Correspondence of Hamilton
Alricks
Edited by Claire Messimer; proofreader:
MaryAlice Bitts
Introduction
The Letters
Introduction
Transcribed by Karen Tickner
July 2000
Civil War Letters from Hamilton Alricks, Jr. to his father Herman
Alricks. November 5, 1864 to August 8, 1865.
Hamilton Alricks, Jr. (1842-1889) enlisted in the Pennsylvania Militia
as a private at age 21 on September 11, 1862. He, however, went on
to serve in the "regular" army (Union) and appears to have
remained in service through the end of the Civil War. He was stationed
with the Quartermasters's office of the United States Railroad in
Tennessee.
Hamilton was the brother-in-law of James McCormick, Jr. who was married
to "Hamp's" sister, Mary Wilson Alricks. He was the son
of Herman and Mary Elder Kerr Alricks. Both his father and his uncle,
Hamilton Alricks, Sr. were prominent attorneys with Herman practicing
in Harrisburg but residing in Dauphin County.
The following transcriptions are letters to Hamilton's father, Herman,
describing his adventures, health and the lament of all soldiers for
all times, "I have been expecting a letter from home..."
The Letters:
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 11/5, 1864 ("We wake at the
fire of the cannon, write by it, and go to sleep with it.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 12/27, 1864 ("Tell me what
kind of Holidays they had in Harrisb[ur]g...and you must tell me what
you think of my war correspondence."
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 1/3, 1865 ("..I stop the pain
by boiling water in a tin pail, stretching a piece of cloth over the
top and holding the part affected over it so the steam heats it thoroughly.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 1/18, 1865 ("This country is
hard on the horses, the limestone sticking up in the streets, worse
than in the vicinity of Carlisle.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 4/25, 1865 (A letter that ends abruptly)
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 4/20, 1865 ("Yesterday we had
a grand procession here. Some estimate the number in line at 60,000.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 5/16, 1865 ("The town is filled
with Rebel-Soldiers returning from the South. A more ragged dirty
miserable looking set would be hard to find.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 5/25, 1865 ("The question is,
where did Jeff get the Mexican money, as the Government had done away
with that coin some time before the war. Did it come from Mexico for
his use or-not.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 5/25, 1865 ("I also have charge
of the Pay Car, a magnificently furnished car with Kitchen, Dining
Room, Sleeping Room and Office in it. It is used to pay the men along
the roads...")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 6/26, 1865 ("We left Nashville
the 21st up to this date have expended $30,000 and paid some 600 men.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks. 7/10, 1865 ("I am the color
of a maple or oak table. My eyes are of a golden hue.")
Hamilton
Alricks to Herman Alricks, 8/1, 1865 ("...I wish I could
be home to show Miss Boggs around...")
Hamilton Alricks to
Herman Alricks, 8/8, 1865 ("Capt[ain] Wickersham of Lancaster
is chief Ass[istant] Q[uarter] M[aster] of the Dep[ar]t[ment] of Tenn[essee]
and if I choose to go to Agusta he could give me a situation, but
the weather is too warm.")
See also:
Clara Alricks' Letters
Herman Alricks' Letters
McCormick Letters Page
McCormick Papers: Home Page