NEW YORK. SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1862. This is the first letter in the series by Willard Norton, possibly his first letter home after enlisting. "Dear Parents and Friends. We got orders to march Sunday at seven o'clock. The Lieutenant Colonel woke us up at 6 and told us to pack up as soon as possible. The men all got up and in an hour they were all ready to start. About seven we marched up to the city and stayed there until ten. When we started from the campground there was a string of people more than a mile as thick as they could be stowed between the fences. After we got started we had a first rate time. The train was 28 cars and three baggage cars and two engines long. We got to Albany about seven o'clock and changed cars and got down here to New York and got our breakfast and all settled down about ten this a.m. We shall stay here tonight certain and we may stay a week. The barracks are all white washed and cleaned. It is not likely that we shall stay here long enough so that we can hear from you. My Love to all. So good bye. We have got orders to go in an hour again. I have not heard where we will stop next, but I will write as soon as I get into camp again."

SEPTEMBER 19TH, 1862. "Dear Father, We have advanced two miles today and we crossed the battlefield. The rebels lay most all over in sight in every direction dead and wounded. We have taken lots of prisoners. I don't know how many they have. Most of their troops got across the river but they will get followed up close. We were in sight of the fight all through at Sharpsburg. We came through the town this morning. The buildings were all blowed up with shells and knocked down with solid shot. This is a piece of rebel letter paper. I found a whole sheet but the boys have got all but this away from me. I thought I would wwrite on this and let you see some of it. Tell Charley that we have some gay of times down here. it was fun to see the rebels skedaddle across the field. Willard Norton." This part of the letter was written on the captured, brown, Rebel paper. He goes on: "I will give you a little description of the battle field after we came in sight. There were about two hundred thousand troops in sight and the rebels tried to cut their way through but they did not make it out. The firing commenced between the two armies. They stood and fired about 3 hours before either made a charge. Then our men made a charge and drove them across the field. Then they skedaddled again and fired. Our men made another charge and drove them away into the woods and they stayed there overnight. Then in the morning we advanced about a mile. Then we were over a hill where we could see the skirmishing between the sharpshooters all day. They took about 75 prisoners that day and that night they retreated back and today we have advanced about two or three miles. We came through Sharpstown. The buildings were all completely riddled with shot and shell. Now we have stopped in a field to stay over night. The inhabitants appear to have all a warm union feeling. Every house has a flag floating over it. The rebels have cleared everything that they could eat. Oat Fisher had a letter from Mr. Legg. He wrote that Uncle Symour Doty was dead. I could not hardly believe my eyes when I read it. I never heard anything that surprised me more than that. Willard. It is almost dusk now and I have got to cook my supper so I shall have to close."

SEPTEMBER 29TH, 1862. "I received your letter last night and was glad to hear from you. I had heard of Seymour's death by way of a letter that Mr. Legg wrote to Otis Fisher. When I read it, I could not hardly believe my eyes. I never heard anything more unexpected than that but it is so and we must do the best we can. As you wanted me to tell about everything, I will commence. Our victuals are pork and beef and bread, coffee, sugar, rice and beans, and we have pots and pans to cook in. When we camp, we take the rails of the fence to make fires. Often we sleep on the ground. We generally three of us sleep together, one blanket under us and two over us. We have got used to sleeping on this so we sleep as good as we would on a bed. We have been marching the msot of the time since we got down here. We have been in sight of two battle fields. We crossed both of the fields after the battle and it looked awful hard. The fields were all covered with dead rebels and horses, ammunition wagons and almost everything that would make things look bad. We are expecting to go in to a camp of instructing by we can not tell. Generals Banks, Burnside and Siegel are following the rebels up here. They are so scared that they spike their guns and leave things in the road. The mail is going out and I must close. Willard."

