Civil War Letters of John W. Derr: November 2014

Sunday, November 23, 2014

Letter #42 -- Camp Near Petersburg, VA -- November 1, 1864

Yes...this one is being posted after November 1st...however...there is a logic to it. This part of the letters is pretty much spread out with only three letters between November and February and nearly a two month gap from late November to mid-February. So...I'm stretching them out a bit. There are only eight more letters left, including this one. My mission is almost done and I am a bit saddened by that fact. That said...there are a few projects I am beginning to develop related to the letters, including a book with the unvarnished letters printed in both original and typed format. There will be a forward and an explanation of the events of the 48th PVI, but little or nothing of commentary on the letters themselves. I'll let the reader do their own analysis and conclusion on them. The second project...long overdue...is a full up novel based on these letters as well as the archival documents regarding the life of John W. Derr. As I have written in previous posts, his story does not die when he did in 1876 at the early age of 37 years old. It continued on with his widow, sons and a scandalous family secret that I was able to uncover after being hidden for 75 years. More on that later...

The letter of November 1, 1864 is a follow-up to a previous thread of correspondence regarding money being loaned to John Kramer. A few letters back, John directs his father to loan money to Kramer providing that he get from him a promissory note...or bail. Later John begins to have second thoughts about loaning the money, and tells his father that unless Kramer comes to ask for the money...don't offer it up to him. Well...it appears that Kramer has indeed come for the money...and John references it here in this letter.

In the previous letter, John had given a fellow comrade, George Artz, $150 to bring home for safe keeping. This letter confirms that John's father had indeed received that money.

John is also interested in home life. He asks what his brothers and father are doing around the farm. He inquires about his good friend Josiah Fetterolf and whether the butchering season has begun.

John also teases his little brother for not writing and calls him "a little scochmen"...or...Scotsman. A common term at the time for a person who was thrifty...or cheap!

Lastly, an interesting statement is written by another hand on the letter...it reads:

“Bidding Dealer, Men & Boys Clothing, Hats, Caps and Fancy Notions opposite H. Adams Hotel, Mr. Samuel Wampole, Battery L, 3^rd Heavy Artillery, Fortress Monroe, Center Street,” and “Elizabeth Weaver but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses.”

The Samuel Wampole, might be the Samuel he inquires about in this letter. I am unsure of Elizabeth Weaver or the meaning of the phrase after...

Camp near Petersburg, Va.

November the 1^st, 1864

My Dear Father and Mother,

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. I received your letter and I was glad to hear that you got my money. You didn’t write whether Artz brought it there or not. But I suppose he did else you wouldn’t got it. It is all right that you gave Kramer the money. I also got nine postage stamps and the darning needle safe in the letter. I got no particular to write today so let me know what all the boys and Father are working. I forgot the direction to Samuel.* If you got it send it to me and I will write to him. Let me know how all the folks are getting along around home. Tell old Fetterolf to write a letter to me for it is near butchering time now again. Then that is the time for him to write. So I will bring my letter to a close for this time. This few lines from your son.

John W. Derr to his Father and Mother

Answer soon and direct your letter as before. I will put a fine picture in this letter for my brother William, the little Scochmen (Scotsman). I don’t never hear from him.

John W. Derr

* two notes in someone elses handwriting were included in the letter. “Bidding Dealer, Men & Boys Clothing, Hats, Caps and Fancy Notions opposite H. Adams Hotel, Mr. Samuel Wampole, Battery L, 3^rd Heavy Artillery, Fortress Monroe, Center Street,” and “Elizabeth Weaver but if ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespasses.”

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.