Archive:Letter, Isaac Whitney to Washington Whitney, 1865
Archives > Archive:Old Letters > Letter, Isaac Whitney to Washington Whitney, 1865
"The following letter is self explanatory. I am copying it from the original which is about 123 years old and very faded. Some places I have to use a magnifying glass. I hope that I have made no error. This was written on two sheets of lined paper 8" by 11 1/2" written clear to the extreme edge of each sheet front and back some written at the margin at the top and several sentences written along the side over the other writing. No space was wasted.
"Donna McNitt, Great Grand-Daughter of Wash Whitney,
"June 8, 1988
"Letter given to me by my mother, Carrie Kime."
Sunday Feb, 5th -1865-
Washington we received your letter your letter in due time which takes about ten days and we were glad to hear that you were so well and hope that you will continue to enjoy good health whilst you stay in the Army We are all wel here at home and it is an usual time of health here at present. We have a great deal of deep snow this winter and a good deal of it piled up in drifts . We got a letter from Jane the other day her folks and Miltons were well. The following is a copy of the letter that I got in regard to Franks capture imprisonment and death.
Camp Parole Md.
Jan 25/1865
Capt C W Branat
Sir
According to your request in
regard to my much lamented Friend & brother Soldier Cop Frank Whitney, I will try & give you
full particulars about his capture, imprisonment, & death. On the 29th May 1864 he started for
Martinsburg Va. along with the detachment of his Regt. also some infantry Near Newton, Va.
They were attacked by a force of Gilmore's Calvary. Frank was mounted on a good gray horse &
when the wagon train had been taken and burned, his horse got shot in the breast and he fell and
poor Frank was under his horse when taken prisoner. His knee was badly bruised, he was then
taken to Lynchburg Va. & from there to Andersonville Ga. which place I saw him on the 29th
June he was laying out on the sand without shelter from wind & weather, he was however in
aparent good health. Three more of his co. boys joined him there & we managed to get up a
temporary shelter from the melting sun. His knee was about well so much so that he was able to
get around after his rations & keep himself clean he was in good spirits & we were all living with
the hope of soon regaining our freedom; this was about the last of August when he was taken
down with scurvy in his mouth & limbs; his knee being yet tender and not quite healed he was
attended Drs.called called several times but nothing seemed to eradicate the disease; Being earlier
a prisoner than I, he was in a different detachment, although we lived under the same shelter.
Sometime along in the beginning of Oct his detachment & several others were ordered off to
Savannah, there was one of his Comps boys in the same detachment who went with him & from
him I learned the last of poor Frank. They removed all the prisoners from Savannah to a Stockade
or Camp near Millen Ga. Frank kept sinking day after day until at last death ended his miseries &
suffering on the 22nd of Oct 1864.I hope these remarks will be enough to show how Frank Whitney suffered & died; he was a well behaved young man a good & true soldier & companion I am Yours obediently Geo Frasser
Well Wash some will say this is the fate of war but I think that it is the result of a predetermined course of treatment towards our prisoners by the Rebel Chiefs. Wel the keeper of Andersonville Stackade has undertaken to make his way to Canada was identified in Indiana by some of the returned prisioners, tried by drumhead Courtmartial and hung. Well he wont starve anny more of our Boys. Another thing has happened the leader of the Canada Raiders, Burley has ben given up at Suspension Bridge to our authorities. Yours truly I A Whitney
Dear Wash as your Father was writing I thought I would write a few lines too. My health has been good this winter and I was glad to hear of your good health Jane wrote in her letter her health had not been very good a part of the time this winter but was better when she last wrote we have not had a letter from Julia in quite a while Jane wrote they had been filling a box to send to you and Lewis and Arnold Bennet you did not write in your last whether you had got your box or not write in your next I have been afraid it was aboard the train that the rebels took but I hope not Jane wrote Milt had been out to Huldies she was weaving to keep her children together she had not got her Pension yet he went out to Quincy and got some affidavits made out and had sent them on to Washington so she will get it before a great while poor Huldie has a hard time to get along, you wrote you did not know your childrens pictures how I would like to see them I often think of them often think how much comfort they took last winter here eating apples, you wanted to know when Ami was going west when he was here he intended going about the middle of next month we looked for him out here last week but I think he will come this week Mark Post & Jane are down here. Mart was one of the home guards in Ohio, last spring he had to go down to Washington for 100 days I heard he got sick so he could not go home with with the rest but had got able to work again Jane buired her boy while Mart was gone well I will have to stop I remain as ever your affectionate Mother poor Frank I have toweep when I think of his sufferings but he has gone from a troublesomne world I hope to a better
