George Sealy to his sister Mary Ann Sealy Woodward written December 9, 1862 from Oxford, Lafayette County, Mississippi.
Title
George Sealy to his sister Mary Ann Sealy Woodward written December 9, 1862 from Oxford, Lafayette County, Mississippi.
Description
George A. Sealy was born in the town Castle Cary, Somersetshire, England, May 11, 1841 to Richard Sealy (born c. 1804 in South Welton, England) and Maria Louisa Champion Sealy (born c. 1803 in Wells, England). His family (including 2 brothers & 1 sister) moved to Rochester, New York around 1843. They later moved to Geneva, NY and final settled in Rockford, IL in 1855. He and his 2 brothers served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. George (along with brother Robert) served in Company G, 45th Illinois Volunteers. He enlisted September 17, 1861 as a private and was later promoted to sergeant by his brother Robert. He was involved in both the siege and the occupation of Vicksburg, and was mustered out July 12, 1865. He married twice. His first wife was Jennie A. Paxson, who died of consumption at age 33 May 4, 1876. His second wife was Fannie E. Zimmerman (died in 1908), whom he married August 5, 1877 in Winnebago County. After the war, George worked for Emerson, Talcott and Co. in Rockford, acting as their superintendent. Upon leaving Talcott Emerson in 1896 he spent a short while working for Henry Sears Cutlery in Chicago before retiring the next year and moving to San Jose, CA. It was there he passed in November 15, 1909 suddenly, while dancing at a social gathering.
Creator
George Sealy
Date
December 9, 1862
Rights
Midway Village Museum
Format
jpeg
pdf
Identifier
2013.70.73
Text
2013.70.73
Oxford Lafaette Co
Mississippi Dec 9/1862
Dearest Sister
I received yours of 30th day before yesterday and also one from [Seill] at the same time and received one from her the day before that so you see that she is writing to me very often and I am glad of it for as you say we are very glad to receve [sic] letters from home and as often as posable [sic] I had not received one for some time before as we have been on the move and the mob is very uncertin [sic] I do not think that we shall stope [sic] hear [sic] long but have to stop on acount [sic] of provison [sic] we are
Page 2
living on half rations now but make out to get along very well we do not care as much about theas [sic] things when we can be on the move and driving the enemy befor [sic] us as it loocks [sic] then as though we wer [sic] doing something to wind this war up and you may be shure [sic] that we are all anxous [sic] to put an end to it and go home I am in hopes that we shall be trough [sic] by Spring. I wrote father a short letter at Holley Springs and answerd [sic] Sills letters yesterday. We left Sea Grange one week ago last friday marched eight miles and camped for the night we had no water at that place suferd [sic] a little for the want of it started
Page 3
in the morning and martched [sic] seven miles to cold water this is A beautifull [sic] stream and the water is very cold it is the stream that the Rebbels [sic] said that we should not drink the water of they had A large camp at this place but you se [sic] that they did not stay there long after. we commenced to martch [sic] on them this stream is fifteen miles from Sea Grange and six miles fro [sic] H.S. we left thare [sic] in the morning much refreshed and got to Holly Springs at noon it commenced to rain just as we got to our camping place and rained all night with thunder and lightning but we had our tents to shelter us and did not suffer from it. it cleard [sic] off cold
Page 4
in the morning and at about noon all the troops but our Regement [sic] had orders to martch [sic] and left leaving us thare [sic] for Provost guard we was glad of that as we thought that we should stay thare [sic] and it was very mudy [sic] to martch [sic] but we were damed [sic] to have worse martching [sic] we staid [sic] thare [sic] that night and then were orderd [sic] to go to town and take quarters in the building we got splended [sic] quarters and wer [sic] in the best of spirits fixed nice beds and had one good nights [sic] sleep it had been raining all night and still rained in the morning but along towards noon it began to clear up and at eleven O clock thare [sic] came an other Regament [sic] back with orders to releave [sic] us and we wer [sic] to start right off to join our Brigade
Page 5
You may be shure [sic] that we wer [sic] mad then our Brigade had two days start of us and we had to chetch [sic] them and the mud ancle [sic] deep well we got started at one O’clock and came as far as Waterford whictch [sic] is eight miles this side of H.S. we felt in better spirits after we got on the road we had just as soon [keep] with our Brigade as stay back but when we have to stay back A day an [time] and then had to chetch [sic] up again the boys do not like it much we started in the morning and had to make eleven miles that day which was four this side of the Talley Hatchy [here] was another place that they were going to
