Post-War

After the war, David P. Grier settled in Peoria with Anna. They had seven children (more info on the family tree page): Smith McKinney “Mac” Grier (1866-1908); John Perkins Grier (1868-1939); William Reynolds Grier (1869-1952); Margret Grier Todd (1872-??);  Robert Cooper Grier (1875-1940); David Perkins Grier Jr. (1878-1947); Annie McKinney Grier (1881-1940).

DPG started a series of businesses in Peoria and later in St. Louis, mostly to do with the grain market. He became a respected businessman, although his companies would never make him rich. He was active in the Union veterans’ organizations and was Grand Marshal of the Grand Army of the Republic National Encampment in St. Louis in 1887. He died in 1891 after a long illness, early, at the age of 54. Anna outlived him, remaining in St. Louis with her daughter Annie, supported largely by her son John. She lived until 1918, dying in, I think, the Spanish Flu epidemic. Anna’s brother David McKinney, the 77th IL’s quartermaster and DPG’s good friend, died a bachelor in the early 1900s in Peoria, as DPG had written in a letter to Anna that he would. It’s through Anna’s work that I have their letters at all — what we have, we have because she saved it and passed it down to her daughter Margret, who gave it to her daughter Ann, who gave it to my grandparents.

There are more letters — some between DPG and Anna, some between DPG and their children, some from members of Anna’s and DPG’s families; there are miscellaneous items like Grand Army event material or insurance papers; there is Anna’s daily planner from sometime in the 1910s; newspapers, official correspondence, bills. But I’m going to end this here, with the end of the Civil War. It’s been fun.

Spring 1864

There is a long gap between the last letter (December 1, 1863) and the next (May 10, 1864), because DPG managed to get himself detailed to Peoria on recruiting duty, where he set up house again with Anna. So from this period, the only material of DPG’s that exists is a whole slew of recruiting reports: money spent on feeding and lodging new recruits, bills for placing recruitment ads in newspapers. In his absence, Lt. Col. Lysander Webb was put in charge of the regiment, and there are a few letters from David McKinney to DPG, keeping him abreast of developments with the 77th IL.

The 77th remained in the same region of Louisiana where they’d been for the whole fall of 1863, until they took part in the ill-fated Red River Campaign. Suffice it to say that Red River was a disaster for the Union troops. During one of its battles, Mansfield or Sabine Crossroads, the 77th got the brunt of the Confederate force.  David McKinney survived but the 77th was essentially decimated, and would later be consolidated with another Illinois regiment, also under DPG’s command. David McKinney’s letters from this period sound almost shell-shocked.

Lt. Col. Webb, who had approached his commanding officer that morning and said that he felt he was not destined to survive the day, was shot through the head in the beginning stages of the battle. DPG must have written a note of consolation to Jennie Webb, Lysander Webb’s young widow, because she wrote back a short and heartbroken letter thanking him for his kindness. Webb was an orphan who had been adopted in Kentucky, later moving to Illinois where he met Jennie and joined the 77th. He had no known living family and Jennie later remarried.

N^o 21

New. Iberia La Dec 1^st 1863

Tuesday. Evening

My Darling. Wife

On Sunday Evening last I wrote you and since then I have not heard from you. I now have on hand ten Letters written by you since I left Peoria. These were all you had written up to that time. I hope my letters reach you as well as yours do me. I am afraid however that some of my letters never get to their destination as they are so very careless here in getting the mail down to New Orleans if it once gets there it is all safe unless the Steamer, on the Mississippi should happen to get captured by the Rebs, when of course all our correspondence is read by the Southern Gents. You can tell however whether all of my Letters reach you as they [p2] have all been numbered correctly and if any are missing you can at once imagine that some Rebel is perusing, what was inten-ded for your fair self. I have been troubled to day with the Blues most terribly and this evening feel very low spirited indeed, so much so that I can scarcely write. I am also troubled this evening with a terrible cold in the head, my old complaint. two days ago we had a sudden change in the weather, it suddenly turned very cold and I suppose this gave me the cold. we have been having all the time nice warm weather and winter to us is something we are not accustomed too. A Steamer arrived this evening and I thought we should certainly be favored with a mail but I am again disappointed, as none arrived. I look very anxiously every day for the arri-val of the Boats and always hope to get a Letter from you, this is my only relief from the monotony of camp life. We are still doing nothing lying here [p3] inactive, and as far as I can see accomplishing nothing, I do not understand why we are holding this part of the State and I have not as yet found any one that does. All the Rebels that are in front of us Keep a respectful distance and when we send out an expedition after them, they invariably run. I have heard nothing yet from the Recruiting Papers. Gen Burbridge telegraphed yesterday to New Orleans about them but as yet has received no reply. I am beginning to feel a little uncertain about their being granted. I shall be terribly disappointed if they fail and shall think that the fates are against my seeing you this Winter, but I am determined I shall be with you by spring, and expect I shall leave the service to do so. I am tired of War and the Army, and think I have done my part, by that time you Know, I shall have been in three years.

