Private William O. Gulick to his sisters, September 29, 1861

Camp Warren, Ia. Sept. 29th/61

Ia Cavalry            

Dear Sisters¹

I received your kind letter yesterday morning but as I did not have time to answer it then I waited untill now. My time is limited, for I am standing guard and just came off, will have to go on again at one oclock, we stand two hours on, and about four off, for twenty-four hours. It commenced last night to rain and has continued to rain ever since and prospects for a wet time all through my time of Guard, But I am well provided for as we have our uniform the clothing for the whole Regiment came Sept. 20th. We have one heavy pair Pantaloons and the promise of another soon, a very heavy Overcoat with cape a Fighting Jacket trimmed with orange a blue sack coat for a fatigue dress a pair of Boots, pair of shoes, and a hat something like Isaac's We have three Blankets one for our horse. The Whole Regiment is Ordered to go to St. Louis and to go by Squadrons one each day commencing tomorrow (Monday) Our Squadron will be the last so we will remain here yet six days unless further orders We expect to get the remainder of our horses by Wednesday, We have now about 30 horses and saddles. I forgot to tell you all of our clothing we got Shirts two pair drawers, two pair Socks a canteen, and all the little necessaries we wanted. I cannot carry all my clothing so I will send my things that I need least, in a box with some others to Clinton I shall have them in a bundle directed to Low Moor, I shall write to the rest of the family in a few days I got a pass yesterday to go down town but as the Colonel² wanted all should appear on grond parad [sic] I could not go to have my likeness taken but as soon as I can get my pass I will have it taken and send it in my next letter. You will probably hear from Isaac soon for he will write as soon as he gets to St. Louis and he starts Tuesday

I was glad to hear that you were all geting along so well I am as well as can be and like soldiering better evry day I tell you it is fine cooking and eating out doors such days as this I have just pertaken of an apple dumpling I bought it for my dinner and thank fortune I have change but many have not, Peter Barr³ has lost his pocket Book with over Fifty dollars he says if Wagner⁴ has not payed that little sum he ows him to his brother he would like to have him send it to him, he says direct or send it in one of my letters The sum is $3.60 I believe. It is now time for me to go on guard and I have always been prompt excuse me from writing more this time and I will write soon and more give my love to all my friends tell them I like to get letters, direct care of Capt.⁵ to Camp Warren as you have heretofore and my letters will be forwarded on to me if I am gone

Your Brother

W. O. Gulick

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¹ William Gulick had four sisters, all older than himself: Lorette Schuyler, Sarah Jane Wagner, Emma V. Harris, and Cynthia Jones.

² Colonel Fitz Henry Warren, of the First Iowa Cavalry Volunteers, rose to the rank of brevet major general before the close of the war. A native of Massachusetts, he had moved to Burlington, Iowa, in 1844. In 1849 President Taylor appointed him Assistant Postmaster General. He made an excellent record in this position, but resigned it in indignation when Millard Fillmore signed the Fugitive Slave Law. In the campaign of 1860 he employed his eloquent oratorical powers in behalf of Abraham Lincoln. When war broke out he left the associate editorship of the New York Tribune, where he had made a reputation as one of the ablest journalists in the United States, to serve his country in the field. In later years he was frequently active in Iowa politics.

³ Peter Barr, of Company M, came (like Gulick) from the Low Moor neighborhood and seems to have been a close friend of Gulick's, as he is mentioned a number of times in these letters. At the time of his discharge for disability at Clinton, Missouri, on June 24, 1862, he held the rank of corporal.

⁴ Richard Wagner, of Low Moor, married Sarah Jane Gulick.

⁵ By the "Capt." is meant William H. Ankeny, Captain of Company M.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Shambaugh, The Iowa Journal of History and Politics, vol. 28 (1930), pp. 204-6.

