Index of Names

 

This is an index of the people mentioned in John’s letters.  John wasn’t entirely consistent about names; I have made a few assumptions and standardized the spelling. All soldiers listed are members of the Union Army, unless otherwise specified.

•  ?, Arthur—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  ?, Charley—Probably a hired hand on John and Sarah’s farm.

•  ?, Harriet—Possibly Sarah’s relative or a close friend of long standing. She and John had a rocky relationship.

•  ?, Harry—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

  1. ?, Hobert—Probably a hired hand on John and Sarah’s farm.

  2. ?, JinneyFriend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  ?, Joseph—Probably a hired hand on John and Sarah’s farm.

•  ?, Lute—Probably a hired hand on John and Sarah’s farm.

•  ?, Mary—Possibly John’s sister or aunt.

•  ?, Richard—Friend or acquaintance of Sarah. Dockworker at Inverness, Scotland.

•  ?, Stell—A cobbler in Oneida County, New York.

•  ?, William—Harriet’s deceased beau.

•  Armstrong, Thomas—Friend or acquaintance of John. John lodged with him in New York City before leaving for California.

•  Avery, Joseph—Employee at Mr. Watson’s Adams Express in Clinton.

•  Baker, Charles—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  Baker, Mrs.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  Bell, John H.—Major of the 57th New York.  Later promoted to colonel. Daughter married Tilleson.

•  Bellknap, ?—Colonel overseeing part of the Camp of Recruits in Alexandria, Virginia.

•  Bertholomy, George—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Bill—Animal (probably horse) on John and Sarah’s farm.

•  Bingham, Harry—Friend or acquaintance of Sam Hill’s in New York.

•  Blair, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly the previous owner of John and Sarah’s farm.

•  Blanchard, Daniel—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Blanchard(?), Conrad (?)—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Possibly brother to Dan Blanchard.

•  Bowles, Dinah—Sarah’s sister.  Possibly married to Mark Scripture.

•  Bowles, George—Sarah’s brother.

•  Bowles, Father—Sarah’s Father.

•  Bowles, Mother—Sarah’s Mother.

•  Britt, James Wallace —Captain of the 57th New York, Company D. Rose from Captain to Colonel during the course of the Civil War.

•  Brunson, Dr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly father to James Brunson.

•  Brunson, James—Officer of the 57th New York. Rose from Captain to Colonel. From Oneida County. Variously spelled Bronson, Brunson, and Brunston. John writes of him familiarly, as though they were acquainted before the war.  Brunson lost his right arm at Deep Bottom in August, 1864, but continued on active duty.  Ran for political office in 1864; John didn’t think well of him by that point.

•  Bryden, Agnes—John and Sarah’s daughter.

•  Bryden, David—John and Sarah’s eldest son.

•  Bryden, James—John’s brother.

•  Bryden, John, Jr.—Writer.

•  Bryden, John, Sr.—John’s father. They didn’t always get along.

•  Bryden, Agnes Carruthers—John’s mother.

•  Bryden, Robert—John’s brother.

  1. Bryden, Sarah Bowles—Wife of John Bryden, Jr. and recipient of the letters.

  2. Bryden, Thomas—John’s youngest brother.

•  Bryden, William—John and Sarah’s younger son. Clearly his father’s favorite. John usually refers to him as Willey, but occasionally calls him Will.

•  Bryden, William—John’s brother

•  Bryden(?) Charlotte—Possibly Jon’s sister.

•  Bryden(?), Mary—Possibly John’s sister.

  1. Cacket(?), Tom—Hired hand on John and Sarah’s farm.

  2. Carr, John—Private in the 57th NewYork, Company B.  Discharged in January 1863 for a disability. John spells his last name “Karr.”

•  Case, George C.—Lieutenant and Adjutant of the 57th New York.

•  Chapman, Alford B.—Colonel of the 57th New York.  Killed in action during the Battle of the Wilderness on May 5, 1864.

•  Cooley, Oliver—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Crossett, Martin—Private of the 57th New York, Company D. From Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Dean, James (Jimmy)—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Taken prisoner at Chancellorsville. Paroled in the summer of 1863.

•  Delano, Charlotte Bowles—Sarah’s sister. John often refers to her as Lot or Lottie.

•  Edgar, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York

•  Edgar, Robert—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Possibly son of Mr. Edgar.

•  Edgar, William—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly son of Mr. Edgar.

•  Edwards, James (Jim or Jimmy)—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly son of Mrs. Edwards.

•  Edwards, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly father to James Edwards.

•  Edwards, Mrs.—Friend of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly mother to James Edwards.

•  Ellsworth, Elmer Ephraim—Colonel. First Union officer killed in the Civil War.

