Silence in the face of adversity is the father of complicity and collusion, the first cousins of conspiracy..
25 Aug 2013
12:46:36pm

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re: Civil War Cover to a Soldier

I am always impressed by the handwriting that even common people exhibited a hundred years ago. My father left school at the sixth grade level (about 1925) and while complex math was beyond him and he never seemed to read a book for pleasure, he wrote almost as well and decorously as the handwriting on this envelope.
I always enjoyed watching him address X-mas mail and write some simple greeting on the card within. Of course, up to about 1952 the good sisters at school thought a foot long ruler across the knuckles was conducive to flowing penmanship.
Today I have noticed that the schools do not even bother to teach cursive at all. Oh, and I had to insist my children all learned to tell time on a dial clock.
Back to the topic.
I wonder if Sgt Ray (???) survived the war ? There must be a list of Civil War veterans, possibly from Wilmington Delaware (??) who applied for benefits. Or is that "Eleventh Regiment of NY." ???
Is there any enclosure or return address ?

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re: Civil War Cover to a Soldier

Thanks for the picture-what a find! As I work through the covers/letters in my collection I am often stymied because the person cannot be found. But I love the hunt just the same.