97. Offered for your consideration is a wounded Union soldier's letter, penned from a hospital in Pennsylvania. The paper bears a pre-printed header of the U. / Christian Commission , with a religious sentiment immediately below. The letter was written from Germantown, Philladelphia, P, a / Cuyler, Hospital, Ward, A, / March 14.

1865 " and is addressed to " Friend Pete. & we got to philladelphia about 9 a clock that night we staid to the Cittazen hospital all night & the next morning they sent some ambulances for us & brought us up here. It is a pleasant place here but I don't like it as well as I did in Baltimore. They are two track for the street cars from philladelphia up here & they are street cars running up here all of the time I got a 6 hour pass yesterday & went out & got something to drink & done a little trading & had some pictures taken, but oh how it made me sweat to go on crutches, my wound is not as well as it was before I left Baltimore they onely dress it twice a day with cold water & when the rags get dry it hurts like hell they dressed it with different stuff in Baltimore.. Apparently, the recipient of the letter was a fellow soldier, as this letter concludes with the statement that ".

I see in yesterdays paper that general grant had ordered a forwar moovement of the army of the Potomac I hope iff you do have to go in another fight that you will be victorious & get old leese army on a skedaddle. The letter was written by " Jerome E Bliss " and it is signed accordingly, with his address listed as in the header. An interesting letter from a wounded soldier, penned near the close of the war. Additional research may identify the recipient, as he appears to be a member of the same company and regiment.

Records indicate that Jerome Bliss was 20 years old when he enlisted on November 6, 1861 at Emmonsburg, New York. He was mustered in as a private in Company F, 97. New York Infantry "Conklin Rifles" on November 11, 1861. He re-enlisted on February 10, 1864.

He was wounded on February 7, 1865 at Hatcher's Run, Virginia. He was discharged at Alexandria, Virginia, on June 14, 1865. The presently offered item exhibits signs of expected period use, followed by many years of reasonably good storage.

Toning is noted across the entire surface, imparting to the paper an off-white to tan hue. This toning is somewhat darker at the edges and along the expect postal folds. Several stains are scattered throughout the piece, though only a couple significantly affect the overall eye appeal.

The aforementioned postal folds have adversely affected the integrity of the paper in many areas, with several weakened sections and small holes at the junctions. There is also minor paper loss at the edges associated with these folds. Some fading to the text is mentioned for accuracy, though the principal difficulty in reading the letter is the penmanship and spelling of the writer (he was obviously not the company clerk). Additionally, the author has used all of the paper, writing sideways and inverted at the top. Measuring approximately 5 x 7?

Inches when closed and 7? X 10 inches when laid flat, this interesting letter could benefit from further research. It would look nice displayed with a period illustration of Cuyler Hospital.

Any additional questions regarding condition should be addressed before purchasing. If you have any questions regarding this item, please ask before purchasing. He has contributed to numerous reference books within the industry, as well as being a co-author of The Comprehensive Catalog and History of Confederate Bonds, 2. He is an authorized submitter to NGC, PCGS, and PMG, a diamond founding member of Coin Dealers Helping Coin Dealers and a supporter of the Industry Council for Tangible Assets. American Coins and Collectibles can be found at many of the state and local coin shows.