Acca L. Colby Purdy Correspondence

The collection consists of thirteen letters written from Brownsville, Texas starting January 1866 to June 1866 by Acca L. Colby Purdy and her husband Warren G. Purdy to their family in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, there are two portrait images; one of Acca and the other of Warren. The correspondence narrates life in Brownsville and the nearby areas as well as the living conditions.

Acca begins writing from Brownsville on January 18, 1866. She speaks of Major Plato who was the Quartermaster at Fort Brown. She describes the living conditions and cost of living. She writes of Major Pierce who is the Paymaster of Fort Brown. She writes of the Mexican ball held at Market Hall (Market Square) by the liberal officers; who was there and what participants wore.

Warren G. Purdy describes the Spanish Bull fights he went to in Matamoras (Matamoros) and describes Matamoras as a "devil of a town; all the buildings are one story brick and look more like barns than like houses". There are numerous letters of hazards and dangers of living there at the time.

Acca also writes of Dr. Morse, the medical director of the district and how he was executed and the consequences to the murderers. The last letter was written on June 16, 1866. They went onto Baltimore, Maryland arriving in July 27, 1866. Warren G. Purdy was serving as a clerk for the Quartermaster department in Fort Brown and followed up that assignment by going to Baltimore to finish the service.

Noteworthy subjects mentioned throughout the correspondence are as follows: Negro regiment (Buffalo Soldiers, Black Colored Troops), Major Plato, Miller Hotel, Brazos Santiago, Major Pearce, Brownsville Ranchero, Mr. Butts (chief clerk), General Mejia, Imperial army, Liberals, Rio Grande Courier, White's Ranch, and Dr. Morse.