Beschreibung:

13 items. Napoleon Jackson Tecumseh Dana (1822-1905) is remembered as a Union major general in the Civil War, severely wounded at Antietam. This archive introduces him as a young “heart on his sleeve” Second Lieutenant of the US 7th Infantry, stationed at a coastal fort in Louisiana in 1844 and courting his true love through his letters. The first seven letters of this grouping start on February 4, 1844, with manuscript Ft Pike, Louisiana postmarks. All are from Dana, writing flowery, passionate 4 page letters to his true love, Sue Landford. Sue had traveled down river from St. Louis to New Orleans to marry Dana. They only awaited her father’s blessing. After real-life ups and downs worthy of a contemporary romance play, they were happily wed. Also included are two letters from Major Landford to Dear Son and Daughter, where Father shows his skill at eloquent and humorous writing, mocking his reputation at the Missouri State House, and lauding his dog as the best soldier he ever commanded. Starting with a letter dated September 10, 1845 from Eliza Lee, the wife of another officer, we find that Dana was in Texas, serving with U.S. Occupation forces at Brownsville to defend the new state from attack by Mexico. Captain Lee wrote to Eliza, saying that the war is all a humbug, but it unfortunately wasn’t so. The next letter is dated a year later, September 28, 1846, addressed to Dana in the U.S. Army in Mexico. Sue writes Dana, worried that she hadn’t heard from him since the Army crossed the Rio Grande on their advance towards Monterrey, and tells of teaching their daughter how to walk. A letter dated October 10, 1846 is the second letter from his father-in-law mentioned above. He asks Dana’s advice in reconciling with his estranged natural son, who is a captain in Dana’s regiment! The last two letters are dated 1900, from a woman who is a friend of the family, telling Sue about the passing of her husband.