From Jerome to Allie, June 26, 1863

From Jerome to Allie, June 26, 1863

Peirce, Jerome

Allie

Vicksburg, MS.

From Jerome to Allie

Jerome Peirce

Jerome Peirce Collection, National Park Service

HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington

1863-06-26

NPS, Civil War Study Group, Ben Raterman (Transcriber)

For educational purposes with no commercial use. Courtesy of National Park Service, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP, FRSP 16095-16102 (FRSP-00904).

6.25 X 3.8
6.25 X 8.6
10.65 X 8.6
5.95 X 8.6
5.95 X 8.6
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Jpg

English

Text

Letter #134

Rear of Vicksburg, MS.

LETTER TRANSCRIPTION

Rear of Vicksburg, Missi[ssippi] Fri[day] June 26th/ 63
My dearest Wife,
Jos[eph] H. and I [are] sitting here in our tent. (He is reported back to the Regt. on acct. of our change of location.) The co[mpany] are off on picket and all seems so still that from duty and inclination we send a few words home. I wrote you last Monday and that P.M. moved to our present location half a mile or so to a level piece of grass land immediately on the road and inside of the rifle pits where we are quietly awaiting Gen’s Breckinridge and Johnston if they choose to call but which is exceedingly doubtful. Everything is very quiet and monotonous. Picket and guard duty in a small way and some digging, some throwing up defenses at various points on the road where the enemy may come.
Every day firing more or less goes on at Vicksburg which we can distinctly hear. Yesterday P.M. ‘twas very fierce as we attacked and carried one of the chief works and today they are to mount more guns to bear on them. Some of our officers go to the city so we have news every day. Today the Adj’t and Dr. Bryant are there and passes are issued to “noncoms” and I may pay a visit yet.
We are now having on the whole an easy time. The weather is very hot some of the time and the little insects and flies common to the climate are very troublesome, poisoning us badly and keep[ing] us worried a good deal.
Am glad to tell you that my health and appetite are excellent but the weather is such that I cannot write but little, besides, we feel unsafe about letters. News came yesterday that the mail boat was sunk by rebel batteries on the river near where we were fired into. Our big back they say is safe and will reach us tomorrow. Hope so, as we feel shut out from the world pretty effectually and some have read no letters for almost three weeks but by good fortune yours directed to Louisville came to hand of which I have spoken before.
This morn. have been fixing a woolen blanket (carrying only a part of one). Our tents are pitched here differently somewhat. We raise them some more than a foot from the ground and then fix some spring poles up from the ground and lay thin boards across and so there is a circulation of air and makes them cooler. This morning there is a cool breeze and it is quite pleasant, much like on days at home.
Our Regt is divided, part of it on the other side of the road, so we “come and go”. Ben and I read, sleep, eat, travel for water “down the deep ravine”, listen and wonder what the news is etc. etc.
Yesterday a startling news came by a St. Louis paper that Gen. Lee with a large army was invading Penn. and Gen. McClellan was in command to oppose him and if they’re smart they will destroy him ere he sees Va. again. I think it a severe pill but I must say I fear the North need something to wake them up. Of our movements in future, we as usual know nothing. The talk is as soon as V. [Vicksburg] falls we “go up the river” or East as far as Ky. [Kentucky] at least. So you see things are dull exceedingly. The Contrabands come and take our washing, chat a little and that is all that turns up. We have a surfeit of blackberries, in that respect we were highly favored and done us much good and there is little sickness.
I am almost ashamed to send letters now, but you must have your lines but ‘tis the dullest time we ever saw to write about, and my friends must excuse [me] for the present and feel satisfied with the fact that I am well and doing the best I can to keep along in a warm climate at least till a mail comes.
After dinner: Well Allie, at the above sentence Ben came to the tent and read me a nice long letter from a friend of his “of old” in Kansas who I mentioned once before. A true soldier and patriot who is with an Indian Regt, steward in the hospital and now near Fort Gibson. He gives a fearful picture of the cruel practices of the Rebels as experienced by some refugees from Texas who sought protection with them after untold perils and hardships. We chatted a long while and finally agreed to go berrying this P.M. and J.H. just paid 20¢ for a qt. [quart] of milk of a “darkie” and is now enjoying bread and milk while I feed on toasted hardtack soaked in coffee with molasses and some boiled pork with the same.
How strange it seems to think I am so far from my dear ones. A beautiful day and as I look out ‘tis calm and delightful with the broken and wavy woods all around. “Not a gun is heard” to remind us of war, something that is seldom know here, but they’re preparing.
Ben and I talk strongly of becoming land owners and cultivators of acres with a few nice young people after the war is over. What do you say? If I survive this present conflict, I feel it a serious question what I shall do. Can I settle down in a noisy city and sweat and strive for daily bread when there is such elbow room and inviting spots in the west? Well, well, do reply in a hurry, must talk and think.
How are all the good friends and how do the babies come on? How much I would like to see you all. Love, love to all. Tell Foster’s folks I trust somewhat to the Adj’t now and Abbie that her Ben has not forgotten her.
Little Lulu, tell her I saw the beautifulest red bird this morning and yesterday two nice grey squirrels frolicking on the trees nearby. No hunters to tease them here. A kiss for her.
Hoping ere long to hear from you all. I remain
Your loving husband
Jerome P

