117th Regiment
New York volunteer Infantry
Dewitt Grosjean Letters
Transcribed and Donated by Brian Grosjean

Transcriber's note: The following is a transcript from a letter from my relative in the 117th NY Infantry. (Original spellings and grammar.) It was written by the same man, even though the name is spelled differently. I think the first one was written for him by a nurse.

Head Quarters 117th Regt.
Near Petersburg Va
July 11th 1864
Dear Mother,

I take my pen in hand to let you no that I am in good helth and hope these few lines will find you all the same. I have had a very narow chance of my life and think that I am lucky that it was no worse. I am all sound a gain.
I have not went back to the company yet.. and I am going to stop here as long as I can. I saw the captin yesterday and told him that I was a coming back to the Company a gain. he told me that I had beter stay where I was as long as I could but I will go back to the Regt a gain soon very likly.
The Christian commition gave me a sheet of paper and an envelope to write to my mother and I thought that I would write right off. The Sanitary commition is a good thing in the army. we get tomatoes and lemons and in fact most all kinds of fruit even sowercrout and cabage has been delt out by the sanitary commition. they are found around hospitals taking care of the sick and wounded soldiers they are the only friends that the soldiers here in the army have.
(The next part was censored and removed by the Army at the time they were written)
These army doctors are drunk half of the time but we have good doctors in our Regt. I must say that they have dun their duty like men.
I wish this war was over. I am willing to have it seteled in any turms. Now peace is what I want. I have seen men enough killed and I hope the leading (Next part censored and removed by the Army at the time they were written)

From Your son,
Dewitt C. Groshang

Quarters 117th NY
Laison Station N.C.
April 8th 1865
Dear Brother,

I again take my pen in hand to write a few lines to you. Have not heard from you in some time- We are still at the railroad. There is no doubt that we will leave here next Monday- Well we have had a good rest here and dressing clothes and now we are ready for another martch- We got the good and glorious news that Richmond +Petersbr. was in the hands of the Yankees- You know that I wrote to you long ago that Grant had Lee by the throat and Richmond and Petersburg must fall. The rebs are getting hell on all sides. What a copperhead defeat- three cheers for the Union- We have not got our pay and we don't care about it- This is all this time- You must write soon a few more times.- I have sent a package containing one silk cape in your name- You will let Mother have it and she will keep it till I come home. It was captured by one of the boys and I paid him $2 for it.

Dewitt Grosjean
Sargt. Co I. 117

Copyright©1999 by Brian Grosjean

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