A letter from La Grange, Tennessee
Title
A letter from La Grange, Tennessee
Subject
William refers to the Union war effort as a "Lincoln crusade." His obligation to serve in this "crusade" keeps him from helping his wife Jane tend to more important, practical matters.
Creator
William Standard
Source
William M. Standard Papers
Publisher
Atlanta History Center
Date
April 26, 1863
Format
PDF
Language
English
Type
Digitized Manuscript
Identifier
April 26, 1863 letter from La Grange, Tennessee
Coverage
American Civil War 1861-1865
Text
Lagrange Tennessee Sunday April 26th 1863
Dear Jane.
I take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well. I received yours of the 18th inst on the 25th which was yesterday. I was very uneasy about George, after hearing that he was kicked in such a dangerous place, and glad to hear that he is doing so well. Now dear Jane I know that is very disheartening to be placed in the condition that we are, and I am almost ready to give up myself at time and put over some very gloomy days. The great difficulties that I had in my official Business at home and the bad Step that I took when I enlisted in Lincoln crusade has nigh run me mad, and I often feel as if I had no friends in the world, and if it was not for the sake of keeping character spotless from shame and disgrace, I would have been at home long before this time.
I wrote to you on the inst about sending them things to me, but if you have not started them by the time you get this you need not send them. I will try to get a long someway until I get home. I can draw some cotton flannel drawers at 95 cts a pair but I thought that they would be a little too warm this summer, but I can take them off in the day time and put them on at night to sleep in — my shirts are tolerable good and will do a good while yet. I approve of the course you did with the boots in getting the boys shoes for them for them.
One half of our Regiment had started on a tramp. They have returned. A sorry looking bunch they were having marched eight days and laid out every night in the open. There were four regiments commanded by Genl [William Sooy] Smith. The officers looked as bad if not worse than the privates. It proved to be one of those great foraging parties. They captured or rather took from the farmers along the line of the country that they passed over about 400 head of horses and mules, about 75 wagons, and lots of good ham. That is what I call public plunder, but such is the policy of all wars in all countries.
Well now for that plain talk you spoke about. You say that you have paid on the house and lot, and that you have redeemed from under [Luke] Elliott’s Sale, very well, you did right…. If I ever got able to pay him off I would get him to give me a tax title deed in your name so as to cut off that lien that I gave my Securities, but I approve of what you have done. I can’t blame you for looking into these things.
Dear Jane if I have been the cause of you losing your hair, I do most sincerely ask your pardon and forgiveness and pray God to forgive me for any and every error that I may have committed against you either in word or deed, and hereafter will try to so conduct my future course so as not to any offense, but will be perfectly mind and content with my fate. It is true my hair is not falling off my head very fast yet, but my brains are almost racked to death about the care [of] home, and if I could only get home so as to arrange and settle up my business, I would be willing to abide the will of the all wise maker, of all things.
I wrote to you some time ago and told you about Waggoner paying the Taxes on the farm. He paid on it one year with money that he collected of some place. Waggoner’s Regiment is not here. They are at Jackson and I understand that Waggoner is there. I will write to him and try and have the matter fixed up. I wrote to you to pay the Taxes on the farm again. I have a right to pay the Taxes on all my land, no difference who pay before I do. If the Taxes are not paid on the stump quarter I will lose it entirely but if I do I will have to let it go. I don’t own any lots in Phelps’s addition except I bought them for the Taxes and I do not recollect now. Don’t pay on any lots but on [the] Hasson lot unless Worley will assign them receipts to you and in that case pay him the Taxes on them. I bought that lot across the street that Bill Messplay was going to build his shop on and paid fifteen dollars on it.
Well you spoke of trying to raise some colts. You may breed both mares to any good horse. I think that a big horse is the best. Use your own Judgment in the matter. I think that I can get out of this cursed war sometime this summer, and try to get back home again, and go on the farm and try to make a living for you and the children by honest toil. I hope you will have plenty of good peaches and apples this summer and I will try to get home to help take care of them.
Dear Jane I am very sorry that you had the misfortune to broke [break] off one of your fore teeth. Can you get another put in in Lewistown? I have had two pulled out since come down here on the right side of my Jaw, and I will have to have one pulled out on the left some of my jaw, soon.
I remain your affectionate and absent Husband, From William M. Standard to Jane his wife and children at Home.
P.S. We are looking for a paymaster here and will probably get some more pay. I will live as saving as possible, though the fare be poor. Fat sow belly is a little too strong for a weak stomach to take [in] this hot weather. I eat but a very little of it.
