Chauncey Austin Smith enlisted in the 111th NY Vol. Infantry, from Cayuga County on August 26, 1864, until the close of the war.  During this time, he wrote many letters home, to his wife Fanny in Hannibal. 

They are an interesting and historical account of the life and struggles of an everyday soldier during the civil war, filled with tales of their labor, danger, sufferings, and the loneliness for home.  As Sandy wrote, "Some of his letters to Fanny and the kids were heart wrenching, you could just feel his missing them."  After the war, Chauncey was very active in the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), and was often asked to speak at meetings. 

These wonderful letters, the speech written by him for a GAR meeting, and his family biography and photograph, was generously contributed by Sandy Sharp, his ggg- granddaughter.  Many thanks and appreciation to Sandy, for all her hard work and effort to put this together and to share this information with us.  Sandy says that she is willing to help anyone who might tap into this line. 
You may contact her at:  volleybird@juno.com

Kind wife:

     Have just received your good letter and read the same.  The days that I get your letters are the most happy ones that I have and enjoy in camp. They are so from the fact that they are days that I hear from home, from my friends, and from my family and everything that is dear to me.  Was glad to hear that you are well, for such good news always makes me feel well and cheerful.  Am glad to know that you have been to Harvey's* to see Frances and as her abscess has broken, I can't help but think that she will get well. Was glad that you saw Aunt Ruth.**  You think that she is one of the best women.  I guess that every one who knows her has the same opinion.

     Was glad to hear of your good luck in getting a ride to Granby with good company and hope that I shall never hear anything bad or wrong about your ride hereafter with Methodist Ministers.  The Auburn papers come all safe, was glad to see that note written about the 111th Regt. by our chaplain J.P. Brown (in it's columns).  I am well acquainted with this gentleman and have many chats with him but we do not always agree upon certain topics.  I do not think him to be much of a sermoner but he is a friend to the poor soldier and for this I love and respect the man.  We still remain in the old camp and I sometimes think that we will remain here until the war is ended.  Good news comes from all quarters of late of the success of our armies in fighting the cursed Rebellion. Some times I think that I may get home to do some of the spring work. Things look fine now in that direction but we all know that it is an easy thing to be disappointed. I have now just five months from today to make up my years service in the army.  I should not feel at all bad if I should get a discharge before my time of service expires.  Today is the 21st of March and how beautiful and warm it is here in old Virginia.  While at Hannibal you are fast bound in the cold, icy embrace of winter, we soldiers here in Virginia are being fanned by the balmy breath of spring.  Robins and bluebirds sing for us every morning and evening and the frogs poop and croak and fill the air with their music, the same as they are accustomed to do at the North about the last of April or the first of May.  How beautiful the peach trees look here. They are now in full bloom.  I must send you a few blossoms.

March 26, early in the morning,

     On the other page I said that it was an easy thing to be mistaken and so it has proved this time.  Friday night at about 2 o'clock I heard heavy firing about one mile to the right of our camp.  I knew by the sound that something serious was to pay and so it proved.  The inspection call soon sounded in our ears to fall in and be ready to fight. In less than ten minutes the army of the Potomac was all out in arms, ready for the Rebs.  I cannot tell you all of the particulars, only it proved to be a serious fight and many of our poor soldiers were killed and cut to pieces.  The 111th was not in the heaviest of the fight and came out without hardly any loss.
There was only one of our boys shot and one missing, he may come in yet.  It looks to me almost like a miracle to think that no more of us were hurt, for bullets whistled like hail all around us.  One Regiment of our Brigade went into the fight with 800 men and come out with only 400, losing half their members.  The 6th corps of our army to the right of us took twenty-two hundred prisoners and lost but few men.  Will say no more about shooting this time.  You will get the particulars in your paper about the fight.  We got back to our old camp last night at 12 o'clock and I tell you it was a happy time with us to get back.  I am as well as ever and hope all of you the same.  Write often, tell Lotta the cake was good, talk and say a word to all of the children for me.

       C.A. Smith,

*James Harvey Fuller, Chauncey's sister Violetta's husband.
**Ruth Smith Stanton, Chauncey's father's sister.

