Letters of Daniel E. Burbank

This set of letters was written by Daniel E. Burbank (1841-1920), a soldier from Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire. Burbank enlisted in the Second New Hampshire infantry, Company A, in the spring of 1861. His letters, mainly to his family, talk about camp life, his equipment, letters sent and received, and battles in which he partook. On the subject of news, he notes that while his parents are continually asking him for the latest war news, they know as much if not more than him through the newspapers. He also talks about the importance of oral news, through both rampant rumors and soldiers returning to the home front, and mentions attempting to get his photograph taken to send home, but missing the “salon” that was set up in camp to do so.

He often writes on pictorial letterhead featuring the Capitol building, the United States flag and eagle, and other patriotic images. This inexpensive letterhead, printed lithographically in two colors, was intended specifically for the troops, as it often included blank lines to fill in regiment, company, and camp. In some cases it was even produced for a specific regiment, with the name included as part of the design.

Burbank’s letters stop abruptly, for he was wounded and captured on May 5, 1862, at Williamsburg, Virginia; released on May 17, 1862; and discharged on May 22, 1862. He went on to become an engineer, marry Ann H. White on December 22, 1864, in Keene, New Hampshire, and have a family of his own. He died in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1920.

This transcription of excerpts of his letters focuses on how Burbank gathered (or didn’t gather) news and how he shared it with his correspondents. Digital versions of all of his letters are available here.