[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

[Continued from part one. I think Mary Smith is a cousin or other distant relative of either DPG or Anna. Dixon McClure is an officer from Peoria, and Jennie is his new-ish wife.]

[p9] been up in the city since our arrival, but could see or hear nothing. We will probably not leave here before noon tomorrow ,and I shall go up in the city in the morning and see if I can find Mary Smith. I miss you more and more every day my darling wife, and I would give every thing if I were with you now. I wonder what you are doing this eve-ning, would that I were sitting by your side. Every thing on this Boat is dull and tedious. I am sitting near the Ladies Cabin writing and in this are a lot of Ladies, but all of them rather plain. the other Tables are all occupied by Men playing Cards, and at the other end of the Boat the jingling of Glasses reminds me that the Bar is being well patronized, but all my thoughts [p10] and feelings are with you my dear Anna and I have not yet found any thing to turn my thoughts away from you and I feel certain that I never shall. I think probably you will receive this letter about next Saturday night, and probably while you are reading it, I shall be landing in New Orleans. you can just imagine that it is so and you can also imagine that I shall feel that I am at a long way from you. I will not close this letter until to morrow, and I may be able to hear some news by that time. Good Night, my darling and may your sleep to night be pleasant and your dreams happy –

Memphis Tuesday, morning

Oct 20 1863

My Darling, We have not yet started [p11] but will probably get off in an hour or two. I have just come down from the city and staid about one hour with Mary Smith. She is in good health and spirits and appears to be enjoying herself finely. Mary seems to think that, She will stay in the Army until the War is over. She will not probably be able to get home for some time yet. Dixon McClure is with his Regiment near Vicksburg. Mary says he intends sending up for Jennie if he finds that he is to remain where he now is for any length of time – I can not find out any thing about my Regiment here, but I do hope I shall find them at New Orleans with a prospect of remaining there all Winter. I shall then send for you immediately. My homesickness has not improved one bit, and I feel as lonely this morning as ever. I do wish I could see you if only for a [p12] short time, but I suppose it can not be and I shall have to content myself looking at your Picture instead, a mighty poor substitute is it not?

You may expect to receive another Letter from me mailed at Vicksburg and then I shall write you immediately on arriving at New Orleans – Do write me often my dear Wife and remember me as always

Your Devoted

Husband

D.P.Grier

[Continued from part one. The Col. Warner saga is here, here, and here.]

just come into my Tent and I have just got through giving him a blowing up. The last letter I wrote you on last Sunday, I handed him to put in the mail that left on the next morning, and the scamp forgot all about it and carried it in his Pocket until to day. I was really provoked, for I had charged him not to forget to mail it immediately when I handed it to him, and he promised faithfully to send it right off. I did not Know before that you read my letters over more than once. I shall have to take more pains with my writing for I think the letters I have been writing would nto bear more than one reading, and that it would not do, to have them to closely scrutinized, but if you have been reading them more than once you have long ago discovered [p7] that. It is a lamentable fact that we have been seperated a great deal since our engagement, and I am sure you can not feel more disconted than I do, but let us Keep up a good heart, a little while longer, for you Know only four more months and you are to be mine alone, and then I am going to Keep you right by my side ever afterwards. I tell you I shall just stick so close by you that you certainly will think you have got me for the worse instead of the better. I just feel that when you belong to me, that I could never bear to be parted from you again and if I can help it, we never shall be. I shall want then to be stationed in some town and not be taken away from it. You need entertain [p8] no fears that I will not find you as I imagine you to be. I will risk all that. You are entirely too good for me, and I am very highly favored to get for my Wife so good a Girl as you are. I feel perfectly happy in Knowing I possess your love and I spend many a moment in thinking how happy we will live in each other’s society. I would not trade places with any mortal living and I feel that I love you more and more every day and I Know, that it will always be so. Would that August were already here and we ready to stand up at our Wedding. do you remember the last time [p9] we stood up at a Wedding. I did not think then that we ever would stand up together again and that we would be the principals the next time. Not that it would not be my fault, but at times you Know I thought there was no chance for me, as I had just tried it, and the prospects were not very favorable, but thank the Lord, things have turned out entirely different from what we then supposed they would and we were all that time destined for each other. You beleive in that doctrine do you not? I certainly do and I have felt confident that you and I were always intended for each other.

I think you can depend on [p10] seeing me with you somewhere in August, so be sure and be ready for me. I expect our Wedding will have to come off say in about one week after I get there, for probably I can not be away more than Thirty or Forty days, and I would like to take a Trip East after our Wedding and so that we will have to be married very soon after I arrive at home. What do you think about all this? Write me all about it in your next.

