Barton Family Correspondence
Collection Overview
William Henry Barton (known as Henry) was born on April 5, 1826 in Moriah, New York, the son of William A. and Electa (Taylor) Barton. By 1860 he had married Abiah Elliott. He enlisted in the 5th New York Cavalry, Company H on December 14, 1863...
Show moreWilliam Henry Barton (known as Henry) was born on April 5, 1826 in Moriah, New York, the son of William A. and Electa (Taylor) Barton. By 1860 he had married Abiah Elliott. He enlisted in the 5th New York Cavalry, Company H on December 14, 1863 and was discharged in July, 1865. He fought in the Battle of the Wilderness, Battle of Spottsylvania Court House, and Ashland Station. His brother, Hiram Horatio Barton, was born on August 20, 1836 in Moriah, New York. He enlisted in Company C, 96th New York State Volunteers. He fought in the Battle of Fair Oaks, the Battle of Kinston and at the Seige of Petersburg, where he was wounded. He was also at Fort Harrison. He was discharged on January 11, 1865. He married Jennie Abbie Johnson on September 5, 1869 in Bridport, Vermont. He died at there of cerebral abcess on April 6, 1903, and was buried in the Bridport Village cemetery. Lyman Barton was born on April 29, 1839 in Moriah, New York, He enlisted on July 7, 1862 in Winsted, Connecticut in Company K, 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment. He fought at Antietam, Fredericksburg, Petersburg, and Fort Harrison. He was discharged on June 6, 1865. He died in Crown Point, New York on August 14, 1936. Theodore Taylor Barton was born on September 15, 1842 in Crown Point, New York and enlisted on May 1, 1861 in Company H, 34th New York State Volunteers. He was in the Battle of Fair Oaks, Antietam, and Chancellorsville. He was discharged on June 30, 1863, but returned to Washington, D.C. as a teamster and later reenlisted in the Veteran Volunteers. He was discharged in February, 1866. In 1867, he married Augusta Wooster Barton, the widow of his older brother James Bradshaw Barton, who was killed at the Battle of the Wilderness. Theodore moved to Lansing, Michigan and died there on January 2, 1928. Civil War letters written by four brothers, William, Hiram, Lyman, and Theodore. Many of the letters were written to their sister Mary Melissa Barton while she was living at Larabee's Point in Shoreham and the rest of the letters were written to each other. They were all in different units in Virginia and North Carolina. They write of camp life, troop movements, and descriptions of the country side. They also, at times, graphically describe the aftermath of battles. There is a description of the fiasco at the Crater. There is also a patriotic poem by William Izzard.
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- Lyman Barton to Melissa Barton
- Description
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Lyman Barton writes of returning to his regiment, even though he was due more sick leave. He also comments on men from Moriah and Crown Point who have not enlisted and those who have. As well he mentions gossip from home and teases his sister about her Vermont suitor. Finally, he includes a...
Show moreLyman Barton writes of returning to his regiment, even though he was due more sick leave. He also comments on men from Moriah and Crown Point who have not enlisted and those who have. As well he mentions gossip from home and teases his sister about her Vermont suitor. Finally, he includes a memoranda of his activities from January 1 to January 15, including detailing the food he eats daily and the games played by the 15th Connecticut Regiment on New Year’s Day.
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- Title
- Lyman Barton to Melissa Barton
- Description
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Lyman writes about wishing to receive more letters from his sister, as he is lonely in camp, even though it sounds like he is enjoying himself. He points out the battles printed on the bottom of the writing paper he is using, saying that he was in the last four of them. The letter continues with...
Show moreLyman writes about wishing to receive more letters from his sister, as he is lonely in camp, even though it sounds like he is enjoying himself. He points out the battles printed on the bottom of the writing paper he is using, saying that he was in the last four of them. The letter continues with a detailed description of the movements of his Brigade. He also mentions “confiscating” a beef, writing that soldiers don’t steal, only confiscate and the only difficulty was getting the beef into the camp.
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- Title
- Theodore Barton to Melissa Barton
- Description
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Theodore Lyman writes of seeing his brother Lyman, Company K, 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, who is camped only two miles away. He also writes of the attempt by General Burnside to cross the Rappahannock and how the Confederate soldiers jeered and set up a sign saying “Burnside stuck in the...
Show moreTheodore Lyman writes of seeing his brother Lyman, Company K, 8th Connecticut Infantry Regiment, who is camped only two miles away. He also writes of the attempt by General Burnside to cross the Rappahannock and how the Confederate soldiers jeered and set up a sign saying “Burnside stuck in the mud.”
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