[In the spring of 1865 Anna went home, while DPG remained in New Orleans to wrap up and make arrangements for the mustering out of the troops of the 77th. William Pitt Kellogg, who DPG refers to at the end of this letter as the person in charge of the “custom House” in New Orleans, became the Reconstruction governor of Louisiana; he lived in Peoria from the age of 18 (1848) and then nearby Canton until 1861, when Lincoln appointed him Chief Justice of the Nebraska Territory Supreme Court, so it seems likely to me that DPG would have had some personal acquaintance with him — also given that DPG is apparently appealing to him for a job for his friend Mr. Winters (about whom, like about most of the people mentioned in this letter, I unfortunately know nothing).

At some point early in this year DPG was brevetted Brigadier General, a long-awaited and long-overdue promotion. He had repeatedly carried out the command of a brigadier general during the war, but remained a colonel until the brevet promotion in the spring; many U.S. Volunteers officers received brevets in the last days of the war, which were awarded for “gallantry and meritorious service, not for command”. Despite DPG’s never actually holding the brigadier general rank while carrying out the duties of a brigadier general (although he did both those things at different times), the brevet promotion did entitle him to be addressed, finally, as General Grier.]

New Orleans, June 24^th 1865

Saturday Morning

Mrs D.P.Grier

Peoria Ill

My Dear Wife

This afternoon I leave for Mobile and will probably reach that place to morrow morning – I have been very busy the last few days and have pushed my right for muster out at Gen Sheridan+ Gen Canby’s head quarters. This morning Gen Canby partly promised that he would order us mustered out next week and I go back much lighter hearted than I than I came over. I feel now as if there was a very good prospect of getting out of the service within a few weeks now I do not want you to build too much hope on this for something might [p2] yet turn up which would send us down into Texas although the prospects to day are rather flattering for a Northern journey

It will take us at least a week after we get orders to get our rolls made out so that it will probably be the middle or last of July before we see Peoria.

Night before last I was invited to a small Party at Capt Armstrongs and enjoyed a very pleasant evening. Yesterday I took Dinner at Judge Howell’s the Judge and Mrs Howell were very cordial and I enjoyed their company very much. She called on you about two weeks after we had left. I made it all right about our not calling on them by with the excuse that our departure was so sudden that we had not time to call on them. I also called at Dr Piquette they were not at Home and I left my card. I met the Doctor since then on the Street, he was very glad to see me and invited me up to day to Dinner. I can not go as I leave at three oclock [p3]

Mr + Mrs Winters are very Kind and have done every thing in their power to make it pleasant for me. I have however ben very Homesick since while I have been here and I would give any and every thing if I could be with you. Every thing I see in these Rooms puts me in mind of old times and I often look around expecting to see you coming in. Our seperation makes me realize what a blessing I have in my darling and precious Wife, wont we be a happy Couple when we get together again not to be parted during life.

I have since writing you before learnt more about Capt. Constable. You remember when we left he was in bed with a Boil. This turned out to be what they call a fistula and he was confined to his Bed for two months, he then got a leave of Absence and went to St Louis with his family. He is still there and no better, with a strong probability of his never recovering [p4] His affairs here remain as he left them and have not been yet settled He was in trouble with Col Holiband chief Quarter Master but I do not Know to what extent. I got to day and will take over with me all the nescessay Papers for Muster out, so that when we get our orders there will be no detention on that account.

Mrs Winters says she will write to you tomorrow, so look out for a letter from her. I am trying to get a situation for Mr Winters in the custom House under Pit Kellogg who is now in charge of it. Kellogg promised me that he would give him a place. Good Bye Darling. Be sure to write until you see me which I hope will be soon – Give my love to all and beleive me as ever

Your devoted

Husband

D.P.Grier

1864-1865

After the Battle of Mobile Bay, DPG and the much-reduced 77th IL went back to New Orleans. Records from this period consist of bills, inventories, military correspondence, and letters from the Grier and McKinney families back in Peoria. Anna came down to New Orleans to join DPG there from the fall of 1864 to the spring of 1865.

It was a quiet time for the 77th and the Griers. I only have two more letters from DPG during the war, which I’ll be posting Friday and Monday, and then there is only to wrap up what I know of the rest of DPG and Anna’s lives after the war.

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

[Jeannette is one of Anna’s sisters. I love that DPG is so worried about Anna getting too skinny — and his smugness about his teeth.]

