In a letter to his mother, Mrs. Albertus C. Van Raalte, her son, Ben, wrote that he was happy to learn that his father was getting better. However, he is very hurt that a rumour was going around that he did not shoot at the rebels and accuses Doesburg of the rumour. He witnessed a negro auction. Dirk is fine. He hopes to get more letters. Since he could not finish the letter on the 9th, he finished it on the 10th.https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/vrp_1860s/1163/thumbnail.jp

Jalving, Clarence

Kennedy, Nella

Van Raalte, Ben

English

Digital Commons@Hope College

Hope College Hope College Digital Commons Van Raalte Papers: 1860-1869 Van Raalte Papers 3-9-1863 Ben Van Raalte Wrote a Letter to His Mother Ben Van Raalte Clarence Jalving Nella Kennedy Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/vrp_1860s The original documents are held in the National Archives of the Netherlands. This digitized material is intended for personal research/study only. The original documents may not be reproduced for commercial use in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the National Archives of the Netherlands. Recommended Citation Van Raalte, Ben; Jalving, Clarence; and Kennedy, Nella, "Ben Van Raalte Wrote a Letter to His Mother" (1863). Van Raalte Papers: 1860-1869. 164. https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/vrp_1860s/164 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Van Raalte Papers at Hope College Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Van Raalte Papers: 1860-1869 by an authorized administrator of Hope College Digital Commons. For more information, please contact digitalcommons@hope.edu. 9 March 1863 Bowling Green, Kentucky In a letter to his mother, Mrs. Albertus C. Van Raalte, her son, Ben, wrote that he was happy to learn that his father was getting better. However, he is very hurt that a rumour was going around that he did not shoot at the rebels and accuses Doesburg of the rumour. He witnessed a negro auction. Dirk is fine. He hopes to get more letters. Since he could not finish the letter on the 9th, he finished it on the 10th. Original in the Archives of the Netherlands Museum; reviewed and corrected by Nella Kennedy, November, 2007, who noted that Ben had several misspelled words. Translated by Clarence Jalving. Bowling Green, Kentucky — March 9, 1863 Loving Mother, Yesterday I received your letter of the 1st and was happy to learn that Father is getting better. Through the Lord's mercy we are enjoying good health with few exceptions. Vien and Thomson are gradually improving. From Dirk's letter I learned that the talk was going around that I had said that I would be damned if I fired a shot at the Rebels. You must write and let me know who said such things. I have never had such an idea in my head. I think that Doesburg is responsible—he had better be careful. He has told lies before and the boys are quite disgusted. Apparently De Boe wrote a letter to De  Grondwet as he could [2]  no longer stand by to see Company I slandered. What slanderous remarks by De Hollander! He talks as if half of our boys were sick, and the others just good for nothing because of illness and exhaustion. The weather is fine today, but it rains every day generally, and hard. We have good oilskins which protect us from the rain. Now I shall resume writing. It is now March 10th. I couldn't finish my letter yesterday. It is now 11 o'clock at night and Jam writing with a lead pencil. Jam on watch and at 12 o'clock I will be relieved by Grootenhuis. That is good for him. They love to be called at midnight just when they are sound asleep, and I love to pull him out of bed because he himself likes to do that as well. I haven't been getting many letters lately. [3]  Dirk gets lots more and then you occasionally tell him to get after me because I write so little, but that is o.k. Dirk likes to play father and then I always have to laugh because he does it with such a sober face. He is so heavy and [?] that it is a pleasure to behold. You can understand that anyone who is attached to the hospital is glad when he is back in the company again. Enough of that. He can take care of himself very well and, if not, he will have to learn. We learn a lot here. Everything is very expensive here. Potatoes are three dollars a bushel and a small negro as big as Albertus costs three hundred dollars. Not long ago I saw a negro auction and almost bought one to send home in [4]  a letter to Anna so that the poor child would have someone with whom to play. It could be done in a letter because I sometimes see the arrival of such unbelievably large letters for the boys that this might also be possible. Everything is very quiet around here. We hear nothing about the rebels, neither do we get any marching orders. It is almost too quiet to suit me but it very likely will change. I am glad that Lincoln has so much power, more than any president has ever had. That is good. We must teach the Rebels a trick they will never forget. Now I must close. Tell Mina that I will