From Allie to Joseph, Unknown Date

From Allie to Joseph, Unknown Date

Allie

Pierce, Joseph

From Allie to Joseph

Allie

Jerome Peirce Collection, National Park Service

HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington

Unknown

NPS, Civil War Study Group, Jack Phend (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 #256

Unknown

Sunday Eve.
My dear Joseph,
What a good boy you are to write me two notes so lately and as I have spent the most of the day in writing to those gone to war, and those families who are feeling lonely in the absence of their loved ones, you should be remembered.
I am very glad you have such a nice camping ground. Jerome gave me quite a description with a drawing of the street. How much I wish I could come in and see you, but my purse is not full enough to admit any such thing and I must be content to remain at home and I do wish I could have letters oftener. I only had one from Jerome last week written a week ago Sat[urday], unless he made a mistake in the date.
Joseph, do you write to that young lady in Athol yet. When I was at Orange, I heard she was feeling quite badly because she did not hear from you. You must excuse it if I am too inquisitive. I suppose you are quite busy drilling etc. You must not get low spirited as the cause you have gone for is as good now as it ever was. And I think you will yet whip the rebels into submission but we have got to be patient. First, you cannot do it in a moment. Try and be as contented as you can under the circumstances and you will feel happier in so doing. We have a few secesh here, but not many. Most of the people here believe we are doing all we can and as fast as we can. And many are working hard to aid the soldiers. Write me often. Lulu is well and talks much about Cousin Jasy.
Receive the love of,
Aunt Allie

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES (Josef Rokus)

NOTE 1: The “Joseph” that Allie addressed this letter to 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, 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. Joseph H. Peirce, or “J.H.”, is mentioned in many of Jerome’s letters.

NOTE 2: Allie does not include the date on which she wrote this letter. But based on the letter’s contents, it was obviously written during the time that Jerome served with the 36th Massachusetts Regiment. Furthermore, the two sentences “I am very glad you have such a nice camping ground. Jerome gave me quite a description with a drawing of the street.” provide another good clue. On February 21, 1863, Jerome wrote a letter from Newport News, Virginia, in which he described the street in their camp, AND he included a sketch. (Letter No. 76) In that letter, Jerome also mentioned that he and “J.H.” (Joseph H. Peirce) had played euchre the evening before he wrote the letter, i.e., on February 20, 1863.
Below is a section of that letter, including the sketch. The date of the postmark on the envelope that contained this letter is Feb. 23. Therefore, Allie probably received this letter towards the end of February 1863. Therefore, it is highly likely that she wrote the above letter sometime after February 1863 and possibly not long after she received Jerome’s letter of February 21, 1863, that included the sketch.


EXCERPT FROM LETTER NO. 76, WRITTEN BY JEROME ON FEBRUARY 21, 1863, AT NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA

Wedns and Thurs were severe days, rain and all that could make camp life disagreeable, excepting mud, sand instead, but a change has come. Thursday eve the tents came, all new and while they hold five but as yet we have only four in ours. The streets are all laid out uniform, 8 tents on a side, 27 feet wide (the street), sidewalks and the street rolling just as they do at home in the cities.
At the foot the cooks are building a log tent. Will do the cooking in future. A little farther down is the Capt.’s tent, with the orderly Sargt.’s tent beside him. And still farther in the rear in the centre of the Regt. is the colonel’s quarters and “staff”, six tents facing each other for surgeon, chaplain, adjutant, and sergeant major, quartermaster and the Col. in the center. On the end thus, trees set by little marks and when all completed will be a very handsome and comfortable camp. Such as I should like to welcome you to. Our tents we can stand up in and keep neat.