Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 15, 1862

Heavy rain at night & we got wet Sprinkled in our tent our boys are mostly well

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 89

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 16, 1862

We drilled some are mostly well

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 89

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 17, 1862

We reported Thos Stanton to the hospital he is quite poorly I am suffering with a boil under my right arm. Had part of the Company examined & 6 of the Number rejected night attended Preaching by a United Brethren & exorted after him in the Camp of the 36th Reg.

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 89

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 18, 1862

Finished up the examination of the Company & had 7 more rejected but leaves us a full com they had to be stripped naked & thurroughly examined all over by a Seargeon those that were rejected started home on the cars at noon. my boil is verry bad

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 89

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 19, 1862

I rested none last night with my boil & feel bad. We drilled some evening MH Hare preached to our Reg at our Rendesvouse I closed by Prayer after Service a man in the 30th Reg was shot in the thy by a small pistol catrige & person that commited not yet found 9 Oc I went to mr Pecks & set on a chair all night bile bad

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 89-90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 20, 1862

I had to remain at tent all day to attend to matters there I had the Co drilled by an old soldier my boil is painfull evening I went in the Citty of Keokuk & staid all night with Cozen M J Kelley

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, Sunday, September 21, 1862

I came into camp suffering with my Boil 10 Oc Elder M H Hare preached text fight the good fight of faith candle lighting he preached again in Camp text the Lord hath Magnified man

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 22, 1862

I am suffering verry much with my boil 8 Oc we went out to drill & drilled untill ½ past 10 Oc then we commenced mesuring our men evening went out & drilled 2½ hours again night I went down in the citty saw our Cornal Lieut Col & Mager

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 23, 1862

Variable & Pleasant 7 Oc I took the cars went to Madison then the packet Kate Cassel for Devenport

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 24, 1862

7¼ Oc got to Davenport attended to some buisiness with the Adgt Gen'l got my Commission as 2nd Lieut & was mustered in by HB Hendershot 1 Oc started in the steam packet Kate Cassel for Keokuk my boil broke

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 25, 1862

6½ Oc I arrived at Keokuk went to Coz M J Kelleys & took breakfast little Cozen Louis Kelley is quite sick I went to Camp & assisted in fixing mustering rolls &c

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 26, 1862

Forenoon we drilled 12 Oc seen the 30th reg in Battallion drill afternoon fixed up some affidavits. 4 Oc attended dress perade of the 30th reg 5½ Oc the 23rd Reg also had dress perade on main street they had their arms and the seen was beautifull. evening I went to see Cozen Louey

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 27, 1862

We read the articles of war to the Company and are all ready & did expect to have been mustered into the Reg this day evening Mr Murdock & I called & spent an hour pleasantly at my Cozen MJ Kelleys the boy is better we staid the night at Mrs Rachael Kendles

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, Sunday, September 28, 1862

8 Oc Mr. Murdock & I came into camp 5 Oc we had our 1st Dress perade in this 36th Reg the Col said it was well performed night we went down to Negro meeting had a good sermon text Mathew 27th 36 & 9th inclusive

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 29, 1862

We drilled fore & afternoon & at 5 Oc we ware on Dress perade evening I attended meeting in Capt Gedney's Barracks by one Judd & it was a complete failure I do not know what he was but think he was Campbellite

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90

Diary of 2nd Lieutenant Benjamin F. Pearson, September 30, 1862

An unusual heavy rain forenoon heavy thunder & lightning Struck one of the tents in our Reg. Capt Joy Co. B It knocked down several men but none seariously injoured. afternoon we drilled untill the rain drove us in. evening K P Morrison preached in the camp of the 30th Reg text for we know if the earthly house &c I exorted & closed there was good attention Our first Lieutenant arrived the 1st he has been with us since elected

SOURCE: Edgar R. Harlan, Currator, Annals of Iowa, 3rd Series, Vol. 15, No. 2, October 1925, p. 90-1

Senator Henry Clay to Rodney Dennis, April 15, 1849

ASHLAND, April 15, 1849.

DEAR SIR,—Your favor of the 27th ultimo, addressed to me at New Orleans, followed and found me here.

I am very grateful and thankful for the friendly sentiments toward me which your partiality has prompted you to express. You do me too much honor in instituting any comparison between me and the renowned men of antiquity. I am in one respect better off than Moses. He died in sight of, without reaching, the promised land. I occupy as good a farm as any that he would have found, if he had reached it; and it has been acquired, not by hereditary descent, but by my own labor.