on The 26^th of this month is my birthday. I shall then be twenty seven. I am growing old very fast, and shall soon be an old man. I beleive you were twenty three in August, so that I am nearly four years older. I think the difference in our ages is about right. David went down to Franklin to day on the Boat on business for the Brigade, he will return to morrow or next day. I have received as yet but one Letter from the folks at home, dont you think it is a shame. I have written them three, but do not intend writing any more until I hear from them. You will have to put up with a short Letter this time as I feel most terribly Blue and home-sick. I would give every thing if I could be with my dear darling Wife this eve-ning. I hope that you often think of me. I think you do, and I assure you most of my thoughts are with my heart, in your Keeping. Write me soon darling and oftener than you have been doing, and remember me as

Your Devoted and Loving Husband D.P.Grier

[The Major Hotchkiss kerfuffle continues. I am curious about whether the “album” DPG talks about Anna having is her scrapbook, which is now in the museum collections with these letters. The scrapbook doesn’t have any pictures in it, at least not anymore, so I’m not sure if that’s what he’s referring to or if there is another album that I haven’t located.]

N^o 19

New. Iberia, La. Nov 26 1863

Thursday. Night

My Darling. Wife

This is Thanksgiving day and I suppose you at home have been enjoying it in the good old fashioned way by having a big Dinner and listening to Sermons. I have spent it in rather a dull manner. Gen Franklin issued an order last evening that as to day was Thanksgiving Day all Military Duty would be suspended, and that the Chaplains of the different Regiments should hold dinner service at Eleven Oclock and that an Extra Ration of Whiskey should be issued to the command. We not having any chaplain had no dinner service and going down for our ration of Whiskey rather late found it all gone, in consequence of all this we all remained sober, and [p2] attended a large meeting held by the 3^d Division 13 Army Corps. They had some fine Music from two or three fine Brass Bands, one sermon from a Chaplain and several short speeches from two or three Generals, Colonels +C. altogether it was quite a pleasant meeting. In the Afternoon plenty of Gay young officers could be seen on Horse Back riding through the Streets and most of them in rather a mellow. way, I staid at home all afternoon and Kept perfectly sober and straight. David is caterer for our Mess and he managed to find a nice Turkey, some cranberries, onions, Irish and Sweet Potatoes, Bread and Butter Pie +C and we had quite an extensive Dinner. I have wished many times to day that I could have been in Peoria with my own dear Wife. I Know I would have enjoyed myself, better in your presence than any where else, but it could not be. I feel this evening very lonely and [p3] wish that I could get a Letter from you. A few minutes ago I heard a Boat whistling just coming in. I am strongly in hopes that there is a mail and have sent an Orderly down to see. If there is a Mail I think certainly that there will be a Letter for me from you. I shall be terribly disappointed if there is nothing. I wrote you last on Tuesday Evening, since then I have not heard from you, do you not think that I am doing well in the way of writing even better than I promised. I would like very much to Know what you are doing this evening. I can im-agine I can see you at home, wishing that I were with you and feeling very lonely without your absent Husband would that we could be together never to be seperated again. When will that anxiously looked for time come I do most sincerely hope that it may be very very soon. I have not as yet [p4] heard any thing more from my appli-cation for recruiting. I hope it will come back soon. I have not as yet said any thing to Gen Burbridge, about letting me off if it should come back granted and will say nothing to him until it comes back, if it is granted I think I can work him, so that he will hold my Brigade for me until I come back. I am getting very anxious to hear from it, and am strongly in hopes that I may get back to you again soon. I shall indeed be terribly disappointed if it fails, and shall have to set my brains to work to think of some other plan, which will enable me, to be again united with my own dear Wife. I tell you Anna there is no pleasure for me to live away from you. I have no enjoyment here, nor will I ever have any while we are seperated. I can live happy with [p5] you by my side, and shall wish for nothing else. We are still lying idle here, and as yet have not been troubled with the Enemy. To day it is currently reported that the Rebel General, Magruder, is advancing from Texas this way with a force variously estimated from fifteen to twenty Thousand, and last accounts reported him to be at a River about seventy five miles from here. If he should join this force with the Rebels already in our front, we should have to get out of this, as we have not force enough to operate against this number, it is my opinion that before many days have passed we will fall back probably as far as Berwick Bay about Sixty Miles from here. The two Divisions of our Corps will then probably cross over the Bay to Brashear City, take the Cars to New Orleans, and from there be [p6] sent up the Mississippi to Morganzia where there are a force of Rebels trying to interrupt our Boats. The other two Divisions of our Corpse have gone with Banks to Brownsville, and probably the 19^th Corps will be left at Brashear City. This is my idea of what will be done. I may however be entirely mistaken, as I Know nothing official, and I do not Know any one that does.

The ordorley has just returned with the unwelcome tidings that there is no mail. I am terribly disappointed as I thought certainly there would be one to night, but I shall have to wait pat-iently for the next Boat, and I feel certain I shall not be disappointed.

I sent my watch down to New Orleans to day to get it fixed. I hope it will then conclude to run. Our Band is progressing finely and are making rapid progress. They can now play four or five tunes very nicely and I hope in a few weeks [p7] more to have them out on Parade.

