From Jerome to Allie, March 1, 1863

From Jerome to Allie, March 1, 1863

Peirce, Jerome

Allie

Newport News, VA.

From Jerome to Allie

Jerome Peirce

Jerome Peirce Collection, National Park Service

HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington

1863-03-01

NPS, Civil War Study Group, Jim Lloyd (Transcriber)

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

4.43 X 2.91
5.17 X 8.06
10.27 X 80.06
5.17 X 8.06
jpg

English

Text

Letter #78

Newport News, VA.

Newport News. Sunday Mch 1st 1863
My dearest wife,
It is almost noon and we have been busy at inspection cleaning up our quarters and for downtime I have been reading the Register and your last letters and now I will commence a return. Yesterday cloudy and cold with some rain, but just now it is clearing off and the sun is out, and the inside of the tent is light and warm.
You can imagine things laying about me, a testament, papers, your letters, my cup, a little bag of books made of the pillow you made me, while next to me, on my left, is our tent mate, Mr. Foster, who is also reading his letters over, and beyond him is J.H. writing or looking over his letters and thus you have a picture of our Sunday morning.
I find it hard work to write this morning for I am thinking of our own dear NE [New England] Sabbaths and I wish I was with you to talk over matters, but it is quite near dinner time and perhaps I should feel better, as I am quite hungry, if I had a good dinner. This may sound strange and it is seldom I am thus troubled.
I am keeping a brief “diary” that I may have subject matter and not forgot many little items. I wrote you last Thurs. and about the previous [letter] etc. Moro [Tomorrow] we shall be very busy at drills and leaving much less time for other things and already we have to snatch moments when we can and I cannot always be sure of the usual quiet for reasons you can guess and I wish just here to say that if I am dull and cold sometimes, it is owing to influences which I cannot always overcome sufficient to be what I should to my [Illegible word or words due to ink blot] friends. But it is still and quiet now and [Illegible word or words due to ink blot] I ought not to speak as I have perhaps. I have read over your letters again and as I think of it, let me tell you not to try to talk upon matters only as “the spirit moves”! For I often feel out of mood or unsettled in thought and so make sad work as I do today, but I felt I ought to remember you if only by a few words. The truth is I have a slight cold, just enough to make me feel dull. Shall soon rally. The weather is quite changeable.
After dinner took a walk to the river to fill my canteens and take the air a little.
We are to have religious services this P.M. at ½ past 3 and I shall give you but a poor letter for there is but little that is inspiring in services here in camp, although I think the Chaplain tries all he can to make the most of it. But I am sorry to say that I fear the officers as a whole give him but little help but there are a few among the ranks that assist least all they can. I enjoy your letters and Abbie’s far more for religious want than all I hear here and I only wish I felt more like speaking freely today.
I wrote to Will C. on Friday about my attempt to see him, and eve. was with Ben Edwards. Also recd. letters from Bro [Brother] and Sister Haynes. Ed Haynes also. He has a fine situation in the Custom House at N.O. [Possibly North Orange] Clearing Clerk. He seems very happy there and likes [it] very much. Recd. three papers from you and some tea all right and many thanks. I should send the little box today or tomorrow so you may look out for it. Also the wristers that Miss Waldo sent me for I don’t need them now and they are too pretty to lose as I have those Ellen sent me. We are continually stirred up in some way and it is almost impossible to keep little things.
Yesterday we were “mustered in” and expect to be paid off again soon, when I hope to send you something.
Wrote to Abbie and C. F. Smith yesterday.
Will send you Miss Waldo’s letter after I have answered it. I shall send you from time to time, unless you object, some of your and Abbie’s letters to keep as a part of the history of these times for Lulu if she should live. I don’t like to think that my letters alone are being kept and if we feel by and by that she had better not recd. [some] we can then dispose of them. I think much of you and her and feel for you all that a husband and father can. I have spoken to Abbie about keeping little pieces for her to make a little scrapbook as one of the tokens of me, yes all of us.
I imagine you listening to your good pastor and wish so much I was with you. Something sends my thoughts home today with peculiar force. I don’t know what, for I have usually met the stern fact that “I must stay here” and kept my thoughts from anything like longing, but now I would be at home.
I see they are preparing for active work at Vicksburg and Charleston and I hope soon to hear of decided successes.
Martha in her letter said she had heard from Lucy lately and that L [Lucy] was expecting you to visit her soon. Are you going?
Lottie and O. Emerson have sent their pictures, photographs to Orange friends in “fine style”. I begin to think my Stoneham friends are little concerned about us here. Have not heard from Geo. Prute since I wrote him.
I wonder if Mr. Emerson is not sort of a peace man?
Am going to send the Register and a magazine to Frank and Will. Will…[Rest of sentence cannot be deciphered due to a fold in the stationery.]
Joe H. inquired if you had sent Aunt Sarah’s letter to him to Orange friends? I mentioned it in a letter containing hers. He is quite desirous I think they should have it. I received another letter from Mr. Mayo requesting me to write to the S. [Sunday] School. Don’t know when I can comply for we have so much that jars on the mind, too hard writing.
I will close after service. Do pardon this disjointed affair for I shall feel better sometime.
Have recvd. [???] and will [???] the chapters and texts you mention. The 12 1st Cor. is beautiful. Am reading St. John for Abbie.
Dear Abbie, we’ve had services and Dress Parade and now supper call, so I close abruptly. I hope Capt. S’s note will make amends for my poor letter. I have read it.
The little book is for Lulu from him. Keep it as a note of these times to be prized in the future. Will send the box tomorrow.
As ever, your loving husband,
Jerome

I send you letters to keep. Will send more of Abbie’s and yours.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES (James Lloyd and Josef Rokus)

NOTE 1: “Wristers” are a warm knitted covering for the wrist.

NOTE 2: 1 Corinthians 12 concerning Spiritual Gifts begins as follows: “Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.”

NOTE 3: Abbie (Abigail) 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. Therefore, when this letter was written, Abbie was 27 years old, and Allie was 29.

NOTE 4: The “Capt. S.” referred to in the letter was Captain Christopher Sawyer. He enlisted as a Captain at age 28 from Templeton, Massachusetts, on August 22, 1862, and he commanded Company H of the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, the company that Jerome was assigned to. Sawyer was discharged on account of disability on February 19, 1864.

NOTE 5: The “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.

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