From Allie to Jerome, May 8, 1864

From Allie to Jerome, May 8, 1864

Allie

Peirce, Jerome

Billerica, MA.

From Allie to Jerome

Allie

Jerome Peirce Collection, National Park Service

HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington

1864-05-08

NPS, Civil War Study Group, Josef Rokus (Transcriber)

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

English

Text

Letter #216

Billerica, MA.

Billerica May 8th 1864
My own dear husband,
It is Sunday eve. We have just got through tea and here I am in the summer sitting room. I cannot write as I would like, my anxiety is so great. I saw by last night’s papers that Burnside’s Corps were ordered up. I can hardly contain myself today. I went to church this afternoon but did not find much comfort. I rather be alone when I feel as I now do. All I can do for you is to commit you to our Heavenly Father for protection, and I know He will care for and watch over you. To be here at home and not know what befallen you is hard to bear. The suspense is dreadful. I do hope before many days to hear directly from you. Yesterday your letter written a week ago today came. I was so glad to get it, but it seems as though your anticipated chat we were to have together when the mail runs every day. Disappointments are the lot of man.
I wrote you last Sunday. Monday noon Hattie came. Will went to Lowell with Jos. We did not wash as they were coming and I was not well. Mary commenced her school and came home at night to see Hattie and Will. Tuesday it rained very fast so the folks did not go home, staid here. I put a [???] in Jos. shirt. Wednesday we washed. Thursday we ironed. Friday and Sat. cleaned house.
Abby Faulkner and one of her aunts called Thursday, very pleasant call. Saturday Dr. Bundy and his wife called. The Dr. looked at your picture and he says he has seen you somewhere. Wants me to ask you if he has not. He has always lived in Boston. His name is Frank Bundy, M.D.
The little flowers you sent are beautiful and I send you a few in return. Freddy gathered them near Suckers Brook, and I have tied them together for you.
It seems quite pleasant to get into this room again and the next time we move into it I shall be thinking only a few months and you will come home. O, will you be spared to return to me. I can not think any other way and how earnestly are my petitions sent upward and I know if it is right, they will be answered.
Mrs. Dr Barns spoke to me, inquired after you. She sends you a New York Tribune when I can get it. She is very kind. Mr. Stone preached for us today. I do not like him very much. Frank was quite pleased with his letter from you and I believe he is writing to you.
I cannot write a long letter tonight. I am too much excited but will write again soon. Lulu is upstairs with Abby.
Good night dearest.
From your own
Allie

Transcriber’s Note: A note, written sideways on the bottom of page 4, reads

Got this coming from church.


TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

NOTE 1: This letter was written on Sunday evening, May 8, 1864, and was likely mailed on May 9. In view of the time it would have taken Allie’s letters to reach Jerome based on the transit time of other letters and considering the conditions on the battlefield at Spotsylvania Court House at the time, this letter would not have reached Jerome before he was killed early in the morning of May 12, 1864. It is very likely that it was returned to Allie with Jerome’s personal effects that were sent to her sometime after Jerome was killed.

NOTE 2: This is the last letter from Allie in the collection addressed to Jerome before he was killed on May 12, 1864, and might be the last one she wrote to him. Based on other letters, the family learned of Jerome’s death sometime around May 20. How they found out could not be determined. It is likely that someone from his regiment sent Allie a letter at the first opportunity after the fighting at Spotsylvania had died down, and if so, it might have been Joseph H. Peirce, Jerome’s nephew. It is also likely that they saw it in one of the local newspapers. Those papers, such as the Boston Globe, invariably had reporters close to the fighting, and they reported the results of the battles, including a list of casualties of men from their area, very promptly, primarily because they were allowed to file their reports using the Union army’s telegraph system.

NOTE 3: The “letter written a week ago” refers to the letter Jerome wrote on May 1, 1864, from Cattlets Station. Virginia. It is Letter No. 215 in this collection.

NOTE 4: Hattie was Allie’s youngest sister Harriet (1845 – 1930?).

NOTE 5: The pages of letter have brown stains on them which are the outline of the flowers she included, per her letter. Similar brown stains are found on one other letter, this one written by Jerome, which included flowers he sent to Lulu. That letter is Letter No. 191 in this collection.

NOTE 6: “Suckers Brook” is also mentioned in the letter written by Jerome on April 20, 1864, from Annapolis, Maryland. He wrote, “We have some sweet singing birds here and as soon as the flowers spring, I will send her (Lulu) some. She must send me some of the first violets that grow by Suckers Brook.” That letter is Letter No. 210 in the collection.

Letter/Paper