I hear that Col Warner is very bitter against me. I care nothing about him. He was dismissed the service in disgrace and of course he will try to make it seem as light as possible. I think the service is well rid of him for he always was a disgrace to it, while he was in it, so peace be to his [p11] ashes. You call to my recollection a flirtation I had once with Mary Culbertson. I beleive I did once carry on some with her but those were the times I did not care anything about anyone in particular, or rather I liked them all very well, but when I became better acquainted with you, all others sunk into insig-nificance, and I think I showed most excellent sense when I found this out, such a thing as comparing any other young Ladies with you is simply preposterous. Good Bye Dear Anna Write me soon and I am

Yours only + for Ever

D.P.Grier

[Dixon McClure is from Peoria; he marries Jennie (I think?) Cunningham. David McKinney does indeed die a bachelor, in 1903. Also, nice try, Col. Warner.]

Millikens Bend La. April 14 1863

My Dearest Anna

Some few days since I wrote you a letter and sent it by Messrs Doup + Hansel which I suppose you will receive ere this reaches you. Since writing by them I have not heard a word from you and I feel very much disappointed indeed. To day a mail came in for the Regiments, but no letter for me. I thought certainly I would get one and I tell you I was very mad to find for me nothing. To morrow we take our departure from this point. We march through by land to a place called [p2] Carthage, which his situated on the bank of the River about twenty five miles below Vicksburg. What we will do then I can not say certainly, but suppose we will cross the River into Mississippi, and get behind Vicksburg. This place we are bound to take, although it may be a whole Summers work, but I hope we shall get through before the weather becomes so intensely hot.

Dixon McClure came up to see us yesterday and left this morning for his camp. We had a long talk on different affairs, he told me all about his engagement ,and seemed to be pretty well posted up as regards ours. Dixon is a nice fellow and is deserving of a nice Wife. I do not Know much about Miss Cunningham but from all accounts should imagine her to be a very fine young Lady. [p3]

I wish very much that I could get up to see you, but it can not be done. Not a day passes but what I think of you and then I make the wish that this war was over, and we were married and enjoying a life of peace. But this will come bye + bye and when next Fall arrives why we will get married War or no War. I think by that time we will have Vicksburg + Port Hudson in our possession and then probably the fighting will be over in the West, and the Troops will be distributed around to hold what we have already gained. We could then be together which certainly would be very pleasant. I believe I told you that in writing home the other day. I mentioned the fact that very probably we will [p4] be married in the Fall. I wrote home again to day, and told them that I thought they might certainly prepare themselves to attend a Wedding at that time.

I Know very well that they will have no objections but on the contrary would like to see us married as soon as possible. All of our family entertain the very highest opinion of you, {which you certainly deserve} and feel highly pleased that I am going to get such an excellent Wife.

David, Dixon + myself were discussing last evening the subject of Matrimony and very naturally Dixon and myself come out on David very strong for living to his age without getting married. He took it very good naturedly, but offered to bet us that within one year after he [p5] was through with the Army, that he would find some Lady, court her and get married. how true this will turn out, time only will tell but I am strongly inclined to doubt on the subject and venture to predict that David will live + die an old bacherlor.

It is now nearly Seven Months since I have heard seen you, a long time is it not? I think in about four more months I will be with you. I look forward to that day with a great deal of pleasure and hope that the time will soon come around. I might have to come sooner, as I understand that Col Warner is trying to find some crook by which he can get me dismissed from the service, in revenge for his own dismissal [p6] but let him work. I think my military record is clear and I Know of nothing that I am afraid should be brought to the light.

Are you not beginning to get alarmed at the vast numbers of Letters you owe me. Why I write two to your one and you Know the Lady ought to write the most. I am beginning to fear that I am trangressing the laws of Society by writing you in the way I have been doing, so you will have to stir up a little if you do like to hear from me, and write me a few more letters. What do you think about it? I am expecting sure that the next mail will bring me a good long Letter from you and if it does not, I shall be dreadfully disappointed. So do dear Anna write me [p7] oftener, you can not imagine how much pleasure your Letters give me, and if you could see me when they do come and how much happiness they confer on me, I Know that you would write to me oftener. Direct as usual and beleive that I am always

Yours Devotedly

D.P.Grier

[Col. John Warner is another Illinois volunteer who, as far as I can tell, received his commission at about the same time as DPG, and on the basis of his claim that his commission dated to a few days earlier, attempted to take the command of the brigade at this time away from DPG due to seniority. DPG reports that Warner is incompetent, but seniority being serious business, it takes some maneuvering to get rid of him.

