The Civil War Letters of Sylvester Kenyon, Woodford County, Illinois

courtesy John R. Kenyon

The following letters were written by Sylvester Kenyon, during the civil war 1862-1865. They were addressed to his sister Sarah Kenyon of Cazenova township, Woodford County, Illinois, as well as to other members of his family.

Letter #8

Monday, Aug 8 1863

Dear Sister:

I received your kind and welcome letters of 29th and 30th of July and it made me feel as I would have like to have been at home. As I read them over I was glad to hear that you are all well, and hope that when these few lines reach you, that they well find you still well and enjoying yourselves. I am well and hearty at present and hope to remain so. We are still in camp at Vicksburg, but we don’t know how soon we may move down the river.

We have expecting to go down to Natchez every day for a week. I am sorry to hear of the many copperheads up there. You want to know what I thought of them. I can tell you that I hate them worse than the Southern rebel, and I think they have been the means of prolonging this war, and nothing makes the soldiers down here madder than to hear of the copperheads. They are worse than the (secesh) ?? in the south in my estimation.

Your letter fetched some unexpected news to me, that Mr. Frink had come out, and that Father and Orilla was going back with him. I should like very much to have seen him. I don’t know what Rilla wants to go out there fore. I should think she would rather stay where she is til Will got back, but it may be best. I know that it will be very hard for you to part with them. I hate to have them go, for I expect to get a furlough some time between now and next spring. There has two gone out of our company now and I believe the calculation is to give them all furlough, if they come back, that have gone. I don’t want you to look for me until you see me coming. You need not look for me very soon anyway.

I saw Frank Moory, he is in the 33 Ill. Co B, he is well and hearty and sends his respects to you all.

I suppose that before this letter reaches you, that Father and Rilla and little Ella and Freddy will be on the road to Nebrask (a), and I hope that they get through safe, no more at present. So Goodbye Sally and all the rest.

S. Kenyon

.Excuse all the mistakes, for I am guilty of trying to write too fast.

 Letter #9

Braser City La.
Sunday Oct. 4, 1863

Dear Sister:

I received your kind and welcome letter that you wrote me on my birthday and was glad to hear from you and to hear that you were all well that are at home. And I hope that when these few lines reach you they will find you still enjoying good health. I am sorry to hear that you have had frost so early, up there. And was sorry to hear that Will was sick, but I hope that he is well long before this time. They have been having some pretty hard fighting close to where he was.

I am well at present and hope to remain so. We left New Orleans last night and crossed the river and got on the cars and came out here, we got here just at daylight, and we expect to leave here day after tomorrow. I expect to have some pretty hard marching to do, for we left all our tents and every thing that we could probably get along without.

We were payed the day before we started, two months pay and I did not get a chance to send any home, so I thought I would keep it, for there might be such a thing that I would need it. I have got a pretty good supply of postage stamps, and I will let you know if I can’t get any. I wish I could get a letter from you before we leave this place, for I am looking for some news from Father, Rilla and the babies, and I expect that when we leave this place it will be very doubtful whether I will get half your letters, or whether you will get half of mine. But I hope we may hear from each other often, give my best respects to all inquiring friends.

Good Bye Sally

from your brother, Ves

Write when you can

For Linda (written in pencil)

Note: Probably written much latter to tell who the letter were to be given to.

Letter #10

Franklin, La.
Oct 28, 1863

Dear Sister:

I again take the opportunity of writing you and mother a letter in answer to yours of the 4th. I was very glad to hear from you once more, and that you were all well. And I hope that when these few lines reach you they well find you are still enjoying good health and good times. I am well and hearty at the present time and hope to keep so. I wrote a letter to you the same day you wrote to me.

I am at Brashcar City, and we expect to march into Texas, but part of our Brigade was left at a little town called Franklin on the Bagon Lash to guard it so the boats could run up. And we do not know how long we will stay here. I hope when we do leave we won’t have to march til we over take the rest of them. We are doing first rate here, only we don’t get the news often or get any mail very often. We haven’t got any tents but we carried boards and slabs and built us shanties, so that we have got tolerable comfortable quarters. I got that letter that you wrote on my birthday and the things that you sent to me. I have answered every letter that you ever wrote to me, that I got.

I expect that (John)?? was ticketed to get home. I expect that he will have to come to the Regt. again before long. Would have liked to have been at the apple culling, but I don’t expect to be home before my time is out, and then if I live I will come home. I am anxious to hear from Orilla and Father, you wrote that you had got two letters from them, but they had not got through yet. I don’t think of any more to write at present, write often, if it does take our letters nearly a month to go and come.

Mother this is to you as much as it is to Sarah.

