Letter #39 -- Camp Near Petersburg, VA -- August 17, 1864

Living in the modern world with the benefits of instant communications provides benefits and some drawbacks.  The ability to instantly obtain the answer to a nagging question you might have, or to contact a person, is certainly beneficial.  However...have we become addicted to our devices and have we lost our ability to become disconnected from the world...even for a few hours?   In John W. Derr's time, the pendulum was swung in the opposite direction with the ability to obtain information in a time frame necessary to ease concerns or to interrupt a boring day was...at times...frustrating.  Letter #39 is just one example of this type of frustration seen by many soldiers during the Civil War.  The slowness of the mail system during the 19th century, coupled with the interrupts to delivery caused by the affects of war, made the loneliness and homesickness of the war even greater.

Grave of Henry F. Dengler

Henry F. Dengler ca. 1895

It has been two months since John instructed his father to lend money to a John Kramer.  Additionally, he had requested that a hat be purchased and sent to him from Mr. Dengler (father of Henry F. Dengler from prior letters).  Since his original letters were written on the subject, John has had no word from home.  Repeated letters to home asking about these two requests, have at this point, not been answered.    You can see the frustration in this letter.  Now...I know that he knew that the problem was not with his parents...as they were faithful correspondents to John...rather with the postal system during the war.  We have previous examples of this frustration seen in his other letters.  The ultimate result was a bundle of letters coming from home that had been held up in transit.

It would appear that John is most concerned about the loan he promised John Kramer.  He seems to be having second thoughts about lending him money...which happens when one ponders a decision made over a long period of time...a type of post purchase regret.

                                                                                                Camp near Petersburg, Va.

                                                                                                August 17^th, 1864

My dear Father and Mother,

            I take this present opportunity to write this few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present time and I hope this few lines will find you in the same state of good health.  I would like to know why I don’t get no answer from you.  This is the third letter that I wrote to you and didn’t get no answer yet.  I didn’t get no answer yet from that letter that I wrote to you about the money that John Kramer was going to lend from me.  I wish you would write to me and let me know about it if you got that letter what I wrote to you about it.  And I wrote one to John Kramer about it the same time and I didn’t get no answer yet from him and I also wrote one to Dengler and I told him to send me a hat and  he did so and I never got no letter from him yet since he sent the hat.  I wish you would go there and see what the hat and postage cost and take some of my money and pay him for the hat and let me know in your next letter what the hat cost.  Now don’t forget to write to me if you get this letter and let me know whether you got the letter that I wrote to you about the money that J. Kramer wants to lend from me.  I am afraid things won’t work right about that.  I have no particular news to write today.  I am still driving team and I am well all the time since I am driving.  Give my best respects to sisters and brothers and to all inquiring friends.  So I will close this few lines in hoping to hear soon from you again.  This few lines from your son.

                                                                                                John W. Derr

Answer soon and direct your letter John W. Derr, CoD 48^th Regt Pa., 1^st Brigade, 2^nd Division, 9^th Army Corps, Washington D.C.

Jim D.

Letter #24 -- Georgetown College Hospital, Washington DC - September 27, 1862

As I discussed in previous posts, there were two "lost" letters that were recently rediscovered.  The first was published a few weeks ago (http://www.jwdletters.com/2012/10/letter-21a-georgetown-college-hospital.html) and was one of the many letters written home from Georgetown College Hospital in September of 1862 while convalesced from his wounds at the Second Battle of Bull Run.

This letter...Letter #24 is much as the others, in so much as, he writes short and specific letters home to inquire about his and his family's affairs.  Unlike today, where a soldier can recuperate in a hospital ward with comrades and some level of entertainment...books, magazines, TV, etc... the Civil War hospital was a different affair.  The nation was ill prepared to deal with the realities of war...wounding, disease, and the dying.   The romantic notion of a heroic war was replaced with the thousands and thousands of the wounded, sick and dying.  Sanitation in the nations capital was abysmal with open sewers, encampments of soldiers, animal stockyards in close quarters, which bred disease and death.