The paper that I sent you I sent for you to read if you wanted to for pas[sing the] time. You said at one time you would like to have a paper to read for the news but that the editors stopped my papers as soon as I went to the war.
Your Husband WM Standard to Jane Standard his wife & children
Dear Jane.
I take this opportunity to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well. I received yours of the 18th inst on the 25th which was yesterday. I was very uneasy about George, after hearing that he was kicked in such a dangerous place, and glad to hear that he is doing so well. Now dear Jane I know that is very disheartening to be placed in the condition that we are, and I am almost ready to give up myself at time and put over some very gloomy days. The great difficulties that I had in my official Business at home and the bad Step that I took when I enlisted in Lincoln crusade has nigh run me mad, and I often feel as if I had no friends in the world, and if it was not for the sake of keeping character spotless from shame and disgrace, I would have been at home long before this time.
I wrote to you on the inst about sending them things to me, but if you have not started them by the time you get this you need not send them. I will try to get a long someway until I get home. I can draw some cotton flannel drawers at 95 cts a pair but I thought that they would be a little too warm this summer, but I can take them off in the day time and put them on at night to sleep in — my shirts are tolerable good and will do a good while yet. I approve of the course you did with the boots in getting the boys shoes for them for them.
One half of our Regiment had started on a tramp. They have returned. A sorry looking bunch they were having marched eight days and laid out every night in the open. There were four regiments commanded by Genl [William Sooy] Smith. The officers looked as bad if not worse than the privates. It proved to be one of those great foraging parties. They captured or rather took from the farmers along the line of the country that they passed over about 400 head of horses and mules, about 75 wagons, and lots of good ham. That is what I call public plunder, but such is the policy of all wars in all countries.
Well now for that plain talk you spoke about. You say that you have paid on the house and lot, and that you have redeemed from under [Luke] Elliott’s Sale, very well, you did right…. If I ever got able to pay him off I would get him to give me a tax title deed in your name so as to cut off that lien that I gave my Securities, but I approve of what you have done. I can’t blame you for looking into these things.
Dear Jane if I have been the cause of you losing your hair, I do most sincerely ask your pardon and forgiveness and pray God to forgive me for any and every error that I may have committed against you either in word or deed, and hereafter will try to so conduct my future course so as not to any offense, but will be perfectly mind and content with my fate. It is true my hair is not falling off my head very fast yet, but my brains are almost racked to death about the care [of] home, and if I could only get home so as to arrange and settle up my business, I would be willing to abide the will of the all wise maker, of all things.
I wrote to you some time ago and told you about Waggoner paying the Taxes on the farm. He paid on it one year with money that he collected of some place. Waggoner’s Regiment is not here. They are at Jackson and I understand that Waggoner is there. I will write to him and try and have the matter fixed up. I wrote to you to pay the Taxes on the farm again. I have a right to pay the Taxes on all my land, no difference who pay before I do. If the Taxes are not paid on the stump quarter I will lose it entirely but if I do I will have to let it go. I don’t own any lots in Phelps’s addition except I bought them for the Taxes and I do not recollect now. Don’t pay on any lots but on [the] Hasson lot unless Worley will assign them receipts to you and in that case pay him the Taxes on them. I bought that lot across the street that Bill Messplay was going to build his shop on and paid fifteen dollars on it.
Well you spoke of trying to raise some colts. You may breed both mares to any good horse. I think that a big horse is the best. Use your own Judgment in the matter. I think that I can get out of this cursed war sometime this summer, and try to get back home again, and go on the farm and try to make a living for you and the children by honest toil. I hope you will have plenty of good peaches and apples this summer and I will try to get home to help take care of them.
Dear Jane I am very sorry that you had the misfortune to broke [break] off one of your fore teeth. Can you get another put in in Lewistown? I have had two pulled out since come down here on the right side of my Jaw, and I will have to have one pulled out on the left some of my jaw, soon.
I remain your affectionate and absent Husband, From William M. Standard to Jane his wife and children at Home.
P.S. We are looking for a paymaster here and will probably get some more pay. I will live as saving as possible, though the fare be poor. Fat sow belly is a little too strong for a weak stomach to take [in] this hot weather. I eat but a very little of it.
The paper that I sent you I sent for you to read if you wanted to for pas[sing the] time. You said at one time you would like to have a paper to read for the news but that the editors stopped my papers as soon as I went to the war.
Your Husband WM Standard to Jane Standard his wife & children
Original Format
Digitized Manuscript
Files
Collection
Citation
William Standard, “A letter from La Grange, Tennessee,” A Yankee Soldier's Struggle With The Union Cause , accessed May 18, 2024, https://timroberts.org/civwarletters/items/show/7.