The Congressman from Illinois, Owen Lovejoy, was the leader of the abolitionist movement in IL, and brother of murdered abolitionist journalist Elijah Lovejoy. Robert Cooper is Anna’s uncle, who for a time was with the 77th, and whom DPG threatened with violence to get him to stop drinking. David is her brother David McKinney. Rob is a friend of DPG and Anna’s (I have never been able to figure out his last name, although I know he marries a woman named Carrie). I don’t know who Sarah is or how her invitation could have been misconstrued.]

Millikens Bend La. March 15^th 1863

Sunday Afternoon

My Dearest Anna

Mr Pierce arrived here safely to day and handed me your very welcome letter. I assure you I was highly pleased to receive it for some two weeks had passed since I had heard from you. I thought probably you were enjoying yourself so highly in Elmwood that you had entirely forgotten me and that I should not hear from you again until you had left behind you the gayities of Elmwood and returned to the sober realities of Peoria life. I Knew you had gone to E from letters I had received from home through Mr Wilcox and felt very much disappointed [p2] that you had not been at home at that time so that I could have heard from you also. You will notice by the heading of this letter that we have changed our location and are now encamped at this place. this is about twelve miles above Yongs Point and much better camping Ground, so much so that the health of our men is rapidly improving and every thing begins to wear a cheerful aspect. The weather for a few days past has been delightful, resembling somewhat the weather you usually have in June, but this morning it commenced raining again, and at the present writing it is pouring down, water by the barrel. I have no idea how long we will remain here or what we are going to do, but I hope that we shall be able before long to take the Rebel Stronghold [p3] Vicksburg. Col Warner arrived here yesterday and has applied to command the Brigade but has not yet succeeded in getting it, he claims it because his commission is older than mine but from what I hear the Gen thinks that he is not competent. He never would have received a leave of absence if it was not on account of getting him away so that he could not claim the command. He obtained his commission prior to me fraudently, and I have asked for a Board of Officers to examine into the affair, which I think will show that I am rightly his senior. If this does not result rightly, the General will probably send his Regiment to Memphis and get another in exchange and thus we will get rid of them entirely [p4] I expect however that our regular Brigade Commander will return in a few days and then I will be releived. Since commanding the Brigade, I have received several complimentary notes from the officers of the different Regiments in the Brigade speaking in praise of me, and saying that I fill the position more to their satisfaction than any other commander they have been under, and hope that I will be retained in my position as commander of the Brigade.

Now do not think me vain in speaking of this to you. I would not mention this to any one else not even to my folks at home but I feel that you are so near and dear to me that I [p5] can open my mind freely and say any and every thing to you that in any way concerns myself. I will enclose in this letter a copy of a document I received to day the original has been forwarded to Washington. Whether this will accomplish anything or not I can not say. I understand that the Congresman from our district (Lovejoy) has filed my name for a Brigadier and strongly reccommended it. The two together may accomplish something. I think I hear you say not to let such an abolitionist as Lovejoy do any thing for you, but I must say I have no scruples on that point. Lovejoy is a man that has a great deal of influence with the President and may help me a great [p6] deal in the way of promotion.

I have about given up the idea of coming home before August or September and then we are to be married. now this you Know is the agreement and I shall certainly expect you to live up to it. I shall be very anxious until the day arrives when you will become mine and shall consider it the happiest day of my life. I am afraid if I should go home now, that I would beeunable to get a furlough in the fall and this you Know would intefere somewhat with our arrangements though I certainly would like excee-dingly to go home now and see you again. Not a day passes but what I think of you and wish I were with you, but I find that wishing does no good whatever, so I will have to wait as contendedly as possible [p7] for the better days that are coming.

I was very sorry to hear of Robert Cooper’s death. when he left us at Arkansas Post he appeared to be in good health + spirits and bid fair to live many a day, but such is life. Robert has led a curious life and met with a great many misfortunes. I did the best I could for him, while he was under my charge and took more pains with him than any of his near friends have done for years past. I think that you were right in declining Sarah’s invitation although she would have been very highly pleased to have had you stay with her, but then it would have been unpleasant to have persons make remarks, as they undoubtedly would have done. our Folks will understand all that and of course will not think you were wrong in refusing the invitation. Rob is to be married about the middle of May, he is anxious that I should come up to his [p8] Wedding, but I am afraid if I should come to it, that I could not get up to my own which you Know would be unfortunate, and then you Know I agreed not to come back to Peoria until I could take you along with me. Don’t you remember the contract. I must not break it. David was highly pleased with his Box and I was the same with mine. We are now living high and will continue to do so until the Boxes run out when we shall expect another supply. Now my dear Anna do write soon. I expect to send this by a Gentleman who is going to Galesburg in the morning. If he does not start then I may add on another Sheet but I do not feel like writing for I have got the fever + Ague and I feel a little like having a shake this evening. I had a heavy one day before yesterday nothing serious however Ever Yours D.P.G.

