Correspondence
Captain Jackson V. Parker
June 1862: Baton Rouge, La
My Dear Parents,
I took the first opportunity to write you after arriving at this place. You see we are moving around lively now days. We worked hard at Fork Pike and as soon as we had got to the Fort, cleaned up, guns mounted, we were ordered away. We are___ ____ above New Orleans and Tuesday we go to Vicksburg to participate in the reduction of that place. We anticipate a hard fight there. There are a great many more boats collecting here and I understand we will move together Tuesday.
This is the capital of La and it is a beautiful city. We are operating in the arsenal. Our Reg. is highly spoken of and I judge we arrived easily. Charlie (Jackson’s brother age 16) is at Fort Pike has been very low but is improving nicely now. I could not get anything until lately to nurse him up. He now has eggs, chicken, milk, brought to him every day by a negro woman. I also included in getting a bottle of _(brand)_______? Bourbon Whiskey for him.
The first spoonful fired up his countenance, toned his stomach and he grasped his chicken broth and ate with good (grace ?). He was sinking and pining away every hour for some spirits. I went to New Orleans but the rebels would not look at Yankee money. Charlie got so he had to be helped out of bed and held up to do his relief business but after he got some spirits I never see one come up so fast. He was doing well and the Captain detached one of the best nurses I ever saw to take care of him. Dr. Dunham Green doctors him.he is a Mason and you can even rest assured he will be well cared for. I got a mattress and pillow for him and Dr. Kelly has sent down some spirits of Nitre (?sp) and have brandy for him. I think he will get his discharge soon and will probably come up the river (Mississippi) to Newport (MN). I tell you Charley spoke often of you and Mother during his sickness. He got frightened and he would say “Oh if mother was here, she would bring me (_____?). He says if he ever gets where you are again he will never leave you.
To myself, I am ready for anything that comes up. I have the Hatch & Parker constitution. (His mother was Emily Hatch-Parker). Some days on the ground I go without sleep or eating that wear down most any man in the Company. I have actually been there day and night without sleep and felt ______ surely. When I captured the “Brown” (gunboat?) I didn’t sleep for three days and night s. The excitement kept my mind and body _____ awake.
I am pretty sure Father I have now got to see some fighting. We are coming up in the rear. Beauregard’s grand army is slowly retreating back to us. I cannot say Father how I should stand affected on the field of battle but I hope God has blessed me sufficiently that I may endure myself as becomes a soldier. I have never seen a battle and I cannot tell what affect it would have on me. The conceptual loss is enforced more here and the rebels are sending more recruits fast. Col. Mulligan (sp) of one of our Reg. was out the other day back of this place on a D com. and he had fire balls fired onto him. I just heard he died today. This is a rabidisish (sp.) hole. The town and most of the people have fled. The _____? house is a splendid building and is occupied by our troops. Our Reg. is operating in the arsenal. The Rebels are directly _____ above us. One of our gun boats has just returned, she had 70 shots fired onto her, was obliged to cut her cable and retreat...this occurred a few miles above here
I found New Orleans to be a wreck and a God forsaken hole. I expected to see something grand, beautiful and sublime. My eyes beheld the worst city built to the contrary. I saw something on a whole scale and disgusting.
Butler is _______ and improving every day but it will take him fifty ears to _____ this city of the ______?.
Butler complements our Company highly as we happen through this city. The rest of the soldiers that went to Fork Pike with us are there yet. We have 8 1/2 companies here and we turn out enforce an average of one hundred men for duty more then any other full Regiment. This tells whether we can stand the climate or not. Where ever we go you will hear exclamations of what a burley Regiment that is . General William's speaks of us highly. Company B stands the highest of any Company in the Reg. and if anything is to be done, we are called upon first.
Mgr. Holbrook says he always wants Co. B with him. That is the reason we came up here. Our Co did not hesitate a moment but orders us to pack up and be ready to march. I was glad to _____ but one thing for sure, my heart and tears had to come when I had to leave Charley. I took all my pains to provide for his comfort and he was so much stronger and was doing fine.
Dr. Green tells me I must not trouble and he will assure his recovery. I have written him a good long cheering letter tonight.
I must bring this to a close as it is very late. I will have to rise at 4 in the morning.
Your son,
Lieut. J. V. Parker
Jackson and Charles Parker's letters are provided courtesy of Karen Parker-Galvin, Charles' great-granddaughter.
