Private William O. Gulick to His Parents, October 18, 1861

Camp Benton,²³ Mo. Oct. 18th/61

Co. M. 1st Ia. Cavalry        

Dear Father & Mother

I have just set down to write you a letter. I have a great deal to write and but little time to write in. I have been very busy for the two days I have been here. It was very rainy the day we came in and cleaning up and geting settled is quite a chore. I wrote a very short letter the day we left Burlington stateing that we was about to leave We had a very pleasant trip down to this place We were from Monday noon untill Wednesday morning but we lay up; one night above the Keokuk rappids I was very glad as it gave me a chance to pass Canton and many other towns in the day time, we did not pass any town but what the Glorious old Stripes and Stars were seen floating from some part although some were said to be quite rank secessionists The finest looking City I see was Quincy, we stoped there about two hours. The Iowa third Infantry was encamped there, I believe to recrute awhile. and to my surprise I came across Charlie James from Camanche Township.²⁴ He said he expected to go home on a furlough soon, if he dose you will see him and an hours chat would be interesting as he was in the Battle of Blue mills²⁵ & severel skirmishes. I set up all night on the boat to see the Bluffs and cave above Alton I could not distinguish the cave but the rocks I could see planely, I also see the mouths of the Ills. and Mo. rivers We arrived in St. Louis about 7 oclock in the morning It shows to good advantage to the river, It was a long time before we could land as the levee for two miles was crowded with steam boats I tell you, St. Louis is a large city and things look warlike. There is a great many Gun boats building and the streets are lined with soldiers canons are seen drawn through the streets with other arms and shiped to the different camps. The St. Louis streets are very narrow. Our camp is just out of the City and five miles from the river I thought we would never find the M. Barracks,²⁶ although we were tired the march from the boat was more interesting than I thought it could be, as we were cheered from evry side and the seens of a city to a country greenhorn were all new, When we arrived at Benton Barracks I found the best Quarters I ever seen I will send a View of the Barracks in a newspaper I believe there is about 7,000 thousand soldiers encamped here and in the Fare Grounds adjoining. On this sheet there is a view of the fare grounds on review day There is soldiers from Iowa, Ill, Wis, and many other states they are comeing and leaving evry day. By the way I said Isaac and his company were all here when we arrived, Well they had marching orders yesterday they saddled and packed their things but did not get off untill today three oclock they have a part of their arms and expect to go by Jefferson Barracks and get the rest of their arms. Jef. Barks, is about five miles below St. Louis. I do not know how many soldiers are encamped their I do not know where Isaac is going but he will undoubtedly see a fight before he gets back I was sorry to see him leave, but still I was very anxious to go with him, but I know I shall have a chance before long to smell Rebble Powder, When I look around me and see so much that Government has done and has to do, I do not wonder at its slow movements as we used to call them Evrything here is on the strict order I was on guard today and it is night now, soon will be tattoo when all lights have to be extinguished I have only received your two letters that you sent to Burlington since I left home Except one from H. H. Judson and Aaron I should like to get some letters from any body (only so I get some) I came across some of Mr. Lafayette Tallmans Relations the day before we left Burlington some of their boys came to camp and when they found who we were and where from, nothing would do but that we should go out in the country about 2 miles where they lived and see them We did so and had a good dinner and an excellent visit, They wanted I should write so Tallman would know it, They said tell Tallman that Old Aunt Elen of Henry county was dead. This Tallmans name is Thomas _____     The Iowa eighth Rej. left here two or three days before we came in I was sorry for I should like to have seen some of the Eden boys. Isaac said that John Dam was left here in the Hospital. Was not able to go with the Rej. I have not had time to go and see him yet but think I shall go tomorrow If I can get a pass. I expect when I leave here that I will not be allowed to carry any thing except what I can carry in my saddle so I will have to send my carpet sack home or give it away as soon as I get my arms I intend having my likeness taken again and send home I only wish I could get all of yours I believe you might send them all in one case that is taken on single plates Again I wish you all might be here to see the encampment and see the soldiers drill &c one day if no more The talk is that we will get our pay soon. I do not know but hope we will for many of the Boys are out of money I have plenty as yet however I do not know how long we may stay here yet but I guess the best way is to send your letters here as they are all forwarded on after evry company You must all write to me evry one of my folkes and direct to, Benton Barracks, St. Louis Mo. Company M 1st Ia. Cavalry

P. S. Give my love to all my friends and receive this from your affectionate son.

W. O. Gulick

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²³ Benton Barracks, also called Camp Benton, was just outside St. Louis. It was the chief point of assembly for the Union armies in Missouri late in 1861 and early in 1862.