N^o 20

New. Iberia La Nov 29/63

Sunday. Night

My Darling. Wife

Yesterday morning a mail arrived from the North, and in it I found a letter from you, dated Nov 11^th and numbered 10. I assure you I was delight-ted to receive it, and am now anxiously waiting for another mail which I am hopes will bring me another letter from you. I think that there are now on the road for me Eight or ten letters from my dear Wife, and I only wish that it did not take quite so long for letters to reach me from you. it is very seldom that I get a letter from home in less than two weeks, and this you Know is a long time to wait to hear from the dear one left behind. As usual I can write you nothing new as to our doings here, we [p2] are still lying idle in camp and as yet no sign whatever made towards moving either forward or back. I thought that before this we would be making a backward move, but there is no prospect now of doing anything, still we may pull up and move any day. Every thing in the Army is very uncertain, and no one can tell a day in advance what will be done. I have not yet heard a word from my application about recruiting and I am beginning to think that if something is not done very quickly the 5^th of January will roll around before I could get to Peoria, this I beleive is the date fixed on by the President for recruiting and if by that time they do not obtain a sufficient number of volunteers, drafting is to commence. I suppose they would not allow a person to recruit after that date, so if I am expected to do any thing in the way of recruiting I shall have to start towards Peoria very soon.

[p3] I am getting along with the Brigade very well and have it now in very good running order, two of my Regiments (97 Ill. + 1^st Regulars) are in New Orleans doing Provost duty, but I presume they will join me very soon. I suppose before this reaches you Col Webb will have been in Peoria and returned again with his Wife, I wish it could be so arranged that during the balance of the time I have to stay in the Army, I could have you with me, things may turn up that such an arrangement can be made, although at present I can see nothing that tends that way. I can find no pleasure in living if I have to be seperated from you, my darling. I would much prefer giving up all my hopes of doing anything in the army if we have to be parted, give me a quiet and peaceful life in the company of one whom I love better than all and every thing in this world. I am very sorry [p5] to hear that you are troubled again with your Teeth. I wish you had as little trouble as I have in that respect. You Know what good Teeth I have. I never had the Tooth ache in my life. I still live up to my practice that I commenced before leaving you and not a day passes but what I give my Teeth a good scouring, so that now I have as fine and clean a set of Teeth as any man in the Army. I am very sorry indeed that you are so often troubled with the Blues and feel so lonely. I only wish I could do something to cheer you up and make your time pass pleasantly, but here I am over a thousand miles away and can do nothing for you, but write you letter and this you Know I am doing as well as I can. Of one thing you can rest assured and that is, that [p5] you have company in your loneliness. Not a day passes but what I set down and feel that I can not stand it any longer, being seperated from you, and that I will immedialety quit the Army. I try various means to get my mind on something else, but it does not answer you are sure to make your appearance in my thoughts in a very short time. I often sit down and think of the few happy weeks we spent together, we were very happy then, were we not? When will these times return, is a question I often ask myself. I do hope it may be very soon. You do not seem to entertain a very high opinion of the good looks of Mrs Carroll, did you not find them very pleasant, and did they not treat you very politely. I am very glad that you like our folks so well. I Know that they all love you dearly and will [p6] do every thing in their power to make it pleasant for you and will consider it a pleasure to do so. I can also say that I think a great deal of your folks. Your Father and Mother and the Girls were very cordial to me indeed, and I like them all very much. You Know I used to have an idea that Jeanette did not like me very well, but I now think I was mistaken. I do not Know exactly what gave me such an idea as she always treated me very well. I suppose however it was a mere notion of mine. They all showed a great deal of Kindness in coming down to the cars to see me off, and I can tell you any thing of this Kind I always feel. I think your Father is as good a man as there is living he is my idea of a perfect Gentleman and as honorable and honest a man as I ever Knew.