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Letter #22

Dear Wife:

     Your letter of the 22nd has been received and read with interest.  Was much surprised to hear of the sudden death of Mr. Cox, his loss will be felt by many.  I am glad to hear that you are all well and of the good prospect in Hannibal of an early spring.  I am well and everything looks now promising in camp for the future.

     Last Saturday proved to be a worse day to the Rebels than it did to us. I will give you a few incidents of the day of which our Regt. and division as well as my own self was eye witness.  The enemy attacked our line near where I was taken prisoner last fall.  It seems as though they owed that part of our line a grudge.  They got this time more than they asked for. They began the attack I should think at about 4 o'clock A.M., with twelve thousand men under the command of Beauregard.  By a sudden rush they severed our line, held by the 3rd Brigade and 1st Division at the foot of a hill to the right of Fort Steadman, wheeled around and overpowered our men in the fort, and took possession of the same and turned our own guns upon us.  A part of the 3rd Brigade and first division were on hand to check their further progress.  They made a charge on them capturing the fort back again with all of its guns and took some sixteen hundred prisoners and two Rebel flags. There was more or less fighting and skirmishing on the whole length of the line.  I am not able to give an accurate account of all of the proceedings of the day but will give it to the best of my knowledge.  We took a great many prisoners.  General Grant's official says we took in the day on the whole length of the line over 5000 prisoners.  I should not think from what I saw that we took any less than that numbers for they were
brought in in large numbers from morning until night. They also lost in killed and wounded four thousand six hundred.  The ground was, on the whole length of the line, covered with their dead and wounded.  Our loss was not in the whole killed and wounded over eight hundred. Col Lieut Husk took command of our Regt and Umfries of the Corps and General Miles of our division.  Every one of these men knew their places and were careful of their men and most of us came out of the fight safely and there was little loss in comparison to some other divisions.  About four o'clock in the afternoon, our Regiment was in or under the cover of a piece of woods, expecting every moment to be called on to go in, and so we were.  Gen. Miles and staff soon made their appearance, rode up to Col. Husk and said "Col. I want you to move your Regt. right to the front of our
Picket line in double quick and hold it all events and save our pickets from being killed and taken prisoner."  Col Husk asked him if the Rebs were close by.  He replied that they were just over the hill,ready for a charge. "Do not wait!" he says, "Time is precious."  So on we went, double quick to the front of our picket line and put ourselves in line of battle.  Had but just got in line when the Rebs made their appearance on the top of the hill and the order was "Fire" and so we did in good earnest.  Such a stream of death I never saw
before.  It seemed as though every shot killed.  Their bullets, most all of them, went harmless over our heads.  The third fire made them skedaddle in confusion and the field was ours to the joy of the scared pickets and the whole Regiment.  We lay on the field some eight hours and were then ordered to camp.

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Letter #23

Dear Wife and Children:

     I dropped you a short and hasty line yesterday morning.  Could not do otherwise, had only five minutes to write.  Had not written to you in some two weeks and knew that you would begin to worry about me and thought that a short line would be better than nothing.  I received your last letter and papers together with Emelines* last night with the maple sugar and every grain of it was as precious to me as so much gold.  It
was the whitest I ever saw and enough to sweeten my coffee twice.  How glad I am once more to hear that you are all well and in good spirits.  Was sorry to hear of Father's loss** and we may sympathize with him in his great bereavement in a right and humble spirit.  You must go and cheer him up all you can.  Tell to let his farm and come and stay with you this summer.  I think that it would be pleasanter for you and he would also enjoy himself better.

     You spoke about Mr. Darling coming and inquiring about his son, tell him that he is all right now and well.  Last week he was hit by a spent ball while on the skirmish line but not seriously hurt.  He was very lucky in
coming out as well as he did for many that went into that fight have gone to their long home, never more to return home to their friends.  Poor Lieutenant Duel is almost gone.  I heard this morning that he cannot get
well.  Oh! how I loved that man, he was always so good and kind to me.  Not a day would pass by but what I would receive a call from him.  It was through his influence and Capt. Mumford's that I have been so often favored above other privates.  Now they are both gone from me but not forgotten.  It is now some two weeks since we started on the spring campaign and consequently could write no letters to you nor receive any from you, for we were in the enemies country and had no communication to get letters or receive them.  It was a grand sight to see the army start with its long train of wagons and men, one hundred thousand strong besides 15,000 cavalry all mounted on horse back with swords and scabbards.  The train was over fifty miles long.  I was  detailed on the start to go as a guard on the supply train which followed in the rear of the army which saved me from getting into the fight.  On the second day of our campaign, just at night, we or the army struck oil and found the enemy and then the fighting commenced and lasted alternately off and on for five days, driving the enemy at all points, they fighting as they retreated. 

