Wentworth family letters

Content Description

This collection contains nine letters from the Wentworth family, a Union family, written during the final months of the Civil War. Seven of the letters have been transcribed. The letters discuss the fall of Fort Gregg in Petersburg, the fall of Confederate-controlled Richmond, Lee’s surrender at Appomattox, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The majority of the letters were written between April 7 and June 3, 1865, with one outlier dated May 1870. The letters appear to be written to either Richard J. Wentworth or to his wife, Mary Elizabeth Wentworth. The content centers on Richard and Sam Wentworth, two brothers serving with the 158th New York Volunteers, Empire-Spinola Brigade. Richard, age twenty-seven, enlisted in August 1864 as a private in Albany, New York, and was assigned to Company F. Samuel “Sam” H. Wentworth, eighteen years old, enlisted as a private in Brooklyn in 1862, also served in Company F. Sam eventually rose to the rank of first sergeant. Sam was still serving in Richmond in the early letters. Richard had been wounded at the April 2 assault on Fort Gregg at Petersburg’s western line. Richard was transferred to Ward 2 at Hampton Hospital in Fortress Monroe for recovery, soon joined by his wife, Mary. Following the sacking of Fort Gregg, Sam was sent to Richmond, where he mustered out on June 30, 1865. Various members of the Wentworth family and their associates penned the letters, including their sister Euphemia L. Wentworth, Sam H. Wentworth to his brother, Maggie Coswell, Mary's Sister, Mary's mother, Pastor B. Hawley, and Emma Herbert. The earliest letter, penned by Euphemia, in Brooklyn on April 7, 1865, was addressed to Richard and expressed concern for her brother’s wounded condition: “I feel sad while writing this letter thinking that you may never see me. We received a letter from Sammie last night that you was wounded but I hope not badly.” The next letter written by Euphemia is dated April 17, 1865, and was sent to Mary. It discusses Richard’s wounding, her unease of Sam’s silence, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln: "I suppose you have heard of the assassination and death of the President. There is great excitement here about it. Our church is draped in mourning and some of the houses here, Brooklyn and New York look mournful, all draped in black. Secretary Seward had his throat cut from ear to ear by the assassin.” The third letter, postmarked from Albany and dated April 21, 1865, was penned by Maggie Coswell to her sister, Mary. Maggie discusses her relief at receiving a letter from her husband, Edward, who was present at Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse. She shares that Edward is “now four miles from Lynchburg but expected soon to go to Richmond,” where Sam was still serving. Also discussed is the funeral procession of Abraham Lincoln, for which Maggie expects to be the “largest funeral procession ever seen in Albany.” The fourth letter was written by Mary’s mother, postmarked on April 27, 1865 at Albany. She expresses regret that she and Richard would be delayed returning from Fortress Monroe. Mary’s mother discusses Lincoln’s funeral train stop at Albany, at which “there were so many people here that you could not stir around the street.” A May 2, 1865 letter, postmarked from Albany, was written by Pastor B. Hawley and addressed to Richard as “Bro. Wentworth” and expresses regret that he had not written Richard sooner, citing his absences at conferences and the “cruel death of our beloved President.” He sends prayers to Richard and his hopes of a speedy recovery. The sixth letter is dated May 4, 1865, and was sent by Euphemia from East New York. She writes to Richard regarding a care package their mother is sending. The seventh letter, written by Sam to Richard on June 3, 1865, is postmarked in Richmond. Sam discusses a letter sent to him by Richard on May 26, expressing his happiness of receiving Richard’s muster roll, and questions whether Richard received all his muster out bounty. Sam also expresses frustration at the War Department for their refusal to discharge some soldiers: “I shall demand my discharge when that day arrives.” If he denied discharge, Sam expresses to his brother that he would “not enlist again if a foreign foe was walking through the streets of Washington. I would fight in my own state and not out of it.” Sam also apprises his brother that Daniel Van Wickler, a fellow 158th New York Volunteer wounded in the same assault as Richard, had died from his injuries. He writes to Richard that “you are the only one of the three [injured Volunteers] that we know is alive.” Sam concludes the letter on a lighthearted note: “Gen. Orders No. 1. The Following articles are hereby ordered to be delivered to Mrs. M.E.W. [Mary Wentworth], 20 kisses.” A May 4, 1865 letter written by Emma Herbert was sent to Mary Wentworth during her stay with her husband at Ward 2, Hampton Hospital, Fortress Monroe. Emma writes that she is “sorry to hear Mr. Wentworth [Richard] suffered so much” and expresses hopes for his recovery and the couple’s swift return to New York. A ninth letter, somewhat separate in year and content from the remainder, was written from Maple Grove, New York, on May 8, 1870.

Acquisition Type

Purchase

Provenance

Purchased from Ian Brabner Rare Americana, 2 October 2025.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

No

Use Restrictions

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