Osborn Ayer - Civil War Correspondence

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Know ye, That Osborne Ayer a Corporal of Captain Lieut John I. Richards' Company (L.,) 2^nd Regiment of Massachusetts Cavalry VOLUNTEERS, who was enrolled on the Thirty-first day of January one thousand eight hundred and Sixty-three to serve Three years or during the war, is hereby Discharged from the service of the United States this Thirty-first day of May, 1865, at Wilmington Del as per Telegram by reason of dated Adjt Genl's Office May 4^th 1865 (No objection to his being re=enlisted is known to exist.*)

Said Osborne Ayer was born in Schuyler Falls in the State of New York, is Thirty-four years of age, Five feet nine inches high, Fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, and by occupation, when enrolled, a Miner

Given at Wilmington Del this Thirty-first day of May 1865.

Solomon Townsend Capt 1^st Dela Calvary Commanding the Reg't Mustiring Officer

*This sentence will be erased should there be anything in the conduct or physical condition of the soldier rendering him unfit for the Army.}

[A. G. O., No. 99.]

E. ?. Raihs? Surgeon U.S.A. Incharge of Hospital

Note at top left: Office of A. L. M. Wilmington May 31, 1865 Transportation furnished from Wilmington to Philadelphia C H Gallagher Capt & A L M

[Top third: Pencil writing] Claremont Platte Valley Sarpy County Neb. [Nebraska]

[Stamps 1: Bounty Paid. N. A. Tucker. P. M. U.S $ Act July 28 1866 Sep 28 1868 P. M. G. O. Divn. Reed Claims]

[Stamp 2: IAACS. STATE AGENCY Gardiner Texas Antonio Dec 5 1866 Washington, D. C. ]

[Middle: Stamp [illegible] Jan 13 1866 Pension Office]

Paid in full at Phila [Philadelphia] June 2^nd 1865 #413 19/100 D Jaggars Pay master USA

Bottom third: Osborne Ayer

[blank form] OATH OF IDENTITY _______________________________________________________ of the Town of __________________________________________ County of _________________ in the State of ________________

On this __________ day of _______________________ in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty ____ personally appeared before me, the undersigned, a Justice of the Peace for the County and _____________ above mentioned, _______________________ who, being duly sworn according to the law, declares that he is the identical _________________________________________ who was a ___________________________ in the Company commanded by Captain ____________________________________ in the Regiment _______________ commanded by ____________________________ that he enlisted on the _________ day of _______________________ for the term of ___________________________ and was discharged ______________________________________ on the __________ day of ____________________________ by reason of ________________ __________________________________________________________ _______________________________________

Sworn and Subscribed to before me the day and year above written. _______________________________________

I certify that _________________________________________ before when the above affidavitt purports to have been made, is a Justice of the Peace duly authoriazed to administer oaths, and that the above is his signature.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my official seal, this _________ day of _________________________ in the year ________________________________________________ at ___________________ in the State of ________________________ _________________________________

Clerk of the ____________________________________________

Camp Brightwood June 17^th 63 [1863]

Friends at home

I snatch a moment from the hurry of time to write a few lines in ans [answer] to a letter recieved on the 14^inst at the time of its arrival I was away from camp on an excursion into Virginia (or as it is here termed) down to the front The ride was a severe one some days being in the saddle from 2 AM until 8 P.M We crossed the Potomac at daylight in persuit [pursuit] of some rebel cavelry [cavalry] who made a dash upon a Michigan outpost of 30 men killing three wounding four and nine others missing supposed to be captured The rebels lost a first lieutenant and Sergeant killed and left on the ground Their wounded were carried away Our persuit [pursuit] was not successful in overtaking them as they were much better acquainted with The roads and cut-offs then we were The rebels were commanded by John Singleton Mosby the gurrilley [guerrilla] Our rout took us through the path where war with all its desolating effects has traveled from the earliest

commensement [commencement] We passed through the surrended ruins of a most beautiful country but desolation had laid its iron hand there and fences houses, shaded avenues all had been swept away to supply the wants and rapine of of contending armeys [armies] we encamped one night near the famous Fairfax Court house also passed within five miles of the farm famed Bulls Run Our journey took us through Leesburgh Leesburg, Virginia an notorious hole for sicessionest [secessionist] and had the will of the soldiers been consulted it would have been ere this purified by fire but the rank and file are mooved [moved] as a machine and the will of the operator is the law that governs its movements But I have no time to moralize and but little to write anything Today is a day of jeneral [general] inspection a day of hurry a day of jeneral [general] dread to the soldier who must wait his long hours in ranks that critical eye of some upstart (perchance who is indebted for his position not from act of his own but the favoritism of some higher power) to wander over his person and equipments Well the inspection is over and we are ordered to keep ourselves in

rediness [readiness] during the day for "to fall in" at any time I am no jeneral [general], but my private opinion goes against dress parade jeneral [general] inspections until the enemy shal [shall] have been driven from the north where he is now envdaing [invading] destroying property and burning towns &c [etc.] my motto would be Work when so much is at steake and leave show and finery for another day when peace has dawned with honor on our land I think by some preparations going on that we shal [shall] leave here in a day or twoo' [two] but for where I am unable to say but without doubt for some active operations somewhere for we are all ordered to grind our sabers today! and mine is ground I went yesterday and visited Lafyett Loper at the Ft which is about a mile from here I had a short visit and bade him good bye not expicting [expecting] to have another opportunity soon I have been to the Ft twice and he has been here once The fares of the soldiers here is not all I expected neither in quantity or quality yet I can manage to live I think and quartermasters comusaries [commissaries] and contractors can get rich from what they starve the soldiers The nation is fool [full] of this evil but onley [only] a great power can reach it and a vigalent [vigilant] eye find it out