Private William O. Gulick, September 15, 1861

Camp Warren, Sept. 15th, 1861

It is now a little more than a week since I was with you, Although it is but a short time It seems to me about a month. I have seen so many strange and new things in moveing about and liveing as I have that although I am not homesick the time when I look back upon it seems long. You may think strange my writing with a ledpencil but it is so much handier as I am siting on the ground with a board on my lap. I had a letter written to send home, when John³ came down to Davenport and as I did not know when we would leave there and I thought John could carry all the news I did not send it, I suppose John told you all about our camp at Davenport, well it is much better than it is here for here we have nothing but tents. They are smaller than the one we had [illegible], and Thirteen have to mess and sleep in two of them. The first thing may be you would like to know is about my traveling after I left home &s (I did not have time to tell John much) About one oclock I left Lyons⁴ and after a pleasant trip of five hours arrived at Davenport or Camp McClellan⁵ which as John will tell you is very pleasantly situated. There was preaching at Camp Mc.C. evry Sunday I attended and heard a good discourse by Bishop Lee⁶ first Sunday after I left home, I bought me a Bible and some medicine at D. The morning after John stayed with us we were ordered to get ready to move from camp in one hour. We were told it was to go to Burlington In less than half that time every one was ready to march for the boat, We were taken in front of the Burtis House⁷ at Davenport and sworn in servise of U. S. I beleive John was there in time to see us, After takeing the Boat we had a pleasant trip one hundred miles down the great river We had dinner and supper at Leefingwells⁸ expence I was told, We arrived at Burlington about 10 oclock P. M. Was marched through the dust to Camp Warren a distance of 1½ mile from town, we were met by Isaac's⁹ company and after many hearty cheers went in quarters with them for the night. This camp is very comfortable although they are nothing but shanties most of the boys sleep on the ground because they did not know how hard it would be in wet times Friday first day in Camp Warren it rained all day so we had to stay where we could untill we could get and put up our tents. friday night it rained very hard and about midnight I found my self swiming in water, with a number of others. I concluded to take quarters on a table where I took a wet but a good sleep Saturday we put up our tents and dug ditches around them so they are water proofe. Sunday today is comparatively quiet though I hear the Band play a part of the time as the guards have to be changed. I have not been to preaching to day but they say that next Sunday there will be preaching on the ground. We have plenty to eat here and can trade Pork and Beef for all the nicnacks we want. We draw as rations Pork Beef Rice Potatoes Bread sugar Coffee tea molasses vinegar Soap & candles Salt Pepper &c not all at once but all we need as evry other day for a change we have a good mess the Best one in the crowd to my notion. [illegible] myself and 3 other Carpenters one Telegraph operator 3 Mt. Vernon students Fred Wilkes¹⁰ one stone mason besides two other common laborers, mess together We are all well suited and all good cooks Tell Peter¹¹ that Gorum [Josiah Gorhem] the wagon maker at Clinton is in our mess. There is now a full Regiment of Cavalry here a great many of them want horses sadles and equipments besides us, they get them as soon as can be, but no telling when Isaac's Company with some others look well when mounted, as they have theyr saddles.

That money you sent me I thought I would not nead it so I sent it back with John, I also sent you some apples and peaches half what John brought home, I sent them because I new they would come good and becaus I could. I would have sent something more but I did not know that we would have to go to Burlington so soon.

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³ John Schuyler was the oldest son of Peter and Lorrette Schuyler and therefore was William's nephew although he was about the same age. He later enlisted and died in camp.

⁴ Lyons is a town of about 6000 population, two and one-half miles directly north of Clinton, Iowa. Here Company B of the First Iowa Cavalry was organized about May 1, 1861, under the leadership of Judge William E. Leffingwell of Lyons, its first captain. Samuel S. Burdett of DeWitt, 1st lieutenant, was later promoted to captain. —Lothrop's A History of the First Regiment Iowa Cavalry Veteran Volunteers (Lyons, Ia., Beers and Eaton, 1890), p. 20.

⁵ Camp McClellan, at Davenport, served as a concentration point for the additional companies permitted by an Act of Congress of July 29, 1861. This act increased the number of companies constituting a cavalry regiment from ten to twelve. This permitted the addition to the First Cavalry of Company L, mustered into the service on September 23rd; and Company M, which went into quarters at Camp McClellan on September 2nd and was sworn into service on September 12th.

⁶ Henry W. Lee, of Davenport, was bishop of the Episcopal diocese of Iowa from 1854 until his death in 1874. He was instrumental in the founding at Davenport of Griswold College and the building of Trinity Cathedral. He also carried to a successful conclusion a money-raising campaign which made possible the purchase of 6000 acres of land by the Iowa diocese.— Downer's History of Davenport and Scott County (Chicago, S. J. Clark, 1910), Vol. I, p. 590.

⁷ The Burtis Opera House, 413 Perry St., Davenport, Iowa.

⁸ Captain (Judge) William E. Leffingwell organized Company B, First Iowa Cavalry, under the name of the "Hawkeye Rangers". This was the first full company of equipped cavalry in the State. It numbered 98 officers and men, according to the Lyons City Advocate of July 27, 1861. It is significant that Capt. Leffingwell raised this company and procured its equipment without aid either from the State or Federal government. At different times before and after the war Leffingwell was a Presidential Elector, Judge of the Eastern Iowa District Court, and President of the Iowa State Senate. He was an able lawyer, and was distinguished for his scholarly attainments.

⁹ Isaac Gulick of Company B, a cousin. He re-enlisted in 1864 and survived the war. He afterwards moved with his parents to State Center, Marshall County, Iowa, and according to latest reports, he is still living there.

¹⁰ Fred Wilkes (Frederick R. Wilkes) also of Company M was William Gulick's most intimate friend and "buddy" until the death of the latter in September, 1863. He had come to Clinton County from Indiana before the war, and joined Company M with the original enlistment in September, 1861. He re-enlisted in 1864 and served out the war.

¹¹ Peter Schuyler, a brother-in-law to Gulick, had married Lorrette, William's oldest sister.

SOURCE: Benjamin F. Shambaugh, The Iowa Journal of History and Politics, vol. 28 (1930), pp. 201-4