The following letter was written by 24 year-old Alfred Norman Proctor (1822-1901), the son of Nicholson Broughton Proctor (1788-1866) and Lucy Bond (1788-1837) of Essex county, Massachusetts. He wrote the letter to his brother Albert Edgel Proctor (b. 1824).

Alfred was working in the US Naval Yard in Charleston under the direction of the yard’s blacksmith in the Spring of 1847 when he embarked on a journey to Mexico to meet up with the Massachusetts regiment at Matamoras only to arrive there and discover that they had left for Monterey. He decided to follow after them but became seriously ill and so returned to the States. He returned to New Orleans and eventually took a job as a Civil Engineer at the Navy Yard in that city.

This interesting letter was written while Alfred was enroute to Mexico. He describes the processions honoring returning veterans of the War with Mexico which was rapidly drawing to a close—including a description of the funeral procession transporting the bodies of Col. William McKee and Lt. Col. Henry Clay, Jr. from the army to the steamer to be transported home. Both were killed in the Battle of Buena Vista almost four months earlier. The detailed descriptions of the uniforms of Col. Doniphan’s Missourians is priceless.

Alfred’s service record during the Civil War can be found on Find A Grave at Col. Alfred Norman Proctor.

Transcription

New Orleans, [Louisiana]
June 18, 1847

Dear Brother,

I suppose by this time that you have received my last and are anxiously looking for another. I left Pensacola on the 9th for a short pleasure trip, &c., and arrived here on the 11th in good health. I had a very hard ride for about 60 miles on the way—that is, from Pensacola to Mobile in the stage. The road was very rough indeed. I left Pensacola at half past 4 p.m. and arrived at Mobile at 11 on the next day, kinder tired out. I tried my best to get some sleep but could not. The way the coach jumped was a caution to Davy Crockett and it was a tight match to keep on my seat some of the time. The whole distance was through the woods.

But as to my visit here, I suppose you would like to know about it. I will not disguise it. I never did nor never will disguise except it be actually necessary. I think of visiting Mexico to see what the soil is made of and see how they look and so on. I expect to leave for the Brazos tomorrow or the day after. I don’t know how long I shall stop there, but probably but a few days. I wish you to write immediately on the receipt of this to Metamoras. I want you to direct. Don’t fill your letter up with humbug and soft soap, but write the news of the day about the Hancock, &c. It will do no good—only fill up the sheet. If I can get employment at that place for $80 or $90 per month, I shall stop. If not, go on. I shall keep you informed.

They are having great times here—processions, &c., &c. The day before I arrived here they had a great reception of the Mississippi Regiment. And the day after I arrived, there was a great procession in honor of the gallant Feud. I saw the coffins that contained the bodies of the Gallant Colonel’s [Henry] Clay [Jr.] & [William R.] McKee & three others. They were drawn on common carriages and were covered with beautiful velvet palls with silver fringe & characters. It was a mournful sight, I can assure you. Every face was downcast. The poor volunteers looked sorrowful enough. The remains were taken on board the boat and they—the living and the dead—left for their homes together. ¹

I was on board of the Massachusetts steamer today. There are a number of sick on board of her too weak to be removed. They are from Vera Cruz. I would not go there for anything at the present time. i saw two that died last night & spoke with one that will die before night. I think they are all emaciated from diarrhea. I believe 5 or 6 have died since she arrived. They were laying on the deck with their clothes on with their faces covered with a jacket thrown over & the well men were running about. them as if they were alive. They laid as they died in different parts of the ship.

It is getting rather sickly here. 120 died last week but I thank God that I am well as yet & hope & pray that I may still be preserved. I saw among the wounded that arrived last week one poor Lieutenant of the Mississippi Regiment that lost his leg at Monterey; another, a Colonel of the same regiment, lost two of his fingers & was wounded in the hip. I could not help pitying them although they were in excellent good spirits. Col. [Alexander W.] Doniphan’s Regiment arrived yesterday. They are a fine looking set of men—strong and healthy. They have hard looking clothes. Some of them are made of buff leather entirely and without a stitch of thread or a button on them but made together by a twinning, so called, which are pieces of sinew. It is tied together so to look like a fringe at every seam. Others had on velvet pants lined on the inside with buff so that they would not wear against the saddle. Their hair hangs down almost to their waists. I saw a great many trophies which were taken from the Mexicans—cannons, blunderbusses—saddles—blankets, &c. &c. &c.

I met last Saturday with Charles Blodget from Boston. We met in the street—he knew me; I did not him. He has been through the Lakes & come down the [Mississippi] River last Friday. Both arrived on the same day. His health is much better. He thinks of stopping here somewhere in the South. He is fatted up considerably. He sends his respects. I have had a very bad cold for the last two weeks on my lungs but hope to get well soon. I have no more news at present. Your affectionate brother — Alfred N. Proctor

I left my trunk & $77.50 in care of a responsible man—Mr. James Wright at the Navy Yard. I have no thought of joining the regiment but go to fulfill my promises to them to meet them there. It makes me feel mad to think that I am so tied up by bloody relatives that I cannot do as I think best.

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¹ The Daily Picayune of Sunday, 13 June 1847 reported that “the remains of Col. McKee, Lieut. Col. Clay, Adjutant Vaughan, Capt. Willis and Private Trotter, of the 2d Kentucky Regiment, who fell at Buena Vista, were yesterday escorted by the Orleans Battalion of Artillery, the staff of the Legion, the commanders of the military corps and a large concourse of citizens, from the Arsenal to the steamer Ringgold. The funeral cortege moved from the Place d’Armes at 4 o’clock, and passed through Chartres Canal and St. Charles streets to Poydras street down which it marched to the Levee. All the vessels in the river carried their flags at half mast during the day, and minute guns were fired whilst the procession was in motion…The bodies were carried upon cannon carriages covered with black velvet and appropriate emblems of mourning…As the solemn pageant passed through our streets, many a sigh was heaved for the brave spirits whose mouldering dust is all that is left of them on earth, except the memories of their virtues and their gallant deeds—many a tear was shed for the hearths made desolate by the chances of war. The bodies were deposited in the Ringgold at 6 o’clock and at 7 she dropped down to the Place d’Arms where a salute was fired…”