•  Flyn, Dick—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Foster, George—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  French, George—New York recruit. Went home before being assigned to a Regiment.

•  French, William H.—Officer of the 57th New York.

•  Grant, Ulysses S.—General-in-Chief.

•  Greeley, Horace—Founder and Editor-In-Chief of the New York Tribune.

•  Hancock, Winfield Scott—Major General.

•  Harden, Mrs.—Passenger on Clipper to the gold fields. Remarries in California.

•  Harrington, Edward—Private in the 117th New York Infantry. From Oneida County, James and possibly George Herrington’s brother.

•  Harrington, George—Union soldier. From Oneida County, Possibly James and Edward Harrington’s brother.

•  Harrington, James—Private of the 57th New York, Company B. From Oneida County. John’s friend, Edward and possibly George Harrington’s brother..

•  Harrington, Mrs.—James, Edward, and possibly George Harrington’s mother.

•  Hawkings, Mrs.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  Hill, Helen—Daughter of Sam Hill.

•  Hill, Mrs. Sam—Sam Hill’s wife. She and John have a falling out.

•  Hill, Samuel (Sam)—Private in the 57th New York, Company D. From Utica in Oneida County. John’s friend.

  1. Hooker, Joseph—Major General.  Popular with his troops. John seems to have admired Hooker.

•  Langden, Dr.—Physician from Oneida County working at the Convalescent Hospital in Virginia.

•  Lincoln, Abraham—President of the United States of America.  John was a Republican and a Lincoln supporter.

•  Longstreet, James—Lieutenant General (CSA)

  1. Lyon, Nathaniel—Brigadier General. First Union General killed in the Civil War.

  2. Markison, HarryUnion soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  McClellan, George B.—Major General.

•  Middleton, Orlando—Officer of the 57th New York. From Oneida County.

•  Nelley—Animal (probably horse) on John and Sarah’s farm.

•  Northup, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John in California.

•  O’Conner, Edward— Friend or acquaintance of John in California.  Fellow passenger on the ship to the gold fields.

•  Payne, David (Harry)—Private of the 57th New York, Company D. From Oneida County. Died of wound in January 1863.

•  Payne, Horace—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  Payne, Miss A.—George Bowles’ sweetheart in the 1850’s.

•  Pendleton, George H.—Senator (D-Ohio). Advocate for a negotiated peace.

•  Plunket, Barney—Union soldier in the 16th New York Heavy Artillery, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Powell, ?—John identifies a Captain Powell as wounded and taken prisoner during the Battle of the Wilderness, but no Powell is listed in the roster for the 57th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment.

•  Rice, Luther—Union soldier in the 16th New York Heavy Artillery, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Sayers, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Relative (probably father) of Thomas Sayers.

•  Sayers, Thomas (Tom) —Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend. Taken prisoner at Chancellorsville. Paroled in the Summer of 1863.

  1. Scripture, Marquis (Mark)—Friend of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly related to Harriet and married to Dinah.

  2.   Shorey, Edwin H.  Second Lieutenant, 57th New York, Company B.  John’s acquaintance.

•  Skinner, Ben—Private of the 57th New York, Company B. From Oneida County. John’s friend.

•  Snider, Stephen R.—Originally assigned to Company C of the 57th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Later promoted to 1st Lieutenant  and Regimental Quartermaster.

•  Strong, George—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Taken prisoner in May 1863.

•  Strong, John—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Strong, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly related to George and John Strong.

•  Sumner, Edwin V.—Major General.

•  Taylor, John—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly the father of Agnes’s future husband.

•  Thomas, George—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance.

•  Thompson, Call—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Killed in action in the autumn of 1864.

•  Tilleson, ?—Union soldier from Oneida County.

•  Untley, Tom—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend.

•  Vice, Peter—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Wounded, probably at Gettysburg.

•  Wall, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  Wallace, Michael—Private in NY 57th Infantry, Company D. From Oneida County. Not John’s friend. Killed at Fredericksburg.

•  Warner, Jonathan—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Killed in action in the autumn of 1864.

•  Watson, Mr.—Ran the Adams Express Office in Clinton, New York.

•  Waters, Mr.—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York. Possibly father or brother to Susan.

•  Waters, Susan—Friend of Sarah and Harriet’s. Unmarried.

•  Wilcox, Cadmus M.—Major General (CSA).

•  Wire, Alfred—Friend or acquaintance of John and Sarah in New York.

•  Wise, Elmer—Union soldier from Oneida County, John’s friend or acquaintance. Taken prisoner at Chancellorsville. Paroled in the summer of 1863.

•  Zook, Samuel K.—Rose from Colonel to Brevet Major General. Died at Gettysburg.