You say that you have nearly enough ‘Hair’ saved to make the Guard. I am [p7] very glad to hear this. You Know I want this very much, and I assure you I shall prize it very much. How is your Hair doing now, is it still coming out, and is it still turning Gray. do you remember you promised me that you would try some of that stuff for the Hair that Mother had, have you done this yet, if you have not, I wish you would get some and try it, you Know you have such beautiful hair, and I would like very much to have it Keep its color, and not all fall out. So my dear, do not forget to try this remedy. Also tell me if you are still growing poorer, when I left you I thought you were poor enough. I have gained enormously since I came down here and never was fatter in my life – I hope you are increasing also. I think that it was the trouble and excite-ment of getting married, that caused you to get so poor. You should now [p8] commence to gain as all that worry is over. Tell me in your next letter all about yourself, you Know very well that no other subject, will be of so much interest to me, as to hear all about my own darling Wife. Write me very soon and I will remain as ever

Your Devoted + 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

N^o 18

New. Iberia La. Nov 24 1863

Tuesday Evening

My. Darling. Wife

Last evening we were favored with a very large Mail and I had the pleasure of finding in it two Letters from you bearing dates of Nov. 3^d + Nov 9^th, they were indeed very welcome and came just in time to help relieve me of a fit of Blues and Homesickness with which I was troubled. I find that of late I am frequently subjected to attacks of this Kind X [mark in pencil] and had hoped that as time passed I would become more used to being seperated from my darling Wife and these attacks would become less frequent, but I find that the longer I am away from you the more I miss you X [mark in pencil] and I suppose this will continue to be the case. I do wish we were so [p2] fixed that I would be enabled to send for you and have you with me, but now I am in command of a Brigade in the field and not see much prospects of getting in any other position very soon. We are still lying here in Camp, doing nothing and I do not at present see much prospect of being sent into any City for winter quarters. We certainly can not move or do any thing through the County, for in about two Weeks the wet season sets in, and then for three months it rains most of the time and the Roads become so very bad that it will be impossible to move an Army by land, it may be the inten-tion to operate with this Army, by boats [?] at some point on the Gulf, but I can not tell anything about what we are going to do or where we are to go. A great many rumours are flying around the camp daily, but we can never tell whether there is any truth in any of [p3] them or not. My application for recruiting has not yet returned, neither have I heard anything about it since it left here. I should not be surprised if it had been sent down to Brownsville after Banks, in this case, it would be some time before I will hear from it. I do not Know but what, Gen Burbridge, our Division commander will object to me going even if it should come back granted as he will want me to stay here and Keep the Brigade in running order. I will do the best I can however to get away, for I do want to see you very much. I enclose you Gen Burbridge’s Photograph, it is an excellent likeness. He gave it to me a day or two ago. He is a great friend of mine now, quite a change from a year ago, when we were in Kentucky. You can put the Picture in your Album, if you wish. I will send you Col Landrum’s as soon as he can get me one. Have the balance of mine come [p4] on yet from New York. Do not forget to send me two or three as soon as you get there. The bad feeling against the Major still exists in this Regiment, and I am now afraid that the next move will be for all the Line officers in the Regiment to hand in their Resignation as the Major will not send in his. I see that I shall have to put in, and settle this matter in some way or other, probably force the Major to resign. I dislike very much to do it, but I do not see my way out of it very clearly, unless I do something of this Kind. I am very sorry that such a feeling exists, but I can not help it. The Major is in my opinion a fool, or he would not be so very unpopular. Some persons are so constituted that it is impossible for them to do any thing, that will be well received by their fellow men, in my opinion the Major is of this class for he certainly does try his best to do [p5] right, but fails in every thing. X [mark in pencil] I have now received from you Nine Letters and written you Eighteen, so you see I am way ahead of you, though I expect there are several Letters for me on the way. To morrow is Six Weeks since I left you, it seems to me more like six Months. How long will it be I wonder, before I shall again be with you or have my darling Wife with me, I do hope not very long.

I do wish your dream would soon come true and that you were with me, you may be very sure that if you do come, you will be joyfully received, you need have no fear of this. I love you my own dear Wife too well, not to want you with me. I am strong in hopes that if I can not get up with you, that something will turn up that will enable me to have you with me. I will let you Know immedialety when this does happen [p6] and then I want you to immedialety join me. You say that you think it would have been better if I had left right after we were married, as Dixon did, as it would not have been so hard to part also that there were other reasons. now my darling I want you to tell me in your next Letter the other reasons. I do not see them, be sure and tell me. confidences between Husband + Wife is the best rule you Know, I tell you every thing that transpires with me, and all my thoughts and feelings –

Our Folks do seem to have been flooded with visitors. I see that the Grier House is still running. Of course if you say so and wish it, I will stay at your House when I come up, although I expect our Folks will insist on us spending part of the time with them. You certainly have been very fortunate as regards Presents. I am very glad that you have received so many and this shows that your Friends appreciate you, and well they might [p7] is my opinion. Day after to morrow is Thanksgiving Day. would that I could be with you at that time, but as I can not be there in Person, you may be sure that I will be present in mind. I shall think of you very, very often my darling Wife.