A soldier, such as John, must have felt bored, depressed and lonely waiting for his "minor" wound to heal.  Letter writing and letter receiving was one of his few joys and releases.




Letter #24.....

                                                                                                Georgetown College Hospital

                                                                                                Monday September 27, 1862

My Dear Father and Mother,

                        I take my pencil in hand to inform this few lines to you to let you know that I am very well at present time and I hope that this few lines will find you in the same state of good health.  Further I let you know that I received two letters yesterday that you had wrote to me.  One was wrote in August the 10^th and the other on the 14^th.  And I didn’t get them till yesterday and I was very glad that I got them after all.  Further I let you know that you stated in one of your letters that you didn’t get my likeness what I did send home.  I wish you would let me know whether Francis Dengler got it and they didn’t give it to you or whether it didn’t come home at all.  Had it directed to F. Dengler because mine and Solomon Yarnell was together.   Further I let you know that my leg feel very well this morning.  It begins to heal but it goes rather slow.  But now I guess I must come to a close this time because my pen is out of ink.  Answer this letter with good courage and as soon as you can without much trouble.  This few lines from your dear son.

                                                                                                John W. Derr

Direct your letter to John W. Derr Georgetown College Hospital Ward No. 2  Washington, D.C.

Jim D.

Connections and Discovery -- Dengler Redux

I recently received a very nice email from a descendant of a neighbor and fellow soldier mentioned in John W. Derr's letters.  I have discussed the connection and relationship of John to Henry Francis Dengler, or Henry F. Dengler in prior postings, and today I provide an update and correction to errors I made in that posting.

I have since updated the prior blog, which I link here, and provide the changes that I added....

http://www.jwdletters.com/2011/10/dengler-connection-comrade-friend.html

**** UPDATE:  October 7, 2012.....

After being contacted by a descendant of the Dengler family, I have found that my assumptions in the paragraph above were incorrect.  In the numerous references by John W. Derr to "Dengler", he reference to this person as..."Dengler", "Francis Dengler", "Francis", "Henry F. Dengler", "Henry Francis Dengler", "H. Dengler", or "H.F. Dengler".   I always assumed that these were one in the same person.  They were not.  Francis Dengler was the father of Henry Francis Dengler.  Henry F. Dengler always went by the name Henry.  References in the letters to Francis, vs. Henry F., were related to the situation at hand.  John referred to Henry whenever he was discussing shipping items home or having items carried back from home, since in the role as Quartermaster in 17th Pa. Cavalry, Henry had better access to shipping and transportation and contact with the home front.  Francis Dengler, however, was a hotel and tavern owner, and was the postmaster for Barry, Pa, during the Civil War.  

The beauty of this blog is that I get as much out of it as I give.  People have been gracious enough to provide information, photographs, and corrections as appropriate...and for that I and grateful.  Thank you Mary Anne.

What makes all of this important to correct is that blogs such as this will live on in the ether of the internet and erroneous assumptions and/or research can cloud facts and change this little corner of history.  That is why I encourage anyone who sees an error in my postings to contact me with updates and information which can "uncloud" the history.

The interaction with the Dengler descendant also provided valuable information and artifacts that allowed me to see something that I had never before seen.   This person, sent me a photograph that contained images of Henry F. Dengler as well as William Derr, the younger brother of John W. Derr.  I was very excited to see the faces of people I had only read about in the letters.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!

Another interesting item....William Derr does not really resemble John W. Derr per the photograph I received.  At first I was a little skeptical, but then I realized that William resembled someone that I had seen before.  And then it hit me.  William looks very much like my Great Grandfather, George Derr...the son of John W. Derr.   I'll let you decide if you agree with my assessment.