     I saw much more of the horrors of the fight in the rear of the army than those who were fighting in front as all of the wounded and dead were carried to the rear.  The roads, fields and woods were covered with the dead and wounded for miles each way.  Two of the boys who tented with me were wounded and as I passed along I met them coming back to the rear all blood and with sorrowful faces.  I must say that the sight I saw is too bad to talk or write about.  On the sixth day of our march Old Lee was surrounded and taken prisoner with all his whelps.  The old Fox was compelled to come in with a flag of truce and give himself up with his 
whole army as prisoners of war, forty thousand strong.  The surrender took place about 2 P.M.

     This was a happy hour for the army of the Potomac. Our work was done. The Confederate army which had withstood Grant and fought him for four long years was now captured and can harm us no more.  The
wagon train got up with the main army at about 9 o'clock at night and then such a time of rejoicing I never heard in my life.  The shout of 100,000, one hundred voices filled the air with victorious joy and the firing of minute guns were heard on the whole length of the line.  The next day the whole army started for Farmsville Station, on the South side railroad.  Was three days in getting there.  We now lay camped in the woods about one mile from that place, waiting to know what disposition the government will make of us next.  I will now give you my opinion about the war.  I think that we will have no more fighting to do and think that all of the one year men will soon be mustered out and sent home.  Our army has now communication from all parts and I can again send and receive letters at will and shall write often and you must do the same.  This envelope has on it a club which is the badge of our division and all of us in the division have to wear it on our caps.  I am glad to hear that you have a new milk cow.  Please eat a bowl of bread and milk for me and all is right.  You must do as you think best about the calf.  I will find no fault either way.  Tell Clara, Grant and Nettie that I
love to see and read their handwriting.  Kiss Lottie for me and I will close.  The writing on this letter is mixed.  Please be careful or it will not make good sense.  I enclose the girls a lock of hair.

       C.A. Smith

*Elizabeth Emoline Smith Rich, Chauncey's sister.
**Eunice Palmeter, Fanny's stepmother, died in March 1865. 

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Letter #24

(CHAUNCEY'S NEXT LETTER IS WRITTEN ON THE BACK AND MARGINS OF THE FOLLOWING LETTER)

Kind Husband,

     I must again write to you not knowing where you are whether dead or living.  I must write to you.  We all feel very anxious to hear from you. Do let me know, whoever hands this line may chance to fall into, please
inform me of the where abouts of my own dear husband.

       Fanny A Smith
      To: Mr. Chauncey A Smith
       Comp F 111 Regt NYV
       1 Division 2 Corps

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Letter #25

Dear Wife:

     Am glad to hear from you.  I felt badly when I read your line to hear that you felt so bad and anxious about me.  I think that you must have heard from me before this time and I am all right.  I hope that you are the same. You did not say in your letter that you were all well. I am afraid that some of you are sick.  I want that you should write to me just as soon as you receive this and not wait until Sunday before you write for I am very anxious to hear from you all.  If you know how Frances is let me know.  Also send me a sheet of paper and an envelope with stamp and I will write just as soon as I get you letter without fail.  Paper is very
scarce and so is everything else where we now lay.

     How long we will remain here I cannot tell.  All of us think that the war is ended and there will be no more fighting for us to do.  We all hope to come home in a few weeks but may not come until our time is out which is only four months.  In my next letter I will give you all of the names of those that were wounded in our company and those who were killed and wounded.  I want to know how the mare and colt get along.

       C.A. Smith.

Give my good wishes to all of the children.  Tell them that they are not forgotten by their pa.  I can't get paper or envelopes in the army now for love or money.  I wrote to you that I was well, nothing only a stitch caught
me in my left side a few days ago, which makes me some stiff.  I think I shall be over it in a few days and can get up a and get around all of the time.
 