[Continued from part one. David is David McKinney; Smith is another McKinney brother; Mrs. Rugg lives in Peoria; and here’s some discussion of General McClellan as a battlefield commander.]

[p5] all chances of a Brigadiership is gone, as I see that Congress will not make but Fifty new ones and the President has already nominated over one hundred, so that a good many that thought they had it sure will be disappointed. I do not care a great deal, although I am like every one else, I like to rise, but it will not Kill me if I do never get it. I am sick + tired of Military and if I get through this war, they will never get me into another one even if I could get the best position in the Army. You seem to think that Col Webb is very egotistical, now I never thought so, for while he was here he never showed it. I am sorry he went so far in the praise of David + myself, he certainly must have [p6] put it on very heavy. I am afraid you folks will begin to think that we sent him up there on purpose to puff us up. We certainly have not as yet started a puffing society in our mess, although I must say, the balance of my mess are rather a good set of chaps, and like good living exceedingly. I am sorry that you felt insulted because I said that Ladies did not take much interest in the Political Questions of the day. I did not mean anything of the Kind, but I thought probably you would prefer reading about something else. I Know that you take the greatest interest in any + every thing that pertains to our Country and that there is not a more loyal heart in the country than yours. Would that all the north were like you and this war would have been over long ago. Of course there is different opinions about the way [p7] the War should be carried on. you think that the proclamation was wrong. I think it was right and if carried out will crush this Rebellion. now both of us are undoubtedly loyal and both want to see the Rebellion crushed, but we differ in the way of doing it. Now I do not care what means are resorted to, too put down the Rebels only so that it can be done if Keeping the Negroes where they are will do it the soonest, why then I am in favor of doing it in that way, if freeing them is the quickest why of course I am in favor of it. Now I have been in the South nearly two years during the War and I have had means of seeing a great deal more how the Rebels are carrying on this war, than you and the balance that are at home, and I feel in my inmost heart, that the negroes if left on the Plantations will raise [p8] provisions for the Whites to live on while they are fighting us. Now if these Negroes are taken away, why half of the Rebel Army would have to be sent home to raise provisions for the other half to eat. We could then easily subdue them. Now I Know this to be a fact and Knowing it, I can not help but believe it.

All the Army look on it in the same light, Democrats and all. I never professed to be an Abolition-ist, neither am I one now, I am for the Union any how Nigger or no Nigger. I think however that if the Negroes were freed and all shipped out of the Country we could never have another War on that question if the Union ever is restored. For as long as slavery exists in this country so long will the [p9] question be agitated, and hard feelings are bound to exist.

There are plenty of other arguments that I could bring up on this question but I did not contemplate writing you an essay on Politics

You seem to think that I believe that all the Democrats are secessionists now I believe very far from this I think a great Majority are true lovers of the Union, but I must say that there are some who call themselves Democrats who are really Secesh and would deserve hanging if they were worthy of notice, but I am now in favor of treating them with silent contempt. I see that you still hold up Gen McClellan as your idea what a General should be. I am under the impression that you will be [p10] disappointed in ever seeing him with a command of much importance. He is not the man for the times.

I am surprised that you do not feel guilty in reading those Letters of Smiths. I certainly shall have to caution him where he leaves his letters. I should think you would get tired enough of seeing Letters written by me, as you certainly get enough of your own.

I am surprised that Mrs Rugg should retail such slander about David. There is not a word of truth in it and there never was a man in this Regiment that for one instant supposed that David was in any way concerned in their rations being short, for all suspected that it was the Commissary Sergeant that was appropriating them and it was afterwards discovered to be so and he was reduced to the Ranks on account of [p11] it. David is now very well and he has gone up the River to day with a Party forageing. he has to take charge of the property captured. They started on a steamer to day and will probably go as far up the River as far as Lake Providence. he will be back in four or five days.

I am going to try to get home in April, wedding or no wedding I will leave that entirely to you whenever you say then I am ready the sooner the better. I love you more + more every day and want to see the day when you will be mine always. You promised me a long letter for the next one, I am looking for it anxiously. I write you about three to your one, and generally they are pretty long, but I believe you like to hear from me, and that you prefer them to be long. it is the way I feel [p12] about your letters, and I think you are the same. Write me very soon and believe me as ever

Yours Devotedly

D.P.G.

