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Biography/History:
Richard Prowse, Jr., was born on May 2, 1830. He and his wife, Catherine Julia, resided in Coral, McHenry County, Illinois. They had two daughters: Mary (b. August 19, 1860) and Evva (b. January 7, 1863). Prowse and his brother, John, enlisted in Company E, Ninety-fifth Regiment, Illinois Infantry, United States Army, on September 4, 1862. Two months later, the company departed for Jackson, Tennessee, to participate in the central Mississippi campaign of General Ulysses S. Grant. The regiment left Jackson for Grand Junction, Tennessee, on November 21, 1862. Private Prowse died at LaGrange Hospital, LaGrange, Tennessee, on December 10, 1862, and was buried there.Scope and Content:
This collection consists of correspondence, a poem, two photographs, and genealogical notes of the Prowse family of Coral, McHenry County, Illinois. The majority is composed of letters written by Private Richard Prowse to his wife, Catherine Julia, during the Civil War. The letters, dating from September to November of 1862, offer news regarding the illnesses and deaths of fellow soldiers. Prowse also details the movement of his regiment from Rockford, Illinois, to Jackson and Grand Junction, Tennessee. He also mentions the possibility of the regiment moving on to Jackson and Vicksburg, Mississippi, and of seeing action. Of note is a December 16, 1862, letter from John Prowse, brother of Richard Prowse, to Catherine Julia Prowse advising of her husband’s death at LaGrange, Tennessee, and promising to provide further details. The remainder includes an undated letter from Catherine Julia Prowse to her daughter, Mary, and an undated, handwritten poem entitled "Sweet Home," possibly composed by Richard Prowse. Also of interest are two annotated photographs of Richard Prowse and his daughter, Evva, and genealogical notes concerning Richard, Catherine Julia, Evva, and Mary Prowse.Series Identification:
Box 1, folders 1-6
Box List: