John P. DeMeritt to Martha DeMeritt, 14 December 1862
Camp Salomon Helena Ark.
29th Wis. Vols. Dec. 14. 1862
Dear Sister Martha,
I have forgotten who I wrote to last but think it was Bell so will
direct this to Martha. At any rate I am certain I determined just a week ago that I would
write home every week. And I am also certain that I have not heard from home for a long
time—have not got answers to any letters written here. Never mind, I say, they will
probably be prized the moment they do come. I suppose it must take a long time for
letters to come & return this long distance, especially now when mail communication
between Cairo and Helena is rather poor. I know I have instructed you to direct simply 29
J.P.D. Q.S. 29th Regt Wis. Vols. Helena, Ark. and that it is a custom quite universal here
for letters to come directed simply to Cairo and that the P.O. there forward such letters to
Helena. You may hereafter direct J.P.D. Q.S. 29th Regt Wis. Vols. Cairo Ill. for if we
move I am not sure that would not be the best address. I believe the last letter I got from
home was the first one from Martha at Hardwick. I have written just about every week.
Since my last there has nothing happened in our usually quiet camp that can be
particularly interesting.
Sudden interruption
Dec. 15th
A soldier came in as I was writing & interrupted me here. He came from the ferry boat
which I knew was stuck on a sandbar and had on it two teams which I drew the p.m.
before. The fellow reported they were in no prospect of getting off so I had to stop
writing and see the poor mules got something to eat. I went to the Col. and had a man
detailed to help me. Had the man take a sack of corn to the ferry-boat & not being able to
get the ferry boat to touch beside the one / our mules were on I had to go over the river in
the ferry and find a skiff to take us & the corn to the boat. I reached the boat about dark.
Saw the mules were well cared for. The mules had not had anything to eat since the day
before in the morning. I preferred to stay all night on the boat than at Helena. Passed the
night very pleasantly. Found the doctor on the boat was some acquainted in Burlington
years ago. They put a good mattress on the floor in the cabin for me & the two men &
with one blanket we rested very well. We were near the gunboats and every half hour
signal bells were rung & the watchman would sing out "All's Well".
About 12 I woke up and not being able to get asleep for an hour or two so I got up
& read a novel about half through & retired slept soundly. In the morning & after a great
deal of fuss—got a skiff & man to row me over to Helena and about 2 p.m. came over in
the ferry to camp. So this evening I have taken up my letter again.
The week's work.
On the whole have been quite busy since I wrote. One day I drew provisions for the
regiment. I have wrote once about how much ten day's provisions are so you can judge I
had a good job. About three days of this week I spent in drawing five six mule teams and
a goodly quantity of things to fix up our harnesses &c It has rained most all the time this
week so that we were hindered very much in our work. I will give a list of what I drew
over the river this week.
30 mules 30 wagon bows 5 feed boxes
5 wagons 30 mule harnesses 5 mule saddles
5 " covers 3 whips 1 saddle blanket, / 18 halter chains,
& two head halters. These were the invoice which makes up 5 mule teams six mules to a
wagon. Father knows what our army wagon is. They are much like the wagons they used
to use years ago teaming only not so large and heavy. The wagon covers are the white
covering & wagon bows the sticks these covers rest on. These teams were not quite
complete. We should have had two more whips and a few more chain halters, also water
pail & tar bucket to each wagon. They drive a six mule team here with one line. The
driver sets upon the nigh hind mule and by whip cracking, jerking & hollowing they
manage to drive very well. The mules are so harnessed that the nigh leader guides the
whole team. Our teamsters drive the teams this way because the mules are broke to such
treatment generally, and too they often take an old mule from the team and take a better
sesesh one and unless they practiced this southern driving these mules would cause them
much trouble, for they are not so manageable as horses at the best. I also drew to
replenish our teams already on hand which were very poor when we took them
8 mule collars 6 belly bands 30 home strings
4 chain halters 2 lead lines Ten wagon tongues
5 rum straps 1 bridle 5 water buckets
5 tar buckets 6 wagon bows 5 pokey sticks
3 pr hounds 7¼ lbs wrought nails 3 wagon reaches
5 pr hinges. I also drew one coffin.
I had to get some of these things at one place and some to another—about six in all. The
ferry could not take on with the rest of her load only three teams so two were left for the
next trip, but the ferry boat ran aground & two teams—as I have already said are still on
the ferry boat. I will next pass to the
Events of the week.
Little has happened. Rumors of marching orders & signs of such have been about but the
fac-simile not appeared. One remarkable thing has happened in the shape of the first
funeral.
