Letters

The handwritten letter, a lost form of communication in today's society, served as a soldier's primary connection to his home life. The letters received from and written to his wife Phebe, allowed him to briefly forget his situation and converse with the one he loved the most, as "though I were close by your side." He filled every space on the sheets, even writing sideways and upside down, and rarely left any blank space. Woodworth wrote on any kind of paper available, including company stationary (which he found too small and expensive), large sheets, small sheets and scraps. He wrote letters in every possible situation. In fixed winter camps during lulls in duty, he promised to write every other day and Sunday. In these letters he described his appearance, living arrangements, the food he ate, and the condition of the Seneca boys. He also gave his opinion on military strategy, most notably his vehement protests against the removal of McClellan in November 1862. Although he liked "Mac" as a commander, and in the end preferred him to Burnside, he objected most to the timing of McClellan's removal, which occurred in the midst of a campaign that Woodworth and other soldiers viewed as a success in progress. He gave news of the other Varick soldiers, asked questions, gave advice, made attestations of love toward his family, and professed his religious faith. These letters typically written in ink and in fine penmanship, illustrate the importance soldiers placed upon them. ⁽¹⁾

Not all letters were written from the relative comfort of a fixed camp. Woodworth also wrote letters while on picket duty, in bivouac (temporary camps normally used for a single night's rest), on short rests during marches, on construction details, and occasionally even on the battlefield. These letters, often hastily written in pencil and often on the smaller sheets of papers, served primarily to inform his wife of his safety, and make one final attestation of love in case he fell in battle.

Soldiers prized the letters that they received. Woodworth kept all the letters he received, and sent them home in packages to preserve them for the future. He sent the letters home when the load got too heavy, or when one of the soldiers received a furlough and it became convenient. His wife sometimes doubted that he appreciated her letters, or that he found them uninteresting. But he asked her to write every detail, every occurrence, as much as possible, and that "my greatest pleasure is derived from reading letters from you." He fought for his family and their prosperity, and the letters from home served the function of maintaining the contact with his source of motivation. ⁽²⁾

1. Woodworth Papers, James Woodworth to Phebe Woodworth, November 13, 1862, November 27-28, 1862, December 19, 1862, Fenruary 26, 1863.

2. Woodworth Papers, James Woodworth to Phebe Woodworth, December 10, 1862, March 15, 1863, March 17, 1863, April 22, 1863.

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