Page 6
make A big stand and had fine brest [sic] works with A swamp and A River for us to cros [sic] before we could get at him but Sherman was getting around on thare [sic] flank and they thought it was time for them to be getting out of that. [Logans] Divson [sic] was at this last place that we stoped [sic] but our Brigade had been sent out to this place in advance we had 11 miles to come that day whitch [sic] was friday and the Davison [sic] was to start at the same time and our Regament [sic] was to take the lead but they told us that they would let us know when they were going as it was raining and they thought that they would not start vey [sic] early and when
Page 7
they sent us orders to start some of the Regiments had been started for A half an hour so that we got mixed up and was so all day and it made it harder martching [sic] so when we got hear [sic] we wer [sic] tired haveing [sic] had three days hard martching [sic] but we are rested now and redy [sic] to go on as soon as they are redy [sic] for us to go this is the most Secesh town that we have been in yet thare [sic] is A large State Institute hear [sic]. We have got from 12 to 14 (twelve and fourteen) hundred Prisoners hear [sic] and takeing [sic] more evry [sic] day and they are coming in squads of eight and ten and giving themselves up and they all seam [sic] to agree that this western army cannot stand aganst [sic] us thare [sic] is a Brother of Charlie Leach hear [sic] he gave
Page 8
himself up or as he says he says he was trying to surround our Pickets and was takeen [sic] up he is from texes [sic] and has been in the servis [sic] three month [sic] and is glad to get out of it he had to enlist under this conscript law I am glad to have you point out my mistakes in spelling and hope that you and Father will correct all of them and I will try to profit by it I had found out my mistake in Soldiers but was glad to have you point it out to me and hope that you will continue to do so. how I should like to see you all and that little baby that I hear so much about I want to se [sic] him so bad but I suppose he will be able to crawl abut [sic] before I see him I guess that thare [sic] is enugh [sic] thare [sic] to spoil [sic] him now without me kiss him once in A while for me tell Father that I wish he would write oftener and mother that
[Last page of the Letter is written vertically over the top of page 5]
I would like A five [lines] from her but I suppose she thinks that I ought to write to her but tell her that I do not think the less of her because [sic] I do not write to her but I consider my letters to one is for all and I am thinking of you all, all the time the cloves that you sent tasted very nice to me as I had not had any for so long you do not any of you say any thing about Mothers [sic] finger now so it [interly] well I beleave that I have written enough this time and am afraid that you will get tired reading it so I will close give my love to all Father Mother Woodard Baby and all theres. And I remane [sic] with much love to yourself your ever affectionate Brother Geo Sealy
Oxford Lafaette Co
Mississippi Dec 9/1862
Dearest Sister
I received yours of 30th day before yesterday and also one from [Seill] at the same time and received one from her the day before that so you see that she is writing to me very often and I am glad of it for as you say we are very glad to receve [sic] letters from home and as often as posable [sic] I had not received one for some time before as we have been on the move and the mob is very uncertin [sic] I do not think that we shall stope [sic] hear [sic] long but have to stop on acount [sic] of provison [sic] we are
Page 2
living on half rations now but make out to get along very well we do not care as much about theas [sic] things when we can be on the move and driving the enemy befor [sic] us as it loocks [sic] then as though we wer [sic] doing something to wind this war up and you may be shure [sic] that we are all anxous [sic] to put an end to it and go home I am in hopes that we shall be trough [sic] by Spring. I wrote father a short letter at Holley Springs and answerd [sic] Sills letters yesterday. We left Sea Grange one week ago last friday marched eight miles and camped for the night we had no water at that place suferd [sic] a little for the want of it started
Page 3
in the morning and martched [sic] seven miles to cold water this is A beautifull [sic] stream and the water is very cold it is the stream that the Rebbels [sic] said that we should not drink the water of they had A large camp at this place but you se [sic] that they did not stay there long after. we commenced to martch [sic] on them this stream is fifteen miles from Sea Grange and six miles fro [sic] H.S. we left thare [sic] in the morning much refreshed and got to Holly Springs at noon it commenced to rain just as we got to our camping place and rained all night with thunder and lightning but we had our tents to shelter us and did not suffer from it. it cleard [sic] off cold