I am afraid that those Ladies complimenting your Husband as Mrs Brotherson and Mrs McReynold did may make you place to high a valuation on him and you may some day wake up and find yourself very much disappointed. Mrs B. you Know is inclined to flatter, and you must not beleive every thing she says. I entirely agree with you my darling, in what you say about confiding in each other. I have the greatest confidence in the world. I beleive you love me better than any one else in this world and I do assure you I love you far far better than any and every thing living or dead, and I Know that this love will never weaken, but continue to grow on as [p8] long as I live. You ask me where I bought my Watch. I think I bought it of Mr Morse, but am not positive I did get one from Dr Miles about the same time and sold it for one Hundred + fifty Dollars to a man at Elmwood. I may be I sold the one I bought of Morse. I am not certain about it however. I purchased the two at about the same time, which one was sold I am uncertain about, but think it was the one I got of Dr. Miles. both were about the same value. I am glad that you are taking such good care of it, think of your absent Husband, every time you look at it. Will you?  I look at your Pictures very often, and Kiss them every time I look I would much prefer Kissing the fair original. do you remember how you used to object to the operation, but I guess you became accustomed to it, before I left you, did you not? Good Night my darling. Give my love to all.

Your Devoted + Loving Husband D.P. Grier

[Continued from part one.]

[p6]I hardly Know what to do about it. I would like the command, but then my Regiment dont wish to let me give the command of the Regiment up. The Major would be the man who would be in command (Webb being absent) and they do hate the Major most bitterly. The Regiment would of course be under my command as Brigade Commander but still not the immediate commander. They would all like to see me have a Brigade, but they say they cant stand the Major. I am sorry that he is so unpopular, and I think it is entirely in his style of doing things, for he undoubtedly tries to do right. I expect if this Brigade is given me, it will put a stop to my going home recruiting. I am not certain about this however, but hope to Know in a few days. If I get the Brigade, I shall try to arrange it so that I can hold that and go [p7] home also. There is an old saying That where’s there is a Will, there is a way, and you may be sure that I have the will and shall make all exertions to find the way. We have been having splendid weather for the last few weeks, but to day it has suddenly turned quite cold and I am never writing with my overcoat on, not having any stove, but I think very likely by to morrow it will change and be warm and pleasant again. # [symbol in pencil] You say that you too have the Blues and miss me very much. I feel very sorry for you my darling Wife and do wish I could either be with your or have me you with me. I suffer very often with this Miserable disease and I Know that if you were always by my side I should never be troubled with it, but I suppose it can not be especially at present, but my ardent [p8] desire, is that it soon very soon may be. You say that for a few days you have not been very well, why did you not tell me what was the matter. I feel very uneasy about you and I wish I Knew how you were. I am afraid you might get sick and me not be present. Do my darling Keep up if possible. If you are going to have a sick time of I shall most assuradely come home immediality even if I have to desert. I wish that we were up North farther it would not then take me so long to hear from you if anything should happen you. I Know you are in good hands and would receive the best of care and attention if you were taken sick, but still I would like to be by your side if you were sick. I would take better care of you than [p9] any one else could. Dont you remember what good care I took of you when you were sick while we were travelling. There is nothing like having your Husband by your side. I am glad to Know that you are not forgetting me and still miss me, but I always Knew you would never forget me, I feel to secure in your love to feel any uneasiness on that score and you may rest assured my dear Anna, that I will never never forget you, but Keep you in my thoughts constantly. I K now feel twice the man that I did before, when I think that I have such a nice dear Wife at home, and I now have a great incentive to do well Knowing that my wife will be pleased to hear of any and all good reports about her Husband.

I have not forgotten the promise I made [p10] you about reading your Bible, and I always read in it every night before I go to sleep. I am glad that you remember your absent Husband in your prayers, and I hope your wishes on that point may be fulfilled I have no feeling whatever on the subject, and I do not intend being hippocrite enough to try to make any one beleive I have. I respect religion but truth and candor compel me to say I am can at present do nothing more. May your hopes and wishes in my case, some day be realized is my sincere wish, so no more on that point at present.

