American Civil War Letters - June 29, 1864 - The Tragic Story of Mr Hill, Crushed Under a Train by winstonalden

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· @winstonalden ·
$2.64
American Civil War Letters - June 29, 1864 - The Tragic Story of Mr Hill, Crushed Under a Train
> What an important personage a man is! It is a pity I cannot do more myself. I have tried to fix it up, but my strength is nothing, and I have given it up for someone else to do. Our place is in a bad fix for a woman to get along alone, unless they can do better than I can.

***

##### There is so much going on in this letter that I was tempted to split it into several entries. But no! You may have it in a single envelope, just as Abel received it, in North Carolina.

##### The events of this summer will demonstrate that it is not just the men who suffer, when men march off to war.

##### It also shows that you can be a fiercely strong and independent woman, working a farm and supporting six children, and still appreciate the contributions of your husband.

***

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_001.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-509" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_001-186x300.jpg" alt="" width="186" height="300" /></a></div>

Springfield June 29, 1864

My Dear Husband

I sent a letter yesterday, but being somewhat tired this morning, to rest me I will sit down and talk a little while with you.

I commenced work this morning before five, and have been hoeing in the garden and working about most of the time.

The heifer took down the boards in front of the yard this morning, so my hens are at large today. I do not know how much mischief they will do before I can get any one to fix it for me.

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_002.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-510" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_002-187x300.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="300" /></a></div>

What an important personage a man is! It is a pity I cannot do more myself. I have tried to fix it up, but my strength is nothing, and I have given it up for someone else to do. Our place is in a bad fix for a woman to get along alone, unless they can do better than I can.

I went down to meeting last evening. The attendance was good. Mr Lockwood took the lead. Dr Bowers spoke, also J Tenney and another whom I did not know. He said he was a new beginner in the Christian course, but he had noticed that many who professes of religion did nothing, and were a sort of blockade to prevent sinners coming to Christ. He did not want to stand in the way of anyone, and he wanted others to be up and doing.

It seemed to me more interesting than usual. The singing was good.

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_003.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-511 size-medium" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_003-187x300.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="300" /></a></div>

Mr Brown told me that Mr Hill was dead.ย Although he is a little one, I guess he has been doing good. He has been in the Christian Commission. His time was out in May, but he thought he could do good in the army, so he staid, and went with Sherman's army to Ackworth.

Some wounded were to be taken back to Chatanooga, and attendants were wanted, so he went. He worked with the surgeons 'till 3 o'clock in the morning, then took a rest of two hours. Before he started back to the army, he was anxious to see two men that he had cared for, and do something more if possible. He went.

When he came back the [train] cars were just starting. He ran to jump on, but made a misstep, and he fell under the cars. His arm was crushed above the elbow, and the shoulder was unjointed, and the arm taken off.

He was very courageous during the operation, but he died in two days.

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_004.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-512" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_004-186x300.jpg" alt="" width="186" height="300" /></a></div>

They wrote that it was astonishing how much labor he had done. He had been in the thick and thin, up early and late. Perhaps he will not appear so little in heaven, clothed in Christ's robe, with a starry crown.

It was not <a href="https://steemit.com/history/@winstonalden/american-civil-war-letters-june-26-1864-drought-a-cow-catcher-ride-and-the-strain-starts-to-show">jumping on the cow catcher</a> to get rid of work!

July 1 Friday

We are all well this morning.

It is the last day of school. Marion said, day before yesterday, the teacher told her she had left off the most times of anyone, and she told Maria Robinson that Marion and Anna are just the best scholars in school. Maria says she should think I should feel proud of them, and I do - when they behave well. There is nothing that gives me the pain that bad conduct of my children does, and nothing the comfort that their good behavior produces.

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_005.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-513" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_005-187x300.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="300" /></a></div>

And something has happened in our neighborhood that astonished everyone: Frank Kidder has run away with John Burt!

Yesterday they found their track. They were in Boston. John said he meant to go out on the water before he came back, and Mr Kidder's folks are afraid that Frank will get off before they can get him.

Mr Smith's folks are not going after John. He has run off so many times. They think, "He may go. We have a set of bad boys."

Everett Cook, Frank Woods - those two boys, and sometimes Jim Davis - have met in the barn and drank beer, and smoked, made their milk punch. And finally those two have gone. I can but say my boys are safe [note: <em>because they are dead</em>], but [nephew] George shall not be of their company if I can prevent it - and they do not want him, as I know of.

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_006.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-514" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_006-186x300.jpg" alt="" width="186" height="300" /></a></div>

Last winter he used to stay after school until I gave him a severe whipping. Since, he has been more careful about disobeying me. He is now hoeing, and seems to attend to his work.