I enclose Miss W’s letter. My regards to her.
Direct your letter to “Via Cairo, Ills.”
Regt., Co. etc. as usual but leaving off “Burnside’s Dept.”

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES [Josef Rokus]

NOTE 1: The “Jos. H.” or J.H.” that Jerome referred to in this letter was Joseph H. Peirce. He enlisted as a Private in Orange, Mass., on August 4, 1862, at age 18. Jerome also enlisted in Orange on the same date, but as a corporal. Jerome was 31 years old at the time. According to the Unit History, Joseph H. Peirce was taken Prisoner of War at Pegram Farm, Virginia, on September 30, 1864, (See Letter No. 227) and he was later exchanged. He was discharged on June 21, 1865. Joseph H. Peirce was the son of Joseph Peirce, one of Jerome’s brothers, and was, therefore, Jerome’s nephew.

NOTE 2: The Siege of Vicksburg (May 18 – July 4, 1863) was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate Army of Mississippi, led by Lt. Gen. John C. Pemberton, into the defensive lines surrounding the fortress city of Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Vicksburg was the last major Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River; therefore, capturing it completed the second part of the Northern strategy, the Anaconda Plan. When two major assaults (May 19 and 22, 1863) against the Confederate fortifications were repulsed with heavy casualties, Grant decided to besiege the city beginning on May 25. After holding out for more than forty days, with their reinforcement and supplies nearly gone, the garrison finally surrendered on July 4.

NOTE 3: Albert H. Bryant enlisted at age 25 from Natick, Massachusetts. He was appointed Assistant Surgeon for the 36th Massachusetts on August 29, 1862 and was promoted to Surgeon on May 4, 1865. Bryant was mustered out with the Regiment on June 8, 1865.

NOTE 4: “Contraband” was a term commonly used in the United States military during the Civil War to describe a new status for certain escaped or freed slaves who affiliated with the Union forces. The Army (and the United States Congress) determined that the U.S. would not return escaped slaves who went to Union lines and classified them as contraband. They used many as laborers to support Union efforts and soon began to pay them wages. The former slaves set up camps near Union forces, and the Army helped support and educate both adults and children among the refugees.

NOTE 5: The “Ben” referred to in the letter was Benjamin B. Edmands. He enlisted as a Private at age 27 from Brookline, Massachusetts, and he was subsequently promoted to Corporal. On January 20, 1864, he was discharged from the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment for promotion as a Lieutenant in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteers.

NOTE 6: The “Foster” referred to in the letter was Foster Peirce, one of Jerome’s older brothers. The 1850 U.S. Census listed him as being born in 1812, living in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and being in the furniture business. It is interesting to note that when that census was taken, Jerome, then 19 years old, was living with the Foster Peirce family, with his occupation being recorded as a “gilder.”

NOTE 7: Abbie (Abigail) Jaquith was Allie’s younger sister. Abbie was born in 1836, and she died in 1915. Allie (Albinia) was born in 1834, and she died in 1920.

Letter/Paper