Lieutenant William Thompson Lusk to Lou Thompson, September 21, 1861

Headquarters 79TH Regiment,

Camp Advance, Va. Co. K.

September 21st, 1861.

Dear Cousin Lou:

Let me see — it is a long time since I wrote you, but I am not forgetful. I must thank you many times for your kindness in writing me away off here. Perhaps you think it not very far, only four miles off from Washington; yet it is so, for we are quite shut off from all communication with the outer world. My goodness, how I did cheer Mrs. Gen. Smith the other day on passing her carriage as the Regiment was returning from the field where its colors had been restored!

I am not quite certain that Mrs. Brigadier-Gen. Smith was beautiful, yet I thought her so, for she had little hands, white teeth, and was not shouldering a musket. If you will visit camp, Cousin Lou, I'll crown you Queen of Beauty and vote you lovelier than a thousand Mrs. Brigadier-Gen. Smiths. Tell Cousin Henry and Dr. Grant that their visit to me, while on Kalorama Heights, first taught me that there was still remaining communication with the world. The result of the lesson was, that I bought a looking-glass and combed the snarls out of my hair.

It is raining to-night, so I am shut in my tent. Field life agrees with me excellently, so that as yet I have hardly had an ill day. Our Regiment has been unusually healthy, there having been no deaths from sickness in it since it first left New-York. A captain of the 19th Indiana Regiment was telling me that they had lost 25 of their number from disease already, although they have not been out here so long as we by two months. This I suppose is partly owing to the fact that the city soldiers endure change of climate better than country ones; and something I believe is due to our surgeon Dr. McDonald. The Doctor says that you are one of the few women for whom he has an unbounded admiration.

You would laugh if you could hear the conversations between our Chaplain and the profane physicians. Our parson is a love of a little man from some back country village, accustomed to be kissed (?), admired, and petted by the ladies of his congregation, and to be regarded as a model of eloquence by the men. Fired with patriotic zeal he volunteered his services on the opening of the war, to his country, and left the peace of home for the horrid din of Mars. But the horrid din of Mars he finds to his astonishment, not nearly so agreeable as being kissed (?) and petted in his own quiet village. So he has grown petulant, thinks himself unappreciated, and calls all the men hardened sinners, because they sometimes look incredulous when he answers their “Why?” with, “It is so for I say so.” Shocking unbelievers! Dear little parson tells us weekly not to fear to die, but to face death bravely, as we are certain of being transported instantly to scenes of heavenly joy. Yet our little parson whenever an alarm occurs, rushes to his tent, secures his bag, and trots off in all haste to the nearest place of shelter. Taking advantage of this little weakness, the Doctor is in the habit of explaining to him in a horridly lucid way, the dreadful nature of gunshot wounds. Then some one will suddenly jump up, assume a listening attitude and cry: “Hark! Was that a gun?” The comical aspect of terror which is thus elicited, forms an inexhaustible source of amusement to us all. He reminds me of the Chaplain of the story, who bade the soldiers before the battle, not to fear, as they would assuredly that night, if they fell, sup in Paradise. He himself however ran away when the first shot was fired. An indignant hearer of his morning discourse reminded him of his encouraging promises. “No thankee,” said he, “don't talk to me, I never did like suppers.” All of which story you can anywhere find better told in the newspapers.

Next to the parson, our greatest source of entertainment is the article called “nigger,” a thing I never saw until I came to "Ole Virginny." We own an African of the Pongo species, a sort of half idiotic monkey-man, partially possessing the gift of speech, and totally possessing the gift of doing nothing. I consider it a curious study to see how, when he is ordered to perform any service, he manages most ingeniously not to do it at all. You should see the Pongo though in the Highland costume. “The What Is It?” will have to retire from business.

Good-bye dear Cousin Lou.

Very affec'y.,

W. T. Lusk,

Lieut. Co. K. 79th Regt.

SOURCE: William Chittenden Lusk, Editor, War Letters of William Thompson Lusk, p. 82-5

19th Indiana Infantry

Organized at Indianapolis, Ind., and mustered in July 29, 1861. Left State for Washington, D.C., August 5. Attached to 3rd Brigade, McDowell's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March, 1862. 1st Brigade, King's 3rd Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to April, 1862. 3rd Brigade, King's Division, Dept. of the Rappahannock, to June, 1862. 4th Brigade, 1st Division, 3rd Army Corps, Army of Virginia, to September, 1862. 4th Brigade, Iron Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to June, 1863. 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 1st Army Corps, to March, 1864. 1st Brigade, 4th Division, 5th Army Corps, to August, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps, to September, 1864. 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 5th Army Corps to October.

