Civil War letter to Ella Melendy

To view or search transcription, use the button to open the sidebar. To search, use the button in the sidebar.

From the collections of PVMA • Digital image © Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Assoc. • Image use information


About this item

John Emory Fuller (1838-1916) was from Deerfield, Massachusetts. In June, 1861, he enlisted in Terra Haute, Indiana, in the 14th Indiana Volunteers. Then in September, his twin brother Francis enlisted in the 24th Massachusetts Volunteers. In civilian life the brothers were musicians, and in the army they played in regimental bands.

Fuller wrote this letter to his fiancé, Ella J. Melendy, who remained home in Deerfield. He was suffering from health problems, especially with his lungs. In this letter, he is in the hospital. Disease was the single biggest killer of the Civil War. Poor sanitation and food contributed to the death of thousands before a public outcry forced the War Department to improve conditions. Fuller’s letter refers to the bad mail service: none of his fiancé’s letters reached him. The mail system in the United States was thrown into chaos by the war, especially in this first year of fighting.

Related Items

Details

Item typeLetter
AuthorFuller, John Emory
Date1862-02-13
PlaceMaryland
TopicMedical, Health, Disease
Military, Wars, Battles
EraCivil War and Reconstruction, 1861–1877
EventAmerican Civil War. 1861–1865
MaterialPaper
Process/FormatHandwriting
Dimension detailsProcess Material: manuscript, paper, ink Height: 7.75 in Width: 5.50 in
Catalog #L01.090
View this item in our curatorial database →
Fuller, John Emory. Civil War letter to Ella Melendy. February 13, 1862. Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, American Centuries. https://americancenturies.org/collection/l01-090/. Accessed on October 10, 2024.

Please note: Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.