write her and that I am happy that she writes me so often. My greetings to the whole family but especially Father Your loving B. Van Raalte [in margin:] This is a poor letter but better than none at all [Revision: Neila Kennedy November 20071 [the original Dutch is filled with spelling errors] Bowling Green Ky: March 9, 1863  Liefhebbende moeder, Gisteren ontfing Ik uw brief van de eerst en was blij te verneemen dat Vader aan de betere hand was. Wij zijn door Heeren goedhiet over het algemeen goed gezond met weinige uitzonderingen. Vien, Thomson en die zijn ook zagtjes aan het beetren. Ik vernam dat in Dirks brief dat het praatje in Holland was dat Ik geziet had dat Ik het vervloekte om een schot op de Rebbellen te lossen. Dat moet gij mij eens schrijven wie of het uw verteld heeft. Zult een iedie heb Ik noit in mijn hooft gehad. Ik denk dat Doesburg het gedaan heeft. hij mag wel oppassen want hij heeft al meer luegens vertelt en dat het staat de jongens niet goet aan Luit De Boe moet een brief geschreeven hebben aan de Grond Wet. Want hij kon het [2]  lasteren van Comp: I niet langer verdraagen zulk een lasteren van de Hollander hij praat of de helft van de jongens wel ziek waaren en de andere art [?] maar goet voor niets waaren van ziekte en uitgeputhiet. Het weer is vandaag moij Maar ander reegent het hier alle dag hart. Wij hebben goeje olikleeden het welk ons weel helpt voor de regen. Nu zal I mijn schrijven hervaten het is vandag den 10 Mart want gisteren had Ik niet veel zin om mijn brief af te schrijven. Het is nacht en elf uur en daarom schrijf Ik met potloot, en ben op wacht en om twaalef uur is mijn tijd afgeloopen en dan moet Grootenhuis er aan gelooven. Dat is goed voor hem want ze staan zoo graag op om twaalef uur als ze goed in slaap zijn, en dan mag Ik hem er zoo graag uithaalen want dat doet hij ook zo graag. Veel brieven krieg Ik niet tegenwoordig [3]  Niet Dirk lcriegt er veel meer en dan wil uw Dirk mij nog wel aan laaten aanspooren om reeden dat Ik zoo weinig schrijf, maar dat is ook wel good. Dirk wil ook wel gaarene Vader wezen dat doet hij zoo graag en dan moet Ik altijd er om hem lagen want dan heeft hij zoo een sober gezigt. Hij is goed vet en mild [wild?]dat het liefhebberij is en dan kunt gij ook wel na gaan als iemand altijd in een hospitaal is dat hij blij is als hij is weer bij de Compeny is. Genoeg daar van hij kan goed voor zijn eigen oppassen en anders zal hij het wel leeren. Want men leert hier veel alles is hier duur aardpelen zijn hier drie Dollars het bussel en een klien neegertje zoo groot als kliene Abertus drie honderd het stuk. Ik zag ze enlang .een hoop neegers verkoopen en was haast van plan gewees er een te koopen en naar hus te stuuren in [4]  een brief voor kliene Anna want dan had dat arme Kind ook wat om me te speelen het kon best gaan in een brief want Ik zie hier soms zulke groote brieven aan koomen voor de jongens dat het ontzettend is en dan kon dat ook wel. het is hier alles stil wij hooren tegenwoordig haast van geen Rebellen en ook van geen  marching order. Het is haat te stil naar mijn zin maar het zal wel veranderen. ik ben blij dat Lincon zo veel magt heeft meer dan oit een prezident gehad heeft en dat is goed wij moeten die Rebellen ook een Rust [Kunst?] leeren daar zij van droomen zullen. nu moet Ik eindigen zegt tegen Mina dat Ik haar schrijven zal en dat Ik blij ben dat zij mij zoo veel schrijft. Groet alle huisgenooten van mij en voor al Vader. Uw lief: B. Van Raalte [in margin]: dit is een slechte brief maar beter al in het geheel geen [Transcription: Nella Kennedy, November 2007-11-08 The letter is filled with spelling errors] #6 Bowling Green.Ky. March 9, 1863 1.4 v (1,4 Dear Mother: Yesterday I received your letter of the 1st and was happy to learn that Father is getting better. Through the Lord's mercy we are enjoying good health with a few exceptions. Vien and Thomson are gradually improving. rm Dirk's letter I learned that the talk was going around that I had deSer- that I would be damned if I fired a shot at the Rebels. You must write aind let me know who said such things. I have never had such di.ti'c;' agifit11:1 ti that Doesbg*is responsible --- he had better be careful. He has told laa-any- more lies `an the boys are quite disgusted. ue boe must-imre wrttteig a letter to "De Grondwet" as he could liZ longer stand to sec the company slandered. Such slanderous remarks about the Holland boys! He talks as if half of _ _ boys were sick and the others just good for nothing because of illness LieSs. The weather is fine today but as a rule it rains êvery day. have good oilskins which protect us from. the rain. Now I shall continue my letter - it is now :March 10th. I couldn't finish my letter yesterday. It is now 11 o'clock at night and am writing with lead pencil. I am on watch and at 12 o'clock I will be relieved by Grootenhuis. That is good . 