From Foster Peirce to Joseph Peirce, May 22, 1864
Dublin Core
Title
From Foster Peirce to Joseph Peirce, May 22, 1864
Subject
Peirce, Foster
Peirce, Joseph
Boston, MA.
Description
From Foster Peirce to Joseph Peirce
Creator
Foster Peirce
Source
Jerome Peirce Collection, National Park Service
Publisher
HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington
Date
1864-05-22
Contributor
NPS, Civil War Study Group, Tom Neubig (Transcriber)
Rights
For educational purposes with no commercial use. Courtesy of National Park Service, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP, FRSP 16095-16102 (FRSP-00904).
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
Letter #219
Coverage
Boston, MA.
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Boston May 22nd 1864
Br. [Brother] Joseph
I recd [received] last evening a letter from Abbie Jaquith (Allie’s sister) informing me of the acct [account] of Mary’s first letter conveying to them the sad intelligence of Br. [Brother] Jerome’s death and the source from which it was obtained from that letter. There seemed to be a faint ray of hope that he still lived, but your letter of the 20th inst. [instant] which reached me this morning I think confirms the worst and that we must give up all hope of ever seeing him again on earth.
I have made every effort since these battles commenced to get intelligence from him. Have read every name of the wounded and killed that have been published without finding his among them. Still, I was not wholly unprepared for this intelligence. I knew Jerome too well to believe that no news was good news. I knew the love he cherished for his friends was such that if he was living and was not in the hands of the Rebels, he would get some word to us and in absence of this I have feared the worst.
Oh, how happy I would be now to have this feeling dispelled and to hear that he was still alive, but I confess to you that I have been unable to drive it from my mind and have waited with fear and trembling and now what can one say for the comfort of others when all suffer so equally. I confess that I am dumb. On my right and on my left, before me and behind in mourning and weeping for the dead and the dying of loved ones, and I am in the midst. Never can we say more than to pray the Father to lighten these afflictions if in his wisdom he sees is for our good. But if we must drink of the cup, that he will give us strength to bear all and turn it to our good. Allie’s case is hard indeed. All that pity and sympathy can do she will have but how faint the sum. Friends with all their sympathy can not heal so deep a wound, but I trust she will have strength given her equal to her day from the only source from which such strength comes.
And now let me turn from this sad view (for it is not all sad) and speak of our Brother whom we fear has passed from us. First, then, when was he not engaged in a good cause, did he not fall in fighting for the maintenance of the best government ever devised by man? Have we not every reason to believe that he entered the cause from pure principles of patriotism? And could we wish that he had had fulfilled his duty better? Has he left anything undone on which we could have wished he had done? Has he not left an example behind worthy the imitation of all men?
I had the honor of (in some measure) bringing him up but I confess that I never knew [h]is true worth until since he entered the Army. I have watched his every action with the deepest interest and with admiration and I cannot wish that he had done anything different. I am confident that his example and influence has been altogether for good and has been felt and pervaded all those who have been associated with him. In time I believe it would be difficult to find a more disinterested patriot, a purer character and a truer friend.
His love for his friends was unbounded and are looking to their good. Will any one who knew him say that. I have overstated anything, I think not. He has died young but I think few have fulfilled life’s duties better. I said it was not all sad. Am I not right? Must we not to be thankful that we had such a brother? When grieving for ourselves shall we not find great relief in contemplating his pure character? I think if we view it right, if we take him as an example his death will not be lost upon us.
I have admired his course so much that I had long ago made up my mind that when he returned I should assist him to business and that he should be my partner. But alas! that privilege is denied me. I can however do for his wife and little one.
I will now say that since I have been writing Mr. Whitney who has been to Washington to see to a brother who was wounded has come to my house and tells me that he saw two men who belonged to the 36th Regt [Regiment] one of whom saw Jerome buried. He says he was killed instantly. He says he knows where he was buried and thinks he could find the body.
Mr. Whitney also saw the nurse who took care of Joseph. He said he had gone back, but he thought he was hardly able. Still he was pretty well. These are trying times for us all and I am aware that it is doubly so to you, but it is beyond the power of friends to give you relief. You can only watch and hope. My heart’s desire is that you may not be called upon to drink deeper of the affliction.
Will write again if I get anything more. Yours with best wishes to all.
F [Foster] Peirce
P.S. Henry wrote you that he was coming up. He will not come. We are all to(o) sad. FP
Br. [Brother] Joseph
I recd [received] last evening a letter from Abbie Jaquith (Allie’s sister) informing me of the acct [account] of Mary’s first letter conveying to them the sad intelligence of Br. [Brother] Jerome’s death and the source from which it was obtained from that letter. There seemed to be a faint ray of hope that he still lived, but your letter of the 20th inst. [instant] which reached me this morning I think confirms the worst and that we must give up all hope of ever seeing him again on earth.