I sent you in my last Letter a Photograph of General Burbridge let me Know in your next Letter what you think of it and whether you think it worthy of a place in your Album. I have not yet received any of my Photographs which you were to send me, have you ever received them from New York. I think it very strange in that man Fredrick that he has never sent them. The affair with the Major is still in Status Quo. I understand now, that the officers have got up a set of resolutions in which they set forth the Major’s incapacity this they intend sending on to the President and get him dismissed from the service. I do not Know whether they will accomplish any thing by this or not. Say nothing to any one in Peoria about all this that I have written you about the Major for I do not wish anything Known as having come from me. You Know it [p8] might give a bad impression about me. Write me my darling Anna very often. Give my love to all my Sisters Brothers, Fathers and Mothers, is it not a nice thing to have so many Kind relatives I assure you I fully appreciate them all Good Night

From Your Devoted

Husband

D.P. Grier

[Major Hotchkiss is really in for it now.]

N^o 17

New. Iberia La. Nov 22^d 1863

Sunday Night

My Dear. Wife

Another Sunday evening has made its appearance and again I seat myself to spend this evening in my usual manner, viz. by writing you a letter. I do not think that I can spend it in a more pleasant or profitable way, and I hope that you will agree with me in this respect. I wrote you on Friday a good long Letter of four Sheets, and since then have not had the pleasure of receiving any thing from you. I am in hopes how-ever that when the next mail arrives it will bring me two or three letters from you and some from home. The Folks at home are not doing very well in the letter business, not having [p2] received but one from them since I left home now nearly six weeks. I must confess also that I have not done as well writing to them as I should have done, only having written two letters, but then you Know I write to you so often that you can tell them all that is transpiring with me. I intend however hereafter to do better and write oftener to them. I think probably I should write oftener to them and less to you, for you do not seem to appreciate my writing so many letters to you as you do not pretend to write me so often while I think you should write oftener than I do. I find that all the officers in the Regiment who are married receive about double the number of letters that they write and they think this proportion is about right. In your next Letter tell me what you think about this, be sure and give me your true opinion and not say that [p3] you think of course I should write the greatest number. Yesterday Gen Franklin the commander of our Army, issued an order placing me in command of a Brigade. I immediality issued an order, assuming command of the 2^d Brig, 4^th Div. 13^th Army Corps, and now hold that position. Col Landrum commands the 1^st Brigade. My Brigade is changed somewhat, from what I wrote you before. I now have the 77^th Ill Infty, 97^th Ill Infty, 130^th Ill Infty 48^th Ohio Infty, 1^st Reg U.S.Infty. (regulars) and the Mercantile Battery, Chicago. You will notice that my Brigade is nearly all Illinois. Reg. and I beleve are about the only Illinois Troops in this Department. I think it is a No 1 Brigade, and has been before tried well. I have not yet heard anything from my application for recruiting, it was sent to New Orleans, and has not yet had time to be returned. I think the application will be granted by Gen Banks but I expect Gen Burbridge will not [p4] want me to leave now, as I have taken Command of the Brigade. I shall try how-ever to arrange the affair so that I can go and recruit and have the Brigades held for me while I am gone. I have about fixed my staff. You Know I am now entitled to the same that a Brig Gen. has, as I am acting in that Capacity. Lieut + adjutant, Henry P. Aryres, of 77 Ill is my A. A. General. Lieut + Q. M. David McKinney of 77 Ill is Brigade Quarter Master. Lieut Campbell of the 77 Ill Brigade commissary. Lieut Pike of the 48 Ohio, Inspector General. Lieut Parker, of the 130 Ill, Aid de Camp, then I have some Cavalry as Orderlys and escort, so you perceive, I have quite a Staff quite enough I think for one man to be bothered with. When we all get mounted and start out, quite a gay Party is represented and such a clattering of shell [?] and sword is really frightful, a person seeing us would suppose this would be quite a dangerous Party to meet out in some [p5] secluded spot, but I assure you we look worse than we really are. Last evening quite a scene took place in the Regiment. As soon as the Officers heard the order that I was to take command of the Brigade, they presented the Major with a petition signed by every line Officer in the Regiment excepting two or three to resign his commission as Major for the good of the Regiment. I never saw a man so completely cut down as he was. I felt very sorry for him but could not help him in any way. He called up the Officers and talked to them and wanted to Know what they object-tioned to him for and, on what grounds they wished him to resign. They stated that they thought he was incompetent and that they, nor the men had no confidence in him and his Keeping command of the Regiment would [p6] ruin it. The Major then talked to them but instead of making the matter any better, by his usual matter of talking made it decidedly worse and the meeting broke up with a worse feeling among the Officers against the Major than they had before. I called them together this morning and gave them a talking too, and have for the present quieted the matter, but I shall have to resort to some means to get rid fo the Major, for if I leave him in com-mand of the Regiment he will assuredly ruin it. He will not at present resign for if he says if he does and goes home on this account that it will ruin him. I can not blame him much on this account, for it certainly would injure his reputation somewhat if he was thus forced to resign. I feel sorry for him and he feels it very much. He was in my Tent last evening and cried over it. I pity the poor fellow [p7] from the bottom of my heart, but it cant be helped. He has brought this on himself by his course, to tell the truth the Major has nothing about him that would win favor with any one, and is certain a very unlovable man. how in the world his Wife came to fancy him is a mistery to me, but you Know there is no accounting for tastes, for in the same way, some might say how in the world did Mrs D.P.Grier, ever come to fancy her Husband. You of course can answer that question. You certainly did take a fancy to your Husband and I am sure he is very thankful that you did, for at one time he was very much afraid that you never would.

