Large archive including four soldiers letter archive, plus of George & Ellen Good (brother & sister). George was mustered into Co. E, 15 th New York Cavalry Aug. 15, 1863. His first letter is to Miss Ellen Good Holly Orleans, Co. N.Y. with cover having red 3 cent Washington stamp with Washington D.C. Sep 28 cancellation, with four page inked Ms letter on folded lined letter sheet headed Sunday Sept. 27 th 1863 Camp near Washington Dear ones at home now take my pen in hand to write these few lines ??? you to let you know where I am I am camped near Washington We left Staten Island Tuesday night and got to Washington Friday morning stayed there one day Saturday we marched 8 or 9 miles to where we are now we got our bounty before we left I will Send Some home before long and if you can keep it for me we have not got our horses yet we expect to have them soon we had a long ride we can through N.J. P.A. and we are now in Maryland camped near the Potomac I can see over into Virginia this morning I have been down to the Potomac to wash my shirts I should like to have you make two shirts for me ???? ones, when you have time I have enough for the present when I want them I will send for them How are you all a getting along is there much a going on at home what do they think about the war now I think Suppose there will be letters sent from Staten Island for me out they will follow us up I think I wrote to Alice and if you see her tell her where I am now Give my love to McMichael and his folks and to all the folks around there tell Charles to work hard and save All that he can how does Lib get along does she work as much as ever is Shelden house done is the beans all pulled In this letter I will Send ten dollars and if that goes safe I will send some in the next if you need it use it if not keep it have Charley save all that he can I have no more room to write so I will close Good bye No more at present from George Good; plus Illustrated letter sheet with bust portrait of Joseph K.F. Mansfield, KIA Antietam Sept. 18, 1862, flanked by two Union infantry men in zouave uniforms, printed by Chas. Magnus, 12 Frankfort St. N.Y., folded lined letter sheet with four pages of penciled text with printed cover with 15 th Regiment N.Y. Cavalry, Company E. Capt. Geo. M. Ellicott. With Washington D.C. Dec. 27, 63 post mark with 3 cent Washington bust stamp, addressed to Miss Elen (sic Ellen) Good Orleans Co. Holley N.Y. headed: March 2, 1864 Hard winter In the saddle camp in the mountains 14 miles from New Creek Western Virginia, Dear ones at home as I -------------------------- my self I though that I would write you a few line to let you know how I am for the last 6 or 7 days I have been in the saddle all the time some days we rode 65 or 70 miles we have moved from Harpers Ferry to Western Virginia you can look on the map and see we are within 30 miles from Cumblerland we are under command of General Sigel (Franz Sigel) now and such roads I never through there could be as we came over the big cassen (possible Kasson)? mountains and two or three other ranges of mountains and through gaps and passes we forded south branch of the Potomac and several other rivers we are kept moving all the time day before yesterday in the afternoon we had to get to new creek to escort the paymaster 14 miles and it made a pretty good ride of 28 miles for a fellow that is tiered of riding we have had one fight I but I believe that I stated something about it in my last letter if I could get time to write I would explain it all but I don’t have time I have not had but one letter in a long time at (Place name)? here yesterday all day we have plenty to do now most always when we come to a town we charge in at full speed the first day we charged into ??? fast our horses on a dead run for five miles we would not run so far but we was after the rebs so you can guess how our horses stood it---------------------- and then when we got most to ??? the Lieut. Send for 6 men out of company E to charge into ??? and six out of company A I was with then we always go as fast as we can make the horses run Company A was ahead of us and as we crossed a small run one of company E horse fell I was close behind but my horse went by to the left of him their was three or four fell in the same place one of our men fell and broke his finger we was so close that the horses fell over each other I ran by all of company A and the ??? my horse will run two miles just as fast as he will a half a mile I know that for I have run him 5 one day I got chased six or eight miles and I had to take it across the country over fences and ditches but never ??? when this cussed war is over I will come home and tell you all I dont know as you can read all this; plus folded inked letter written by George, dated March 4, 1864 with four pages of text written to his sister from camp near Burlington 14 miles from New Creek Western Virginia, reading: I have not been but one fight yet Some of our boys have gone out on a five day Scout the news came in that they had a fight the rebs are not whipped yet now they sent ?? right off You spoke of Lending me a hand? kindly? Do it up well in the inside of a paper and it will come well enough if t is not to large the papers come all right two in one Package at once was the last that I got tell lib that I wrote last if she wrote to me I did not get her letter you wanted to know who them of our Samsals? were that I sent home well I think that you will have to tell for I do not know their names the first one that I sent lives at Leesburgh V.A. the other in N.Y. I like the first one the best you will see my heir? Some of these days will I think that something is a going to happen for I have been in camp two or three days now but every minute I expect to hear a detail come in for me to go out on picket or on a scout it is not very pleasant to march all day and then stay out nights it is rough on man and beast well it is getting late and I most close for this time if you have a mind to you can send me 2 good shirts with the boots Have father go up to Byron and see when the best ?ile be made and then you can tell for yourself you need no send more than one I can draw socks find out the price of the Best and let me know then as Pr. Of socks and I don’t care about any for Something in the Bar that we sent to Pat Sherwood for you to take Pat ?? after the needle work I mean ???