Letters

File — Box: W0078.01

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: These thirteen letters were written between 1861 and 1865 by Morris E. Boss of Binghamton, New York, and members of his family. Most of the letters were sent from Morris E. Boss to his brother, Homer B. Boss. A member of the Sixty-first New York Infantry, Morris's letters include brief accounts of the Battle of Seven Pines and Chancellorsville. His letters also describe camp life, including notable discussions of payroll backlogs, the draft, and the execution of deserters. In his last letter, dated June 20, 1865, Morris describes the discharge process and notes that he is owed $575.00 in back pay.

The remaining letters are written by or addressed to other members of the Boss family; these letters also relay war news and updates on Morris's health and wellbeing. A letter from Charles Boss to Homer B. Boss written in December 1861 discusses Morris's enlistment and lists the names of other local recruits. Another letter from S. E. Sarrabu presumably addressed to Morris's sister Louisa M. Boss (incorrectly addressed as S. M. Boss) reports that Morris is missing and presumed injured after a shell exploded near him during a skirmish at Appomattox.

Transcriptions of the letters are included, although there is no information as to who provided the transcriptions.

Dates

1861 - 1865

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.