Capt. Absalom Grimes, Confederate Mail-runner

[John Hartwell]

[https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00085C0B4/?tag=civilwartalkc-20]​

Absalom C. Grimes had been a Mississippi River pilot since 1852, the first year in which a pilot's license was required by the federal government. All was going well until it was time for renewal in May, 1861:

"I went to the office of the United states inspector for the purpose of having it renewed. A diminutive, beer-soaked German, who had gained his place through the exercise of political pull, was occupying the responsible position of inspector. To him I stated the purpose of my call. He drew from the drawer of his desk a document headed, "Oath of Allegiance," and, handing it to me, told me to fill out the blanks. When I had filled out the blanks on the license side he directed me to hold up my hand and take the oath. I inquired the reason for this new departure, and he replied in broken English that the "Secesh" were trying to disrupt the Union and everyone who wanted a license must take the oath. I indignantly told him that I had been born in this country, as were my father and grandfather before me. I had no objection to taking the oath but when I did it would not be from an alien. I then walked out, followed by Sam Bowen and Samuel L. Clemens, who had entered the office just after I had and had thus overheard my conversation with the inspector."​

Disgusted with this insult, Grimes, Bowen, and this Clemens fellow wind up joining an irregular pro-confederate company in Ralls County, Mo., who proudly style themselves the Salt River Tigers. Absalom Grimes later retold the ensuing events in "Campaigning with Mark Twain."

After the brief stint with the "tigers," Grimes joined the 1st Mississippi Cavalry, eventually rising to Captain. Captured near the end of 1861, he soon escaped, and made his way back to his regiment, bringing with him a sack full of "letters from families around St Louis to loved ones in the Confederate army. General Sterling Price was so impressed by Grimes exploits that he appointed him an official 'mail runner'. He returned to St. Louis and by April 6th he was ready to begin a mail carrying career that would see him imprisoned four times, make three daring escapes and be sentenced to death."

That was only the start of an adventurous career as a Confederate mail-runner, that lasted through most of the war. But, in June 1864, Grimes was captured one last time, and charged with being a spy -- condemned to hang. Once again he attempted escape (carrying the 32-pound ball chained to his leg), but was severely wounded and recaptured.

"While Captain Grimes was recovering in hospital his many friends made great efforts to secure his release, even writing to the President himself. Lincoln, impressed by the man's courage, resourcefulness and ingenuity - Lincoln was always fond of a good yarn - and convinced that Grimes had been a military mail runner and not a spy signed a full pardon for him on 1st December 1864."​

Read much more about Absalom Grimes at: "The Mail Will Get Through."
His own story, Absalom Grimes: Confederate Mail Runner, was published in 1926.

 

[2nd Dragoon]

This is a must read and will go onto my read list... So many stories so little time...

 

[AUG]

Nice post on Absalom Grimes. A few things to note though....

Grimes, Bowen, and this Clemens fellow wind up joining an irregular pro-confederate company in Ralls County, Mo., who proudly style themselves the Salt River Tigers. Absalom Grimes later retold the ensuing events in "Campaigning with Mark Twain."

Their company was the Ralls County Rangers. The Salt River Tigers were another company from the area, as described in that account by Grimes.

After the brief stint with the "tigers," Grimes joined the 1st Mississippi Cavalry

Grimes actually enlisted in the 1st Missouri Cavalry, which was later dismounted and fought as infantry in Francis M. Cockrell's 1st Missouri Brigade throughout most of the war.

The Missouri troops serving under Sterling Price crossed the Mississippi River in spring of 1862 and were later formed into Cockrell's Brigade and a few other C.S. Missouri units. These troops served east of the Mississippi throughout the remainder of the war, so not only were St. Louis and other locations under Federal occupation, but the Missourians were also a long way from home and the Mississippi River served as a barrier - even more so after Vicksburg fell.


Here's a photo of Grimes in uniform, found in the Missouri Historical Society's digital collection:

http://mohistory.org/collections/item/resource:159453

 

[AUG]

I'll also post this excerpt from Philip D. Stephenson's memoirs. He was a St. Louisan serving with the New Orleans Washington Artillery and writes of receiving letters from home while at Kennesaw Mountain. Even though he doesn't mention Capt. Grimes, I think it expresses just how important those letters were.

"Letters from home came to us at Kennesaw, which was one of the notable events of the war. A letter from home was always a great event to any soldier but to us from Missouri much more than to any other. Hammett [Philip's older brother] and I received not more than a half dozen or so from there. When we did get letters, it was in the most round about way! By flag of truce, by blockade runners via Europe, by 'grapevine telegraph,' i.e. by spies, private parties, etc. Letters would be passed from hand to hand and sometimes be months in reaching us. Many were written that never arrived. In the latter part of the war a regular system was agreed upon by which letters were sent through the lines, but only one side of a page could be used. Every letter was open to inspection and only the simplest news allowed—as you were well and so your friends, etc.

"When the letter found me at Kennesaw, I ran overjoyed, at night, to where Hammett's regiment [13th Arkansas Inf.] lay in line, not far off to our left, and we read it eagerly by the light of a fire. Every line was scanned. And between the lines too. We discussed every word and the letter was read over again and again and passed around to all other St. Louis men that were reachable. All letters became common property for all men from the same neighborhood. It was the same way at home with our letters and those of our Missouri comrades. This we soon found out, and every letter would be a list of names and how the owners were. This created a sort of fellowship at home as well as with us, regardless of social line or former affiliations. . . ."

- The Civil War Memoir of Philip Daingerfield Stephenson, D.D. Ed. by Nathaniel Cheairs Hughes, Jr.​

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Agreed, another must read albeit going to the top of The List through expectation on sheer entertainment value.

Boy, before swearing at each other was just fine, taking swipes were more inventive, weren't they? These accounts can be entertaining for language alone- ' diminutive, beer soaked German ', ouch.