Goodbye to all

Sylvester Kenyon

Letter #11

Franklin, La
Nov. 10 1863

Dear Sister:

As I set here in my little old shabby shanty my mind is wondering back to my old home, where I spent so many happy hours with you. And I wonder if we shall ever meet again to tell over the many scenes that have past since we last saw each other.

I hope that the time is short when peace shall be declared, and I can return home again. For I don’t want to be home to stay until peace is declared, if I keep my health. The wind is blowing from the north, and it seems cold to us down here, yet it has not been cold enough to frost. I expect it is very cold up there now.

I received your letter of the 18th of last month and I was glad to here that you were all well, and that father and Rilla got through all safe. I was sorry to hear of Mr. Smith death, but that can’t be helped.

I am well and hearty as I ever was in my life. I weigh 141 lbs. We drill every day that we can.

The First Brigade that went on, were nearly all taken prisoners, they were out about thiry miles beyond New Leiberia and in advance of the other troops, and the rebels came by mad dash on them before they could get ready for them, and killed and took a good many prisoners before the other troops could come up. They come up and drove them back and took some of them prisoners. I have not heard the particulars of it yet and what I wrote may not be all correct.

The last letter you did not say anything about Wm. Frink, but in your other one before this one, you said he was sick in the hospital in Alabama. I don’t hear from him any more. I have not written to him for a long time, and if he is at the hospital, I don’t know where to direct my letters, he may be a long way from the Regiment.

Mary wrote a first rate letter, I wish I couild do as well, I could read it. I will have to try and write her one. No more at present.

Good Bye Sally

This from your brother

S. Kenyon

Algears, La.
Dec. 15, 1863

Dear Sister:

I again take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know that I am well and enjoying my self first rate, and hope that when these few lines reach you, they will find you enjoying the same blessings. I received your letter of the 28th of last month and was glad to hear rom you.

We have left New Iberia and are now back in Algears, just on the opposite side of the river from New Orleans and we are expecting to go to Texas soon, by way of the Gulf, but we don’t know where we will go. We may go down the river, where was some talk of us going clear up to Memphis. But I hardly think we will go that far. I wouldn’t care if we did.

I was over to New Orleans yesterday and got my dinner, it was a hearty meal, and then I (went)? around thru the streets nearly all day, and then crossed the river and went to camp. I got weighed while I was over there and I weighed 153 pounds. Can’t think of any more at present. So goodbye Sarah.

Another letter in same envelope

Wednesday the 16th
Dear Mother:

We are many miles apart, yet you are ever as near to me in my memory. It has been sometime since we have seen each other, but I hope that the time is not too far off when we will be permitted to see each other again.

Mother I wish I was home and going to school, but I should not be content until this war is over. For I feel like I am where I ought to be. I don’t want you to think that I am down hearted or discouraged at all from what I have written, far from it.

I was glad to receive a few lines from you, and I hope you will write as often as you have an opportunity.

Alonso F. Stodard came to the Regiment yesterday, it is the first time he has been with us since we left Memphis. No more at present.

Goodby Mother

This from your son

Letter #13

March 18, 1864
Franklin, La.

Dear Sister:

I will try and write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and hearty, and that I received your letter and mothers, of the 28th of the month. I was very glad to hear to hear from you once more, and hear that you are all well as comen (common) It seems like it takes father a long time to get well, I hope that he will soon be able to walk again. You said that you had not heard from me for a long time. It appears that you do not get all of my letters. This is the first letter I have had from you in over a month. I answer all the letters that I get and write some more.

We had not had any very hard time yet, we left Broshear a week ago today and came out here, three miles beyond Franklin. He turned in all our tents to the Hd. at Brasshear, so we have to use our rubber blankets for shelter. They are fitting out an expedition here to go to Red Rave, I think, and we expect to march on soon. When I went to Texas, I did not think we would come back here again. This will be th 5th time we have marched this road.

You said that David and Miron had enlisted and were coming down with Hammer, bully for them if they come. I did not think David Safert would come. There is a lot more I would like to see coming.

I expect that it is getting to be a pretty hard place right around there, and I hope that Father will get a good place somewhere and move out of there. I wish he would sell the place that he lives on, that is if he can get a better one.

We still have meeting when we have the opportunity. I was at a first rate meeting yesterday, and last night we had it in the old sugar mill, and I expect there was over a thousand soldiers there, and there was several joining the meeting, and we are going to have a temperance meeting tonight. I wish you could see some of the meeting down here.

Dear Sister it is very important to try to live a Christian life, and let us pray for each other that we may hold out faithful, and if we do not see each other while on this earth we may in that better land.

Write as often as you can and let me know how you are, and all the rest of them get along. I send Father my love and I hope that his leg will soon get well. I send my love to all and hope war will some end. No more at present.

Good Bye Sister

This from your affectioate brother Sylvester

Dear Mother:

I can’t think of any more to write than I have written to Sarah, only that I want you to write as often as you can.

