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Letter from Moses Hill to Persis Hill, 26 May 1862
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[ This description is from the project: Staff Favorites ]
Moses Hill served in the 1st Company of Massachusetts Sharpshooters, or “Andrew Sharpshooters,” during some of the worst fighting of the Civil War in Maryland and Virginia in 1861 and 1862. Hill, a stone mason of Medway, Mass., was 38 years old when he enlisted in August 1861. His health was good and he wrote frequently to his family. He didn’t expect the war to last long, but unfortunately, the war dragged on with multiple engagements and dreadful conditions. Hill’s health deteriorated until he was discharged from service on 13 October 1862. He reached Medway on 17 October and died of consumption 12 days later.
“...you can almost hear his voice as you read.”
MHS Senior Processing Archivist Susan Martin on Moses Hill's Civil War letters
Moses Hill wrote about his inner life, his fears and aspirations, and his letters give us a vivid sense of how war really feels, the toll it takes, and his humanity in the face of it. He also spelled many words phonetically, so you can almost hear his voice as you read.