Civil War Letters - Fulton County, IL

The Northwest and the War

(From the Fulton Democrat, Lewistown, Fulton County, Illinois, unknown date)

An article copied elsewhere in this paper, from the Grenada (Miss.) Appeal, deserves to be carefully considered by all men who have any care for the interests of the future generations who are to inhabit the great Northwest. No matter about the source of this article-every sentiment it contains is true as Holy Writ. New England forced this unholy war upon the country, and today New England manages the war, dictating to the President every step he takes toward the overthrow of the free institutions of the Government. While New England is being enriched by the war, the North-west is being reduced by it to beggary. While New England manufactories were never before in so flourishing a condition, the farmers of the North-west can scarcely get first cost for their produce, because they have no outlet for their produce except through the railways owned and managed by New England Abolitionists, at a cost for shipping that overshadows the worth of the produce. New England managed the great Tax Law that has just gone into operation-managed it so that the Northwest has by far the greatest proportion to pay. While New England is naturally opposed to the Northwest States in religion, politics and trade, the Mississippi States are our natural allies in these respects. We have always lived in harmony, and the immense trade that until the commencement of the war, existed between the Northern and Southern States in the Mississippi Valley, was alike profitable to both sections. In no event can the war do us of the West any good. It continually sacrifices our best interests. How long will our people continue blind to these awful truths? How long will the people wait before they declare what should have been uttered in thunder tones a year ago, "this unnatural, unnecessary, unconstitutional, disunion, Abolition war must cease?"
Submitted by Ed and Lois Denaut from their Civil War scrapbook)

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Soldiers and Sailors reunion

Canton, Il., Sept 21 [late 1920's] - "But very few Civil War Veterans
were able to attend the annual Soldiers and Sailors reunion held
recently in Cuba. There are just 45 of them left in the county.

Col. John N. Snyder, one of the group, is the only surviving member
of Post No. 1 G. A. R.

In the picture above, back row left to right are:
Austin Root, Charles H. Wilson, George Jump, Canton;
W. J. Vestrees and Ed Anderson and J. Watson, Bushnell.

Bottom row from left to right:
Ernest Strube, Canton; Samuel Taylor, Avon;
Samuel Ellis, Canton; John M. Snyder, Canton;
Jacob Paulding, St. David; and Amasiah Shaw, Blandinsville.

The Bushnell Veterans and Blandinsville vets were guests of the Association on that day.
Several of those in attendance are not in the picture, a fact that is much regretted."

(Unknown paper, estimated late 1920's submitted by Roy Girard)

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Civil War Letter
Written by Jacob Wage to his Brother, Henry Wages

(submitted by Roy Girard)

A portion of the original letter

18 May 1863 Tenn. Campe Lagrange

Deare brother tis with pleasuer that itak my pen in han to anser your kind leter which irecieved this day an was glad to heare from you, and to heare that you was all well, and ihope when thes few lines comes to hand that may find all in goyis good helth, for that is the way thes few lines leaves me at the present, and iam glad that youare giten along as well as you are, and iam glad to heare of you posting good cropof corn, for that is what were out to eat this winter when wecome home, for weare starvid down in dixcey fr som corn cake and good sweet milk, know iwill tell you that istarted forty tow dolars home the other day by ryderexpress, iexpressed it to you, and iwant you to give ten dollars of it to Marey Jane, and put the rest in Deweys hands, we drawed fifty two dollars witch maid foremonth pay, want you to send mee som postage stamps in your nexletter. tha was fore of our boys started home on aforlow last thurs day. ithink that iwill git to come home on aforlow som time this sumer, it will bin July or augst. tha are given twentey days forlow, James hant bin well for some time he has the dyree but is giten beter now Isaha (wages) has got his discharg and is comen home, know iwill tell you that we hafta beon gard evre yother day an that is a tollorable often. Henrey Jarnigan took arebell prisner by the name of Isalek (Isaac) Wages, he had the niseas kind ofhors. he as him about mee and he did not give him eny anser. i want you to rit to his captan and see if he thare ornot. weare gon to leave three afour boys tha never was musterd in. a few lines to mother, tell i am, and is glad to heare that is well and hartey, tell heare that she neadent bean easey about me, for iam well an hartey. whenever mother wants eney money rit know, and know, and iwill give it to her. If iever come home on forlow iwill maksome of them hunt thare babes, tell mother that she neadnt listen of them what thasay. iam sleepey and icant think ofenery thing more to rit for, igest cam of gard this morning, an Henry you must pick me up awif agin icome home, so nomore ate this pesent time, Iwill close by saing good by afor this time, rit som.

from Jacob Wages to Henry Wages

[NOTE: Dewey's was a store on the square in Canton, Ill. Fulton Co.
JACOB Wages was wounded at the Battle, Missionary Ridge Nov. 25,1863. Only half the Co. of 32 men escaped unscathed. After being in the hospital, Louisville, Kentucky; Madison, Indiana; Nashville, Tenn., contracted the Smallpox. He was honorably discharged Feb.7,1865. Mustered out 21st June,1865 at Louisville, Kentucky. u. Henry Jarnegan, (nephew of Jacob Wages) was at a different camp when Jacob wrote the letter, and Henry captured the Rebel prisoner Isalek Wages (probably Isaac as that was a popular family name). Henry Jarnegan, had asked the prisoner if he had possibly captured a Jacob Wages. The man was probably related, as Ephraim Wages (father to Jacob), had told Henry Wages that there had been 5 other brothers; Isaac could have been one of theirs...Roy Girard]

Letter written during war to Lincoln by John Aten, Company G and the answer
Tells the contitions they were made to suffer in camp