While her husband Taylor served with the 22nd Iowa Infantry, Catharine Peirce managed several farm and town properties, handled the family finances, and raised three young children. After his enlistment Catharine and the children had moved in with her brother, Cyrus, and his wife, Mary, who was Taylor’s sister.
Des Moines April/12/63
Dear Taylor
I have not got much to communicate this morning but it is sunday and I write to let thee know how we all are. We are all well to day. Cyrus is better than he has been for some time at least better than he was this time last year and I hope he will get better as the spring advances.
Dear one I sit down to write to thee not knowing what I may find to say to thee. We get no war news at this time. I suppose that the heads of affairs are trying to keep thing quiet for the present so the rebles will not know what thair at. All I have to say about it is that I hope they will do something soon that will tell and that pritty loudly too for I think that now is the time to strike a blow that will make them squirm. From what I can hear the rebles are nearly starved out and if it is true they will have to give up before long. We heard last week that there had been a bread riot among the woman and Children in Savanna and that they were in a starveing Steate and would set fire to the city if they did not get bread. It seems to me that is a big threat for woman to make but then a woman will do and dair a great deal for her starveing children. I think a pity of the poor little children but the just must suffer with the unjust. If the parents had not been such foul traitors they might still of enjoyed peace and plenty unless they belong to the class of men that are pressed into the war against their principals which I learned there are hundreds of such among the reble forces.
I can not help but feel thankful to the giver of all good that we have pleny here at the North and a fine prospect for more. The spring is opend but not as earley or as forward as it had the apperence of two or three weeks ago. But still the framework gos on gloriously. We have had no rain for some time and it is geting pritty dry so the grass is backward this season. We have had no boats up this spring and that has made teaming a good business here and wages are good generaly. The river was full enought at one time for boats to run up but I suppose that government has them all in her services to carrie provisions for the soldiers. It must take an awfull amount to supply the army that lay around Vicksburg with enough to eat.
Thee wanted me to send thy book account on Ault and a note. The note I inclose to thee. The book account I hope thee has receved before this time as I sent it some three weeks ago and also Mary’s and Franks pictures. I would get little Ellis picure if I thought I could get any thing like a good one to send to thee but the artists do not like to take the picture of a baby and it is a hard matter to get them still long enough to get any like a picture. So I will wait a while and hope that thee will get home soon to see the little thing. I think he looks very much like the old hoss himself. The other Children say they want thee to come home so that they can kiss and hugg thee. They both have to kiss thair Aunt and uncle every night before they go to bed and wish one for thee. I believe I must close now. With heart felt love I remain thine Catharine. Give my respects to all that I know that thee think are deserveing of such.
Catharine A Peirce Des Moines Iowa Polk County