Mary Ellen Wagner Derr (GGrandmother) and George W. Derr (GGranfather)...Son of John W. Derr ca. 1944

William Derr and Mary Derr  (Brother of John W. Derr) ca. 1895

William Derr (Brother of John W. Derr) ca. 1895

George W. Derr (Son of John W. Derr) ca. 1944

William Derr (left) and Henry F. Dengler (Center holding child's hand) ca. 1895

Henry F. Dengler (17th Pa. Cavalry) ca. 1895

Jim D.

Letter #20 -- Fredericksburg, Virginia - August 9, 1862

Well...I am 4 days late getting this letter out.  I should have done this last Thursday, but work got the better of me and I left it in draft until today.  My apologies.

In the letter dated August 9, 1861, JWD writes a very short note to his father telling him that he is well and that they have moved from Newport News, Virginia to a camp near Fredericksburg, Virginia.  Of course we now know that this was the march up to the north just prior to the engagement with Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at the various battles in August and September of that year.  In three weeks JWD will engage Jackson's men at the Second Bull Run in Manassas, Virginia and will experience events that will change his life forever.

In his short letter, JWD tells his father that he had his "likeness" (Photograph) taken and that he was sending it home with is friend in the Pa Cavalry, Francis Dengler.  The photograph that you see on the website is probably not that "likeness" and is more than likely a photograph taken after the war.  Either way, it is the only photograph I have of JWD.

Letter #20.....

                                                                                                Camp near Fredericksburg,

                                                                                                West Virginia, August 9, 1862

My Dear Father,

                        I take my pen in hand to inform this few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present time and hope that this few lines will find you in the same state of good health.  Further I let you know that I got my likeness taken and I will send it home in this letter.  I was going to go get it taken this long time but I had no chance to get it.  But now I got it and I hope you will get it in safety.  So I don’t know much more to write this time so I will come to a close and say good by.  Answer this letter as soon as you get this from me.  So no more at present time.

                                                                                                John W. Derr

Direct your letter to John W. Derr, Co. “D”, 48 PA. in care of Capt. William W. Potts, Burnsides Ninth Army Corp, Fredericksburg Virginia.

I sent my likeness in care of Francis Dengler and then you can get it there.  Very likely you will have to pay a little something.

Jim D.

Letter #8 -- Hatteras Inlet, Camp Winfield, North Carolina -- February 4, 1862

It was only two days between JWD's letter written on February 2nd and this one written on February 4th.  This letter was written after he got information about how to have family members draw monthly soldier pay in lieu of the soldier drawing the pay in the field.  Having family members...trusted family members...draw pay at home was a much more secure method that prevented loss of pay through theft, gambling, and death.  You can see in this letter that he wants his father to understand explicitly how the process works and even tells him to have the letter read by Francis Dengler to ensure that he doesn't get it wrong.  He further tells his father to write back and tell him that he understood the letter and process for pay withdrawal....and in the post script he tells him to never give the certificate to anyone.  You can see he is rather nervous about this arrangement and is probably frustrated that he can't just talk to his dad to get it explained verbally.  Such is the dilemma of a man with only a couple of years education.

Here is letter #8......

                                                                                    Hatteras Inlet, N.C.

                                                                                    Camp Winfield,

                                                                                    Feb. 4, 1862

My Dear Father,

            I take my pen in hand to inform these few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present time and I hope that these few lines will find you in the same state of health.  Further I let you know that they made arrangements that our parents can draw our money at home in Pottsville from Hunsinger, so I will send a certificate home to you and then you can draw the money for me every two months.  For me you will draw ten dollars for every month but it wouldn’t be worthwhile to draw it every month.  So you will draw it every two months, then you will draw twenty dollars every two months.  If I would know that it would be worthwhile to put it in the bank, I would say you should do so.  You can send the certificate down to Pottsville with Dengler.  You can draw for two months on it, as soon as you get the certificate but you might let it start two months more.  If you like, take this letter to Dengler and get it read so that you understand this thing right.  And answer this letter as soon as you get this from me and let me know whether you got the certificate and whether you understand it right or not.  I must come to a close these few lines from you dear son. 

