Civil War Letters of John W. Derr: Letter #13 - New Berne, North Carolina

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Letter #13 - New Berne, North Carolina - May 24, 1862

As May, 1862 came to a close, JWD spent most of the month battling a bad catarrh (severe cold) and bronchitis. His letters at this time do not indicate this, but the pension affidavits from the pension application of his widow Magdalena in 1878, indicate that he suffered during this period from these afflictions. This was the second major illness suffered by JWD in his short period of service at that time. The first was in the November/December 1861 time frame. These multiple illnesses along with others later in the war (illness after digging the Petersburg Mine) contributed to his early death in 1876. Though interesting and pertinent, the worst of his service problems would come in just a few months when he was wounded at the battle of Second Bull Run (August, 1862). Needless to say... JWD's first year of service in the army was the worst of his life.

Letter #13 on May 24, 1862 is a typical JWD letter. Filled with personal concerns regarding money and requests for packages. This letter, amongst others, highlights how difficult communication was during this period of time. Today, we take for granted the ability to rapidly and effectively communicate with any person around the globe. Not so, in 1862. Many letters were repeated since a guarantee of delivery was not always possible. You can see the frustration in both parents and JWD as they try in desperation to tell each other information and respond to questions. For a people who never traveled far from home...the inability to rapidly communicate in person must have been extremely frustrating.

And now...Letter #13....

Camp near New Berne,

North Carolina,

May the 24^th, 1862

My Dear Father Peter Derr,

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 I hope that this few lines will find you in the same state of good health. Further I let you know that this is the third letter that I wrote to you and didn’t get no answer yet from you. I wrote one letter home with ten dollars in and I wrote for some shirts that you should send to me, and I didn’t get no answer yet but if you didn’t sent them yet you don’t need to send them now or later but I am sorry if them ten dollars didn’t come home. Now I wish you would answer me this letter and let me know whether you got them ten dollars or not and let me know whether you did send them shirts or not and if you didn’t send them you don’t need to send them. For I must come to a close. Answer me this letter.

Your respectful son,

John W. Derr

Direct your letter to John W. Derr, Co. “D”, 48^th Regiment PA., Burnsides’ Expedition, North Carolina, in care of Capt. W. W. Potts.

Jim D.

2 comments:

UnknownThursday, December 20, 2012 at 12:59:00 AM EST
I could just imagine how difficult it was to find a bronchitis treatment without the advent of technology. Well, it's impressive to know that he still stood tall despite all the obstacles he had to go through.
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JWDlettersThursday, December 20, 2012 at 2:56:00 PM EST
Agreed. I believe all of our ancestors suffered through maladies that today we can remedy in short order. They were a much tougher lot in those days.
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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.