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Letter #26

Dear Fanny:

     I cannot refrain from writing to you any longer.  It is now just 8 days since I have written to you.  Should have written sooner but could not get paper.  We have a Sutler in camp now so that soldiers can get paper at six cents a sheet.  It is some two weeks since I have heard from you.  Time begins to pass away slowly because I cannot hear from you and the dear little ones.  I am afraid that things are not all right at home, that you or some of the children are sick.  If any one of you are sick and you cannot write get Mr. Vanawkin to drop a few lines for you, for, if I cannot hear from you before another week rolls around, I shall be almost crazy.  Do write and let me know if you are all well.  All is quiet in camp.  The sound of fire arms is heard in our camp no more.  A few weeks ago the talk amongst soldiers and officers was all fight.  How changed the scene; now the talk is all peace.  How we soldiers all like the change. Lieutenant Duel is getting better of his wounds. Have been informed that he will soon be able to go home.  If you hear anything from him let me know.  The weather is very warm here.  The trees in the woods are now clothed with their green foliage. Apples on the trees are as large as robins eggs. Catnip, tanzy, yellow dock, comfrey and all such weed as grow at home can now be seen in the barnyard and corners of the fences, the sight of which sometimes almost makes me think I am at home in old Hannibal. 

     Thursday, I made a cup of catnip tea for a sick man in our company.  It was good.  I drank some of it myself, called it better drink than our coffee.  How long I shall remain in camp at this place I cannot tell, we may remain here until discharged and sent home (hope so). Tomorrow, the first day of May, we are to be mustered for pay the last time.  Hope that I shall be discharged in a few weeks and come home.  When you
write again give me all of the particulars of what is going on at home.  I want to know if Seward has paid you for the hay and how he has got along in sowing our piece of oats.  It is now almost the right time for you to
plant our potatoes, the corn you will not want to plant until about the 15th of May.  I think that i told you some time ago in a letter where to plant corn and potatoes.  Mind and do have your corn and potatoes put in good order and rows so that they can be plowed and cultivated to good advantage for I expect to be home to do the hoeing myself, so you must take good courage and put the best foot forward and all things in the end will come out all right.  I want to know if you get my two last letters with the lock of hair. Please let me know if all is right with sip A. Beal and if you have sent him your check yet and got his receipt for the same.  I want to know if you have got any money on your Bond of Mr. Titus of Ira yet.

     When we were in our old camp I seldom saw a female but now I see lots of them every day both white and black.  The black women seem to enjoy themselves first rate but not so with the white women, for most of the white male citizens have had to leave which makes them sad. write and tell me how many swarms of bees you have got safe through the winter and how the stock looks, how many lambs and calves and how the fodder holds out.

     My health is not now first rate.  Have Rheumatics some but think I shall get all over them in a few days.  Send me another Auburn paper when convenient and give my best wishes to the children and tell them that pa expects to be home for a great while and enjoy their company with yours so long as we live. 
Yours with much love,

       Chancey A. Smith.

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Letter #27

Dear Wife (Good News)

     Our whole corps has been mustered and the order has come for us all to move tomorrow morning as far as Manchester, which is sixty miles from where we now lay.  We have to go on foot.  Manchester is right on the other side of the James River, almost opposite from Richmond. (Show the children Manchester on Loids Map.) From this place there is water and railroad conveyance to carry us to Washington, where we shall all get our pay for what time we have served and then our Colonel says that we will all be furloughed home for sixty days on half pay for the balance of our time and if our service is not needed in that time we can go to
Auburn and be mustered out of the service for good.

     Our company and Regiment are almost crazy with joy at this welcome news.  I shall not think it strange if I were home in two or three weeks from this time or this date.  It will take some time for the government to
muster us all out for there are thousands of us to be mustered out and it will take some time to make over all of our papers and do the writing for so many.  I hope that my Reg't turn will come first then I shall soon be home with you.  I expected a letter from you this morning but got none.  I could not refrain from shedding tears when I saw all of the boys this morning reading letters from their homes which the mail had just brought them while I had none.  I felt as though I had no friends and was forgotten.  Do write. Direct the same as before.  I am quite well, hope you are the same.  Love and regards to you and the children.