²⁴ Camanche Township in which the town of Camanche, Iowa, is located, lies along the Mississippi River a few miles southwest of Clinton.

²⁵ This refers to the action at Blue Mills Landing (about five miles from Liberty, Clay County, Missouri), on September 17, 1861. About 4400 Confederates attacked 900 Union men and the latter were forced to retire. Union losses were about 130 killed and wounded, the Confederate about 160. The Third Iowa Infantry, as Gulick reports, was engaged. —Official Records: War of the Rebellion, Series I, Vol. III, pp. 193-195. This series was published by the Government Printing Office at Washington, 1880-1898.

²⁶ That part of Benton Barracks occupied by Company M of Gulick's regiment.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Shambaugh, The Iowa Journal of History and Politics, vol. 28 (1930), pp. 210-3.

Diary of Elvira J. Powers, Monday, April 18, 1864

One man, this morning, while I was taking the name of one who had just died, to write to his friends, told me that people throughout the whole land, will bless me for what I am doing. Wonder if I am doing good. I cannot help knowing that some will hear from their friends who die here, who otherwise would not.

There is a singular case in Dr. C's. division. Upon entering the tent the first day after my arrival, with reading matter for distribution, I inquired of a young German if he could read that language presenting a paper. He said "no," I then offered one in the English language, asking the same question He said he could read, but didn't wish the paper. The next day I did not notice him particularly, as he was sitting up, but the day following found him lying in bed, and that he would not answer when spoken to. While feeding another man with canned peaches who lay near, the nurse said :"You cannot make that man speak to you."

"What is the trouble," was asked. "Well, it is this," was the reply. He says that day before yesterday, when you asked him if he could read English, he told you a falsehood, for he cannot read at all. He has been dreadfully distressed about it ever since, and says the Lord has appeared to him and told him not to eat a mouthful, nor speak to any one except once a day, to the surgeon and myself, until he has forgiven him for the sin. He will speak to no one, not even the other nurse who has charge a part of the time, and says, he will not, until he gets religion."

"What is his name?"

"Oswald."

"Wouldn't you like some of these nice canned peaches, Oswald?" we ask, dipping up some of the delicious fruit. He looked at us smiling but with tightly pressed lips.

"These are very nice—they'll do you good, and we want to make you well as soon as possible. Won't you have some, Oswald?"

No answer.

"Not going to speak to me? Why only think—here's a man trying to get religion and be a Christian and he won't speak to somebody else who is a Christian. I've professed to be one these many years, and you won't speak to me! Now, if you could only read the Bible, you'd know that it says "speak often to each other. You cannot read, can you?" He shakes his head.

"Well, it's a pity, but don't you see that if the Bible says so, you ought to speak, and don't you see that Christian ministers have to talk to sinners to teach them to be good—and if ministers talk to sinners, shouldn't sinners talk to Christians—don't you see that?"

"Yes, yes, I do," he ejaculated, seizing my hand—"I will talk to you for you're a Christian."

We gave him some peaches and left him. The next morning, however, nothing could induce him to speak. He has continued thus ever since—five days and has eaten nothing. He received a forcible cold bath this morning with the promise of its repetition if he does not speak and eat. [This was continued till he both spoke and ate. But he was believed to be a hopeless monomaniac, and after some weeks received his discharge and was sent home.] It is possible that this is mere pretence and his object the same as that of another soldier of whom we have heard, at Jefferson Barracks, Mo. This one used to go daily with a bent pin for a fishhook, and sit for hours upon a stump on the hillside, waiting quietly for the bite which never came, at least in the estimation of others. He was the butt of ridicule for the whole camp, who, while they pitied him on account of his supposed insanity, could but laugh at his perseverance in fishing upon dry ground. He received his discharge, when flourishing it in their faces, he informed them that it was "now his turn to laugh, as he had received what he had all along been fishing for—viz: a discharge!"