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving day. I suppose you will have an Extra Dinner to dispose of on that day. I wish I could be with you, but I have no doubt, but that you will often think of your absent Husband and wish he [p8] were with you on that occasion. Good Night my own darling wife Write me very often and good long letters and I am and will always be

Your Affectionate + Loving

Husband

D.P. Grier

[Anna appears to be making DPG a watch chain out of her hair, like one of the ones on this page about Victorian hair jewelry. Items made out of hair included “bracelets, brooches, earrings, rings, chains, necklaces, shawl pins, cravat pins, purses, bags, book markers, pencil cases, guards, studs, stud chains, scent bottles, walking sticks and even riding whips”.]

N^o 15

New Iberia La, Nov 18 1863

Wednesday Afternoon

My Very Dear Wife

My usual time for writing you was last evening, but I neg-lected doing so, as I felt very unwell and concluded that I would do better by retiring early and write again. I am now afflicted severely. I caught a cold in my Head about a week ago and three or four days afterwards it settled in my Eyes and in my Throat, so that I do not feel very comfortable under the affiction. In addition to this a very severe boil has made its appearance, inside of my nose, and that member is now swollen to about double its usual size, and the pain is so intense that I do not get a great deal of Sleep at Night. But [p2] I think to day, that I am better than I have been and I hope in a day or two to be entirely well. Yesterday our Whole Army in front came back here and are now in camp on the other side of Town, leaving our Division in front. The Rebel Army followed up our Army close and are now in camp across the Prarie, three or four Miles and their Pickets and ours face each other. They have about Fifteen Thousand men, and we have enough to take good care of them if they conclude to give us Battle. There is quite a difference of opinion as to whether they will fight us or not, some think that we will have a Battle before many days, while others seem to think they dare not give us Battle. I am one, that thinks with the latter. I have no idea that the Rebs will attack us unless they know they have advantages over us that [p3] will ensure them victory, and this the Gentlemen at present have not got. I am at present in command of three Regiments of Infantry and a Battery of Artillery, all of which I am inclined to think will give a good account of themselves if called upon. Yesterday afternoon about a thousand Rebel Cavalry advanced over the Praire, towards our front and for a while came up very bravely. I could from my Tent see them very plainly. We immediately placed one of our ten pound Parrott Guns in positions, sent about a half a dozen Shell into their Ranks and for a short time about the biggest Skedadling was done, that I have ever seen, since that time the Gentlemen have Kept their distance and in the future doubtless will do so. Yesterday I made an application to be detailed to proceed to Illinois and recruit for my [p4] Regiment. I sent up the application to Gen Burbridge and he says he will do all he can to get me detailed. I do not know whether he will succeed or not, but strongly hope he may. If I should get this, I would very probably be in Peoria for some time maybe all Winter. Wont we have a nice time if this should come to pass. I am doing all I can to get this through and have strong hope of Succeeding, but I may be disappointed so do not expect me until you see me –

Wednesday Night

Every thing quiet to night on our lines, although all day our Cavalry and the Rebel Cavalry have been skirmishing out on the Praire, from our Camp we could get a good view of all that transpired. The Praire here is about ten miles [p5] wide, and we have a very fine view of every thing that transpires.

I have heard nothing lately about our going to the Rio Grande. Two Divisions of our Corps have gone, and the other two Divisions are here with the 19^th Army Corps. This 19^th Corps is composed entirely of Eastern Troops and our men and theirs fight like Cats and Dogs there is a most unnatural hatred existing between the Eastern + Western Troops, and the reasons for it, I do not Know. Of course all favors are bestowed on the Eastern Soldiers as the commanding Gen (Banks) is from there and brought these Troops here with him. I heard to day that Banks had Troops enough with him on the Rio Grande and that we would not be sent there, how true this is, I am unable to say but hope it may be the [p6] case, as I have no anxiety whatever to get so far from home. I am strongly in hopes that I will be sent home to recruit. Gen Burbridge told me this evening that he thought there would be no difficulty whatever about getting me detailed, but still I do not place entire confidence in it, as I have so often been disappointed in such things before. We will have a splendid time if I can get home wont we my darling?. But then the parting will come again and that will be hard very hard, but I think after I fill the Regiment I will come down and resign in the Spring. I am determined not again to be parted from my darling Wife. You remember I bought a new Silver Watch of Mr Morse. this same Watch has proved to be of no account. I have tried it over and over again to get it to run but it will not do it, so [p7] I have given it up in despair when I get to where there are any Watch Makers I shall try and get it fixed up. I think the troubles with it, is, that it is new and has never been fixed up to run. I hope you have not forgotten to save your hair for that Guard you are to get for me, you Know I wish a Guard from your Hair very much so do not forget. While I am now writing I can imagine I can see you in the Prayer Meeting. I remember I used to accompany you there, now I can not attend any meetings of that Kind as we are way out in this Country where there are no Preachers or Churches. Chaplains in the Army have about all played out, and it is now very seldom that we see any Gents of that Kind. I have heard nothing from Mr Pierce since I returned but I guess he does not intend returning. The Regiment [p8] miss him very much, more I think than any other officer in it. The Major is the most unpopular Officer I ever saw. Every one is down on him, there is something about him that makes him very unpopular. Col Webb is still in New Orleans at the Convalescent Camp. If I go north I shall try and send him out to take command during my absence, for the Major will demoralize the Regiment if left in command.