       C.A. Smith

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Letter #28

Dear Fanny:

     Once more a word with you.  I can say to you of a truth that I am now in sight of the great city of Richmond.  Our Corps has been marching some three days to get here and a hard march we had. Officers who rode on horse back and who took command shoved the privates through almost at a double quick and some twenty of the poor soldiers died on the march who were well at commencement.  This I thought was hard indeed after they had lived and passed through the spring campaign and had braved all kinds of danger and hardships on the field of strife and then after this to be killed on a foolish march when such rapid march in warm weather is uncalled for by our Country at present.  Those cruel officers or beasts last night were reported to head quarters by the friend of those who died and on our arrival this morning at this place they were arrested for their cruel conduct and this afternoon they are to be tried by court martial for their conduct.  I hope that they will be punished severely.  I can't write much now for all is confusion and uproar in camp.  So much so that a common man can't think without shutting up his eyes and stopping his ears.  I got along with the march much better than some other for the reason that on the second day I got a ride in ambulance wagon, through the influence of Dr. Pasco.  I expect to start for Washington tomorrow.  Think that I shall
be home soon.  Write often.

       C.A. Smith

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Letter #29

Dear Wife:

     I sent you a short hasty line yesterday and this morning I received your kind letter bearing date the 8th.  How glad I was to hear from you and the children once more, for if I do not hear from you as often as once a week how lonely I feel and have no appetite to eat my rations and all looks dark and dreary but as soon as I get a line from you the dark cloud disappears, the sun shines once more, appetite comes again and all things seem to move along in the right direction again.  I told you some time ago that I would give you the names of those that were wounded in my company through this spring campaign, for the list in the Auburn Journal is not correct and many of the names are applied to the wrong company and some are not mentioned at all.  I am well acquainted with every man in my company and will now give a list of all of their names that have been with the company since I have been in service.

James Allan
James Barnam
Peter Perry
Peter Pain - wounded
James Aldrich - wounded in head
Rewben Parks - wounded in thigh
Morris Armstead - wounded in hand
Daniel Maverect - wounded in thigh, bad
Albert Cowen - wounded in wrist
Albert Perchen
Peter Duley - wounded in leg
Christian Fink - wounded in the hand
Henry Smith - wounded in the hand
Samuel Dixon - wounded in the head
Damiel Pain - wounded in the hip
James Par, color bearer - in the face
John Davis - wounded in the face
Samuel Cob - in the arm
John Mack Glory - wounded in thigh
Lieu. Duel - wounded in head
Lieu Sterling
Sergeant Hamilton
Sergeant Poodle
Corporal Wain
Job Wain
Smith Pain
Abram Doremas
Daniel Retrick
Jack McKellister
John Brown, the drummer
Joe Scofield, the drummer
John Dean
Isaac Sketton
James Juishben
John Corduroy
Charles Adams
Denis Mainard
Orin Mayo
Hanson Mereshaw
James Labar
Joseph Labaren
Irish Mary
Chauncey A. Smith

     This is a true list of the wounded and all those that are now able to do duty.  Some of the sick in the hospitals when I came to the company and  have not yet returned.  Their names I have not yet learned.

     John Howard, Newton Ferris and Peter Sampson, John O'Brien were taken prisoner and are now all dead.

     I send you a five dollar Confederate bill to look at.  Tell Grant I expect to be home to help him hoe corn and potatoes. 

     My company has been one of the most lucky companies in the Regiment for none have yet died, among so many wounded, it seems almost a miracle to me that none were killed among so many wounded.  I am well
and hope you are the same.  As regards the horse, I should rather not let her out to any one but if you let Mr. Darling have her two days to do work, you must charge according to what you have to pay others for work.  If others charge five dollars a day for the mare.  You must look out for that.  The bees I think have come out full as well as I expected.  Tell Lottie that her kisses all came safe.  How I wish that I could get hold of her and talk about the gray calf and cat and other things.  Think that I will be home soon to talk to you all.  Won't that be a happy time.  Write again. Give my love to all of the children.