                                                                                    John W. Derr

Direct your letter as before, you may well know.  But you must never give the certificate.  You must keep it to draw it every time.

 Jim D.

Josiah Fetherolf - A Friend Remembered

Next week I will be posting letter #2, which was written on October 19, 1861, and has been the reference for these last two posts.  Last week I wrote about a good friend of JWD and how this research project continues to shed new light on the life of my GG-grandfather.  As I mentioned previously in discussing Francis Dengler, the revelation that he was a good friend of JWD is what makes this project fun and interesting.

I had my father over for a visit last week and we discussed the "Dengler Connection".  It was very satisfying to see the excitement in his eyes as he learned a previously unknown fact about JWD.   When I was younger, my father and I collaborated extensively on the letters and spent hours discussing and postulating on the meaning and significance of certain references within them.  He is the primary reason for my continued fascination with the life of JWD and the various connections with history.  Dad is a history buff.  So am I.  I guess it was that common love of history that afforded us the opportunity to spend time together researching and...just plain bouncing ideas off each other.  While he spent the last 40 years educating me on JWD and the content of the letters...providing translation of the Pennsylvania Dutch colloquialisms, etc...it was me who provided the surprises!

First surprise.....
About 30 years ago, I made my first trip the National Archives to research JWD's Civil War records and to make photocopies of them for later usage.  That lead to the revelation of the "big family secret" that laid dormant for 70 years...more on that in another posting.  First big surprise!  I remember him saying..."So that's the big secret!".   Then I was hooked.  Could I find more facts, details that I could give back to him?

Another surprise....
Pension records indicate that he was not married during the war.  My father had been under the belief that he was, due to a letter which references his wife.  Depositions in the pension application have refuted that assumption.

Latest.....
The "Dengler Connection"....Dad always thought that Dengler was a merchant in Pottsville or Minersville, Pennsylvania...and that JWD used him as a posting point for his parcels sent home.  Now, we know that Francis Dengler was a fellow soldier...albeit in another regiment (162nd PVI), and that he was a very good friend.


One last item I will insert in today's blog is JWD's other good friend, Josiah Fetherolf.  Fetherolf is frequently referenced in the letters (4 times) and is clearly another good buddy of JWD.  Preliminary research suggests that Fetherolf, unlike Dengler, never was a soldier in the war.  I have scanned various roster files from many Pennsylvania regiments that recruited men from the Deep Creek and Schulykill county region and have found nothing.  Additionally, a search through the Pennsylvania State Archive ARIAS system for a "soldier card", proved unsuccessful.  Lastly, the headstone of Josiah Fetherolf shows no indication of participation in the war.

A few people have asked me why I research these other men vs. a more dedicated approach to JWD and the battles, generals, leaders, etc... I guess I have decided that many others have already analyzed and dissected battles, battlefields, generals, politics and weaponry and can do it much much more effectively...I have decided that I like researching connections....those items that can bolster an otherwise mundane soldier's letter and bring it to life.  A connection that can provide those relationship, heartaches, concerns, that would be lost if not highlighted....and lastly...I would like to share the names and insights into other soldier's referenced in these letters to allow anyone who may be researching their veteran ancestor, to get that same thrill of finding them in some obscure and potentially forgotten letter.

Jim D.

The Dengler Connection - A Comrade, A Friend

In reading the letters this week, I was fascinated by the various names referenced in JWD's letters throughout the war.  I started to investigate the names most often referenced and to make my own determination of the relevance and importance to the life of JWD.  My simple premise was this...the more a name is mentioned...the more impact that person had on the life of JWD.  Not deep psychology...just a simple premise.   This posting is dedicated to the first person specifically mentioned in a JWD letter. 