[The canals aren’t working out and Vicksburg has to be postponed until early summer. Col. Landrum is a friend of DPG’s and colonel of the 19th KY; David is David McKinney; Col. Webb is the Lt. Col. of the 77th IL and a fellow Peorian. Lizzie Stettinius is, I think, the sister of Rose Stettinius, and daughter of Willie Stettinius, who nobody seems to like much.]

In Camp Near. Vicksburg

Feb^y 9^th 1863, Monday Evening

My Dear Anna

Your very welcome Letter of the 30 Jan^y came safely to hand last evening and I can assure you was joyfully received. I am glad to see that you are becoming more prompt about writing and also write longer letters. I do hope you will continue on in the same way and that I shall often have the pleasure of getting such good long letters.

We are still in camp in our old quarters, spending most of our leasure time in trying to Keep out of the mud this we find rather difficult to do as the water is slowly rising on us every day. The probabilities now are, that in a few days our whole [p2] army will be withdrawn and proceed up the River. Gen Sherman’s Corps to Memphis + ours {McClernand) to Helena. The taking of Vicksburg will probably be abandoned for the present, as the River is so high that it is impossible to land an Army on the other side of the River. To day our Brigade Commander left for home to be absent about two months. I received an order this afternoon from the General placing me in command of the Brigade, so that I am again acting Brig Gen. with a prospect of acting for the next two months. I have in my Brigade Six Regiments of Infantry, and one Battery of Artillery, quite a large command is it not? I only wish now that we could have a  good Battle as I should like to go in with a Brigade and then there would be some chance of getting some honors. Four of the [p3] Regiments are Illinois, one Ohio + one Kentucky, also the Chicago Mercantile Battery.

You seem to think that Col Webb is more prompt in writing than the rest of us. The reason his letters reached home sooner than our did after the battle of Arkansas Post, was that he sent his by your uncle Robert Cooper (who went up with the sick) who put them in the Post office at Cairo, while the rest of us sent ours by the regular Mail, by this we lost several days. I always make it a point to write as quickly as possible after a battle, for I Know you will be anxious to Know how we came out. I intend trying to get a furlough after Col Landrum comes back and I think I shall succeed in getting it. Any how there will be no harm in trying it. There is now a great deal of dissatisfaction [p4] existing in this Army both among officers and men. Most of it is caused by folks at home writing their treason and putting it into their hearts that this is an Abolition War, and that now the President is going to arm the Negroes and make them equal to a white Soldier, if the Govern-ment would hang a few Traitors at home, I think it would be the best thing that they could do. Gen Grant receives about one hundred resignations a day from officers, but he accepts but very few and the Chaps have to stay here. good for them, I say. I am glad to hear that there is some prospects of getting your folks to consent to our Marriage before the War is over [p5] and you may be sure that when there is a good prospect of being settled down in one place for a long time that I shall be after you. do not then think of backing out for I will not take no for an answer. I have not yet heard any thing from your Father in answer to my Letter, but am looking for it very patiently. I am very glad to Know that Lizzie Stettinius thinks so highly of me, give her my regards the next time you see her. I agree with you in thinking that Willie is the biggest fool unhung. He is the man that asked me one day if I had serious ideas as I was coming so often to see his daughters. I think if they go as Missionaries they certainly should take him along. You [p6] need entertain no fears that any of your Letters will be seen, I shall take too good care of them for that. I do dislike the idea of burning them, for whenever I feel lonely I take them out and read them over, and I assure you, they do me more good than anything I can think off. I have it so fixed that if I should get Killed, that your Letters will all be returned to you unopened and unread by any eye but your own, so do rest easy on that question. How I do wish that this war was ended, here I have been in it nearly two years and really I do not think it looks more like ending than it did at that time. I really believe if I did not love you so well that I would like Soldiering very well but every time I think of you (which is very often) I then wish myself [p7] home with you. would it not have been a good thing for the service if I had not met you until after the war was over, though it might have been bad for me, as probably you would have come across some one else who would have suited you, and then good bye to me.

I wrote you a short letter by Mr Rugg, in which I asked you not to be backward, if Mother should say anything to you about our engagement. I hope you will not. She thinks a great deal of you and has for a long time wanted to talk to you, but I never would allow her to do so, but now I have written her about it, and very probably she will say something to you the first time she meets you.