I have made every effort since these battles commenced to get intelligence from him. Have read every name of the wounded and killed that have been published without finding his among them. Still, I was not wholly unprepared for this intelligence. I knew Jerome too well to believe that no news was good news. I knew the love he cherished for his friends was such that if he was living and was not in the hands of the Rebels, he would get some word to us and in absence of this I have feared the worst.
Oh, how happy I would be now to have this feeling dispelled and to hear that he was still alive, but I confess to you that I have been unable to drive it from my mind and have waited with fear and trembling and now what can one say for the comfort of others when all suffer so equally. I confess that I am dumb. On my right and on my left, before me and behind in mourning and weeping for the dead and the dying of loved ones, and I am in the midst. Never can we say more than to pray the Father to lighten these afflictions if in his wisdom he sees is for our good. But if we must drink of the cup, that he will give us strength to bear all and turn it to our good. Allie’s case is hard indeed. All that pity and sympathy can do she will have but how faint the sum. Friends with all their sympathy can not heal so deep a wound, but I trust she will have strength given her equal to her day from the only source from which such strength comes.
And now let me turn from this sad view (for it is not all sad) and speak of our Brother whom we fear has passed from us. First, then, when was he not engaged in a good cause, did he not fall in fighting for the maintenance of the best government ever devised by man? Have we not every reason to believe that he entered the cause from pure principles of patriotism? And could we wish that he had had fulfilled his duty better? Has he left anything undone on which we could have wished he had done? Has he not left an example behind worthy the imitation of all men?
I had the honor of (in some measure) bringing him up but I confess that I never knew [h]is true worth until since he entered the Army. I have watched his every action with the deepest interest and with admiration and I cannot wish that he had done anything different. I am confident that his example and influence has been altogether for good and has been felt and pervaded all those who have been associated with him. In time I believe it would be difficult to find a more disinterested patriot, a purer character and a truer friend.
His love for his friends was unbounded and are looking to their good. Will any one who knew him say that. I have overstated anything, I think not. He has died young but I think few have fulfilled life’s duties better. I said it was not all sad. Am I not right? Must we not to be thankful that we had such a brother? When grieving for ourselves shall we not find great relief in contemplating his pure character? I think if we view it right, if we take him as an example his death will not be lost upon us.
I have admired his course so much that I had long ago made up my mind that when he returned I should assist him to business and that he should be my partner. But alas! that privilege is denied me. I can however do for his wife and little one.
I will now say that since I have been writing Mr. Whitney who has been to Washington to see to a brother who was wounded has come to my house and tells me that he saw two men who belonged to the 36th Regt [Regiment] one of whom saw Jerome buried. He says he was killed instantly. He says he knows where he was buried and thinks he could find the body.
Mr. Whitney also saw the nurse who took care of Joseph. He said he had gone back, but he thought he was hardly able. Still he was pretty well. These are trying times for us all and I am aware that it is doubly so to you, but it is beyond the power of friends to give you relief. You can only watch and hope. My heart’s desire is that you may not be called upon to drink deeper of the affliction.
Will write again if I get anything more. Yours with best wishes to all.
F [Foster] Peirce
P.S. Henry wrote you that he was coming up. He will not come. We are all to(o) sad. FP
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES (Josef Rokus)
NOTE 1: As Foster indicated in his letter, Abbie (Abigail) Jaquith was Allie’s sister. She was born in 1836, and she died in 1915.
NOTE 2: The definition of “Instant” as used in this letter is “current month”.
Note 3: He uses the word “dumb” in the sense of “temporarily speechless, as with shock or fear.”
NOTE 4: The comment about Franklin “in some measure bringing up Jerome” is noteworthy. In the 1840 U. S Census Jerome is shown as living in the Foster Peirce household. Jerome was 19 years old at the time. Foster was 18 years older than Jerome.
NOTE 5: Details about “Mr. Whitney’s brother” could not be determined because there were four men named Whitney in the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, three of whom were wounded in 1864, including two at Spotsylvania Court House. One, who was wounded at Cold Harbor, Virginia, died of his wounds.
NOTE 1: As Foster indicated in his letter, Abbie (Abigail) Jaquith was Allie’s sister. She was born in 1836, and she died in 1915.
NOTE 2: The definition of “Instant” as used in this letter is “current month”.
Note 3: He uses the word “dumb” in the sense of “temporarily speechless, as with shock or fear.”
NOTE 4: The comment about Franklin “in some measure bringing up Jerome” is noteworthy. In the 1840 U. S Census Jerome is shown as living in the Foster Peirce household. Jerome was 19 years old at the time. Foster was 18 years older than Jerome.
NOTE 5: Details about “Mr. Whitney’s brother” could not be determined because there were four men named Whitney in the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, three of whom were wounded in 1864, including two at Spotsylvania Court House. One, who was wounded at Cold Harbor, Virginia, died of his wounds.
Original Format
Letter/Paper
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Collection
Reference
Foster Peirce 1864, From Foster Peirce to Joseph Peirce, May 22, 1864, HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington
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