1864 – A New York soldier sarcastically describes life at Camp Wadsworth, which was a contraband holding encampment located in Fairfax, Virginia

Camp Wadsworth, Fairfax, Virginia, 1864. Unbound. Very good. During the early years of the Civil War, hordes of enslaved people from Northern Virginia escaped to the District of Columbia, becoming known as contraband. In order to provide a place these refuges could be cared for and controlled, D. B. Nichols, the Superintendent of Freedman, determined to relocate as many as possible on secessionist property outside of the city. To that end he seized two farms in Fairfax County whose owners had joined the Confederate military. Camp Wadsworth was established on 194 acres of property taken from Captain James W. Cooke, who had become a Confederate naval officer, and Lewis Means. The author of this letter, George E. Remore, was a member of the 153rd New York Infantry, which was assigned to guard and police duty in D.C. and Alexandria at the time.

Remore’s sarcastic letter is datelined “Camp Wadsworth Dec. 28th 64” and begins with a description of leave he had recently enjoyed:

“I went to Massachusetts the state as near as I can find out is inhabited by girls it reminded me of Mohamet’s description of heaven with the exception that houris are not supposed to indulge in crinoline but Mohamet was behind the times when he wrote and has probably before this introduce that useful article into paradise. . ..”

However, he saves most of his sarcasm for his description of Camp Wadsworth” Christmas celebration.

“Camp Wadsworth still sustains its position among the nations of earth game is abundant Peacock’s disport their brilliant plumage by the side of living waters they are hunted vigorously we had a splendid time Christmas and had a dinner in out Plowmans quarters where the tables groaned under their burden of luxurys from the four quarters of the earth and in the evening the band enjoyed the hospitality of my parler we had a splendid time amid the crash of music the gush of song and the splash of sparkling . . . the night wore on apace and grew into the wee small hours before we thought of parting we shall long remember the Christmas of 1864 as one of the green oasis’s in the desert of life. . ..”

. (For more information, see “Camp Wadsworth” at the Fairfax County African American History Inventory website, and “153rd Regiment, New York Infantry” at the National Park Service website.)

>Scarce. At the time of listing, no other “Camp Wadsworth” material is for sale in the trade and none has appeared at auction per the Rare Book Hub. OCLC. OCLC shows none are held in institutional collections.

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