David has fully recovered his health and is around as lively as ever. he makes a splendid [p8] quarter Master, and stands very high with every body. I have heard a great many compliments paid him by superior officers, but dare not tell him, as it might make him vain. Now my dearest Anna do write me soon, at least twice a week, you can do it as well as not, and I shall be angry at you if you do not do it

Direct as usual. and believe me

as ever

Yours

[Continued from part one. Martha Reynolds is the wife of Anna’s cousin William Reynolds. David is Anna’s brother David McKinney, but the other brother DPG refers to later in the letter is probably Smith McKinney. Dixon McClure is another officer from Peoria. I actually just came across a much later letter from the 1880s that mentions him having an “attack of insanity”, but (tragically) does not elaborate. And despite his lumping General Sherman in with the other generals he dislikes, DPG and Sherman would later become friends and regularly visited one another when they were both living in St. Louis after the war.]

[p11] very impatiently. You must give due allowance for all David says in my favor, for no doubt he says a great deal to you that he would not to every body. I think you run a great risk in marrying me, for remember you have discovered that I drink and swear, but then Martha Reynold run just such a risk when she married W^m and she brought him out with flying Colors, perhaps you can do as well for me. I will assist you all that I can. Your dream was horrible. What on earth made you dream that way. but I beleive that dreams go by Contraries and then again I do not beleive in dreams at all. The way I would explain your dream, is this. You had heard that I was Killed, and probably [p12] before you went to sleep, had been thinking about it, and wondering whether I was dead or alive, you could then very naturally in your sleep, allow your mind to wander on the subject, and thus conjure up the horrible dream. I sincerely hope, that you may never see this dream come true, but on the contrary some day not far distant you may see me in Peoria, and then very soon after become my dear Wife for ever. This shall be my dream, and may the good Lord allow it to come to pass.

Are you not ashamed of yourself to go and read your Brothers letters. Why I am surprised, I shall warn him to be very careful where he lays his Letters after this, what did you think of the letters. I should [p13] think you would have seen enough of my Letters, without reading others. But then you Know, I always told you that Ladies had a vast amount of Curiosity and that you were not an exception to the general rule. I am looking anxiously for your Father’s Letter, if it is favorable I shall want to Keep it and therefore could not very well send it to you, but I will make a Copy and send you which undoubtedly will answer all purposes and satisfy your curiosity. I am sorry to hear that you have taken off your Ring, but suppose you could not help it. Mine has never been off since you placed it there and I intend that it shall stay there for I want the wish to come true. I am [p14] very glad to hear that Dixon McClure has been promoted, I think he is worthy and should have been promoted long ago. I certainly should like to get a furlough and come home and see you, but the prospects are very poor at present, for any thing in that line and I am afraid it will be some time before I shall have the pleasure of being again with you. I see that Congress talks of passing an act to Consolidate Regiments in the Field and after examining all the officers of the Regiments consolidated, pick out the best and to officer it, and muster out the balance. if my Regiment should be consolidated I shall endeavor to pass a very poor examination and let the muster me out, for I am not very anxious to remain and would like just such a chance to quit. Col Webb is very sick [p14] and has started home, if he had staid here, he would have died. He does not drink any more, but was getting along finely until he was taken sick. I think however he will get well if he gets home and well taken care of. I am very sorry that I can not agree with you in liking Gen McClellan. I should like to agree with you in every thing, but I must say, I never have seen where he displayed even common Generalship, but I must say, I think if we had had a good General in his place a year ago, affairs might now have been different. Such Generals as McClellan, Buel Porter, and a host of others among them our Sherman have long enough cursed our Armies and the sooner we get rid of them the better it will be to our cause. I have never yet [p16] said anything to David about our engagement, but intend doing so son. He is now unwell but nothing serious. Do Write to me oftener if you love me. I think of you every day, and if it should be my fate to be Killed in this war, my last thoughts shall be of you. I never never will forget you whatever may turn up and I do wish I was away from this Army, and again with you never to part, may this soon be is my earnest Wish. Mr Rugg thinks that he will go up in about a week providing there is no prospect of a Battle soon over at Vicksburg. I shall write you another Letter and send by him. Do not forget the number of Letters you owe me and see if you can not pay up. Beleve me as ever

Yours D.P. Grier

[This is part one of two. Mr. Rugg and Mr. Mass are Peoria residents who go back and forth between the 77th and home. Libbie and Martha Reynolds are cousins of Anna’s. The proclamation he refers to toward the end of this section is, of course, the Emancipation Proclamation, which went into effect on January 1, 1863. See the letters tagged abolition for more of DPG’s thoughts on that topic.]

