Civil War Letters of John W. Derr

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Well, it’s probably time to get serious about this blog if I intend for it to grow into a tribute to my ancestors as well as a hobby for the next 4 years.

I have been pulling up quite a bit of family history artifacts from letters to photos to research done by my father in previous attempts to pull this part of the family history together into some sort of logical story. I’ve found it to be more difficult than I imagined…primarily from the angle of…where to start. So given the free flow nature of blogging…I’ll just dive into the fray.

John W. Derr (don’t know what his middle name was) was born on October 7, 1839. He was the son of Peter Derr (per his letter addressing), but I suspect his father’s name was James Peter Derr of which there are U.S. Census records after 1840. James Peter Derr was born in 1801 and died in 1881…and as you will see…he out lived his son John. John’s mother was Katherine Weikel, born 1812 and dying in 1867.

The family lived on a farm in east central Pennsylvania in an area called “The Deep Creek”. The farm was located not far from the town of Minersville, Pa in Barry Township, on the western side of the “Broad Mountain”. For those who are familiar with the area, it is just off Pennsylvania State Road 4020 (Deep Creek Road) not far from the Schuylkill County Joe Zerbey airport on the top of the mountain near where U.S. Interstate 81 runs the crest of the mountain. From all family accounts and stories, the farm was essentially a “rock farm”, with very difficult farming in an otherwise good farming area of Pennsylvania. The farm was located at the base and on the side of the mountain and must have been very difficult to farm due to the slope of the ground and number of large rocks in the ground. This seems to have been a substantial part of the reason that John decided to leave the area and join the army. It’s not hard to see a twenty two year old man, living at home with his parents, farming a tough piece of land and dreaming of the adventures of war and the possibilities that it promised. Also, the $300 bounty that the government was offering to enlistees, probably didn’t hurt that decision either.

As you will see in the letters, John’s excitement with leaving his home and going off to war slowly changed to one of mundane army routine touched with a bit of homesickness.

Jim D.

Headstones for James Peter Derr (JP Derr) father of John W. Derr and recipient of the Civil War letters....and Katherine Weikel (mother):

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Welcome

With 2011 being the 150th year since the start of the American Civil War, I thought it would be appropriate for me to share letters written by my great-great grandfather, John W. Derr during the course of the war. I have completed posting each letter on the 150th anniversary of their creation (mostly!). Since Private Derr did not write his letters in a consistent pattern...sometimes there are gaps in time better one letter and the next...This blog includes gap filler with other information relevant to him and his regiment. As I posted each letter, I created a corresponding link on the right side of the webpage to provide easy access and reference as you read each posting. I hope you enjoy the history of this common soldier during the most tumultuous time in our nation's history.

Additionally, I recently completed a long anticipated project by publishing a book "A Widow's Due" in June of 2020. This book is primarily about the life of my Great-great grandmother, Magdalena Diehl Derr, the widow of John W. Derr. It is based on years of research and much documentation, and whereas it is a work of "creative non-fiction", it is accurate and true to the documents and records I was able to find. Please visit my other website relating to the book as well as other upcoming projects at: www.jamespderr.com. Thank you.

Biography of Private John W. Derr

John W. Derr (JWD) was born in Barry Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania on October 7, 1839.

He enlisted in the Union Army in September of 1861 and was mustered into the 48^th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Company D at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg Pa, in that same month. From Harrisburg, the 48^th PVI transitioned through Baltimore, MD and then down the Chesapeake Bay to Fort Monroe in Virginia. From there, the 48^th PVI was attached to the larger Burnsides Expedition to North Carolina (Hatteras/New Berne area). After the North Carolina expedition the 48^th PVI was moved north and participated in the 2^nd battle of Bull Run, where JWD was wounded on August 29^th, 1862 and taken prisoner. He was paroled by the Confederates, and was transported to Georgetown College Hospital in Washington, D.C. After staying in Washington and missing the battles of Antietam and South Mountain, he was transferred to the Cherry and Broad Street hospital in Philadelphia, Pa in December of 1863. He was subsequently furloed home for further recuperation.

His unit was then detached for guard duty in Kentucky and Tennessee, where his unit re-enlisted in December 1863 at Blains Crossroads, TN. In 1864, the 48^th PVI was involved in Grant’s campaigns of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Courthouse, Cold Harbor, etc…and eventually the Petersburg Campaign. JWD, as part of the 48^th PVI was integral in the digging of the Mine Crater. Documentation of his participation in the actual mining activities and subsequent illness from the damp/cold conditions are documented in his post mortem pension application by his widow, Magdalena Derr. Pension affidavits by his fellow soldiers indicate that his participation in the mining activities, along with his wounding at 2^nd Bull Run were the primary cause of his early death in 1876

In addition to his participation in the Petersburg Siege, JWD participated in the 1863 Army review by President Lincoln in Washington, D.C., the Grand Review of 1865 in Washington, D.C.

He was mustered out of the Army in July of 1865 and returned home to live out his remaining short life, dying on January 12, 1876 at age 37.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

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