I feel to night very lonely and do most sincerely wish that I were with you, instead of sitting down here in my Tent. Maybe my next Letter to you will be myself in proper person, my ardent desire is that it may be so. You may be surprised early some morning, by me rushing in on you. I shall be very certain to put my arms around you, even if there is forty present, every person you Know has a right to hug their own Wife so [following writing is vertical on page] look out, for me when I do come. Be sure my dear Anna to write me very often, do not stop now expecting that I am coming home for I may not come, if I should all Letters will be saved for me by David until after I come back.

Your Devoted + Loving Husband

D.P. Grier

[postscript on p1] Remember me to all my sisters Fathers and Mothers if any of my new sisters would like to write to a forlorn Soldier way of from his home + wife all letters would be very acceptable – as the news Papers say best of references given, without requiring a Card De Visite. You can tell Maggie Simmons that I am looking her up a Husband.

D.P.G.

[David is Anna’s brother David McKinney. General Burbridge is the one of the generals with whom DPG and the 77th had so much trouble in Kentucky over their abolitionism, but they seem to have gotten over their differences by now. The major he refers to is Major Hotchkiss of the 77th IL.]

N^o 11

Franklin La Nov 8^th 1863

Sunday. Night

My Very Dear. Wife

Another Sunday has made its appearance, and now nearly passed, and according to my usual custom, I seat myself to write to my beloved wife. Some people think it is a sin to write letters on Sunday, and you may be among that number, but I feel that while I am away down here deprived of the comforts of Home, of the very pleasant society of my dear Wife, and of the privalidge of attending church, that I can not occupy my time to any better advantage, and I am sure any pleasanter to myself than in writing to you. I find it to be a great pleasure now, to set down by myself and write you a good long letter. I feel that it draws me nearer to you and nothing is happier to me than to have my thoughts [p2] exclusively on you, and while I am writing to you I lose all ideas about any and every thing else, and sometimes I nearly feel that I am sitting by your side and talking to you. We have had another beautiful day. The weather here is somewhat singular, it seems to me that it is one endless Summer, day after day the Sun pours down on us its intense heat, and about the only change we get is heavy Rains which visit us quite often. This morning I attended church again and heard a sermon from the Rev Mr Mathews, chaplain of the 19^th Ky Reg. He is a very good preacher and is an old school Presbyterian. our forces here have seized one of the Churches here and have services every Sunday Morning at half past two. This I beleive is about the same time that your services begin, so this morning while sitting in the Church, I imagined I could see you in your accustomed seat in your church at Peoria. Would that I could have been with you. Nothing in this [p3] wide world would have given me so much pleasure. I tell you Anna I miss you very very much, more and more every day, and I feel that life without you would be indeed a mere blank for me, and I must have you with me, if you cant come to me, then I shall most certain-ly leave the Army and go to you. My last letter I sent you on Friday last, in that I acknowledged the receipt of three Letters from you dated the 16 17 + 19 Oct, all came in one mail, since then no mail has arrived, and but we expect another one to morrow and I shall then expect to get several more Letters from you. I do hope after the fair commencement you have made in letter writing that you will always Keep it up. Your letters my darling are a very great pleasure to me in fact about the only one I have, now that I am parted from you, so dear Anna, do Keep writing as often as you possibly can, you need have no fear [p4] of writing to many, for I assure you I can never weary in reading what you write, I love you too well and have to deep an interest in every thing appertaining to you to ever get tired of hearing from you. Accept many many thanks for those three letters, I have read and re-read them, and I love you and them better every time I read. I was very sorry to Know that you suffered so much on my leaving you. You Know that I would never have parted from you if it had been in my power to have avoided it. Oh would that I could be with you now. While I am writing now you are probably at Church. what would I not give could I walk in and sit down by your side. would not such a way of coming home surprise you. Just imagine you sitting in church and having no idea of seeing me and suddenly I should walk in and [p5] seat myself by your side. what would you do in such a case. I am afraid you would faint out of pure joy, dont you think you would. I am so fond of surprises that I may some day walk in on you after some such a manner. David arrived from New Orleans this morning. I gave him your lecture about this not writing, he says that he has written three or four letters since he arrived here but he has not received on since he left home, he wishes you to lecture the folks at home about it, out of so many Girls, he certainly should receive some Letters from some of them. So please see that they at once commence writing. David brought with him from New Orleans our Brass Band. it had arrived from New York the day before. I opened them to day, and am very much pleased with the Instruments. I also organized [p6] the Band I hope in a few weeks we shall be able to have some fine music.

Our Division is commanded by Gen Burbridge, and only our Brigade is here or rather part of it as the balance was sent to New Orleans the other day. Gen Burbridge has been up in the front with the other Brigades said the other day the Rebs came in on him and surprised his camp and captured about half his Brigade, the balance after some desperate fighting cut their way out, a great many Rebs were Killed and we lost quite a number. I am glad our Brigade was here as I have no anxiety to be gobbled up and Kept in a Southern Prison the balance of this Winter. We are very pleasantly situated here and no more prospect of moving than there was a week ago. it is just one week yesterday morning since I arrived here it has been a long and lonely week for me. I have thought of you very often during the time [p7] and wished that I could again be with you never more to part.

