From Jerome to Allie, April 5, 1863
Dublin Core
Title
From Jerome to Allie, April 5, 1863
Subject
Peirce, Jerome
Allie
Lexington, KY.
Description
From Jerome to Allie
Creator
Jerome Peirce
Source
Jerome Peirce Collection, National Park Service
Publisher
HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington
Date
1863-04-05
Contributor
NPS, Civil War Study Group, Josef Rokus (Transcriber)
Rights
For educational purposes with no commercial use. Courtesy of National Park Service, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania NMP, FRSP 16095-16102 (FRSP-00904).
Format
5.35 X 3.45
8.5 X 10.75
16.45 X 10.75
Jpg
8.5 X 10.75
16.45 X 10.75
Jpg
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
Letter #101
Coverage
Lexington, KY.
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
LETTER TRANSCRIPTION
Lexington, Ky Sunday Morn 5th April 1863
Have just been to breakfast and I thought I would send a few lines as it is uncertain how long we remain here. Yesterday P.M. orders came to furnish three days of rations and of course all sorts of rumors are afloat. The most probable idea is that we (the 36th) are going a few miles down the railroad to guard it from a threatened raid by the Rebels.
They had a fight a few days ago at Somerset and some 500 rebel prisoners were brought to this city, a sorry looking set I was told.
I have not been to town yet. Did think I should attempt to attend church today at the city but it is doubtful whether I can obtain a pass if we are likely to move.
Did not get a mail yet and of course we feel a long ways from home. Don’t understand it but I hope you receive all of mine. Have written you three times last week, also to Abbie and Foster’s family.
We have had severe weather here and frosty nights and most all of us have colds again, but this morning the sun is out very bright and warm and I hope for one real warm day.
‘Tis the first Sabbath of the month and how I wish I could join you at the Lord’s table and renew and refresh my worn soul within the sacred circle and so dismiss from the mind, if not from memory, forever the scenes of the field and camp.
We are as pleasantly fixed as we ever were and yet I wish all was ended for the general good and we could be permitted to return to the home of our hearts. War in its best phase is a direful and corrupting engine and I trust we may never see another one.
You must not think by the above that I am “low spirited” but these reflections will come to any thoughtful mind and often while we are endeavoring to make the best of it.
Have no particular news. Fri. eve. [I] passed with the Capt. in his tent and had a nice time. He is always cheerful and full of stories of old school days and while he was a teacher, etc. and a great joker, so we often have pleasant time together. He is becoming exceedingly popular with the soldiers and the line officers. Such is the way true manhood makes itself felt after a while.
Yesterday quite a “bevy” of ladies and some gentlemen paid us a visit, guests of the officers and we had a Battalion Drill. And as it is not customary on Sats. [Saturdays] I conclude it was for their benefit. The Col. and others looked quite gay escorting the fair Kentuckians about the grounds.
Shall endeavor to have some good reading today and shall think much of you all at home. I hope we shall not move today. “Guard Mounting” is first coming off and I suppose the usual Sunday morn. inspection at 10 o’clk. Will add more by and by. Shall probably have services by the chaplain.
P.M. A beautiful day, sitting here with the warm sun just laying my tent.
No immediate begin of moving although no one of our Regt. [is] allowed to leave camp. Passed some time with Ben Edmands after I ceased writing. Came to our street nearly noon and saw a gathering in the rear of the Captn.’s tent and found it to be a meeting and the chaplain gathered about him. Two or three spoke and some good singing. The chaplain takes his meals and some of them with Capt. S, who is attentive to him.
Have just had dinner and chatted with Geo. Edwards, who has been in here. The “orderly” tells me that regimental services will take place at ¼ of 3 o’clk. It seems so good to hear the bells ring at church time as we do here. If we were only near enough for you to come and visit us!
4 P.M. Ordered off. Rumor says Cincinnati.
Adieu with the love of
your husband,
Jerome
Lexington, Ky Sunday Morn 5th April 1863
Have just been to breakfast and I thought I would send a few lines as it is uncertain how long we remain here. Yesterday P.M. orders came to furnish three days of rations and of course all sorts of rumors are afloat. The most probable idea is that we (the 36th) are going a few miles down the railroad to guard it from a threatened raid by the Rebels.
They had a fight a few days ago at Somerset and some 500 rebel prisoners were brought to this city, a sorry looking set I was told.
I have not been to town yet. Did think I should attempt to attend church today at the city but it is doubtful whether I can obtain a pass if we are likely to move.
Did not get a mail yet and of course we feel a long ways from home. Don’t understand it but I hope you receive all of mine. Have written you three times last week, also to Abbie and Foster’s family.
We have had severe weather here and frosty nights and most all of us have colds again, but this morning the sun is out very bright and warm and I hope for one real warm day.
‘Tis the first Sabbath of the month and how I wish I could join you at the Lord’s table and renew and refresh my worn soul within the sacred circle and so dismiss from the mind, if not from memory, forever the scenes of the field and camp.
We are as pleasantly fixed as we ever were and yet I wish all was ended for the general good and we could be permitted to return to the home of our hearts. War in its best phase is a direful and corrupting engine and I trust we may never see another one.
You must not think by the above that I am “low spirited” but these reflections will come to any thoughtful mind and often while we are endeavoring to make the best of it.
Have no particular news. Fri. eve. [I] passed with the Capt. in his tent and had a nice time. He is always cheerful and full of stories of old school days and while he was a teacher, etc. and a great joker, so we often have pleasant time together. He is becoming exceedingly popular with the soldiers and the line officers. Such is the way true manhood makes itself felt after a while.
