June 24, 1863: Henry and Mary Warner to John Warner

Henry and Mary Warner lived in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, now part of Pittsburgh. They are the great-grandparents of poet Marianne Moore.  By the 1860s they had three surviving children:  John, Henry, and Anne. Their letters to John, a Presbyterian minister living in Gettysburg, are preserved as part of Marianne Moore’s family papers.

Transcript:

Allegheny City Wednesday June 24^th 1863 1 P.M.

Our Dear Children—Hoping this may reach you, we venture to send it. We have nothing to write about but merely to say that we are all in excellent health, plodding along in our usual old way, streets are without pedestrians, every body drilling, building rifle pits, or planting cannon on the hills around the two cities—in Pittsburgh the fife & drum is to be heard in the various recruiting stations—Drinking saloons & Stores all shut—Factories of every description silent, not a hammer to be heard, Thousands being employed on the hills all round, rich & poor all working, no idlers except helpless old creatures like myself. We think if we were situated as you are, we would write to you, for we believe the communication has not yet been cut off between you and us. If your letter did fail to reach us, the loss would not be your fault, you may be sure we feel anxious to hear from you

On Saturday eve we received a note from Henry—He says “I am in receipt of the latest news—Poor John!” We answered his letter on Monday—we think we are pretty well fixed for ‘Secesh’ and we are improving every day. Kind remembrance to Jennie, and affectionate embrace for our Dear little Mary—wish we had you here with us, And now may The Might God of Jacob Bless & Protect you is the sincere prayer of your affectionate father & mother

Henry & Mary Warner

Citation: Henry and Mary Warner, autograph letter signed to John Riddle Warner. Allegheny City [Pittsburgh], 24 June 1863. Moore VI:05:20