SOURCE: Elvira J. Powers, Hospital Pencillings: Being a Diary While in Jefferson General Hospital, Jeffersonville, Ind., and Others at Nashville, Tennessee, as Matron and Visitor, pp. 48-50

Sick Iowa Soldiers

The steamer D. A. January arrived at St. Louis, from the Upper Tennessee, last Wednesday.  She brought a large number of sick and wounded soldiers to Jefferson Barracks Hospital.  The flowing Iowa names appear among them:

James Taylor, Co. C, 2d Cavalry; Wm. H. Reckord, and James Flanagan, Co. I, 8th Infantry.  These are from Scott county.

John L. Brush and Wm. F. Bullock, Co. B, 2d cavalry; James Slaughter, Co. D, do; L. J. Parks, Wm. H. Bulla, Samuel Craig, C. E. Biggs and James Faught, Co. F, do; J. T. Haight, Anderson Hersley and E. H. Evans, Co G., do.; Derwin Downer, Co. K, do.

Charles W. Adell, Co. D. 3d infantry; Luther B. Converse, C. M. Townsend; George Eberhart and C. H. Talmage, Co. I, do.

Daniel E. Follitt, Co. H, 8th Infantry; Moses Conklin, Wm. Lewis, and Henry Applegate Co., I, do.

Martin Poling, James F. Little, M. P. Myers, and Wm. H. Cooper, Co. B, 13th Infantry; Sam. F. Hill, Co. E, do.

Calvin Loid, Co. B, 15th; Wm. Phrekla, Co. C, do.

James Casley, Co. B. 17th; Benj. Stephenson, Co. I, do.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, May 19, 1862, p. 1

Washington News

WASHINGTON, April 4. – Attorney General Bates has given his opinion that acts of January, and August, 1813, granting pensions for wounds or disabilities are applicable only to the forces thereby created, and will not cover the cases of those called into service by the acts of 22d July last, nor are their widows and orphans entitled to pensions under the act of 4th of July 1836.

Grave doubts may be suggested whether the existing laws make provision for pensions to the widows of those now in service who may die from disease or be killed in battle, and upon the whole question the Attorney General inclines to the opinion that there is no adequate provision of law by which such widows are entitled to a pension in addition to the bounties conferred by the acts of July last, the militia received under the Presidents Proclamation of the 15th of April 1861, which was in accordance with the law of the 2d August, 1813, and in cases of wounds and disabilities, entitled to pensions under its provisions.

Previous to adjournment to-day Senator Trumbull gave notice that he would call up the confiscation bill, and press it until disposed of.

An official war bulletin from the War Department creates two military departments.  First, that portion of Virginia and Maryland, lying between the mountains and the Blue Ridge, to be called the Department of the Shenandoah, to be commanded by Gen. Banks.  Second, that portion of Virginia, east of the Blue Ridge and west of the Potomac and the Fredericksburg and Richmond Railroad, including the district of Columbia and the country between the Patuxet to be called the Department of the Rappahannock, to be under command of Gen. McDowell.

WASHINGTON, April 4. – A military hospital has been ordered to be established and New Albany, Indiana, and Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis, has been converted into a military hospital.

The Secretary of War has communicated to Congress his opinion that the present organization of the Medical Bureau is inadequate to the service.  He has authorized the Surgeon General, of New Jersey, under the direction of the Governor, to organize a Volunteer Surgeon Corps, to render medical aid when requested.

A similar organization has been made under the Governor of Pennsylvania, and valuable service has been rendered.

– Published in the Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, April 12, 1862, p. 4

By Telegraph

(Reported expressly for the Gazette.)