Yesterday quite a “bevy” of ladies and some gentlemen paid us a visit, guests of the officers and we had a Battalion Drill. And as it is not customary on Sats. [Saturdays] I conclude it was for their benefit. The Col. and others looked quite gay escorting the fair Kentuckians about the grounds.
Shall endeavor to have some good reading today and shall think much of you all at home. I hope we shall not move today. “Guard Mounting” is first coming off and I suppose the usual Sunday morn. inspection at 10 o’clk. Will add more by and by. Shall probably have services by the chaplain.
P.M. A beautiful day, sitting here with the warm sun just laying my tent.
No immediate begin of moving although no one of our Regt. [is] allowed to leave camp. Passed some time with Ben Edmands after I ceased writing. Came to our street nearly noon and saw a gathering in the rear of the Captn.’s tent and found it to be a meeting and the chaplain gathered about him. Two or three spoke and some good singing. The chaplain takes his meals and some of them with Capt. S, who is attentive to him.
Have just had dinner and chatted with Geo. Edwards, who has been in here. The “orderly” tells me that regimental services will take place at ¼ of 3 o’clk. It seems so good to hear the bells ring at church time as we do here. If we were only near enough for you to come and visit us!
4 P.M. Ordered off. Rumor says Cincinnati.
Adieu with the love of
your husband,
Jerome
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
NOTE 1: The Battle of Somerset (or Dutton's Hill) was fought on March 31, 1863. In early 1863 Confederate General John Pegram led a cavalry raid into Kentucky in the vicinity of Lexington. By the time the Union forces responded, Pegram's cavalry had rounded up several hundred head of cattle. Union General Quincy A. Gillmore's force caught up with Pegram outside Somerset, Kentucky, approximately 75 miles south of Lexington, and drove Pegram's skirmishers up Dutton's Hill where the Confederates made a stand. Making no headway at first, Union artillery was brought forward. When the 45th Ohio Infantry made a successful charge against the hill, the Confederates were forced to fall back. Pegram retreated south of the Cumberland River leaving behind horses and many of his confiscated cattle. Casualties amounted to 10 killed and 25 wounded on the Union side, while the Confederate losses came to 200 in total. It appears that the 500 prisoners allegedly taken by the Union army as mentioned in the letter was an exaggerated number.
NOTE 3: Abbie (Abigail) Jaquith was Allie’s younger sister. Abbie was born in 1836, and she died in 1915. Allie (Albinia) Jaquith was born in 1834, and she died in 1920.
NOTE 4: Benjamin B. Edmands enlisted as a Private at age 27 from Brookline, Massachusetts, and he was subsequently promoted to Corporal. On January 20, 1864, he was discharged from the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment for promotion as a Lieutenant in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteers.
NOTE 5: “Capt. S.” 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 6: The chaplain for the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment at the time this letter was written was Charles T. Canfield. He was 38 years old and from Worcester, Massachusetts. Canfield served in that capacity from August 28, 1862, until October 20, 1863, when he resigned.
NOTE 7: Foster Peirce was one of Jerome’s older brothers. The 1850 U.S. Census listed him as being born in 1812, living in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and being in the furniture business. It is interesting to note that when that census was taken, Jerome, then 19 years old, was living with the Foster Peirce family, with his occupation being recorded as a “gilder.”
NOTE 1: The Battle of Somerset (or Dutton's Hill) was fought on March 31, 1863. In early 1863 Confederate General John Pegram led a cavalry raid into Kentucky in the vicinity of Lexington. By the time the Union forces responded, Pegram's cavalry had rounded up several hundred head of cattle. Union General Quincy A. Gillmore's force caught up with Pegram outside Somerset, Kentucky, approximately 75 miles south of Lexington, and drove Pegram's skirmishers up Dutton's Hill where the Confederates made a stand. Making no headway at first, Union artillery was brought forward. When the 45th Ohio Infantry made a successful charge against the hill, the Confederates were forced to fall back. Pegram retreated south of the Cumberland River leaving behind horses and many of his confiscated cattle. Casualties amounted to 10 killed and 25 wounded on the Union side, while the Confederate losses came to 200 in total. It appears that the 500 prisoners allegedly taken by the Union army as mentioned in the letter was an exaggerated number.
NOTE 3: Abbie (Abigail) Jaquith was Allie’s younger sister. Abbie was born in 1836, and she died in 1915. Allie (Albinia) Jaquith was born in 1834, and she died in 1920.
NOTE 4: Benjamin B. Edmands enlisted as a Private at age 27 from Brookline, Massachusetts, and he was subsequently promoted to Corporal. On January 20, 1864, he was discharged from the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment for promotion as a Lieutenant in the 54th Massachusetts Regiment of Volunteers.
NOTE 5: “Capt. S.” 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 6: The chaplain for the 36th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment at the time this letter was written was Charles T. Canfield. He was 38 years old and from Worcester, Massachusetts. Canfield served in that capacity from August 28, 1862, until October 20, 1863, when he resigned.
NOTE 7: Foster Peirce was one of Jerome’s older brothers. The 1850 U.S. Census listed him as being born in 1812, living in Charlestown, Massachusetts, and being in the furniture business. It is interesting to note that when that census was taken, Jerome, then 19 years old, was living with the Foster Peirce family, with his occupation being recorded as a “gilder.”
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Reference
Jerome Peirce 1863, From Jerome to Allie, April 5, 1863, HIST 428 (Spring 2020), University of Mary Washington
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