The Inhabitants of this Town are all living here and I see quite a number of pretty Girls every day in the Streets, but I have lost all interest in any thing of that Kind now, and I hardly ever think it worth while to turn my head to see the prettiest Girl living. Some time ago you Know, I should have acted quite differ-ently. There are no amusements here of any Kind and we have nothing to relieve the dull Monotony of camp life. We live pretty well however. The Country abounds in a great many things that we could not get at home. A day or two since the Major went down to the Gulf of Mexico and brought home some very fine Trout which he caught. I think some of going down in a day or two and taking a Fish. The Gardens throughout the Country look Green and they have fresh Vegetables throughout the Winter just think of eating Green [p8] Peas and Lettuce on Christmas. I have tried sevaral times to sing Ill be Gay and happy still, but nearly every time I make a failure of it. Did you ever read Dickens story called Martin Chuz-zlewit. There is a character in that piece, that would have found some difficulty in being jolly if he had been placed in the same situation in which I now find myself. I shall expect a several Letters by next mail. Remember me to all, and beleive me as ever

Your affectionate and Devoted Husband

D.P. Grier

[You can read Cousin Geoffrey, The Old Bachelor (1840), the book DPG is reading here, online, if you are so inclined. The resolutions about the flags that he refers to are those written by the 77th IL to thank the Women’s National League of Peoria for the gift of new flags for the regiment. Love the account here of his visits to various Louisiana residents.]

N^o 10         

Franklin La. Nov 5^th 1863

Thursday Night

My Very Dear Wife

To night it rains very hard and I am shut up in my Tent with nothing for company but a perfect swarmsof Musquitos and a very severe spell of the Blues or Homesickness. I have been all evening lying on my cot thinking of Home and of you and wishing I were this night with you. I tried to think what you might be doing this evening but of course I imagined a great many things you might be at, but could not tell certain-ly whether any of them were correct. I finally concluded that I must do something to shake of the feeling of lone-liness that was creeping over me and [p2] determined that as I could not be with you I would occupy my time in writing you although I wrote only night before last, but I Know you will be always glad to hear from me even if you should get a little every day. Yesterday a mail arrived for the Regiment and I felt positive I would get some Letters from you but I was doomed to bitter disappointment for there was none for me. Others received Letters from Home of the 20^th last month and I do not see why I did not receive one from you. I left you on Wednesday the 14^th and you was to write me the first letter on Friday the 16^th and then again on the 18^th I should have then received two Letters from you and I do not understand why they did not arrive. I feel convinced that you wrote and I suppose they must have been detained in some manner on the road. You must remember that [p3] I have not heard one word from you since I left you three weeks ago yesterday and I am very anxious to hear from you and Know how you are prospering living without your husband I hope you are enjoying yourself and that time does not hang heavily on your hands. All day to day it has been very blue for me, rain, rain, rain. I In consequence of this I have been compelled to Keep in my Tent, and have tried to pass the time away by reading. I ransacked David’s Tent for Reading Matter and finally found a Book he had brought from home, with Maggie’s name in it, called, Cousin Geoffry. This I perused and succeeded in passing away the time a little pleasanter than I should if I had had nothing with which to occupy my mind. David has not yet returned from New Orleans but I expect him back to morrow or next day, he has been gone [p4] since Sunday Night and I suppose by this time must have got through with all of his business. Yesterday was a beautiful day, about as warm as you have it in July and I concluded I would improve it by taking a Ride and looking at the Country. Capt Stevens and I started out in the out in the morning and after riding several miles stopped at a large Sugar Plantation owned by a Mr M^cWilliams, here we went in and were very pleasantly entertained by the Lady of the House and her Daughter a very beautiful Young Lady. They treated us to oranges and the Young Lady entertained us with some very fine Music on the Piano They were very bitter Secesh however and had a great many friends in the Rebel Army. They opened their Bitterness on us and after they had gone on awhile with their abuse on [p5] Northern Men, the President and every thing in general from the North. I returned the favor and gave them the best I had and wound up by wishing that I should have the pleasure of some day assist in hanging all Fools who might be found in the Rebel Army. After we had got through with these Ladies we visited a large Sugar Mill whey they were making Sugar from the Cane. This was quite an interesting Sight to me as I had never seen anything of the Kind before. On our road home we stopped at a plantation owned by a Mrs. Porter this is a very large affair and she resides in a most Magnificent Palace. The house is gorgeosly furnished and the Grounds around are Kept in splendid order. Mrs Porter is a very strong Union Woman and received us very cordially, and made us stay [p6] to dinner. This meal was splendid and I think as fine as any I ever sat down too. Every thing was gotten up with the greatest style and the cooking was very fine. This Lady is immensely wealthy and a widow she is estimated to be worth a million and has two very charming Daughters both of whom are living at her residence in New York City. In talking to her I found that she was very well acquainted with Uncle Roberts family she became acquainted with them at Neport where she spent her Summers before the War broke out she is a very pleasant Lady indeed and I was very glad to make her acquaintance. News has just come in that a mail has arrived for the Regiment and I have sent after it. I will not write any more until I see if there is anything for me. I must certainly get a Letter this time if I do not I shall be terribly disappointed.

