Elijah Brown Letter Analysis

Letters written by Elijah Brown, Co. F of the 2nd Vermont Regiment June 20, 1861.

Elijah Brown was originally of Woodbury, VT, and served in Company F of the 2nd Vermont Regiment beginning June 20, 1861. Elijah’s letters are dated from June – August 1861 to January 23, 1863. Elijah’s correspondence was with his sister regarding his current condition at the time of his letters and for the most part, were quite short. Unfortunately, after serving three years in the 2nd Vermont regiment, Elijah died in a military hospital of disease on or around February 4, 1863. Sadly, his sister’s last letter was dated February 8, 1863 and was returned to her arriving after Elijah had passed. In his sister’s letter, she had addressed how she was relieved that she had received word that Elijah had not passed and was still among the living. In her letter she wished her brother improved health and provided updated news. She went on to discuss her hopes to receive letters from Elijah and how sadden she was when the letters did not arrive as she watch for them. She expressed concern for her brother’s care, inquiring about his comfort and who it was that cared for him. Elijah’s sister briefly
In his first letter, Elijah began by describing the encampment they were at, describing it as “A beautiful place”. This particular letter is addressed to his sister and “Jack,” as he writes that “Bill he had one from Jack”. In this letter, Elijah wrote of his poor health and struggles to stand and march for more than a half hour at a time. He described how other soldiers were having similar struggles, how food and money was sparse, which contributed to their weakness. He wrote of the limited news they were able to obtain and how they received false alarms which caused them to “spring out of the tents & form A line & stand there A while & then go back to our tents