       Yours,

       C.A. Smith

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Letter #30

Kind Wife:

     I received your kind letter on Saturday the 20 inst and read it with unusual interest.  The Auburn Journal came to me on Sunday the 21st. Nothing could have been more acceptable than this paper.  It is the only
paper of the kind that comes to our camp and every man in the company and Regiment wants to get a peep at it.  For every man in the second corps is anxious to know when he is going to be mustered out of service and sent home and ten thousand conjectures have been raised since we have laid here in camp -- where we were to be mustered out and where to leave our arms.  Last night when the Auburn Journal came to me I saw in the columns a piece taken from the Albany Argus that all N.Y. State volunteers were to be sent to Albany to be paid and mustered out at that place and sent home in Regiments leaving their arms and equipments in the arsenal at that place.  When I read the news of our destination to be at Albany from the Auburn Journal it
spread like wild-fire through the camp and every man in our whole Regt. went to get the paper and read the news for himself.  I suppose that you have read the same article and consequently know as much about my coming home and when as I do myself.  Our muster rolls will all be made out, I think, by the 27th of this month and then, according to the Auburn Journal, we shall be sent to Albany to be mustered out and paid off and sent home by Regiments, each regiment taking its turn.  I hope that the 111th Regt will be among one of the first Regt to be mustered out.  If so I shall be home in eight or ten days.  But if our Regt is on the tail end, may not be home in three weeks.  There is never a great loss but what there is some small gain.  The longer I
have to stay the more pay I shall get, but I consider the pay small in comparison to getting home and being with my loved wife and children once more and to enjoy the good comforts and blessing of home once more.  I must tell you that I am tired of sleeping on the wet ground with my clothes all on and sometimes no shelter to cover us from the pelting rain.  It will seem strange to come home and have a good bed to sleep in once more and to have something besides hard tack to eat and wormy coffee to drink.  I think that my stomach will know how to appreciate a good breakfast of ham and eggs, good soft bread and butter, roast potatoes and other vegetables and sauce. I want that you should keep plenty of potatoes for I shall make havoc among
them when I get home.  Sell all of the eggs that you have to spare before I come home for when I get there I shall want to make up lost time in being deprived of these good things so long and will make a clean sweep of such things.  I would say to you that I am now in comparative idleness and have but little to do.  Our camp is on a high hill in sight of Washington and no private nor officer is permitted to go out of camp unless he has a pass from Headquarters and few are able to get a pass so that we are almost the same as being in prison.  I am out of money and do not expect to get any more until I get my pay in Albany.  The writing paper, envelopes and stamps here all come to me safe that you sent me are very acceptable.  I am glad to hear that you are all well.  I should have written this letter yesterday, had I been well.  Had the sick headache all day.  Am better this morning and feel quite smart.  We shall not have to talk by letter but a little while longer. I hope but can speak face to face which will be far better.  You must not stop writing me letters yet.  I am glad to hear that you have an early spring and that all things look flourishing.  Must finish by writing a few lines to Netta in answer to her letter.  Write again.

      From your husband with Regard,
      C.A. Smith

Dear Netta: 
     Your good letter came to me safe, telling me that you are well and expressing your good wishes for me.  I thank you for this expressing of your kindness towards me and hope that you are in good health and will be able to go to your school all summer.  Hope that Miss Harris will prove to be a good teacher and will be liked by the whole school.  I enclosed for you a Confederate bill to keep.  Give my best love to Clara, Grant and Lottie.  Tell them I have a bill to send to them and will send it soon.  From your -- Pa.
      C.A. Smith.

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Letter #31

Dear Wife and Children;

     I had thought of not writing again since I received a letter from you.  Have waited three days and made up my mind to wait no longer.  Shant write much but will say to you that I am still in the old camp, enjoying mostly the blessings of idleness.  This suits some of the soldiers because it gives that class time to play cards and gamble their money away.  But it makes long days and restless nights.  When we start from this place I think that we shall go pretty direct home.  I could fill a whole sheet telling about the rivers that our corps and the sixth went through to get to Washington, but I know that you have read all about it in the papers so I will say nothing of that affair.

     We have had here what is called "A Virginia rain-storm".  It has rained five days and five nights and the consequence is we are all completely water soaked and many of us are sick and lame with rheumatism.  I have not had such poor health as now since I left home.  I took a bad cold in lying on the ground, it has settled in my head and on my lungs.  Have been quite poorly for four or five days.  Am better today and think now that I shall get along as settled and dry weather has come again.  I have had some diarrhea which has made me quite weak.  Am now almost give out and must close.  Hope I shall get a letter from you tonight.  I
enclose Clary and Grant a Confederate 5.
      You and all with much love and regard.

      C.A. Smith

P.S. Dear Family do not worry about me.  I think I shall be all right in a few days.

      C. Smith