1.Z4# Si~ata-g. , for him. They love to be called at midnialyt 1.1st whei the OUT and We and I love to pull him out of bed because h‘ela, I haven't been getting many letters late yy\ Dirk gets lots more and then you dt-eglie5ie, tell him to get after me because I write so little but that is O.K. Dirk likes to play father and then I alwaïs,have to laugh because he does it with such a sober face. He is in-álrgtht14.pe- -- fat and healthy - its a pleasure to behold. 41 v14- /pc f)e.,•<di. You can understand that anyone who is attached to the hospital is glad to join the company again. Enough o giat - he ,co,y take care bf himself very well and, ‘' "t'   if not, he will have to learn. 11.e.3..9 lots to learn. Everything is very expensive here - potatoes are three dollars a bushel and a small Negro as big as Albertus costs three hundred dollars. jong ago I saw a negro auction In r.-1:J. and almost bought one to send home to Anna so that the poor child would have s9sneone with vforn to play. It could be done in a letter because I sometimes set e et-i%.e-d. by the boys that this might also be possible. g Everything is very quiet around here. We hear nothing about the rebels neither do we get any marching orders. It is almost too quiet to suit me but it very • likely will change sxYon. I am glad that Lincoln has so much power, more ti‘n +-he any president has ever had. That is good. We must teach the Rebels a lesffJ  f they will never forget. Now I must close. Tell Mina that I will write her and that I am happy that she writes me so often. Mybe-sti-Viárds to the whole family but especially Father. This is a poorly w-r-itten letter but better than none at all. Your loving B. Van Raalte 116 Bowling Green•Ky. March 9, 1863 Dear Mother: Yesterday I received your letter of the 1st and was happy to learn that Father is getting better. Through the Lord's mercy we are enjoying good health with a few exceptions. Vien and Thomson are gradually improving. From Dirk's letter I learned that talk was going around that I had deserted and that I would be damned if I fired a shot at the Rebels. You must write and let me know who said such things. I have never had such a thought. I think that Doesburg is responsible --- he had better be careful. He has told many more lies and the boys are quite disgusted. De Boe must have written a letter to 'De Grondwet" as he could no longer stand to see the company slandered. Such slanderous remarks about the Holland boys! He talks as if haft' of our boys were sick and the others just good for nothing because of illness and weariness. The weather is fine today but as a rule it rains every day. We have good oilskins which protect us froM the rain. Now I shall continue my letter - it is now :M3.rch 10th. I couldn't finish my letter yesterday. It is now 11 o'clock at night and am writing with lead pencil. I am on watch and at 12 o'clock I will be relieved by Grootenhuis. That is good for him. They love .to be called at midnight just when they are nicel ssloerry,eping et, and I love to pull him out of bed because he enjoys (?) it so rnuch.Le-- I haven't been getting many letters lately. Dirk gets lots more and then you tell him to get after me because I write so little but that is O.K. Dirk likes to play father and then I always have to laugh because he does it with such a sober face. He is in fine shape - fat and healthy - its a pleasure to behold. You can understand that anyone who is attached to the hospital is glad to join \fthe company again. Enough of that - he can take care Of himself very well and, if not, he will have to learn. There is lots to learn. Everything is very expensive here - potatoes are three dollars a bushel and a small Negro as big as Albertus costs three hundred dollars. Not long ago:. I saw a n.egro auction and almost bought one to send heme to Anna so that the poor child would have someone with whom to play. It could be done in a letter because I sometimes see such large letters received by the boys that this might also be possible. Everything is very quiet around here. We hear nothing about the rebels neither do we get any marching orders. It is almost too quiet to suit me but it very • likely will change soon. I arh glad that Lincoln has so much power, more than any president has ever had. That is good. We must teach the Rebels a lesson they will never forget. Now I must close. Tell Mina that I will write her and that I am happy that she writes me so often. My best regards to the whole family but especially Father. This is a poorly written letter but better than none at all. Your loving B. Van Raalte CD . Holland Historical Trust Collection of the Joint ArOiyes of Holland , _ kt2"29 4,;(/ dvwn.,u nikAsi- 4-tyvvti, git  47"- ; /AA)Oja oLf 144-1.-  , hl--- h 7';  ka,4,1 9,2d 4,„ • - 4/44.21.4,1 -(4-v /lath cA-o. dcba,z, 4/,;,k)i,„ term, ~et], ae#14.42 ~e441) I 4:eff") \24 gait- end '41ne\#.  ,S7141/221,94,-/?ht I o4till074(4 I rtattét- CVtd-utiti ,5,,Q-edLiaace' "frN2d4 J•t tenu. 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Ben Van Raalte Wrote a Letter to His Mother

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Ben Van Raalte Wrote a Letter to His Mother

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