Civil War Letters of John W. Derr: May 2014

Friday, May 16, 2014

Letter #34 - Spotsylvania Court House, VA -- May 16, 1862

With the appointment of Ulysses S. Grant to lead the Union forces in the eastern theater, the lives of the 48th PVI were about to change dramatically. May of 1864 would usher in the start of the Rapidan Campaign and would include some of the most horrific battles seen during the Civil War...The Wilderness...Spotsylvania...Spotsylvania Court House...The Assault on the Salient...Stannard's Mills...North Anna River...Line of the Pumunkey...Totopotomoy...Cold Harbor...Bethesda Church...and the start of the Petersburg Siege.

The letter of May 16, 1864 provides a rare description of the difficult situation faced by the 48th PVI.

John describes "firing at the rebels" during the the Wilderness and Spotsylvania Court House battles. The unit survives the battles well, but there are some casualities...John Boyer and his cousin John D. Weikel. He sends home some level of reassurance for other family and friends...Daniel Derr, Elias Derr (17th PA Cav.) and Isaac Yarnell and Emanuel Bolich.

Spotsylvania Court House, Va.

May 16^th, 1864

My Dear Father and Mother,

I take this present opportunity to inform 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. You must excuse me for not writing to you any sooner because we was busy this two last weeks after the rebels. We had two pretty hard fights since. We are out and are now laying on the battle field for the six last days firing at the rebels and are fighting with them every day. But all the boys from around there are safe yet as much as I know. But John Boyer got wounded today but it ain’t very bad. It is only a flesh wound through the left leg above the knee. And John D. Weikel is missing. Nobody knows anything about him and I don’t know where he is or where he got to. He got away from us in the morning that we went into the battle. He was along when we advanced in line of battle. Thank God that I am safe yet and I hope that I always may get through safe. We have some hard nuts to bite. But I hope we will be successful in taking Richmond for we are bound to have it or else all die. This is the cry all through the Army. I also seen some of the 17^th Pennsylvania Cavalry. I seen Daniel Derr and Elias Derr and Isaac Yarnall and Emanuel Bolich and they are all well and look hearty. So I must close this few lines for it is getting dark and I have no more to write for this time. This few lines from your beloved son.

John W. Derr

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

Union trench works at Spotsylvania Court House battlefield

Battle of Spotsylvania Court House

John D. Weikel had joined the 48th PVI Co. D when the regiment completed it's furlough in March of 1864. Joining the regiment at Pottsville and entering the exciting world of the Army! John, and the other cousins, more than likely were tasked by the family at home with the job of keeping an eye on the new...novice private. It was quite a time for a new recruit to enter the Civil War and it is not surprising that he went missing in the fog of war.

P.S. John D. Weikel was found and mustered out of the regiment with his fellow 48th PVI-ers in 1865.

Jim D.

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.