| Title: | Andrew Greenlees, Grand Rapids, USA to 'Dear Brother' |
|---|---|
| ID | 1253 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Greenlees, Andrew/23 |
| Year | 1861 |
| Sender | Greenlees, Andrew |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | farmer |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA |
| Destination | Magheramore, Co. Wicklow, Ireland |
| Recipient | Greenlees, John |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | brothers |
| Source | D3561/A/26: The Papers of Prof E.R.R. Green Deposited by Dr. P.R. Green |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N.Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9902224 |
| Date | 09/09/1861 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 26:02:99. |
| Word Count | 856 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Grand Rapids Sept 9th / 61 Dear Brother it is a very wet day so that I cant get outdoors to do any thing I will therefore embrace the opportunity of writing to you the date of your last I have forgot but recollect recieving [receiving?] a letter from you some time within the last three years I also recieved [received?] a letter from Father a few days ago in which he tells me you are all well this also leaves us well as usual. but the world seems to be buffeting me hard and pressing me sore on every side harvesting and threshing are now about over and leaves us nothing but a bill of expense for (net profit) the rust all but destroyed our wheat, and men being scarce wages are pretty high so that the expense more than [------?] the whole of what the grain is worth after it is threshed Markets are very depressed trade is dull; in short we feel the effects of the war [torn] every channel of buisness [business?], but we must hopefully and [p---tely?] wait untill [until?] the end comes and hope it will be peace as a nation we are in or [torn] descending in to the valley of humiliations [torn] old John Bunyan remarks few can carry themselves with good grace while descending in to this valley but many are sorely knocked and bruised while descending yet when down the air is healthy and invigorating and sweet herbs and flowers grow there that grow no where else, let us hope and pray that this valley may prove a real lasting bessing [blessing?] unto us as a nation, that we may come out of it as gold that hath been tried in the furnace seven times that at least we may be purged of our great national evil thus the bonds of the oppressed may be broken speedily and suerly[surely?]:- Concerning the war I know not that I can tell you any news the papers no doubt keep you posted in regard to our movements so far as the [they?] can some fairly representing us, and others I am sorry to say misrepresenting every statement and fact that comes within there [their?] reach, (the London times) and all that follow in its wake seem bound to misrepresent us to the public all that they possibly can. [Russel?] correspondent of the London Times makes more thats a dozen, to I had almost said blunders, lies in his account of the battle of bulls run, in order to vilify our troops he is in the interest of the slave ograchy [slav(e)ocracy?] of the south and is in no sense strictly netural [neutral?] as he pretends and if I were president instead of A Lincoln I would either hang him or banish him from this country in the inside of forty-eight hours Martial law is proclaimed throughout Missouri we have some tories here amongst us I would not be surprised if Martial law would be proclaimed in this state inside of three months it is supposed that we are on the eve of a great battle the rebel armys flag flouts us the [-----?] within sight of Washington the pickets of the two armys [armies?] are daily skirmishing and we look hourly for a general engagement you have probably already heard of the masterly maneouver [manoeuvre?] of General [Butler?] in North Carolina or rather on the coast of North C. [North Carolina?] the world will learn in time that this great Republic is not a mere myth, but is able and willing to defend itself against all foes whether foreign or domestic. I had a letter from Samuel Sample a few days ago he has been rather sickly all summer John & Hugh and family are well they did not call as the [they?] went past so I missed the opportunity of seeing them and hearing plenty of news from the home of my youth, the memory of which will always be dear I have now written you a long letter but before closing I would ask for this country an interest in your prayers, as in the days of David so now the conspiracy is strong and there are many [Shimies?] to mock at our calamity, yet our cause is just and will ultimately triumph let us therefore pray for the speedy overthrow of slavery for this is none other than a war between liberty and slavery between right and wrong, matters are drifting slowly but suerly [surely?] in the right direction General [Fremont?] in Missisouri [Missouri?] has issued his proclamation declaring all the slaves of the rebels free men this is one step in the right direction let us hope that the other Generals in their several commands will do like wise, they may never have another opportunity of constitiontionaly [constitutionally?] doing so, at present they have in all probability they will be drafting men for the war this winter should this lot at any time fall upon me I am ready to go and defend my countrys rights against all agressors but enough for the present in bonds of love your Brother Andrew |