The 4th, the people are to have a picnic and carry their food, then buy their dinner. The proceeds to go to the sanitary commission. I have nothing to give or to pay for my dinner. Everything is coming up: flour raised 3 dollars on a barrel, cotton cloth 70 cents, flour 14 dollars, calico 40 cents, white sugar 30 cents per pound, tea (Japanese) 1.50. I do not pretend to use sugar for anything. Tea, I have used, but fear I shall have to give that up. I was able to buy flour for 10 dollars (the second-best). A barrel does not last long. We have used 3 1/2 since you enlisted. Our meat is all gone, so that we eat more flour than we did in the winter.

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_007.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-515" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_007-185x300.jpg" alt="" width="185" height="300" /></a></div>

I take the pay for my calf out of the cart. They called the calf worth $5.

We have one pleasant thing this morning to think of. It rained a beautiful shower last night - the first we have had for a month! Fields look yellow and dried up, but I hope now things will start up so that we shall raise something to eat.

Do let us pray that this war may close, or what will the poor do? We have not begun to feel it till lately. This war will close when this people are made willing to treat the blacks right, and not before. Why will not men see that they are accountable to God, and that he holds events in his hands? I believe he will take care of us, but it is also true we must do for ourselves. Which I am willing to do.

"Whatever my hands find to do."

<div class="pull-right"><a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_008.jpg"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-516" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_008-187x300.jpg" alt="" width="187" height="300" /></a></div>

Mary has just brought a letter from the office from you.

I am greatly obliged to you for your good opinion of me. I think more of your regard than of anyone else, but am not unmindful of others, for I have not forgotten what the Bible says, "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches."

My chiefest ambition is to spend my life acceptably to God first; the next, to my husband. To be useful to my family is my great desire, but so much time is taken up in providing food and raiment for the body, I fear I shall not do my whole duty.

I hope you will not have to wait another two months before you are paid off, though I do not think I shall want in that time.

The man has been here for the highway tax. I told him I would pay him when I got some money from you, but did not like to let the last I had go.

M S Grennell

<a href="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_Envelope.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-517" src="http://natewalkerdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/18640629_Envelope-1024x566.jpg" alt="" width="840" height="464" /></a>

***

###### This is a transcription of a letter that my great-great-great grandmother sent to her husband during his service in the American Civil War. It was written with minimal punctuation, so I have made regular edits for readability while keeping the content of the letter as close to the source as possible. 

###### You can click on the original letters to see a high resolution scan for comparison.

###### I have dozens of letters from Marcia Spencer Grinnell to her husband Abel from this period, and will continue to share them as time and interest permit. The letters make for fascinating reading, and provide an intimate look into domestic life at the time of this conflict.

***

[CLICK HERE](http://natewalkerdavis.com/civilwarletters/) to read more letters from Marcia Spencer Grinnell and her family during the civil war. 

Or [CLICK HERE](http://natewalkerdavis.com/winstonposts/) for a complete catalog of my work on Steemit, so far.
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vote details (14)
@nashwildcard ·
$0.03
Death by train two days after amputation surgery and I thought going to the dentist was bad.
๐Ÿ‘  
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@winstonalden ·
Brutal times! (Actually it went: arm crushed by train --> amputation --> infection for two days --> death)

Most of the time their solution was to cut the limb off and 75% of those times it led to death from infection! I wonder why it took so long to come up with something else?

We have some dental action coming up. Here's a teaser from 1865: 

> Sarah has had a hard time with her teeth. I told her I should go to Dr Bowers and have them fixed, so she went and he has pulled one and killed another, and filled 14 cavities. It cost her 23 dollars.

This was just after Sarah's 18th birthday.
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@nashwildcard ·
What a horrible way to go, and $23 that was a huge amount, I find dental work now to be miserable. I can't even begin to imagine it back then. I had heard that few survived amputations and it seemed to be their solution to any badly damaged limb. Bowers, I have family with that name. Thank you for the kind upvote.I hope you have a great weekend.
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@onetree ·
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I've said may times before, the strength of Marcia is astounding. In this letter you can really sense her determination. We could also learn from the way families then were prepared to sacrifice to stand up for their principles and beliefs. I do hope you can more formally compile these letters one day, a book with a little historical context would be amazing!
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@winstonalden ·
I've been thinking about it, and about the best way to share the originals along with the text. Online it's trivial to link to the full sized image but reproducing the original letters in print would be much more expensive. But maybe it wouldn't be critical to have all of them, and to focus instead on the events of that day.
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