No One to Leave: A Civil War Poem

The Archive Gals not only often receive lots of good tips, tricks and advice from fellow researchers at the National Archives, but they also are kind enough to share their amazing finds with us!  One of these professional researches is Vonnie, who is the OG Archive Gal.  She is always looking at the coolest info for the most interesting projects and clients and has even been featured on "Who Do You Think You Are?," the fun, star studded genealogy show on TLC.  Basically, she's our idol.

Last week Vonnie was looking at some Civil War regimental books when she came across this AMAZING poem! This is very unusual, and we had never seen anything like this written in a book that's usually all about official business.

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No One to Leave

No one to Leave, none to caress,
Roaming alone through this world’s wilderness;
Sad is my heart, joy is unknown
for in my sorrow I am weeping alone;
no gentle voice, no tender smile;
makes me Rejoice, or ca[u]ses Beguile
No one to love, none to caress;
Roaming alone through this world’s wilderness
Sad is my heart, Joy is unknown
for in my sorrow, I am weeping alone

in dreams alone, loved ones I see
and well known voices then whisper to me
Sighing I wake, waking I weep
soon with the loved and the lost I shall sleep
ah, Blissful rest, what heart would stay
unloved unblessed from heaven away
no one to love, none to Caress,
Roaming alone through this world’s wilderness
Sad is my heart, Joy is unknown
for in my sorrow I am weeping alone

No one to leave, none to Caress
none to Respond to this heart’s tenderness
trusting I wait, God in his love
promises Rest in his mansions above
ah Bliss in store, oh joy mine own
there never more to weep alone
No one to love, none to Caress
Roaming alone through this word’s wilderness
Sad is my heart, Joy is unknown
for in my sorrow I am weeping alone

Some pretty sad stuff right?  Well, we just HAD to know who wrote it and what happened to him, as the poem was unsigned and undated.  After some careful sleuthing, Vonnie believes the author of the poem could be soldier Alonzo Boyd of the 6th IN Cavalry.  Alonzo was an officer, so it would make sense that he had access to the regimental book for recording purposes.  He also doodled his name on a previous page and his handwriting could definitely be the same as the penned poem above.  Luckily Vonnie was able to discover that Alonzo survived the war, married, had children and lived into his 80's!  Looks like a pretty happy ending for someone who felt so alone and far from home.