Page 4
in the morning and at about noon all the troops but our Regement [sic] had orders to martch [sic] and left leaving us thare [sic] for Provost guard we was glad of that as we thought that we should stay thare [sic] and it was very mudy [sic] to martch [sic] but we were damed [sic] to have worse martching [sic] we staid [sic] thare [sic] that night and then were orderd [sic] to go to town and take quarters in the building we got splended [sic] quarters and wer [sic] in the best of spirits fixed nice beds and had one good nights [sic] sleep it had been raining all night and still rained in the morning but along towards noon it began to clear up and at eleven O clock thare [sic] came an other Regament [sic] back with orders to releave [sic] us and we wer [sic] to start right off to join our Brigade
Page 5
You may be shure [sic] that we wer [sic] mad then our Brigade had two days start of us and we had to chetch [sic] them and the mud ancle [sic] deep well we got started at one O’clock and came as far as Waterford whictch [sic] is eight miles this side of H.S. we felt in better spirits after we got on the road we had just as soon [keep] with our Brigade as stay back but when we have to stay back A day an [time] and then had to chetch [sic] up again the boys do not like it much we started in the morning and had to make eleven miles that day which was four this side of the Talley Hatchy [here] was another place that they were going to
Page 6
make A big stand and had fine brest [sic] works with A swamp and A River for us to cros [sic] before we could get at him but Sherman was getting around on thare [sic] flank and they thought it was time for them to be getting out of that. [Logans] Divson [sic] was at this last place that we stoped [sic] but our Brigade had been sent out to this place in advance we had 11 miles to come that day whitch [sic] was friday and the Davison [sic] was to start at the same time and our Regament [sic] was to take the lead but they told us that they would let us know when they were going as it was raining and they thought that they would not start vey [sic] early and when
Page 7
they sent us orders to start some of the Regiments had been started for A half an hour so that we got mixed up and was so all day and it made it harder martching [sic] so when we got hear [sic] we wer [sic] tired haveing [sic] had three days hard martching [sic] but we are rested now and redy [sic] to go on as soon as they are redy [sic] for us to go this is the most Secesh town that we have been in yet thare [sic] is A large State Institute hear [sic]. We have got from 12 to 14 (twelve and fourteen) hundred Prisoners hear [sic] and takeing [sic] more evry [sic] day and they are coming in squads of eight and ten and giving themselves up and they all seam [sic] to agree that this western army cannot stand aganst [sic] us thare [sic] is a Brother of Charlie Leach hear [sic] he gave
Page 8
himself up or as he says he says he was trying to surround our Pickets and was takeen [sic] up he is from texes [sic] and has been in the servis [sic] three month [sic] and is glad to get out of it he had to enlist under this conscript law I am glad to have you point out my mistakes in spelling and hope that you and Father will correct all of them and I will try to profit by it I had found out my mistake in Soldiers but was glad to have you point it out to me and hope that you will continue to do so. how I should like to see you all and that little baby that I hear so much about I want to se [sic] him so bad but I suppose he will be able to crawl abut [sic] before I see him I guess that thare [sic] is enugh [sic] thare [sic] to spoil [sic] him now without me kiss him once in A while for me tell Father that I wish he would write oftener and mother that
[Last page of the Letter is written vertically over the top of page 5]
I would like A five [lines] from her but I suppose she thinks that I ought to write to her but tell her that I do not think the less of her because [sic] I do not write to her but I consider my letters to one is for all and I am thinking of you all, all the time the cloves that you sent tasted very nice to me as I had not had any for so long you do not any of you say any thing about Mothers [sic] finger now so it [interly] well I beleave that I have written enough this time and am afraid that you will get tired reading it so I will close give my love to all Father Mother Woodard Baby and all theres. And I remane [sic] with much love to yourself your ever affectionate Brother Geo Sealy
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
George Sealy, “George Sealy to his sister Mary Ann Sealy Woodward written December 9, 1862 from Oxford, Lafayette County, Mississippi.,” Midway Village Museum - Digital Collections, accessed April 20, 2024, https://midwayvillagemuseumdigitalcollections.omeka.net/items/show/62.