Correspondence, 1863-1865

Five of the six letters are from Aaron S. Oberly to his "dear friend," Anna M. (Maria A.) Woodford. He served as an assistant surgeon aboard U.S. Navy ships during the Civil War and these letters were written while he was in Baltimore on two different occasions. In August 1863, the Kineo was in Baltimore for repairs after seeing battle in New Orleans. He wrote her it was "in a very dilapidated condition" and as a result he stayed at Sherwood's Hotel. In September 1863, he visited his family in Easton, PA and in his letter of September 27 he wrote her that his father "offered strong inducements for me to resign, to which I fear I shall comply if national affairs present a favorable appearance…" In the same letter he mentioned the "draft for U.S. conscripts." He believed that not many of those selected would see war as long as there was the $300 exception. One of his brothers was selected but Oberly thought his poor eyesight would keep him at home.

On February 14, 1865, Oberly returned from visiting Maria in New Haven and stayed at the City Hotel in Baltimore because the weather delayed him reaching the ship in Norfolk. The train ride was cold and many of the passengers smoked which made him uncomfortable. The hotel room was cold also and he saw more snow in Baltimore than he saw on the trip from Connecticut through New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. On March 26, 1865, Oberly wrote Maria that the ship would soon take twenty men and women for a sail and he wondered at "where we will pack them" and if they would be seasick if there was a storm.

The letter to Oberly from the Commodore of the Naval Station, Baltimore, granted him an additional week of leave in September 1863.

Arrangement is alphabetical by last name of correspondent, and then chronological.