Editor’s Note: This item is part of a collection of letters from New York engineers written while their units were at the Siege of Petersburg. Researcher and Engineer enthusiast Dan O’Connell generously donated all of the items in this collection for use at The Siege of Petersburg Online. These transcriptions are copyrighted by Brett Schulte and may not be used without my express written consent. I do not have images of these letters so some errors could be from transcription or in the original.
Note: All of the Ostrye brothers’ letters were transcribed by Charlotte Smith.
CAMP CITY POINT VA OCT 23 1864
My dear father and Mother;
I take this present to write a few lines to you and to tell you now that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same. I wrote one letter to you last Sunday and have not got any answer from you. I don’t know what the matter is you don’t write to me for you have a better chance to write than I have. You tell me to write and don’t write yourself. I would be glad to have you write often. It has been quite dry here and we have not had much rain here yet, but we have cold nights and the winds is cold. There is a good deal of firing last night. There is men going both ways now, recruits go to front every day and rebels prisoners goes the other way. We have heard that Charles Morgan and Garret Newhouse. I hope they will keep a stiff upper lip when they leave home. These fellows that enlisted and now are drafted haint sorry they enlisted. I want you to write often for you have more of a chance to write than what I have for I have to work from seven o’clock till dark and I don’ t have much time to write you. If you don’t sell the old stage I want you to draw me what logs you can. There is four oak logs draw them in and have them sawed into floor boards and all the hemlock sawed into scantling. I want you to get all the hemlock logs you can.
Garret Newhouse has been sick. He has not been out to work last week. He is a little better now. He was excused by the Doctor. He is a little better now. He has not got homesick yet. He was excused. Hiram Newhouse not to direct anymore letters in Dutch to Garret Newhouse for it takes forever. Well though I want you to answer this as soon as you get it and let me know how all things get along at home. Tell the rest of my friends that I would be glad to have them write to me. That is all for this time so good bye. Send my love and best wished to all.
This from Luke Ostrye to Father and family.
Direct you letters to Mr. Luke Ostrye, Company G 15th NYV Engineer Corps, Washington, DC1
***
Other Letters Written By Luke and Charles Ostrye at the Siege of Petersburg:
- LT: September 15, 1864 Luke Ostrye
- LT: September 21, 1864 Luke Ostrye
- LT: September 29, 1864 Luke Ostrye
- LT: October 16, 1864 Luke Ostrye
- LT: November 5, 1864 Luke Ostrye
- LT: November 20, 1864 Luke Ostrye
- LT: December 15, 1864 Luke and Charles Ostrye
- LT: December 16-23, 1864 Luke and Charles Ostrye
Source:
- Ostrye, Luke. “Camp City Point Va Oct 23 1864.” Letter to Dear Father and Mother. 23 Oct. 1864. 15th Engineer Regiment: The Civil War Letters Of Luke And Charles Ostrye. New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, 28 Sept. 2011. Web. 22 Dec. 2015. <http://dmna.ny.gov/historic/reghist/civil/other/15thEng/15thEng_Letters_Ostrye.htm>. ↩