On December 9th, 1862, John H. Came wrote home to his sister, Miss Eliza C. Came, of West Buxton, Maine. He was a 1st Lieut. in Company C, 27th Maine. He died while serving in this regiment, on 16 Jan 1863, from typhoid fever. His body was returned home, and buried in the family cemetery in Buxton. He didn't marry.
| Camp Seward Dec 9th 1862 Dear Sister I was very glad to receive a letter from you a day or two since for a letter from home is received by a soldier out here in this God forsaken coun- try with a great deal of joy. I think this is the meanest part of the U S I have ever been in I mean in regard to the enterprise and intelligence of the people What people there are remaining here now are an ignorant and indolent set The poorest people you can |  Page 1, Came letter |
Pages 2 and 3, Came letter
| find in Maine live as good style and are much neater and more cleanly about their household affairs than the best of them here that I have seen Warren and I were out with our company on picket guard Friday night about six miles from here beyond Bailey's Cross Roads and Munson Hill (of which you have read) It commenced raining before we got out there and soon after turned to snow and snowed till midnight. About three inches of snow fell which is partly on the ground now All the tents we had were our rubber blankets pitched on stakes with boughs piled around. Every thing had got so wet and covered with snow before we got our guard posted that we could fix no place to lay down - but they allowed us to build fires so we stood | about the fires and traveled around all night. But we stood it like heroes for we were not a mite afraid of Rebels for there are none within ten miles. in fact it is not a regular picket-guard but sort of a chain guard to give alarm in case the enemy should break through our out side guard and perhaps partly to stop stragglers from our army which is out in front Five companies went out Monday morning to be gone four days - They will have a chance to fix up bough tents and will be com- fortable enough. The line a part of the way runs through woods In regard to our living I think the boys have given the folks at home a wrong impression. We have two or three times drawn bad meat and mouldy bread and a few times been rather short. All of which can not at all times be prevented in the army |
| But excepting these few times we have had good meats (not such to be sure as we would get at home) and bread and enough of it - I think in living and quarters to sleep in this Regt has faired better than any other that is camped around here. Certainly the 25 Regt has not near as good quarters for its men to sleep as ours has. Some of the N Y Regts that have come out here since we did have had to camp down one and two nights out doors when in the morning the ground would be frozen quite hard. A thing we have not had to do yet Sam Davis has resigned and will soon be at home if his resignation is accepted. I dont know why he has done so. I have just learned that there is a fellow in this Regt by the name of Came from York - but I dont |  Page 4, Came letter (In modern writing on top: "John took cold from exposure of that night and died of typhoid fever Dec 16th 1862" |
 The end of letter, written on top of the first page. | know whose son he is - I shall see him tomorrow and find out who he is - I think he must be Charles Came's son. He is sick in the hospital. You must see that Father does not work and expose him self to much this winter. Write often, yours as ever John H Came |
Above is an 1861 map of Washington and Alexandria. Lieut Came wrote from Camp Seward, which was located somewhere along Arlington Heights. Bailey's Crossroads and Munson's Hill, where Co. C had done picket duty, is highlighted to the left of map. Camp Casey, where Lt Came would pass away in Jan 1863, was located south of Fairfax Seminary, northwest of Alexandria. Camp Vermont, where the regiment had spent the latter part of December '62, was just south of red arrow marked at bottom of map.
NOTES:
Page 1
Sister Eliza C Came, daughter of Abraham L and Annis (Green) Came, was born 1833 in Buxton. She never married, and died in 1885. She is buried in the Came family cemetery.
Page 2
"Warren" is referring to Joseph F Warren, also of Co C, who was 2nd Lt. at the time of this letter writing. Following John Came's death, he became 1st Lt (and later captain, when John Hill was promoted to major).
Page 4
"Sam Davis" - I believe this is Samuel L Davis of Standish, Maine, who was captain of Co K, 25th Maine Infantry. He was "discharged for incompetency" on Dec 8th 1862 [according to ME archives index card].
There is also has some newer writing along the top that erroneously listed John's death as "Dec 16th", instead of Jan 16th.
Page 1 (closing part of letter)
Frank C Came, of Co B, the fellow from York, was indeed Charles Came's son. I haven't trace their ancestry to see if or how closely related they may have been.
The Find a Grave entry for: John H Came (with grave photo):
Page 1
Sister Eliza C Came, daughter of Abraham L and Annis (Green) Came, was born 1833 in Buxton. She never married, and died in 1885. She is buried in the Came family cemetery.
Page 2
"Warren" is referring to Joseph F Warren, also of Co C, who was 2nd Lt. at the time of this letter writing. Following John Came's death, he became 1st Lt (and later captain, when John Hill was promoted to major).
Page 4
"Sam Davis" - I believe this is Samuel L Davis of Standish, Maine, who was captain of Co K, 25th Maine Infantry. He was "discharged for incompetency" on Dec 8th 1862 [according to ME archives index card].
There is also has some newer writing along the top that erroneously listed John's death as "Dec 16th", instead of Jan 16th.
Page 1 (closing part of letter)
Frank C Came, of Co B, the fellow from York, was indeed Charles Came's son. I haven't trace their ancestry to see if or how closely related they may have been.
The Find a Grave entry for: John H Came (with grave photo):
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