Item No. 3750512

A fascinating 1862 letter written by Private Lewis Sheppard of the 11th New York Independent Battery. Sheppard’s unit was manning the Washington defenses at the time the letter was written. In it he described the previous day’s visit from President Abraham Lincoln, who had ridden out to review the troops. His words about Lincoln’s appearance were both vivid and unflattering to the President:

We were out & in order at 3 oclock & at 2/3 oclock the old Rail Splitter made his appearance. Then Fort Ward fired a salute of 31 guns & the troops began to shout & such a racket you never heard. It made the chills run down my back & my hair stand up on end. Stub says it the same with him. Now I will proceed to give you a description of (Old Abe) he was dressed like some old table cloth peddler, an old alpaca loose coat, a two story stove pipe, black pants that reached just below the knees & he rode an old skeleton of a horse without any stirrups to the saddle & when he rode he locked his toes under the horse. When he wanted to dismount he stretched his legs down & drove the horse from under him. When he got in front of the battalion & the boys were shouting so he jerked off his old tarpaulin in front like some little urchin going into the school room. It was so warm & he sweat so that the starch was taken out of his shirt collar on one side & it lopped down over his shoulder & the other one stood up to his ear so sharp that in consequence thereof he rode sideways.

Sheppard then embellished the story further by claiming to have flirted with Lincoln’s (non-existent) daughter. He closed the letter complaining about the excessive heat and detailing the dinner menu in camp that evening. The letter was written on all four pages of a bifolium stationery sheet measuring 5” x 8”. Very good condition with light toning and foxing. Creased at the original mail folds, where there is also some slight separation on pages 3/4 extending about one inch from the edge. The full transcript follows:

Camp Sturges Aug 5th / 62

Dear Friends, as I had some more news to write & a favorable opportunity to write it, I thought I would send you another sheet & I will write early in the morning because it is cooler. We had a great review here yesterday by the President. Here where we are encamped there is as much as 2000 acres of smooth pasture land so you see it is a beautiful place for a review. We were out & in order at 3 oclock & at 2/3 oclock the old Rail Splitter made his appearance. Then Fort Ward fired a salute of 31 guns & the troops began to shout & such a racket you never heard. It made the chills run down my back & my hair stand up on end. Stub says it the same with him. Now I will proceed to give you a description of (Old Abe) he was dressed like some old table cloth peddler, an old alpaca loose coat, a two story stove pipe, black pants that reached just below the knees & he rode an old skeleton of a horse without any stirrups to the saddle & when he rode he locked his toes under the horse. When he wanted to dismount he stretched his legs down & drove the horse from under him. When he got in front of the battalion & the boys were shouting so he jerked off his old tarpaulin in front like some little urchin going into the school room. It was so warm & he sweat so that the starch was taken out of his shirt collar on one side & it lopped down over his shoulder & the other one stood up to his ear so sharp that in consequence thereof he rode sideways. His daughter and wife was here likewise. I went & shook hands with his daughter & asked her how she did. She said she did very well only she was pining away because I did not come over & see her oftener. I told her how the Capt would not sign my pass. Well I will stop until we come in from drill.

Well I have just come in & now I will finish my letter. It is now 10 oclock & it is hot enough to roast oil out of a stone. There is not a tree to get under here. We either have to sit in the tents & roast & be eaten by the flies or go out doors & bake until our hair falls off. Excuse this language, but the fact of it is I have been so long from society that I don't know how to speak, act, or write fact, by gracious. I wish I was there to have one good meal with you. O I like to forget we have lots of honey here that would suit Amy to a . Well I must stop for dinner which consists of the following articles to wit: fried steak, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, bread, & water. You see we fare hard as ever. O yes, apple sauce sweetened with molasses & boied beets in vinegar. I wrote two letters to mother this week & the last one I put 8 stamps in. I have plenty. I would send you some but they are all on envelopes.

Write soon.
Your brother Lewis Shep.