Letter Number 2--From the Mary/Sue Collection--Robert to Sarah--27 November 1862 (Date Provided in Letter)

 

Letter 2 Original Front

 

Letter 2 Original Reverse

 

Letter 2 Enhanced Front

 

Letter 2 Enhanced Reverse

 

THE CORRESPONDANCE BETWEEN ROBERT BOND JR. (1819- 1894) AND WIFE SARAH ANN (MAIDEN NAME “FISK”—1823-1909) BETWEEN 1862 AND 1868

 

From the Mary/Sue Collection

Transcription of Letter “2”—from Robert to Sarah

27 November 1862—Date Provided in Letter

Transcribed by William B. Bond—Sept., 2013

FRONT SIDE:

Lagearnge Tenn¹

                   Nov 27^th 1862

          Dear Wife

I was glad to here² from you and that

you was dis Disappointed you with mony³

I wish I cod⁴ dis appont⁵ you⁶ with Sum⁷ mor⁸

mony³ I will wen⁹ I get my pay

the harmay¹⁰ is in commoson¹¹ her² we

Ex spet¹² to lev¹³ her² to moro¹⁴ for hollay Sping¹⁵.

I koow¹⁶ will¹⁷ hop¹⁸ I shal¹⁹ remane²⁰ So

tel²¹ Willie^A I was glad to hear that he

was a good boy

                   Rember²² me

                   at yarr²³ Beet day²⁴ Supper²⁵

                   So good by²⁶ for this time

                   Sarah

                             R. Bond

FOOTNOTES:

1.  La Grange, Tennessee

2.  hear

3.  money

4.  could

5.  disappoint

6.  you

7.  some

8.  more

9. when

10.  probably “Army”

11. commotion

12.  expect

13. leave

14.  tomorrow

15.  Holly Springs, Mississippi—about 30 miles across the border from La Grange, Tennessee. There is a road connecting the two. 

16.  probably “now”

17.  probably “will”

18.  hope

19.  shall

20.  remain

21.  tell

22.  remember

23.  your

24. birthday. Sarah’s birthday was December 25^th—less than a month from the time this letter was written.

25.  supper

26.  goodbye

LIST OF INDIVIDUALS MENTIONED:

A. William Othello “Willie” Bond (1860-1928)—Fourth oldest child and only son of Robert and Sarah.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

NOTE 1: This is the earliest dated letter in this collection, written about 3 months after Robert began military service. Reading this letter is a challenge due to the unusual spelling and grammar. In some cases I had to take a “best guess” as to what was written. But it should be remembered that this letter was written “in the field” most likely under very difficult circumstances. So it is a treasure that it exists at all. It should be noted that Robert’s handwriting and spelling improved as time went on and he wrote more letters home.

If anyone who examines a scan of the original can better make out what the words are or can see anywhere that there is an error in the transcription, I would welcome their input.

The following is my attempt at a transcription of the entire letter with spelling and grammar corrected:

La Grange, Tennessee

                             November 27^th 1862

                   Dear Wife

I was glad to hear from you and that

you were disappointed with money.

I wish I could disappoint you with some more

money. I will when I get my pay.

The Army is in commotion here, we

expect to leave here tomorrow for Holly Springs.

I now will hope I shall remain. So

tell Willie I was glad to hear that he

was a good boy.

          Remember me

          at your birthday supper.

          So goodbye for this time,

          Sarah.

                   R. Bond

NOTE 2:  This letter was written on the front of a single sheet of paper. There is no writing on the reverse. There is no “embossed seal” indicating the paper manufacturer at the upper left of the front side as was common on many papers of the time. The letter seems to be complete.

NOTE 4:  This letter describes the daily life of Robert while serving with the Wisconsin Volunteers during the Civil War. The major topics family finances, movement of the army, a short message to his son Willie, and birthday wishes for wife Sarah. This is a very loving letter Robert wrote to his wife Sarah.