Tag Archives: grief

23 April 1865: “Mankind has lost its best friend since the crusifiction of Christ” and “How I loved him! He was my hero.”

As this blog’s end draws near, we present two different accounts of grief. The first letter mourns the loss of Abraham Lincoln, while the second diary entry laments the loss of Stonewall Jackson. Item Description: Letter dated 23 April 1865 … Continue reading

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19 November 1863: “To-day (Thanksgiving day) when the service commenced the shelling commenced too, and stopped just at the conclusion of our sermon.”

Item description: Letter, dated 19 November 1863, from Henry Deas Lesesne to William S. Pettigrew.  In this letter, Henry describes the death of a relative, Mrs. North, and arrangements to care financially for the son of Pettigrew’s deceased brother.  Lesesne … Continue reading

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16 November 1863: “I know of no more fitting resting place for a brave soldier than the battlefield on which he has laid down his life in the defense of the rights of his Country.”

Item Description:  Letter dated 16 November 1863, from Robert E. Lee to R. H. Graves, about locating the remains of Captain H. A. Gordon at Gettysburg.  Robert E. Lee was a United States Army officer, 1829-1861; commander of Virginia forces in … Continue reading

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2 September 1863: “The death of Genl Pettigrew, as it no common loss, so it is not merely a family sorrow.”

Item description: Letter, dated 2 September 1863, to Mary Pettigrew from Mr. Patterson, a Confederate soldier and a friend of the Pettigrew family.  He writes to express condolences on the recent death of Mary’s brother, General James Johnston Pettigrew. [transcription … Continue reading

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11 August 1863: “…we ventured once more to urge him to make his peace with God.”

Item description: Letter, dated 11 August 1863, from Mrs. Mary Preston to her relative Mrs. Kennedy, informing her of the death of her nephew, William.  She discusses William’s final days and religious activities surrounding his death. [transcription available below images] … Continue reading

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24 July 1863: “…Nat Went in to the Battle in Pennsylvania and he supposed he was killed he had not bin herd since…”

Item description: Letter, dated 24 July 1863, from Sally A. Bouldin to her “dear sister” Sally Hundley, reporting that her husband Nat was missing and presumed to have been killed during the Battle of Gettysburg. Item citation: From folder 2 … Continue reading

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17 March 1862: “I had heared of his death before your last letter reached me, and have written since, but Celestia when I saw the curly lock of hair, I had to weep again…”

Item description: In a 9 March 1862 letter that we recently featured, Union soldier Emmett Cole wrote to his sister Celestia that he had just learned from a mutual acquaintance that Emmett and Celestia’s younger brother Edgar, who was too … Continue reading

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9 March 1862: “is it possible that the Recruiting angel from the unknown world has again broken into our family circle and taken one in the very bloom of youth…”

Item description: Letter, 9 March 1862, from Emmett Cole to his sister Celestia. Cole expresses his great sadness at hearing the news of the death of their brother, Edgar. Item citation: From folder 2 of the Emmett Cole Letters #5002-z, … Continue reading

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2 February 1862: “Dear Sis, I know that you all sympathize with me, and grieve with me, and that you know I would not bring her back if I could.”

Item description: Letter, 2 February 1862, from Laura Williams (1841- 1927), to her sister, Ellen Richardson (1839-1921) in Okolona, Mississippi. In this letter, Laura describes some of her traveling experiences reflects on a recently attended funeral, which reminds her of … Continue reading

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