In Camp Opposite Vicksburg

Jany 30^th, 1863,

My Dear Anna,

I wrote you a short letter from this same camp about four days ago, and started it from here by mail, but whether it will ever reach you or not is another question. I have about come to the conclusion that none of the Letters that have been written since we left Memphis have ever reached their destination, for I have written you five since that time and you do not say anything about receiving any of them. Mr Mass intends starting for Peoria tomorrow and I shall send this by him and then I Know you will get it. Mr Rugg arrived here day [p2] before yesterday and besides bringing a large amount of Sanitary Stores for the sick, brought me a Letter from you, this was a welcome visitor far more so, than any thing else I have seen for a long time. This was the first letter I had received from you for three weeks and I had about given up all hopes of hearing from you again. our mail facilities are not very good and Letters are few and far between, one reason of this is, that our friends, thinking we are so far away, do not write to us, and so of course we cannot expect to receive the letters when they are not written. I was counting up this morning the number of Letters you had written me since I left home four months ago, and I find you that I have received from you just fourteen (14) letters [p3] during this time, I have written you just twenty four (24) so that you are in debt to me ten letters, besides this most of my letters have been longer than yours, so that you owe me considerably more than a person would naturally suppose.

I am happy to inform you that I was not Killed at Vicksburg as report said in Peoria, but came pretty near it at Arkansas Post, but I still hope that my good fortune may continue, and that I may safely pass through all future Battles that I may be engaged in. I can not imagine how such a report got up to Peoria but there is always a great many rumours in circulation after every battle, but the best way to do, is not to beleive anything until you Know it is true. The Papers had it, that Col Smith of the 8^th Mo [p4]was Killed, when he was not injured in the least, so hereafter do not beleive anything you hear, but have a great deal of faith, that none of your friends are Lost. We are still lying idle here in camp, trying to recruit the health of our men, which I find is very slow work, for I have discovered that men get sick faster than they get well. Mr Rugg arrived just in time with his Sanitary Stores, for they are needed very badly by the sick, and will do us a vast amount of good. We appreciate the People of Peoria very highly for [their] Kindness in this thinking of the Soldiers who are suffering for want of proper treatment and style of living. While writing the above I heard the cry in camp of mail. I immediately dropped my [p5] Pen and rushed into the mail Tent and found two Letters for me one from you and one from home, yours was dated the 21^st Jan^y this is the first mail we have had for some time and came through in very quick time. I am very, very much obliged for your nice long Letter and shall remember that you are entitled to a long one for it. it was written Eleven days after the one brought by Mr Rugg and was received two days after his. I am very glad to Know that some of my Letters have at last reached you, but there is still some on the road somewhere which will probably turn up some day. From your description Libbie Reynolds wedding must have been a grand affair. You did not tell me who [p6] stood up beside John Smith, in my last letter from home they only said that it was a splendid affair, but did not give me a description, so you must do it next time you write.

Why did you not tell Si Martha Reynolds that you expected to be married very soon, if I was you and any one asked me such questions, I should make that Kind of a reply. The report that you heard, that I had been carried into the Battle at Vicksburg in an Ambulance is not strictly correct. When we were ordered of the Boat to go out to the field I was not well, but still perfectly able to get on my Horse and take command of my Regiment. During the first two days, our Regiment was engaged and I staid on my Horse and with the Regiment although on the [p7] second day I felt pretty sick, and all that day and Night it rained very hard and made me worse. on the third day the Regiment was brought back to the reserve and held there. on the evening of the third day the Doct made me get into an Ambulance and then ordored the driver to take me to the Boat, but I countermanded the ordor and told him to stay with the Regiment , and when they moved to move me with them. This he did and I staid with the Regiment until they withdrew. You tell me you want me to stay in my Tent when I am sick. Well I always do, except when the Regiment is ordered out with the expectation of having a fight, and then I feel [p8] that I ought to go along if possible, and if I am not able to ride on a Horse, why then I can go in an Ambulance, unless I am so sick that it would be dangerous to be moved, then of course I should stay behind.

I remember I promised you that I would take care of myself and get through this war if possible safe, and I assure you I intend doing so, for while you live, there is some object for me to live. I think a great deal of my life now, for I feel if it is spared, that I have before me a great many days of happiness to spend in your Society, and I love you too well, to foolishly throw away my life, but then you Know my honor must also be preserved, and you would [p9] not like to hear it said that I had shirked my duty as a commander and if I should stay away from a battle when I was able to be moved, why of course there would be talk. I really do begin to think that this War is going to be one of great length. the Rebs appear to hang out well, but I think we could whip them but I am beginning to hear mutterings in the north, and in looking over late proceedings in some of our northern democratic Legislatures {Illinois for instance,} it looks very much as if Traitors at home were trying to take the things in their own hands and make a disgraceful peace. Whenever they revolt from the Laws of the Government, and [p10] invite Illinois Soldiers home, to assist them, I will march a Regiment there, with fixed Bayonets, and with their assistance help drive all such scamps from the State. Lincoln proclamation may be right and may be wrong, but still it is not cause enough, to make Traitors at home. I think it is right, and shall do all in my humble power to assist in executing it. but enough of this Kind of talk, Ladies are not supposed to be interested in such Kind of talk.