Opinion of the Attorney General in regard to Pensions.

Rumored Promotion of General Rosencrans [sic].

Skirmish between the Rebels and Gen. Sickles’ Division.

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From Washington

WASHINGTON, April 4.

Attorney Gen. Bates has given his opinion that the acts of January and August, 1813, granting pensions for wounds or disabilities are applicable only to the forces thereby created, and will not cover the cases of those called into service by the acts of the 22d of July last; nor are their widows and entitled to pensions under the act of fourth of July, 1836.

Grave doubts may be suggested whether the existing laws make provision for pensions to widows of those now in service who may die from disease or be killed in battle; and upon the whole question the Attorney General inclines to the opinion that there is no adequate provision of law by which such widows are entitled to pensions.  In addition to the bounty conferred by the act of July last, the militia, under the president’s proclamation of the 15^th of April 1861, which was in accordance with the law of 2d August, 1813, are, in cases of wounds and disabilities, entitled to pensions under its provisions.

Previous to adjournment to-day, Senator Trumbull gave notice he should call up the confiscation bill and press it daily until disposed of.

An official war bulletin from the War Department, creates two military departments – first, that portion Virginia and Maryland lying between the mountain department and Blue Ridge, to be called the Department of the Shenandoah, to be commanded by Gen. Banks.

Second, that portion of Virginia east of Blue Ridge and West of the Potomac, and the Fredericksburg & Richmond Railroad, including the District of Columbia and the country between the Patuxent, to be called the Department of the Rappahannock; to be under command of Gen. McDowell.

Special to the Tribune.

Wm. H. Russell, of the London Times, has engaged passage to England in the next Cunard steamer.

Times’ Special.

The committee on the conduct of the war have examined several witnesses bearing upon the charge of atrocities by the rebels upon our wounded soldiers at the battle of Bull Run, and the evidence so far is a disgraceful record against the chivalrous Southerners.

The House committee on printing introduced a resolution to-day providing for the printing of 100,000 extra copies of the final report of the committee on war claims at St. Louis.

It is asserted in official circles that Brig. Gen. Rosencrans [sic] is to be promoted to a Major Generalshiip.

The Times’ correspondent telegraphs to-night from Budd’s ferry as follows:

HOOKER’S DIVISION, April 3.

A corps of picked men belonging to the Excelsior brigade, left Liverpool point under the command of Gen. Sickles, early on Tuesday morning, for Stafford Court House, on a reconnaissance.  The troops landed at the Shipping Point batteries, and marched from thence past Dumfries through Aquia to Stafford.

There was a skirmish between a body of 500 rebel cavalry and the advanced corps of Sickles’ command, six miles this side of Stafford, and firing on both sides was continued until we reached that place.  The rebels in their retreat set fire to the town and all the stores.  Our forces promptly stopped the conflagration.  A number of prisoners, horses, stores, &c., fell into our hands from Brook’s station.  A force of 1,200 rebel infantry, and a battery of six field pieces were moving up to support their cavalry, after remaining three hours in Stafford camp.

Gen. Sickles with a part of his corps arrived back at Shipping Point this morning.  The rest came by Brest’s Ferry, opposite Liverpool.

Our casualties were 2 wounded and a few missing.

The corps marched 48 miles in 17 hours, over the worst mountain roads.

There are a few troops at Fredericksburg.  They are falling back to Richmond.  The citizens state that the Confederate Government intend abandoning Virginia.

WASHINGTON, April 4.

The grand jury of the District of Columbia has found two bills of indictment against Horace Greeley for an attack made on the Marshal of the District in the New York Tribune.

A military hospital has been ordered to be established at New Albany, Ind., and Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis; have been converted into a military hospital.

The Secretary of War has communicated to Congress his opinion that the present organization of the medical bureau is inadequate to the service.  He has authorized Surgeon General of New York, under direction of the Governor, to organize a corps of volunteer surgeons to render medical aid when requested.  A similar organization has been made under the Governor of Pennsylvania, and valuable service has been rendered.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Monday Morning, April 7, 1862, p. 2