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 11TH, 1862. "Dear Father, I received your letter in due time and was glad to hear that you were all well. We have been under marching orders for the last two days. The rebels have been trying to cross the river about five miles above here but there were onl 700 cavalry got across and were taken prisoners right away, and the rest of them thought they had better stay where they were since thinking that the main army is retreating back that the cavalry was sent to make them think that they were coming on and go the other way. There are a great many sick here and the doctor will not do anythig for them. George Maxson has been sick about a week. Bill Stringham, Charley Rapindy and Jim Clark are the only ones of the Spofford boys that are left in the regiment now. The rest are all at the hospital. We expect Oscar and Parnisimus will join them soon. Ira is at Neward, N.J. and some are at Ohio and they are scattered all over in hospitals. Otis Fisher is well. He is the best sergeant that we have. He was Orderly--our orderly is a good fellow but he knows a little too much. I hope that we shall stay here a spell longer for we are near by good water and we have got about twenty acres all swept over for parade. There is not a stone as large as a robins egg on the whole lot. There are about fifteen thousand in sight and they keep coming almost every day. The story is that the 149th is going to join this Brigade but that is too good to believe. The weather is not as good for the last two or three days as it has been. It is so cold that the boys most all have got their overcoats on. The drum has beat. I shall have to wait till after company drill which will last an hour. Drill is over and we have had a fine drill. I have written about a dozen letters and have not received but two from you. How many have you received? Have you settled with Melvin yet and has Abner paid you that $4.38 yet? Oscar Fisher owes me for helping hoe corn one day, 70 cents. Get that too. Tell Cyranus that Perry says that if he don't write oftener he shant stay. Have got plenty of paper but have got out of stamps and we cannot get any more here. I wrote to Charley to send me some. He owes if he has not paid it. No more at present. Yours, Willard. Write as soon as you receive this. Write oftener than you have."

NOVEMBER 1ST, 1862 "Dear Father, I received your letter in due time and was glad to hear that you were well. When I wrote before, I was not very well but kept up with the regiment when they marched. I have got tough as a bear again. We have been doing some considerable marching lately. This afternoon we are encamped at Berlin, about four miles down the river from harpers Ferry. The railroad is about three rods from wher we have stacked our arms. The railroad runs from Harpers Ferry to Washington. We have been here about two hours and there has been about six carloads of provisions and other supplies passed since we came here. They say that the 149 went across into Virginia last night. They said that they were going about eight miles. I did not learn the name of the place that they were going to. We can hear heavy firing off to the west but it must be about fifteen miles off. Some say that it is Burnsides' men, but that is only a flying report. There is a very heavy army in Virginia. I guess that they will not get drove out again. I guess that we shall have to cross the river tonight but still we may stay till morning. Our regiment is guarding the baggage wagons and have been for the last four days. It is harder work to be on guard because we have to go farther and faster than the division. It is trot a little and stand still. If a fellow is not tough, he can not stand it but a short time. It agrees with me first rate. I have gained about eight or ten pounds and I am black. I have not shaved since I left Syracuse. I will bet that I could come right past in the road and not look around and you would not know me unless it was by some motion or something of that kind. Legg wrote to Oat to have him tell the boys from Spafford to let him know what they wanted done with the money that was raised in the town. What there is coming to me you get and do what you done with the rest which I suppose is in trust. The headquarters tents are being put up so it quite likely that we shall stay over night and perhaps longer, but never mind. We will stay till the orders comes to march and then we will go it again. Phin Martial is sick and has not been well in six weeks. The climate does not agree with him. Frank Patterson is tough and all the rest of the boys from Spafford. Al has just come up with the regiment. He is pretty hard up. His knees are as large as two ought to be. This morning we crossed the battle field at South Mountain. It did not look much as it did when we crossed it before, although the rocks and trees show the marks of cannon and rifle shot and the blood had not got entirely washed off from the stones yet. As it is getting late and I want to write another letter I shall have to close. Write as soon as you receive this and as often as I do and I shall not grumble. From your son Willard."

There are two more letters from Willard Norton on Kenneth Jennings Wooster's web site, along with two letters from Willard's brother Perry. These letters can be found at http://facultyweb.cortland.edu/~woosterk/genweb/norton.html