Glen’s Falls in the Apostrophe Era — 118th Regiment mail call

This is the latest in an occasional series of posts based on local 19th century news reports before Glen’s Falls dropped the apostrophe from its name.

The sutler that sold to the 118th Regiment of New York State Volunteers charged an “exorbitant price” of 10 cents — the equivalent of $2.54 in 2019 dollars — for a paper of tobacco.

Glen’s Falls members of the Civil War regiment, camped near Fort Ethan Allen, Virginia, were overjoyed on receiving tobacco and other gifts from home, transported the last leg of the journey by the team of horses that routinely brought bread to the camp from Georgetown, The Glen’s Falls Republican reported on Nov. 25, 1862.

“You may be sure the rejoicing in our company is great,” one unidentified soldier wrote to his mother in Glen’s Falls. “I do not doubt in the least, mother, but that you, and Mrs. Capt. Norris, and all the kind friends who were instrumental in making up these boxes, would have been simply repaid for your trouble if you could have stood by and seen the smiling faces as each one would step up when his name was called and, receiving his little package from home, whirl around and run to his tent shouting: ‘See here what I have got from home.’”

One package, weighing 411 pounds, was filled with Capt. Norris new mess kit and gifts for each of the soldiers.

Another package, weighing 206 pounds, contained mainly boots from C.B. Sprague’s store.

“What a heap of home remembrances for our boys in the field!” the Republican editorialized.

The writer of the letter wrote with a gold pen he received in the package.

He also received tobacco, butter, and a pillow.

One soldier received a clay smoking pipe, which many in the unit had asked to borrow.

“I am afraid the poor old Glen’s Falls pipe will never live to go through all of our hands.”

Click here to read the most recent previous post in the series.