Friday Morning Nov 6/63

[p7] I opened our Mail last Night and found three Letters from you dated the 16, 17 + 19 one via New York + the others Cairo. Accept many thanks my darling Wife for these Letters I was exceedingly rejoiced to get them and I read them over a dozen times. It was after Midnight before I got to bed and I spent all the time reading your Letters and thinking of you. I beleive I can this morning repeat every word in them without looking at them. I assure you my dear Anna that your Letters are very precious to me and nothing can give me as much pleasure as receiving them and reading them, so do write a great many. I would be greatly pleased if you would give an hour every day to write to me. You have no idea of the vast amount of good they do me. I am very sorry that you felt so sad after I left you, it was very hard for both [p8] of us to part and I suppose you felt it as much as I did. I do wish I could have dropped in on you after you had gone to our Room the first night, would it not have been a pleasant surprise. You may look for me home before many months never again to part. I am getting this muster out business to work and I think by the 1^st of January I shall be out unless they should before that time fill up my Regiment with Recruits. If they should happen to do that I shall in the Spring resign. I can not and I will not be parted from you longer than that. There is no pleasure to me living without you. I love you dearly my darling Anna, and my love grows stronger every day and will continue to grow to all eternity. Would that I could [p9] have you with me now. Every thing here is dull + distasteful without you. If I Knew certainly that we were to remain here all winter I would immediately send for you for this is a beautiful Town and contains plenty of fine Residences, but I can learn nothing as to our future operations. We may be ordered away any minute or we may stay here for Months. Tell Maggie Simmons I that I feel highly flattered with her opinion of me and I will return the compliment, by saying that next to one, she is the best woman living, and that I intend recommending her to all young men who want a good Wife. Give my love to all your Folks + mine and be sure and write often – I will write you again on Sunday —

Every Your Devoted + Loving Husband

D.P. Grier

[p10] I wish you would send me a Paper containing the Resolutions about the Flags they were sent up by the last mail and will be published in the Transcript and Chicago Tribune –

No “9”

Franklin Nov 3^d 1863

Tuesday Afternoon

My Dearest. Wife.

My last Letter was written on Sunday and sent to New Orleans on Sunday Night about Midnight by David who went there on business. He has not yet retur-ned and I suppose he will not get back before the last of the week. Nothing of any interest has trans-pired since I left wrote you. We are still lying here in camp doing nothing. Yesterday the Corps Head Quarters passed through here on the way to New Orleans. The news from the front is, that our whole Army is moving back here and will return to New Orleans, a great many rumors are afloat as [p2] to our future destination but I can find no one that Knows any thing certain about it, some say we are going to Texas by Water while others say we are going to Mobile. Whether either of these are correct , I am unable to say but I hope neither. I have no anxiety for either of these places. The Weather here is intens-ely hot and I find that my clothing is all rather heavy. I see all of the Citizens here out in Linnen Clothes and it looked rather funny to see me land with An Overcoat thrown over my Arm. I spend most of my time eating Oranges. He We are surrounded by Orange Trees and this season they are loaded with splendid oranges. All we have to do is shake a Tree and they drop off by the Bushel I never in my life before eat as [p3] many oranges as I have since landing here. The officers of the Regiment here got up a set of Resolutions thanking the Ladies for the Flags. They are to be published in the Peoria + Chicago Papers, where you can see them. On consulting the Regimental Books I find that my Regiment is reduced to the number that requires the Major + myself to be mustered out and I expect our order will make its appearance shortly mustering us out of service. I shall be glad when it comes along as this is the best way of getting out. They Government can never draft me in again unless they draft me in to the same position from which they dismiss me and then it is the most honorable way of getting out. You see I stay in as long as I have men enough to command for my rank [p4] and no one can accuse me of deserting my men that I took into the service with me, for I stay with them as long as the Author-ities will allow me. I must say however that it looks like an unjust law, for these men that are mustered out for want of men have lost these men fighting for the Government and if they happen to get through all these Battles with their own lives, then they are dismissed, rather unjust, do you not think so? but as this law at this time just happens to suit me, I shall make no complaint. I am tired of the service, and I want very much to get home with you, and I assure you I will not leave you again. I can find no pleasure [p5] in living away from you, and I am perfectly willing to give up all the glory that may be gained by staying in the Army, to be with you. I can not yet see any opportunity of having you with me this Winter if I should have to stay but shall still hope to see something. The Regiment is in such a fix just at present that I can not leave it very well, but shall try and arrange it so that I can, providing I see any thing worth while out of it in which I can get detailed.