As to public honors and public offices, I have perhaps had more than my share of them. At all events I am contented, and now seek for better, if not higher offices and honors, in a better world. That we may both meet there, if we never do here, is the sincere prayer of your friend and obedient servant.

SOURCE: Calvin Colton, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 587

Senator Henry Clay to Nicholas Dean, June 21, 1849

ASHLAND, June 21, 1849.

MY DEAR SIR,—I received your favors of the 1st and 4th instant. I regret extremely that many of the appointments of the Executive are so unsatisfactory to the public; and still more that there should be just occasion for it. I fear that the President confides that matter too much to the Secretaries, and that they have selfish and ulterior views in the selections which they make. It is undeniable that the public patronage has been too exclusively confined to the original supporters of General Taylor, without sufficient regard to the merits and just claims of the great body of the Whig party. This is both wrong and impolitic.

You tell me that it will be difficult to repress an expression of the Whig dissatisfaction, prior to the meeting of Congress. I should be very sorry if this was done so early, if it should become necessary (I hope it may not) to do it at all. I think there ought not to be any denunciation of the Administration, unless it is rendered proper for its plans of public policy. If before these are developed, the Administration should be arraigned, it would be ascribed to disappointment as to the distribution of the patronage of Government. It will be different, if, contrary to what we have a right to hope and expect, the Administration should fail to support and recommend the great measures of the Whig party.

As to myself, I need not say to you, that I shall go to Washington, if I am spared, with a firm determination to oppose or support measures according to my deliberate sense of their effects upon the interests of our country.

SOURCE: Calvin Colton, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 587-8

Senator Henry Clay to James B. Clay, October 2, 1849

ASHLAND, October 2, 1849.

MY DEAR JAMES,—I returned home this day fortnight, in improved health, which, with the exception of my cough, continues good. Levi again left me at Buffalo, and has again returned to Louisville, on his way home, having reported himself there to Mr. Smith.

I received your letter dated at sea, after you had been two days out, and I was sorry to learn that there was so much seasickness in your party. I calculated that you arrived at Liverpool about the time I got home. I found all well here.

Colonel Brand died with cholera about four weeks ago. Johnson, the saddler, has purchased at private sale the whole of Mr. Hunt's land, of upward of eleven hundred acres, at sixty dollars per acre. I think it would have commanded more at public auction, land being on the rise.

You will have seen that Secretary Clayton has got into a difficulty with the French minister. I am sorry for it, and I think that with judgment and discretion it might have been avoided. But your course should be to defend the act of the Executive, if you can conscientiously; and if not to remain silent. The papers will also inform you that the Secretary has also a difficulty with the British Chargé about the Mosquito Coast. I hope it is not so serious as to threaten war.

My crops of hemp and corn are uncommonly fine, and the influx of gold from California, and the general prosperity of the country are giving an upward tendency to prices. Hemp, I fear, will, however, be an exception next year, owing to its abundance.

I suppose you will hear from Louisville. I have heard nothing to the contrary, and therefore presume all are well there.

I inclose a ticket which I received for you inclosed in a circular, similar to one addressed to me, from the American Institute.

Our love to Susan, and kiss dear Lucy and the other children for me.

SOURCE: Calvin Colton, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 588-9

Senator Henry Clay to James B. Clay, October 15, 1849

ASHLAND, October 15, 1849.

MY DEAR SON,—I received your letter dated at Liverpool the 27th ultimo, and was very glad that you had all safely arrived, with so little inconvenience from sea-sickness. I hope that your excursion to Paris proved agreeable, and that you were not tempted by its many attractions to run into any extravagant expenditures.

The elections in Ohio and Pennsylvania have gone against the Administration, and, judging from present prospects, I do not see how it is to be sustained. If, therefore, you do not come home sooner, you may prepare to return on the expiration of its term. I understand indirectly that it is counting much on my exertions at the approaching session of Congress; but I fear that it is counting without any sufficient ground. I intend to leave home the first of November, but not to go to Washington until about the opening of Congress. I expect to pass two or three weeks in Philadelphia.

I suppose that you and Susan hear regularly from Louisville, from which I have heard nothing of any interest. Here we are all in health, and things move on in their ordinary channels. Yesterday (Sunday) Thomas and Mary dined with us as usual. He goes down in a few weeks to his famous saw mill, from which he calculates to make a great deal.

We expect H. Hart and his family here to-morrow or next day to make their farewell visit, preparatory to their going to St. Louis, for which he has made most of his arrangements.

Give our love to Susan and your children and to Henry Clay, and kiss dear Lucy for your affectionate father.

SOURCE: Calvin Colton, Editor, The Private Correspondence of Henry Clay, p. 589-90