This letter was written by Rachel Maria (Crossman) Bolles (1823-1886), the wife of Lorenzo Bolles, Jr. (1822-1869). The couple were married in 1852. For both Rachel and Lorenzo, it was their second marriage. Lorenzo’s first wife, Ann Aurelia Ellsworth, died in 1852 after 7 years marriage. Fachel’s first husband, Pliney Merrick Sibley died in 1844 after two years marriage. The Bolles’ children included Mary Lucretia Bolles (1850-1931), Lorenzo Bolles (1854-1944), Carrie M. Bolles (1856-1940), and Anna Sophronia Bolles (1862-1938).
Rev. Lorenzo Bolles was a Methodist minister. At the time that Rev. Bolles enlisted as the chaplain of the 21st Iowa Infantry, he was serving as a minister and financial agent for a group of eastern Methodists who were planning to move wholesale onto 1,000 acres they had purchased in Iowa as a group. They had made arraignments for a “Colony House” where people could stay with their families until their farms or businesses were created and then they would move, allowing the next group of settlers a place to come to. A financial panic ended the project in the late 1850’s with only the first group of settlers making it to Iowa.
[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Mike Huston and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.]
Transcription
Sand Spring [Iowa]
December 31st 1862
My very dear husband,
Your dear, kind, long-looked for, and much wished-for letter of 19th was received last Friday eve. I read it three times before going to bed and again in the morn. I don’t know but I should have read it again but Harriet hadn’t laughed at me. I presume I shall read it several times more before I get another. That is the way I usually do. It is a little like talking with you to read over your letters. Oh, how I do want to see you this eve. I believe I should kiss you a thousand times. That you would enjoy, no doubt.
I do home that you will come home as soon as spring if it is only for a few weeks. It would be a great comfort to us all thought it would be very hard to have you go back.
I rejoice that the time of Emancipation is so near at hand, but the Lord only knows what the result will be. I hope it will bring the war to a close soon.
We are all quite well now. I have some cold. So has the babe, but we are both getting over it. Carrie is not as well as she was before being sick. She looks pale. Her skin is yet low. I am very choice of her—perhaps too much so though I let her go out to take the air every pleasant day. I feel the need of your council when the children are sick.
It has been very warm and pleasant for two weeks past. People are planting. I haven’t got our house plastered yet. Marsh got some lime off Mr. Spence but Mr. [Mylo] Byington could not work it. Martin brought me some today that was left of their house so perhaps it will be done if Mr. Byington does not go East. Mr. George Boing is here now. I suppose it will be decided whether he goes or stays. Mrs. [Anna L. Isham] Byington’s sister is to be married this week and come out here on a visit.
I haven’t seen Mrs. Byington for a long time. She has not visited me since you left. Has called several times. I sometimes think she has been talked to by our neighbors until she don’t like us as well as she used to. I was invited down there to a party two weeks ago but did not go. Parties are getting to be quite common though there is a certain few invited. Mrs. [Mary] Hubbard gave one last week for those that she thought had been slighted (this week she is have the other set). Her guests were Mr. Campdell and wife, Mr. [William Henry] Sherwood and wife, Reed and wife, Yarion and wife, Ompstead and wife, Mrs. [William] Haslem 1 and myself. She give me my choice to go in and visit with them or wait until the other set. Said she wanted very much that I should go then but if not, I must next time. I thought I could select my one company so I just stayed at home and shall do so this week if I happen to be invited but I don’t expect to be. Those parties have already caused some hard feelings.
Mrs. Battles was here last Sunday. She is feeling anxious about Benny. 2 He was in the battle at Fredericksburg. The other two have got their discharge and gone home. The wife of one of them was buried ten days before he got home. 3 Harriet has a letter from Lid. Her father wants you to write him what you are doing and what you think about the war and he will have it put into the Palmer Journal.
I enclose to you Mr. Claflin’s kind letter. He directed to St. Louis, then crossed it and directed to Sand Spring, Dubuque county. Mr. Spence said he was going to write to you last week.
The children intended to write this week but their letters are not ready so they must wait until next time. Carrie is delighted with her letter. She shows it to everyone that comes in. She thinks all the world of her father and I expect our little Annie does for she always laughs when we talk to her about you. She has got to be a great, fat girl. It makes my arms ache to take care of her. She has found out since she was sick that it is more pleasant to sit in lap than in the cradle though she is pretty good and as sweet as a rose. What would you give to see her. I wondered how you and Huslam get along keeping house. Do you keep clean? Wonder if you ever wash your clothes or starch your dicky. I should like to spend the winter with you if I could but if you can come home and stay with me next summer, I will not complain. Mrs. Haslem got a letter from her sweet heart this eve. It seems to do her much good to get a letter as it does me.
How do you like your new situation. Suppose it is pleasanter than hospital service. What is your pay now? What was it in the hospital? I can think of a thousand things that I want to say to you that I cannot write but I must close with much love to you from us all. May Heaven’s richest blessings rest upon you and your labors. Take good care of your health and keep out of danger if you can.
From your affectionate wife, — R. M. Bolles
1 Private William Haslem served in Co. K, 21st Iowa Infantry.
2 Benjamin (“Benny”) Battles (1839-1913) was the son of Otis Battles (1810-1890) and Sally Burt (1814-1882) who lived at Sand Spring, South Fork, Delaware county, Iowa at the time of the 1860 US Census. Benny enlisted in August 1861 in Co. G of the 18th Massachusetts Infantry. He was engaged with the Regiment in 1862 in the Peninsula Campaign, including the Siege of Yorktown, Second Bull Run, Antietam, Shepherdstown, and Fredericksburg. He was wounded in the right hand at the battle of Fredericksburg on Dec. 13, 1862 and hospitalized at Judiciary Square Hospital, Washington, DC for two weeks before being furloughed home. He was discharged due to disability with a Surgeon’s Certificate at Boston, MA on April 1, 1863.
3 The Battles other sons who served in the Union army included Otis L. Battles (1833-1906) and Nathaniel M. Battles (1836-1870). Otis was married in 1856 to Samantha Ann Barrows (1835-1911). Nathaniel was married to Celia A. Goodwin (1841-1862) who died on 13 October 1862 at Wareham, Massachusetts. Nathaniel—a cabinet maker—served in Co. H, 29th Massachusetts. He was discharged for disability on 21 October 1862.
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