July 13, 1864: 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 July 13. 1864 Afternoon

Dear John, We commence writing to you on this day of the week as is our usual custom, not knowing whether this will fall into your hands or not owing to the distracted state of affairs on our border. Hoping that Babe and yourself are in good health we have to say we are all in good health here. Mother’s health is no worse than it was a week ago, but we think upon the whole rather better. We received a letter from Henry this morning, he is in good health and spirits, was very sea sick on the day after his departure, had just time to get out of his berth next morning and commence vomiting, off Cape Hatteras a heavy gale was blowing. Himself, prisoners and all the guard with few exceptions were deathly sick, all that day & night never suffered more with continued retching and straining. Says, I thought I would surely have died says, they were within hearing of the guns. Off Charleston and could plainly see the smoke after every discharge, they were firing a heavy gun every minute. On Sabbath June 19 landed his prisoners, none missing just one week from the time of leaving Fort D. says he saw Cocoa & other kinds of trees loaded with fruit which we never see at the North. The Col at Ft Jefferson allowed him a boat to go and see Brudenburg Light house distant 5 miles – gathered some coral there, will tell us about his return in next letter. Anne, Robb, & the two children leave at midnight for Cambridge Ohio, for two weeks, as Robb has leave of absence for that time to [?] his health., every effort is making here to recruit men to repel the border invasion. They have great trouble in getting them, Col Clark is trying to raise a company, we are truly sorry for you and your friends – we sold our Coupons / 200$ due now. 1/ 64 for 264 – and 36$ and received $95 04/100. Did you sell yours? We think if you did not, you ought. – Hoping that we may soon hear from you we remain your affectionate father & mother Henry & Mary Warner

P.S. We wonder you got along so well on the 4^th – would like to see a Gettysburgh paper giving an account of the 4^th celebration

Citation: Henry and Mary Warner, autograph letter signed to John Riddle Warner.  Allegheny City [Pittsburgh],13 July 1864. Moore VI:06:7