Description:

Civil War



Civil War Letter by a Woman to Her Family Just after Gettysburg, on Death of Ellsworth Letterhead


Civil War dated bifold ALS, four pages of cream blue lined paper handwritten front and back in elegant black cursive, with top of first page featuring print depicting the death of Colonel Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union officer killed in the Civil War. The letter is signed “your loving daughter Ruth” and was addressed to Ruth’s mother on July 20, 1863. Ruth does not specify her location, but we can assume that she was in a pro-Union area of the Midwest, since Illinois is mentioned, and the letterhead has a definite Northern slant. In very good condition with expected fold marks and toning. Each page measures 4.625" x 7.625".


Ruth’s letter gives us an unusually intimate portrait of mid-nineteenth-century domestic life. She updates her mother about family and friends, and provides commentary about some of them, especially vivacious or wayward children. Ruth gossips a little – about the dismissal of one Mrs. Lyman and about the accidental shooting death of a three-year-old girl --, but also takes the opportunity to broach weighty issues. At one point, Ruth writes solemnly, You probably feel that your days have been ‘few & evil’ but it seems to me you have not lived in vain. Some of the best of people are among your decendants [sic]”.


The Civil War is not mentioned explicitly at all in the letter, an interesting omission considering that the bloody and significant Battle of Gettysburg had just taken place about three weeks earlier. Ruth mentions that one of her friend’s Gideon’s sons is going on a mission, but it is unclear whether this is a religious one or a military one. No locals have been injured, reported killed, or taken prisoner. There are no food shortages, and there are plenty of young men to complete haying and other farm work. Ruth’s enigmatic postscript “You must not look for me home things look rather dark but I shant give up entirely” may be a reference to some wartime adversity, but we can’t tell for sure. Overall, a mysterious letter that both reveals and conceals details about one farming woman’s life.


The text, with untouched spelling and grammatical errors, can be found below:


“Monday, July 20, 1863

Dear Mother,


Amos & Abner have taken their dinner and gone to work at hay. I have washed and been a card? so I will write a few lines to you. I heard that you was at Jennet’s the last I heard from you was glad to hear it. It must be pleasant for you to go down there and make long stays every-body likes a little change & I know you get about very little more “by reason of age”. 2 weeks ago today Samuel and his wife & Sammy celebrated your birth day by going to Gideons. They found they were thinking of it down there. None of us forget you We owe, nobody knows how much to your upright help of conduct & decision of character through life. You probably feel that your days have been “few & evil” but it seems to me you have not lived in vain. Some of the best of people are among your decendants. Gideon has some good children in his family. George is one of the best boys I ever knew. Edward intends to go off about a hundred miles on a mission It is a great thing for Gideon to spare him yet he says he feels thankful for the desire in him to go. They have another boy baby down there. Frank is 3 years old quite out of hand. When Ruth was here she got her picture & ? up her children so if I should go home you will see them. After Marrilla died Amos & I went down she came here with us I staid 10 weeks about here. Lydee’s had a severe sickness in the time. Ruth was glad she was here with her. She never forgets Marilla she was a sweet child. She died soon after she went home from here in winter. Martha was here with her children the other day. Julia is a smart active child beginning to talk. Berrill goes to school. Fred is Assessor. We live near the bery bush so my friend viset me at this season if no other Rebecca has been over raspberrying I goes berrying a number of times she says her father relishes the raspberries so well she wants to get them for him he has a poor appetite a great deal of the time I dont think he ever is well his boys a so large now they are a great help to him Judson is a man Sammy is a tender lad likes to be trying his mechanical genius better than being at hard work.


Abner is about 1 inch short of 6 feet high he is not quite as large around as his uncle Samuel. Although he has got be a man he does not forget his grandmother after alls what you did for him.


I hear Mrs Lyman is dismissed. I suppose you was not much acquainted with him & his wife but remember Mr Hayes and his wife. Adaline married George Churchill in Ill a cousin of Samuels children they heard from them last week they had a little girl three years old by a lad who was handling a gun carelessly she was killed outright on the 7th of July. My paper is full so goodbye Your loving daughter Ruth


Give my love to Jonathan Jennet Jonathan Cd & Sarah ? for her aunt Ruth. You must not look for me home things look rather dark but I shant give up entirely”.



WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE.

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

We do our own in-house worldwide shipping!
Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. ***PLEASE NOTE: IF YOU WOULD LIKE YOUR SHIPMENT TO BE SENT TO AN ADDRESS OTHER THAN THE ONE YOU HAVE ON FILE WITH INVALUABLE, YOU WILL NEED TO INFORM US OF THIS AS SOON AS PAYMENT IS SUBMITTED FOR YOUR WINNINGS. ALSO, ALL PACKAGES SHIPPED FROM OUR OFFICES REQUIRE A DIRECT SIGNATURE UPON DELIVERY.*** Shipping and handling costs are competitive as we maintain discounted contracts with FedEx. If you have any questions, contact University Archives prior to bidding. After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 5 business days following receipt of full payment for item. We currently ship via FedEx but if your purchase is shipping to a P.O. Box, we ship via USPS. All items are insured. We ship from our offices in Westport, CT. We may opt to use a third party shipper for very fragile, bulky or oversized items. Items requiring third party shipping will be denoted in the item description. Packages shipped internationally will have full value declared on shipping form. International buyers will be responsible for any customs fees incurred.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Westport, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

December 5, 2018 10:30 AM EST
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000