Beschreibung:

38 items (including 20 war-date letters; 4 items relating to pension and other claims; 9 post-war letters; 5 photos); 1863-1894. Galena, Illinois, carries the odd distinction of having been home to more Civil War generals than any other city in the nation, boasting nine in a city of barely 12,000. Most famous of these, of course, were Ulysses S. Grant and his Aide de Camp, the Seneca sachem Ely S. Parker, but there were enough generals in town to create a certain confusion. In the shadow of Grant and Parker was John C. Smith not to be confused with his fellow Galena general, John E. Smith John C. Smith was born in Philadelphia in 1832 and settled in Galena in the mid-1850s, working in construction and contracting. Enlisting as a private in the 96th Illinois Infantry at the start of the war, he was soon elected Captain of his company, rising through the ranks and winning a brevet as Brigadier General of Volunteers at the termination of the war. This collection consists primarily of letters written to Smith, the bulk of which are from soldiers (mostly in the 96th Illinois) or relatives of soldiers dealing with one of the saddest obligations of a field officer, dealing with the death, wounding, and illness of men under arms. Among these are several deeply moving letters revealing the nearly unendurable hardships that befell so many families: AM Sackett, Galena, Dec. 25, 1864, writes regarding the death of a Canadian man in Smith’s regiment who had been killed in action, leaving a wife and seven children. He had been working for us about eight months when he enlisted in your Reg. all though but a few months in the states. He proved his patriotism, and sealed with his life blood the soil of his adoption. In behalf of his afflicted family, I return to you there thanks... A.E. Leekley(?) writes, Dec. 18, on loss of Brother Joe: Yes, we would wish too that he had died some other way than in the hands of those Southern fiends. Oh! It is too dreadful to think of. I hope my dear Brother you will be spared from any damage on the battle field. Your family has indeed done its share of crushing out this wicked Rebellion. I hope you will keep just well enough to do post duty, but not well enough for active service, until this war is over... H.H. Cutler, taken prisoner at Mission Ridge and then paroled, writes to say that he is still too weak for military duty, asking for leave to return home before rejoining his regiment: I do not wish to do anything to injure my name of the good cause I am engaged in and as for a deserter, I despise one.... When I come to the regiment I want to do my duty and I did before I was captured. As soon as I get a little stronger and am exchanged I am willing and anxious to come to you.... B.G. Pierce writes. Feb. 5, 1865, from the Post Hospital in Pulaski, Tenn.: I think it is the best policy to provide for the south & act as though a summer’s campaign is before us. Let the soldiers come, let more troops be brought into the field, so that now when the Confederacy is tottering & the people are fearing the worst, let their worst fears be realized, & let an overwhelming force be placed into the grand work & let no part of the rebellious land rest until it is through & completely subjugated, & the last vestige of hope of independence is ground out of their hearts. Give them no rest, no peace, no armistice -- no cessation of hostilities -- no time to recover from the shock of Sherman’s march -- but let our conquering armies sweep on til they cry out for mercy... Minerva E. Perry, Galena, Jan. 31, 1864: With a trembling hand and an aching heart I take up my pen to ask of you as a friend and an old acquaintance a favor in behalf of my son which is his discharge. It is a humiliating task which I fain would reject did not the necessity compel me to act. I am aware of the fact that there are others whose sufferings have been increased by the terrible reallities of war, but they or most of them have had a kind father, uncle