We had lost several men but there has some thing hindered every burial of having
a regular army interment. All that died at Camp Randall were sent to their friends. The
other day a fine looking & apparently very rugged fellow walked up to our Hospital a
little unwell. For a day or two he was the same but in about forty eight hours he was
taken worse & died. His disease was an affection of the heart & lungs. In a very pretty &
appropriate spot a grave was dug and being a corporal a band of eight privates
commanded by a corporal followed their companion to the grave. They were not alone
for it being a new sight most of the regiment joined in and a long train was made up. At
the grave the Chaplain read a lot of promiscuous selections from the Bible, made a few
remarks and closed with prayer. The eight soldiers then loaded & fired over the grave
three times & we all returned to our tents—like me I guess—thoughtful & serious.
We are having our winter rainy season now, though not so cold as many times
before this. I notice many leaves of shrubs are green as ever, & that the grass is becoming
green in spots. I often think, how milder the freezing cold of days in Vt. and so long as
my health remains first-rate & the weather remains on the whole so fine I say—"keep
your cold weather far from me".
The other day when over to Helena I plucked a sprig from a cedar in a front yard
to send home. I have not shaved or clipped my beard for about a month & a half & it was
long then. I have pulled a spear and send it that you may see
Dec 14, 1862
how good looking I am growing & imagine about how I shall look (for I shan't shave) if I
live to get home. Now stick that sprig of cedar—emblem of our good old state—right on
your dress below your breast pin for it is a good ornament.
This rainy weather has increased our sick list some. Two men have died since our
first funeral, making three in about a week. Owing to the inclemency of the weather they
had no regular army burial. One of these men died of homesickness or rather that was the
chief cause. Fairly mourned to death. I never have told you—I think—that Doct.
Spaldings wife came down with us & still remains. She lives in a tent with the Doctor &
is healthy & happy I guess. The Doctor was in this evening and among other things said
our army had buried 1800 of its number at Helena. I would dislike to stay in this place in
the summer I think for it has the name of being very unhealthy. It must be very hot here
in summer. I have been surprised at some of our warm days. One night I was a little too
warm some of the time with only one blanket, and that a light one, over me having on my
pants & vest. It has not been cold enough to kill off the crickets & spiders in our tents. By
the way the spiders here are lunkers. If I come across one before I mail this which is a
good specimen I will send him to freeze in Vt. & if he comes to life again lick out the
whole nation of spiders in your state. And if you think my spider interesting I will send a
snake or two if there are any here. As I write tho Q.M. lies in bed reading a newspaper
the clerk is mending his stockings. The Commissary Sergeant, his clerk & the servant boy
have retired in the tent close bye. It is 10 o'clock & I too must go to bed. I have not heard
from Aztalan people since here only through letters from their neighbors to their friends
here. So far as I have learned they are well. Remember the address to be used hereafter. /
Now, Sis, I am getting "right smart" anxious to hear from home & to get a "heap" good
news. If my "yon" folks yonder don't write soon I will be "right smart" mad. Such is
about the way the niggers and people here talk. Bye & bye I am coming home to live out
a batcheldor life with my good sisters and if my stay South is to be summed up to many
months I shall probably bring some of these southern idioms & notions and phrases. I
hope time is soon to unite us all again and that nothing but death is to separate any of us
any length of time. Yes more, I hope this certain separator Death is agoing to be the
means of uniting us to an eternal Happy Home better than the home of our childhood can
possibly be.
God grant this my dear sister.
Your fond brother
John.
[margin] From my whiskers JPD 4/24 1900
[remark]
This specimen of my beard seems to have turned lighter in color for my whiskers were
dark. I remember well the man who died from home-sickness & fright. He was the
wagon-maker Phelps I think by name. A large, healthy, fat, ruddy man. All he had at first
was a little diarrhea, but he was bound to die & longed for home like a wounded deer for
rest. At 1st we laughed at him, but we soon saw it was a serious affair, & then tried to
cheer him. But it was ineffectual. Die he expected, & die he would & die he did, when we
all were astonished. I call this a genuine letter of cheer for a soldier who hadn't for so
long had a letter & not one since in active service. JPD 4/24 1900.
DATABASE CONTENT
| (11268) | DL1644.010 | 165 | Letters | 1862-12-14 |
Tags: African Americans, Anger, Animals, Burials, Camp/Lodging, Clothing, Death (Military), Food, Guns, Home, Homesickness, Hospitals, Hygiene, Illnesses, Insects, Mail, Marching, Newspapers, Reading, Religion, Rumors, Sadness, Ships/Boats, Supplies, Weather, Work
People - Records: 2
Places - Records: 1
- (742) [origination] ~ Helena, Phillips County, Arkansas
SOURCES
John P. DeMeritt to Martha DeMeritt, 14 December 1862, DL1644.010, Nau Collection
