Tag Archives: Onondaga Regiment

23 September 1862: “…said to myself that was Ray Wells but could not tell for certain their was so many that lay dead on so small a spot of ground that I did not want to look any more than I was obliged too…”

Posted on 23 Sep ’12 by

Item description: Letter, 23 September 1862, from Homer Case of the 12th New York Infantry to Mrs. A. H. Hall, sister of William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”). Case wrote from Cliffburn General Hospital … Continue reading →

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11 September 1862: “I hasen to give you all the particulars & facts that are in my posession in relation to his death if he is dead…”

Posted on 11 Sep ’12 by

Item description: Letter, 11 September 1862, from Lieutenant Edward Drake to Mrs. A.H. Hall (first name not known), sister of William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”). Item citation: From the William Ray Wells Papers #2960-z, … Continue reading →

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10 September 1862: “If the sacrifice of Ray’s life had been productive of any good to his country we could more easily give him up.”

Posted on 10 Sep ’12 by

Item description: Letter, dated 10 September 1862, from Mary Wells[?] to her parents, concerning the fate of her brother William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”). Mary includes in the letter two newspaper clippings … Continue reading →

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10 May 1862: “when our troops first landed here they were attacked by a party of negroes and a number of us slashed up with nives and had their throats cut.”

Posted on 10 May ’12 by

Item description: Letter, dated 10 May 1862, from William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”), to his family in New York. Wells makes mention of a secondhand report of an attack by “a party of … Continue reading →

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22 November 1861: “they are going to take our guns from us and give us sabers and revolvers and make cannoniers of us.”

Posted on 22 Nov ’11 by

Item description: Letter, dated 22 November 1861, from William Ray Wells (12th New York Infantry Regiment, “Onondaga Regiment”) to his family in Tully, N.Y. [Transcription available below images.] Item citation: From folder 3 of the William Ray Wells Papers #2960-z, Southern … Continue reading →

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20 October 1861: “Those socks I need also more than any thing else.”

Posted on 20 Oct ’11 by

Item description: Letter, dated 26 August 1861, from William Ray Wells (12th New York Infantry Regiment, “Onondaga Regiment”) to his sister, Mary S. Hall, in Tully, N.Y. In his letter, Wells suggests a few things that his sister may send to … Continue reading →

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26 August 1861: “…by getting an affidavitt signed by both my parents and family physician stating that I am under age and enlisted without your consent (which I did) and sent here to me I can get my discharge.”

Posted on 26 Aug ’11 by

Item description: Letter, dated 26 August 1861, from William Ray Wells (12th New York Infantry Regiment) to his family in Tully, N.Y. Wells mentions his desire to be discharged from his service in the Union Army, instructing his parents on a … Continue reading →

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25 July 1861: “Our Col., Capt., and Gen. Richardson are trying their their best to get papers made out to hold us for two yrs.”

Posted on 25 Jul ’11 by

Item description: Letter, 25 July 1861, from William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”), to his family. In his previous letter (23 July 1861), Wells described his separation from his regiment following the Battle … Continue reading →

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23 July 1861: “The bushes seemed to be alive with the rebels (judging from their firing for we never saw one of them at any time we were there) their first volley was the most murderous to us.”

Posted on 23 Jul ’11 by

Item description: Letter, 23 July 1861, from William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”). In this letter wells describes his involvement in fighting near Centreville, Va., as part of the larger Battle of Bull … Continue reading →

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13 July 1861: “We are going to get our pay to day up to the first of June. We could not wait much longer as we are out of paper, ink, &c.”

Posted on 13 Jul ’11 by

Item description: Letter, 13 July 1861, from William Ray Wells, private in the 12th New York Infantry Regiment (“Onondaga Regiment”), to his family. Wells writes about receiving his pay, mentions a Union victory in West Virginia, and comments on family … Continue reading →

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