/ I will close Good ??? Geo. Good Co. E 15 N.Y. Cav. New Creek Western Virginia Write Soon; plus the last war letter from George with cover addressed to Ellen Good, postmarked Point of Rocks Md, Aug. 29 1864, interestingly is on illustrated folded letter sheet of the Penn. Bucktails with printed Kanes Rifle Regt. Pa. R.V.C. Col. Charles Biddle Commanding with Penn state seal at left with soldier with rifle and tent encampment, headed Camp in the Saddle At Point of Rock Aug. 27 th 1864 Dear Sister I thought I would write a few lines for you to let you know that I an alive and well I hope these line will fine you well and enjoying good health how is the draft at home i suppose it will make some of the brave heros that sit in their stores and taverns all good fighting men at home but don’t venture out let them come down here and try it awhile they are i don’t care if they draft all the men in york state Yesterday we started commenced crossing into for cumberland but the rebs commenced crossing into Maryland and back again they must every day move near harpers ferry in the Shenandoa we will have a fight Sure ??? for we do every Sunday What does the folks at home think of the war do they think it will end this fall is times as lively as ever is Cross eye married yet poor girl someone had aught to take pitty on her how is Mr. Sheldens folks and all the rest that I know Well Ellen I think I will close for this time write soon George Good Co. E 15 th N.Y. Cav Washington D.C.; plus an inked manuscript letter with cover (no postage marks, likely hand carried) addressed to George Co. E 15 th N.Y. Cavalry New Creek Western Virginia, by Mary McLaughlin, Fond de Lac (Wisconsin) dated Jan. 22 nd 1865 but written to his sister Ellen. Mary is working as a domestic in Wisc. and is very homesick and appears to be in love with Ellens brother Marvin, talks of receiving letters from Ellens brother George saying: he seems to enjoy himself well in the army when last wrote to George little did I think that he was in the army...I have 12 shillings per week, total of three and three quarter pages of text; plus a frankly quite humorous small pair of attached Ms notes reading: This is a specimen of my hand writing before taking lessons of A. McFarland. Ellen Good; This is a specimen of my hand writing after taking lessons of A. McFarland. Ellen Good. It is clear that she found this funny as her hand writing after lessons was poorer than before; plus Inked Ms letter and cover from John Doyle in Ireland to Charles Good in Bryon, N.Y. This three page unlined letter sheet, while posted in Tullow is headed Castlegriall telling his friend Charles Good of conditions back home in County Carlow, the death of his wife Catherine and his moving in with his married daughter and his eldest son living and working in a shop in Dublin and doing well and that his youngest son wishes to come to American; plus four page Ms inked letter sheet addressed to Ellen Good (no cover) from Mary McLaughlin, Cascade, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, dated July 26 th 1865 and reading in part Well Ellen I am at home this summer and I have enjoyed myself so well since I have been in Wisconsin as I do this summer we have grand times out here you know the war is over and the brave boys are all coming home that is those who are left God bless the brave boys they have spent A long and hard time in the south but they fought bravely and they conquered their enemy Well Ellen how did you spend your fourth as for me I had a very pleasant time all day but I did not go any where in the evening the young folks of our neighborhood got a party an their own Cook? I had an invitation but John was not at home so I though I would not go… Continues with details about how good the farm is doing and how cheap it is to live there as compared to N.Y., asks about her brother George and if he is back from the war yet and other domestic matters; plus three page ink and pencil letter sheet headed Franklin April 14 th 1867 addressed to Hellen Good writes of not writing do to being up to his eyes in oil; ends with a limerick reading: My pen is poor/My ink is pale/My love for you/Shall never fail/Nelli; followed by a very funny pencil drawing of themselves smoking a pipe labeled below My Photograph; plus four page Ms inked letter headed Bryon Oct. 26, 1866, addressed to Nellie Good (no cover) from Mollie asking if she has attended any Apple Bees (rural farmers fall gathering to share news, friendship and apples) . Most of the rest is news of mutual friends and relative and last page is written in another hand signed EWD saying he was sorry he missed her last visit, as he was away working and asks after Charlie; plus single page Ms letter with both sides filled with edge writing also, from Mary Daholl headed Bryon Jan. 26 (no year, circa 1860s)’ My Dear Friend Niell ADD. There are also 20 other Ms letters, most with covers addressed to John, Ellen, Hellen, & Nellie Good, all post war 19 th century and unread. In addition to the letters there are three photographs including one 9 th plate ambortype ¾ length portrait of Ellen Good; plus two 5 ¼ x 3 ½ silver prints with ink inscriptions reading Aunt Lee + the younger generation of Goods & Aunt Lee (Electa) Good + family; and five leather bound day by day type diaries written by Eleanor Good (likely the same person as Ellen God) 1862, 65-68. Condition Good to VG.