Alabama Feb. 5th/65
Sabbath evening
Dear Cousin Wash
As Uncle and Aunt have finished writing and have left one page blank I thought perhaps you would prefer to see it filled than otherwise& as Albert thinks he will no help fill it as he says he don t want to write too often therfore I suppose I must fill it alone although it has been but a short time since I last wrote you yet doubtless you are pleased to rec news at any time no matter how often All are in good health I believe though Alber has something of a sore throat but nothing serious Time is passing pleasantly as usual with me. I expect soon to be released from my Winters Toil but not without regret I have but 4 weeks more before the term close I do regret it much for I have become so attached to the schilars it grieves me to think of leaving them. on acct of the terrible storms we have had for some three weeks past the scholars have not been as regular in attendance as it was imposible for some of them to get to school, but they brace the weather than I should think they could. Of all storms of snow and wind, I never in my life saw it beaten, think the weather goes ahead of Michigan some ways & what snow banks my stars, they are like mountains, two weeks ago Uncle started to school with me in the cutter but did not go far without shoveling, that beat me entirly. I rec d a letter last night from Mary Clark saying Dwight Ford was buired one week ago today. He has been sick some time in the Hospital and finaly he wrote to his father to come down as he thought he could get him home he seemed so anxious to see his friends & home once more, he (his father) immediately started but arrived too late as he died the eve before. He telegraphed right back home that he should start back with the remains soon as possible & at the same hour of the reception of the dispatch Charley arrived home his time has expired by now safely home once more. I have forgotten whether you saw Dwight when lived there or not, I believe you were quite well aquainted with Charley Wash you remember Jennie Strickland do you not She has been married this Winter to a Joe Inman, and Sarah Clark is married also did you ever see her Do you rec letters from any of my folks at home if so youd hear the news Will is teaching in the district N of us. Maria is teaching in Salim Vill Minnie is home enjoying better health than last Summer, they have taken a little boy to bring up a Nephew of Aunt Alvina's his mother died last Spring Well Wash I filled this page & do not see but I must stop writing could write if I had more room but it is nearly bedtime & will close for tonight hope to hear from you soon I still remain your sincere cos.Lottie"
The Following is from my father, Marlin Adams.
"August 11, 1998
In our efforts to meet with all the living relatives of Issac Amsden Whitney, we contacted Donna McNitt of Coldwater, Mi. in 1990. The 123 year old letter (as of 1988) she refers to in the attached material was so faded I didn t believe a photo of it would be readable.
To recapitulate:
Issac Amsden Whitney (17 Sept. 1805- 17 Oct. 1876) married Jane Moore (31 Jan. 1806 - 26 Mar. 1889) on 1 Jan. 1829. They had nine children who were all born in Alabama Twp., Genesee Co. NY. Issac and Jane moved to Hillsdale Co. MI in 1866. Several of their children preceded their coming to Michigan.
The Children:
Loren Moore b. 23 Apr. 1830 married Huldah Inglesbee on 17 Jan. 1849. They had 6 children.
Milton b. 21 Oct. 1831, from whom E. Louise Whitney Adams is descended.
Esther b. 24 Jan. 1825.
Washington b. 25 Jan 1837.
Ami b. 27 Dec 1838.
William b. 18 Nov 1840.
Jane Ann b. 8 Dec 1842 married Henry Jennings 2 Mar 1861.
Frank b. 30 Dec 1844.
Issac Albert Jr. b. 28 Sep 1847.
The letter was addressed to Washington Whitney, who was a Sgt. Co B, 11th Reg Michigan Infantry at that time.
Page1. Jane - Jane Ann Whitney Jennings
Milton - Milton Whitney, 2nd Son of Issac.
Millen, Ga. - About 85 Miles NW of Savanah, GA.
Issac refers to "keeper of Andersonville Stockade". This cannot refer to the commandant of Andersonville, Capt Henry Wirtz, as he was tried, convicted, and hanged on 10 Nov, 1865. I don t know to whom he refers.
I. A. Whitney - the signer of this portion of the letter, is of course, Issac Amsden Whitney.
Page 11
Jane Moore Whitney - Issac's wife then adds her part of the letter.
Julia - Washington's wife, Julianna Tuttle Whitney.
Huldie - Loren's wife Huldah.
Mart Post and Lottie- unknown"
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