You see I am Keeping up my Letter Writing to you and I hope you will do the same. Day before yesterday was five weeks since I left you and this is the sixteenth Letter. You are not doing so well, but I am still hoping that when you see how [p11] faithful I am in this matter that you will change. I will still continue on in my present course and if I find you will not improve and write me oftener, say four Letters a week, why I shall then have to commence cutting down in my writing. A Wife should write oftener than the Husband and if you will only write me two a week I will have to come down to giving you one letter a week. What do you think of this doctrine my darling. I write you much longer Letters than you do me, this you can not deny, can you? You say in this Letter that you have written me Eight Letters. I have received but seven so that there must be one written between Oct 31 and Nov 5^th behind. I shall probably get this in the next mail. Be sure and send me a Letter by way one coming [p12] to the Regiment, and then write your usual number and send by mail, so that all I get by private hands will be extra. Can you not do this my dear and darling Wife. The slippers that you are going to make for me will be very very acceptable. I need them and will wear them a great deal and every time I put them on I will remember and think with a great deal of pleasure of my darling and lonely Wife left behind me. Have you yet received an answer to your Letter from Cousin Mary Coray and have you received my Photographs, do not forget to send me three or four. If I felt so disposed and had them I could give away here in the Regiment such a

[The final page (or pages) of this letter is missing.]

[Part one of two.]

N^o 16

New. Iberia, La. Nov 20^th 1863

Friday Afternoon

My Dear. Wife

On Wednesday Evening about nine oclock I finished letter no 15 to you, and put it in the mail. About one hour after I had gone to Bed some one come to my Tent wakened me up and said he had a Letter for me from Peoria. I immediality thought it was from you and you may be very certain that I immediately lit my Candle and took possession of the Letter. It was brought me by Mr Bennett our Commissary Sergant and bore the date of 5^th Nov. I assure you I was delighted to receive it * [asterisk in pencil] and it was long after Midnight before I laid down again, but spent all [p2] this time reading and thinking about your letter and yourself, and after I did go to sleep my dreams were very pleasant and all about my darling Wife at home.

†[symbol in pencil] I heard yesterday that Col Webb had gone to Peoria for his Wife, it seems that he has been allowed to to use one of the furnished Houses in New Orleans, that has been deserted by its Rebel Proprietor. This will be indeed very pleasant for Webb and his Wife if he is allowed to remain in the City all Winter. This he will be unable to tell anything about as he may be ordered to form his Regiment any day. We have a report now that our whole Corps is to be taken out of this Department and sent back to Grants probably Memphis. I do hope that this may be true as I dislike this department very much. The Yankee Troops had better be Kept [p3] in one Department, and the Western in another. They do not agree at all and I do not beleive ever will. This dislike is mutual, both between Men and officers, and extends clear up to the Major Generals of both parties, so I think it would be best for all parties if they would send us up the River and send some more eastern Troops here. I am afraid however that we will not be sent for our Corps is now seperated by about a thousand Miles, two Divisions being in Brownsville, and two here. We are still lying here in Camp and the Rebels still observing us but making no motions towards attacking us and in my opinion it is not their intention to do so. This morning we sent out our Expe-dition and surprised a body of Rebel Cavalry about two hundred strong. We captured every man of [p4] them and marched them into our lines. I heard a rumor to day that the balance of our Corps would move to New Orleans in day or two, but I could not trace it to any reliable Source, so I conclude it is only a Camp rumour. In my last Letter I told you that I had made an application to be detailed to go North on recruiting service, at the time I made the application, I supposed that the detail could be granted by Gen Franklin, whose Head Quarters are here. Gen Burbridge also thought so, and after recommending it, sent it up to him, but yesterday evening Gen Franklin said that he did not think he had the power to make the detail, so he sent it on to Gen Banks. This will delay it for some time, especially if it has to go [p5] clear down to Brownsville after Banks.

Yesterday Gen Burbridge made me another proposition, to wit, that he would reorganize the division, make it into two Brigades, place Col Landrum in command of the first and your husband the second. He has written Col Landrum about it at Franklin, and if he is willing to take the 1^st Brigade. He will then make me a permanent Brigade Com-mander. This would give me the rank priviledges of a Brigadier General, with the exception of the rank and pay. I would also have the advantage of being in the line of promotion better than I would if remained in command of the Regiment. I would have Five Regiments of Infantry and one Battery of Artillery, Viz. the 77 Ill, 97 Ill, 130 Ill, 48 Ohio, 60 Indiania and Mercantile Battery of Chicago

[Continued …]

[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.