SERVICE. – Affair at Lewinsville, Va., September 11, 1861. Reconnoissance to Lewinsville September 25. Occupation of Falls Church September 28. Duty at Fort Craig, Va., till March, 1862. Advance on Manassas, Va., March 10-16. Camp at Upton's Hill till April 9. Advance on Falmouth, Va., April 9-19. Duty at Falmouth and Fredericksburg till May 25. McDowell's advance on Richmond May 25-29. Operations against Jackson June 1-21. At Warrenton till August 5. Reconnoissance to Orange Court House July 24-27. Reconnoissance to Frederick's Hall Station and Spottsylvania Court House August 5-8. Thornburg's Mills August 5-6. Pope's Campaign in Northern Virginia August 16-September 2. Fords of the Rappahannock August 21-23. Sulphur Springs August 26. Gainesville August 28. Groveton August 29. Bull Run August 30. Maryland Campaign September 6-22. Battle of South Mountain September 14. Battle of Antietam September 16-17. At Sharpsburg till October 30. Movement to Warrenton, thence to the Rappahannock October 30-November 19. Battle of Fredericksburg, Va., December 12-15. Burnside's 2nd Campaign ("Mud March,") January 20-24, 1863. Duty at Falmouth till April. Chancellorsville Campaign April 27-May 6. Operations at Pollock's Mill Creek April 29-May 2. Fitzhugh's Crossing April 29-30, Battle of Chancellorsville May 2-5. Expedition to Westmoreland County and operations on Northern Neck May 20-26. Gettysburg (Pa.) Campaign June 11-July 24. Battle of Gettysburg July 1-3. Pursuit of Lee to Manassas Gap July 5-24. At Rappahannock Station and Culpeper August 1 to October. Bristoe Campaign October 9-22. Advance to line of the Rappahannock November 7-8. Mine Run Campaign November 26-December 2. Demonstration on the Rapidan February 6-7. 1864. Campaign from the Rapidan to the James River May 4-June 15. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Laurel Hill May 8. Spottsylvania May 8-12. Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. Jericho Ford May 23. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-29. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. Bottom's Bridge June 12. Before Petersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16 to October 18. Non-Veterans mustered out July 28, 1864. Weldon R. R. August 18-21. Consolidated with 20th Indiana Infantry October 18, 1864.

Regiment lost during service 5 Officers and 194 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 1 Officer and 116 Enlisted men by disease. Total 316.

SOURCE: Frederick H. Dyer, A Compendium of the War of the 3, p. Rebellion, Part 1126-7

William H. Adkins

WILLIAM H. ADKINS was born in Pulaski County, Kentucky, November 21, 1835. He is the eldest of a family of ten children, six sons and four daughters, two of the sons being the offspring of a second marriage. His father, Wyatt Adkins, and mother, Mary Adkins, removed to Monroe County, Indiana, in October, 1840, where, on September 18, 1851, his mother died.

In those days, during the early settlement of the State, the facilities for even an ordinary education were poor, there being no public-school system in existence at that time. Consequently, our subject spent most of his school days under the instruction of private teachers, or, as it was termed then, “subscription schools,” the terms of tuition being from $1.50 to $2 per pupil for a quarter of thirteen weeks. The larger proportion of the teachers at that time were poorly educated, and the schools were often taught in churches or private residences, there being but few school-houses erected previous to the year 1850, at which time the public-school system was introduced in that State. The school-houses were usually constructed of round or hewn logs, with little or no accommodation in the way of light, seats or heating.  Such a thing as school-house furniture, apparatus and fixtures known to modern schools was even undreamed of then. But in those days they had singing schools, spelling schools and debating societies, all of which were attended, and their advantages largely realized by our then youthful subject. In addition to this, and socially, the young people had their “chopping,” “corn husking,” “quilting” and “comfortable-tacking” bees, which all attended and enjoyed to the fullest extent.

On the 21st day of April, 1856, the family started for Iowa, and May 19, arrived in Clarke County and settled near Hopeville. Here in August following, of the same year, Mr. Adkins, then twenty years of age, began his career as teacher in the public schools, and also, shortly after, began to teach classes in vocal music, to both of which callings he has devoted a considerable portion of his life. In the spring of 1859 he entered the Osceola High School, under the principalship of Professor J. H. L. Scott, where he attended five months.

In September, 1859, he returned to Indiana, where he taught during the winter, attending the State University at Bloomington during the intervals elapsing between, until the spring of 1861, when he enlisted in the service of his country, and was mustered into Company I, Nineteenth Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Their regiment was commanded by Colonel Sol. Merideth when it entered the service, and was brigaded with the Second, Sixth and Seventh Wisconsin regiments during its first year-and-a-half’s service, at the end of which time the Twenty-fourth Michigan was added to it. It was then called, and is known in the history of the Rebellion as the “Iron Brigade.” Shortly after Mr. Adkins entered the service he was promoted to a Corporal; then appointed company clerk, and in the spring of 1862 was promoted to Third Sergeant, which rank he held when mustered out, April 23, 1863, by reason of a gunshot wound received August 28, 1862, in the battle of Gainsville, Virginia.

In July, 1863, he returned to Iowa in very poor health; but in October following, his health somewhat improving, he took charge of a general retail store in Hopeville, owned by F. W. Johnson, which he continued to superintend until the fall of 1867, at which time he turned his attention to farming, to which he devoted himself mainly until 1875. During the time he was farming he taught classes in vocal music pretty much every fall and winter, and occasionally taught in the public schools, both in Hopeville and in the country districts. From 1875 to April 1, 1878, he continued to teach, at which time he received the appointment of postmaster in Hopeville, which office he held (except for a year, when he resigned in favor of David Newton) until September 13, 1886, when he was relieved on account of not being in accord politically with the party in power. In July, 1879, Mr. Adkins entered again the general mercantile business, which he has continued to follow ever since; and while he has not been eminently successful in this pursuit, he says he has “made a fair living.”

Mr. Adkins was married February 11, 1866, to Miss Elizabeth A. Williamson, second daughter of Edward E. and Mary Williamson, pioneer settlers in Clarke County. Since that time they have had ten children born to them – five sons and five daughters. Two sons – the eldest two – died at the age of two and a half years. The names of the present living children are Effie M., Mary Alice, Bertha S., Emma F. and Jesse H. (twins), Albert, Nina L. and a little boy about a year old, unnamed, which the family call “Bub”, the vocabulary of names being so nearly exhausted so Mr. Adkins says, that they can not agree upon a name.

In politics Mr. Adkins is a Republican, casting his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1860. He has been honored by his township with offices time and again, having been elected to the assessor’s office six times. In point of business capacity his qualifications are good. Religiously he is a member of the disciples, or Christian church, and is an active worker both in church and Sunday-school. Mr. Adkins is also a member of Wilson Post, G.A.R.

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 440-1