May 1, 2025
Recently, I was thrilled to view a collection of letters from a Civil War soldier, written in faded pencil on scraps of stained paper. That soldier was Medfield’s Eben Granville Babcock, writing to his mother Mary on Pleasant Street. The letters were generously donated to the Medfield Historical Society in 2015 by Wendy Palumbo, a relative of Babcock, (Bonus: Here is a link to Tim Flaherty’s excellent article about the Palumbo Family of Medfield.) Babcock’s letters were featured in an article by Richard DeSorgher in Medfield’s Hometown Weekly on October 22, 2015; however, the online version is unavailable at present. It is, therefore my honor to retell this story in time for Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, 2025.
Eighty-two Medfield men served in the Civil War, and fourteen died. Ebenezer Granville Babcock III (1842-1917) went by the name Eben, and signed his letters “E. Granville Babcock.” Eben was the son of Ebenezer Babcock of Sherborn and Mary Whitney of Norfolk. The couple married in 1833, came to Medfield about 1845, had eight children (Tilden 308) and lived on Pleasant Street during the Civil War. All the letters are addressed to “Mrs. Mary W. Babcock, Medfield, Massachusetts.”
At age 19, Eben enlisted at Lynnfield , 33rd Regiment, with the rank of private; he was honorably discharged as a private at the close of the war in 1865. We know a few facts of his war record from the questionnaire he answered when joining the Moses Ellis G.A. R. Post upon discharge. His first battle was at Chancellorsville; he was wounded at Hanging River, North Carolina, while building corduroy roads (these were log roads, perpendicular to the direction of the road); he was briefly taken prisoner on July 3, 1863 at Weaversville, VA by the South Carolina Cavalry and paroled the next day. Two of his friends from Medfield, James Griffin and David Maney, enlisted at the same time and served in the same regiment (MHS file, Civil War Record). What follows is the complete transcript of the earliest letter from the collection, with occasional added punctuation between sentences for clarity.
First Letter, August 19, 1862
Boston to Washington via Connecticut, New Jersey, Maryland. Likes It First-rate So Far.
near Arlington Heights (Virginia)
Dear Mother,
I now take my pencil in hand to write you a few lines to let you know how I like and how I (illegible) since I’ve started from Camp Stanton Thursday and went to Boston. We marched through the streets of Boston and took the cars and went to Stonington then we took the steamer there and went to New Jersey and from there to Baltimore. We staid (sic) on the steamer all night, then we went to Washington and staid all night in the soldiers’ retreat. We went to Arlington Heights the next day. That was Sunday. We marched 10 miles on Sunday on our way through Washington to see Colonel Corcoran* of the 69th. We arrived in Camp about dark and had to sleep on the bare ground all night.
I like it first rate so far. I am on guard today and have just been relieved and came into my tent to write to you. How is Anna and all the folks? Write soon and let me know. It is fine weather out here, no warmer here than it is at home. The 14th Mass(achusetts) is encamped all around us in 6 forts. About 100 acres all around us is full of huts where a whole brigade encamped last winter. The 14th Mass. pickets captured 14 rebels about 3 miles off from us. They lost 4 of their men. I can’t write any more now so good bye from your son
Granville Babcock
P.S. My hands sweat so they have dirtied the paper all over. Direct your letters: my name, Washington DC Co. H 33 Regiment. Write soon.
*Colonal Corcoran was probably Michael Corcoran (1827-1863) Irish-American General in the Union Army, and a close confidant of Lincoln; Corcoran led the 69th in the first Battle of Bull Run; he was promoted to Brigadier General and formed the Corcoran Legion with at least five NY regiments.
Given the familial tone of his writing, we can safely assume that Pvt. Babcock wrote to his mother regularly, but our 165-year old letter collection appears to be, unsurprisingly, incomplete. The next letter, sequentially, in our possession was written seven months later from a “Camp near Staffordshire.” The letter is touching for many reasons. Eben is now becoming a seasoned soldier, and the reader can sense the effect of his having been away from home and in harm’s way for more than half a year. He reports that his friend from Medfield, David Maney, learned of his own wife’s death through a letter sent to James Griffin, another “Medfield Boy.”
Next Letter, March 22, 1863: All the Medfield Boys. Whiskey by the Doctor’s Orders. Tobacco Spoiled by Vinegar. Stonewall Jackson is Dead.
Dear Mother,
I received your letter last night and it found me well and in good spirit. It is Sunday today and we have inspection at 1 o’clock inspection of arms and equipment. We are in the same place and I think we shall stay here some time. We had a snowstorm here day before yesterday. It snowed 2 days and one night. It is almost gone now for it rained most all night. James Griffin had a letter last night stating that David Maney’s wife was dead so she lived to bid James goodbye when he was at home. David is going to try and go home this week, in a furlough if he can. He felt very bad when James told him the bad news and Mike did too. John is well and Willard all the Medfield boys. The bluebirds and robins have come and sing every morning but it’s cold here yet but I think it will soon be warm. I came off picket (guard) yesterday after being on 3 days and nights. The whole regiment went; we take turns in going on. One regiment goes on then the other and that (next two lines illegible)…to the quartermaster’s and took our whiskey of half gill to each man (a gill is four fluid ounces). Sgt. Cheney served it and we get it every time we go on a picket by the doctor’s orders. Did you get my letter where I told you about the box and about sending another and about James Griffin sending me the box with the money in it. All came safe, the money, stamps and all. Give my love to the rest and yourself. No more at present. E. Granville Babcock
PS: Please send me some stamps in your next and a small hand of tobacco in a paper. It will come for one cent. Now send it won’t you for I want it badly. That which came in the box was all spoiled by the vinegar. Give my love to Father and Annie. Tell her that old StoneWall Jackson is dead.
(Note: this last sentence, about Jackson, was added on or about May 15. Jackson died on May 10. Babcock explains that he delayed posting the March 22nd letter due to the Battle of Fredericksburg, and so the March and May letters were posted together.