From Jerome to Allie, March 31, 1864

From Jerome to Allie, March 31, 1864

Peirce, Jerome

Allie

Camp near Nicholasville, KY.

From Jerome to Allie

Jerome Peirce

Jerome Peirce Collection, National Park Service

HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington

1864-03-31

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 #203

Nicholasville, KY.

Camp near Nicholasville, Ky. 31st March/64
My dearest wife,
Noon. Just in from Knoxville! Over the mountains, 11 days of successive marching and a weary, worn set of men we are but we [are] nearing Home! My first opportunity of sending you anything since one from K. [Most likely, Knoxville, Tenn.] a week ago last Saturday. Did you get it?
Am too tired and worn out to tell you particulars. Marched every morning at 6 1/2 o’clk a.m. and halting for coffee and dinner an hour and once or twice two hours. From Morristown it is 13 days marching with only 24 hours rest aside from our regular nights sleep so you may judge what a work has been done. We got to camp generally from 4 o’clock till 1/2 past 5. Rumor says we report at Annapolis, Md. and then each Regt. to its respective state for furlough, reasonable but uncertain.
My general health is good but tired, very, but expect to be on the cars [railroad cars] and then the poor feet will rest.
Have had plenty to eat, are now drawing soft bread.
If I could only see you all I could tell you much but this will report me at least.
I have marched the entire distance, nearly 190 miles, with knapsack and everything on. Had to march some in the rear, but always stacked arms with the Regt.
Jos. H. well and sends regards. Will write when at our destination.
Some leaves from Fort Sanders where the charge was made.
Ever your own
Jerome

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

NOTE 1: Per the Unit History: December 20, 1863 – April 6, 1864. The regiment moved numerous times in eastern Tennessee, including in the Knoxville area, before being ordered to move by train, by way of Baltimore, to Annapolis, Maryland, where it arrived on April 6, 1864.

NOTE 2: The “Jos. H.” Jerome referred to in this letter, as well as in other letters, was almost definitely 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 on September 30, 1864 and was later exchanged. He was discharged on June 21, 1865. Joseph H. Peirce was a nephew of Jerome.

NOTE 3: On November 29, 1863, Confederate forces under Gen. Longstreet unsuccessfully tried to capture the Union-held Fort Sanders (also known as Fort Saunders), located northwest of Knoxville, Tenn., with a charge that ultimately failed, with only a few Confederates reaching the inside of the fort, where they were killed or captured. The 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment was present at the battle but was not directly involved in the main fighting. It suffered one loss, a private who died of his wounds when a shell exploded near him. Longstreet’s failure to capture Fort Sanders essentially ended the Knoxville Campaign, with the city remaining in Federal hands for the remainder of the war. This Confederate defeat, plus the Confederate loss at the Battle of Chattanooga on November 25, 1863, put much of East Tennessee in the Union camp.

NOTE 4: The following two notations appear on the front of the envelope containing this letter: “flowers in this” and “Leaves from Fort Saunders”. The leaves from Fort Sanders/Saunders Jerome mentions in his letter survived and were still in the envelope along with the above letter when received by the National Park Service and are pictured below.

Letter / Paper