Introducing Uncle Horrocks

Horrocks Youker was my great uncle. While his legacy doesn't involve issue, he never married, he did collect more treasure than any other relative. The items from his collection, while somewhat obscure, and not of immense value, never fail to fascinate me.

Uncle Horrocks died in 1982. I have inherited some of the items that he accumulated over his lifetime. Last year, Horrocks' sister Hilda, my grandmother, gave us another item acquired by Horrocks during his many years in upstate New York. This rare piece of correspondence was written by Adalbert Perry, corporal in the New York infantry, in May of 1861.

Mr. Nicklas Moyer
Little Falls
Herkimer County, New York

Albany, May 23rd, 1861

Uncle Nick,

I now take my pen in hand to let you know that haint forgot you yet. I wish you was down here to see us and see how we live. we have enough to eat but it is coarse. we don't have no pie or cake as I did at home but I am getting fat as a hog. I wish you was down here yesterday to see us inspected and see Jake Casler. the doctor struck him in the breast and how he did cough. That did not do any good as the doctor said he was all sound. that makes him feel bad. that dont do any good. the boys is all happy they want to go south. they are sick of Albany. We have a good time here altogether. I want you to tell all of [the] boys that [ ] all right. Tell Tom Flansby and Dan Fl I wish I could be there and drink with them. we drill about 21 hours in a day. we have got good officers and we are all for the union and the Stars and Stripes. I am corporal over the gard. to night when I write this letter, we have 80 men and they are good ones to. we will show you what old Herkimer co[unty] can do if we have to fight. I think I will come home when I get my uniform if i can. if you see any of my folks tell them we are all right and I would like to hear from them. i have wrote to them but they haint to me. now I don't care if they dont. I wrote to Tom Flansby and he haint answered my letter. I know where my friends is now. that is all a soldier cares for is letters but I dont get any. I dont want you to forget and write and let me know how things is there. it is great here. there is 16 hundred of us boards in one house and we have rats once and a while but we don't mind that a bit for we are [used] to it now. So dont forget and write.

So Good by at Present
From Adalbert Perry
2nd Corporal
Company A, 38th Regiment

Direct your letter to me in care of [ ] , Company A 38 Reg

I conducted some follow-up research on Adalbert Perry that produced curious results. I could not find record of him in the 38th regiment, but an independent source listed him in the 34th New York regiment by June, 1861. It also listed Jake Casler, who was mentioned by name in the letter. The 34th saw a lot of action during 1862-1863 including Antietam and Fredericksburg. Oddly, the envelope is postmarked May 4, and the letter is dated May 23. This indicates that the letter recipient probably received more than one letter from the author.

A better explanation of the 38th into the 34th here.

Update (2/14/11): Adelbert Perry was appointed to a committee of New York 34th regiment Antietam veterans for the purpose of erecting a battlefield monument. Laws of the State of New York, Vol Two, Page 1764. (1901).