As a reference, the next letter to be published is dated October 19^th, 1861, and hence will be posted on October 19th, 2011.  It was written by JWD while he was encamped at the Fort Elizabeth, a coordination camp just outside the walls of Fort Monroe, Virginia.  By the timeline that I have, he had been there approximately 3 weeks and was waiting for his regiment’s "marching orders".  We all know now, that those orders would be to attach the 48^th PVI to the Burnsides Expedition to North Carolina.  This letter provides my first insight into the friends and colleagues of JWD.  There are a total of 12 friends and family, and 1 general mentioned in this letter.  For purposes of this blog, I will attempt to research these people to understand their connection to JWD and to show any connections to JWD through out the war and after the conclusion of the conflict.

The first person mentioned in a JWD letter was a “Francis Dengler”.  I have concluded that Francis Dengler was actually Henry Francis Dengler, one of the “First Defenders” and a good friend of JWD. Francis Dengler was born on May 17, 1841 and died on November 6, 1912.  He was mustered into the 6^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Company E, on April 22^nd, 1861 and served there for 3 months until his enlistment expired in July, 1861.  After a 14 months gap in time, Dengler re-enlisted into the 162nd Pennsylvania Regiment, 17^th Cavalry Company H, on September 22^nd 1862 eventually mustering out on June 16^th, 1865.


**** UPDATE:  October 7, 2012.....
After being contacted by a descendant of the Dengler family, I have found that my assumptions in the paragraph above were incorrect.  In the numerous references by John W. Derr to "Dengler", he reference to this person as..."Dengler", "Francis Dengler", "Francis", "Henry F. Dengler", "Henry Francis Dengler", "H. Dengler", or "H.F. Dengler".   I always assumed that these were one in the same person.  They were not.  Francis Dengler was the father of Henry Francis Dengler.  Henry F. Dengler always went by the name Henry.  References in the letters to Francis, vs. Henry F., were related to the situation at hand.  John referred to Henry whenever he was discussing shipping items home or having items carried back from home, since in the role as Quartermaster in 17th Pa. Cavalry, Henry had better access to shipping and transportation and contact with the home front.  Francis Dengler, however, was a hotel and tavern owner, and was the postmaster for Barry, Pa, during the Civil War.  

The beauty of this blog is that I get as much out of it as I give.  People have been gracious enough to provide information, photographs, and corrections as appropriate...and for that I and grateful.  Thank you Mary Anne.

Civil War soldier service records courtesy of the Pennsylvania State Archive ARIAS system.

Henry Francis Dengler began his military service as a private, ultimately finishing his Army service as a Quartermaster Sergeant.  His role was to provide for the supplies to the regiment and thus spent most of his time procuring arms, ammunition, farrier’s supplies, food, clothing…etc…

Francis Dengler must have been a close friend of JWD, given that he is mentioned in no less than 9 of the letters.  JWD relied on Dengler to transport his pay, conduct business at home, and even to carry his “likeness” back to his parents during the course of the war.  I was trying to understand why Dengler was able to travel home more frequently than most soldiers during the war…was it because he was a Quartermaster Sergeant and had the ability to travel to procure supplies? 

I tried to correlate the service records of the 48^th PVI and the 162^nd PVI to understand how often these regiments crossed paths during the course of the war….and more specifically…the path of JWD.   Given that the 6^th PVI was dissolved in July of 1861 and the 162^nd PVC was only organized in November of 1862…I am still at a loss to understand how JWD and Dengler crossed paths in late 1861 and early 1862….more research is needed.  As far a battles are concerned….the 48^th PVI and the 162^nd PVC were in closer proximity in the years 1864 and 1865 than during 1863…with the 162^nd PVC staying in primarily in the Virginia/Pennsylvania theaters and the 48^th PVI being dispatched to the Kentucky/Tennessee theaters.  1864 saw both regiments converging in the Virginia theater and later both were part of the Grand Review in Washington, DC in May of 1865.

The October 19^th, 1861 letter will be the first of many references to this neighbor and close friend of JWD, and will shed light on the camaraderie and mutual support soldiers provided each other during this difficult time in their lives.

Jim D.