I indeed have great reasons to be thankful for passing through so many Battles without injury, and I beleive I am thankful though probably not so much so as I should be. I am very glad that my Letter to your Father + mother gave satisfaction and am looking for the answer

[Continued …]

[Continued from part one and part two. Colonel Ballance was the original figurehead colonel of the 77th, before DPG managed to get his commission; Ballance was old and had no military experience, and the understanding was always that someone else would become the colonel of the regiment. For the saga of DPG’s 77th IL commission, see this letter. Rose Stettinius, of course, is DPG’s onetime ladyfriend, but I don’t know who the “old Bean” of Anna’s is.

Each of the sheets is folded in half to make four writing pages, so a letter of four sheets would be 16 pages; this one, which took me an eternity to scan, was 23 pages, or six sheets.]

[p17] come out, and I find it very hard to restrain it, but I will do the best I can for your sake. –

Tuesday Morning – I intended sealing up this letter and starting it to you by mail but Mr Rugg informs me that he intends leaving to morrow, and I came to the con-clusion that it would reach you quicker, if I sent it by him. This morning opens dreary enough as it has been raining hard since daylight with a very fair prospect of a long rainy day. There is a great difference between the winters South and with you. here is generally rains during the time you are having snow and cold weather, and they call it the rainy season. I much prefer the winters you [p18] have in the north as good bracing cold weather is far more agree-able than this miserable damp rainy seasons. I heard one thing to day that I must tell you, although I think you had better not repeat it. it was this, one of the men belonging to the Regiment was on his way to join the Regiment and he happened to run across old Balance. he stopped him and in the course of conversation made the remark, that the Governor had informed him, that if I was ever Killed or removed from the Regiment, he would appoint him Colonel. Now this shows that the old fool still has the idea in his head of being Colonel some day. Why if he should come down here to take command of this Regiment, the men would [p19] stone him out of camp, and would serve him right by so doing. You never told me what Rose Stettinius had said about us. I should like to Know out of mere curiosity. I only wonder that she did not try to upset me by telling you of the way I treated her. I always expected she would do so, but I told you every thing that had ever passed between us, and she could not tell any more without telling untruths. I have always felt sorry for my part in that affair, but I was pushed into it, and I Know she done more of the courting that I ever did and it is not to be wondered at that I went as far as I did, but I Know and confess I should not have done it, and I shall [p20] always upbraid myself for carrying it so far

Tuesday evening

Well as Mr Rugg starts to morrow I think I shall manage to get this letter finished to night. I imagine I hear you say, that you will never ask me to write you a long letter again. if your patience will carry you through this, you will be doing better than I ever gave you credit for, but be sure and live up to your promise or I shall talk more about this letter than I ever did about the one of four sheets.

I think that old Bean of yours displayed a great deal of good taste when he wished to corres-pond with you also when he wanted to come out and see you. I also think he has not done as well marrying any one else, but I must say I feel truly grateful, that he did not [p21] succeed in getting you, for then I should have been miserable. You need never fear that I should ever forget you or think of any one else. my love for you is to strong, to be cast aside easily and I feel that it will last with me as long as life lasts. I can imagine how happy I shall feel when the day arrives when you become my wife. All I ask now is for that day soon to approach. You need not have entertained any jelousy toward the Ladies of Richmond for I assure you I showed them no more civilities than politeness required, never, never, can I forget you for one instant and whenever I meet a young Lady I immediately commence drawing [p22] comparisons, and it always ends in me loving you my dear Anna the more. You ask me if I ever got that letter of Josie Ballance’s. I have not yet succeeded in getting it but I think will some of these days. I made arrangements to day by which I can secure a big house all furnished so that in case you all come and make us that visit, we can accomadate you all. I wish you would come the more I think of the plan the more feasible it becomes to my mind. I also find that there are plenty of houses to be obtained here, if you will only consent to getting married. suppose for instance we staid here for five or six months how pleasant it would be, [p23] for us, if you were my Wife. I should like it above all things, and I must confess I am afraid if we go in for waiting something might turn up, by which we might be seperated.  I am not afraid of changing at all if I had to wait for fifty Years, but then something might happen unknown and unseen to us. What think you?

Now I must close this exceedingly long + stupid letter I am sorry for you that you have to get through it all, but I do like to write to you, and I assure I like better to hear from you, so do write me soon. Why can you not write twice a week. I do wish you would. Good night dear Anna and beleive that I yours for ever

DPGrier