I find it very lonely in Camp and it is hard to content myself and I am most of the time troubled severely with the Blues I tried to read to day but I could not Keep my mind on the Book more than two minutes at a time. I would [p6] always find it wandering, back to the dear Wife left behind. I beleive my dear Anna I love you better ever day and I feel so happy when I think that I at last have you for my own Wife. I have often looked forward to this and wondered, whether I would ever be able to call you my own, but at last this wish has been realized and you are mine for ever

Tuesday Night

I am sitting in my Tent writing you this evening without Coat Vest or Callar. The weather is so warm that I can not stand it with so much clothing, at the same time there is a perfect swarm of Musquiteos around my head + Ears, so that I have to write with one hand and with the other fight the reptiles. The people here say that it stays warm here all Winter and that during the [p7] last hundred years it has only been Known to have snowed twice, they never have seen Ice two inches thick, and that the Musquitoes last the entire year around, so that next month in which you are in the snow and Ice you can imagine me fighting the Musquitoes and eating oranges fresh from the Trees. There has no mail arrived yet for the Regiment since I returned consequently I have not yet heard a word from you since I left Peoria. I am getting very impatient to hear from you and hope that it will not be long before a mail arrives. I expect to get several Letters at one time. The mails here are very irregular and sometimes we go two or three weeks without any, and when they do come they are generally rather old, but it will make no difference to me how old your Letters are they will be [p8] very, very precious to me, so be sure my darling to write a great many

It is very lonesome here for me and the only relief I shall have will be your Letters I feel to night very homesick and only wish I were with you. I have been reading from your Bible regularly every night since I arrived in camp. I commenced reading the Psalms as I Knew you were reading them when I left you. Good Night my darling Wife, and beleive me as ever

Your Devoted + Loving

Husband

D.P.Grier

[Continued from part one.]

[p6] my Box was opened. I think it would have amused you somewhat. Every thing was ruin + desolation, and the contents a perfect wreck, out of the Nine bottles of Wine I only got two whole Bottles and the Demij-ohn was in a Thousand peaces and not one drop of the Whiskey left. The Letters, Packages, Hats, Towels +C were saturated with a mixture of Wine + Whiskey, and the only thing I recovered uninjured as the Cans. I felt badly at this loss of Property, but I at once made up my mind that there was no use of crying over spilt milk. I have not yet heard a word from you but expect that there are a quantity of Letters for me somewhere. I understand that it takes from three to four weeks for Letters to come from Peoria and I suppose that it will take nearly as long [p7] for our Letters to reach you. David is in excellent health and spirits and is going to New Orleans on business for the Regiment to morrow, he will be gone only three or four days. I intend sending this Letter by him to have him mail it at New Orleans. I think it will reach you quicker by so doing. The Letters you write now while the River is so low I think you had better send by New York, but this Winter when the River gets high and you can learn of plenty of Boats going down the River, it would probably be quicker to send by Cairo. I wrote to Cousin Mary Coray while in New Orleans, have you written her yet, and did you receive my Photographs. I find that it is quite natural for me to come down to Camp Life again and live in a Tent, but it is very hard [p8] to do so. I am very homesick and would give any and every thing if I could be back with you This life is very distasteful to me and I have made up my mind not to stay any longer than I can help. I love you to well to be parted from you for any length of time. I suppose you attended Church and Mission school to day. I attended church here this morning at Eleven, and I supposed that you were doing the same thing at the same hour. I feel very blue to day and only wish I were with you. To morrow I intend commencing to work. I shall study + work hard for I find this is the only way to Keep of the Blues and homesickness If I can Keep my mind engaged with something all the time. I shall not have time to get homesick or [p9] think about going home, though I must say that I have so far found it im-possible to Keep my thoughts away from you long. What I have said to you about the Regiment and Major Hotchkiss is of course for you alone to Know, say nothing to any one.

In my letter I shall probably tell you a great many things that might not be well to have all hear and you of course must use your jud-gement what to Keep. You are my Wife and of course I shall have no secrets from you and I Know you have your husbands good standing at heart too much to let anything I tell you get abroad that should not. I found several old Letters here that had come while I was absent and among them was one of the date of the 15^th August, written by Miss Anna [p10] McKinney. Not Knowing any person by that name, I am Keeping the Letter till I find the Lady. It is singular that I do not Know, for she writes as if she Knew me. When I see you again I will show you the Letters probably you may recognize the writing

Sunday Night

I suppose you are now at Church therefore while you are listening to Mr Johnson I will write, as I can not be with you.

You have often told me that you did not approve of Letter Writing on Sunday but you will have to overlook it in my case for I have nothing else to do and if I were not writing I might be doing something worse and then I Know you will be glad enough to get the letter to forgive me for writing it on Sunday. David has just informed me that the Boat will be along to night therefore he will want the Letter before he returns. I feel very lonely to night my darling [p11] Anna, and I would give a great deal if you were with me or rather that I were with you. I shall never get used to being away from you and I really beleive the longer we are seperated the harder it will be for me to bear it. There is an order issued sometimes ago by the War Department, stating that when a Regiment becomes reduced below theFive Hundred + Five men that the Colonel and Major must be honorably mustered out of service. My Regiment now has Five Hundred + Forty Seven men, so you see I will only have to lose Five Hundred + ho forty two men, for me to ship out and that too without having the [illegible] of having resigned or left your men in the Field, as soon as I get down to the prescribed number I shall take the pains to notify the proper officer of the fact and I think they will have to muster me out. You may then look out for me in the great city of Peoria providing you are to be found there and [p12] I feel pretty confident that I shall always thereafter be found near you. The Boat has just whistled and David will have to be off so I shall have to bring this Epistle to a close. Do not fail to write me often my darling Wife and remember me as your

Devoted Husband

D.P.Grier

P.S. The last Letter I wrote you I marked via New York. I shall mark this Cairo. examine the mail mark on the envelope and see which comes the soonest

D.P.G.