Good By Mother

John (Smith)?? sends his respects to you.

Letter #14

Patchatocher, La.
April, 11th 1864

Dear Sister:

I once more take the opportunity of writing you a few lines to let you know I am still alive and well except a little powder burn that I received on the 8th. I don’t like to write bad news, but I guess that I will have to. I was at this place the last time that I wrote to you. Out we marched the next day about 15 miles and the next we marched 20 miles out to a place called Pleasant Hills, and went into camp, and was up until 10 or 11 o’clock cooking rations, for the next day, and our Brigade had to get up at half past one o’clock and get ready to march at 3, and we marched about 8 miles and we found a few rebels. And we formed a line of battle and drove them and scrimished for about 8 miles through the woods to where we found their main army. Our Lt. Colonel was killed while we were scrimishing. We had our knapsacks all the way and we were pretty tired, we got there about noon, with our little Brigade, and layed there til the other Brigade and and the 3rd Div. came up and that first. The force that we had and theirs wasn’t 5,000 men in both Div. and the 19th Army Corps had gone into camp about 7 or 8 miles back. I never did know who was in command of us, but for fear you don’t, I will tell you it was Gen. Banks and Franklin, and I think they have made the generalship now.

We had our little line of battle formed, and the rebels had three, and each one was longer than ours so they could flank us on both sides. So that was the way we were formed and ordered to advance on them and we done so. And the rebels advanced too and the consequences was that we got pretty badly whipped and about two-thirds of our men taken prisoners, they broke our lines and we had no support our men fell back and rallied three times, but it was no good, they was too strong for us. And another thing the road was all blocked up with the teams coming up. So that we could not get our cannons off, and they got 18 pieces from us, I beleive, but I don’t know exactly how many they did get.

The 19th Corps just got up in time to save our train, and night came on and the fight ceased, and we all went back to Pleasant Hills where we found out about Smith in camp-------;

(the rest of letter was missing)

Letter #15

Algier, LA.
July 28th 1864

Dear Sister:

I take my pen in hand this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well, and that I received the package that you sent me by Barney, he came to us on the 23rd. I was very glad to get something from home, and to see someone that has seen Father.

That peach jelly was first rate. Hammer and G. Attig eat some, and several of the boys had a taste of it. And we called it peach jelly, you did not say any thing about it in your letter. That mixed sugar was first rate, tell Ella that I am much abliged to her for remembering me and sending me something, and if I ever get home I will I will find her something. I am much abliged to you for all your kindness to me.

We were all called up the other night and got on the boat to go to Morgan Hills, they thought the rebels were there, but we did not go. We haven’t got very many men on the Mississippi river this summer. They are most all in the east. We heard from our prisoners that are in Texas. They released (the) chaplin and exchanged the 19th Ky. boys, their time was out, and one man from our regiment slipped away with them, that was taken when we were on Decospoint. They were a pretty hard looking set, they say they had been used terribly rough, they were all well. I am glad they did not get me!

I remain your affectionate brother, Sylvester Kenyon

Letter #16

N. Orleans, LA
November 1st 1864

Dear Sister:

I received a letter from you and take the present opportunity of answering it, as I have not written to you for some time. I expect you have been looking for a letter mail day. I know I have been looking for a letter for some time. I expect I like to get letters better than I like to write them, would like to get a lettter from Wm.Frink. I have not heard from him since they took Atlanta. Was glad to hear that old man Frink got through from New Braskey (sp).

We are getting fixed up pretty well now. They made us wear good clothes, and black our shoes every time we go on guard, or out in the city. We have to act like gentlemen now. We are on guard nearly every other day. They have sent nearly all our prisoners, since we came here, but it takes almost as many guards to guard a few as it does a lot. They took some to exchange, and some to Ship Island. We were looking for our boys, but they did not exchange, but one man of our Regiment that was Capt. Stearns, he got exchanged because of a wound in his arm, that he received before our Regiment was made up. It is like Capt. Chambers leg, was hit, never healed up and never will, don’t think. He says the boys are all well up there, but before was pretty rough. The boys are all well that are here.

We got a list of the drafted men in the papers. But Walter Owens name was not there. I don’t know how they came to draft him in Marshall County.

It is most time for the presidential election to come off now, and I don’t know who Father and Orson are going to vote for, but I know who I would vote for if I had a chance and I guess you do too.

We have not been payed off yet, but we are expecting it every day now. I must close, write soon.

Good bye S.
Sylvester Kenyon

Letter #17

N.O.
Dec. 8, 1864

Dear Sister:

I take my pen in hand to answer your letter of the 19th of last month. I am considerably at a loss to know what to write about. But I can say that I am well, and that I enjoy myself first rate, and that I was glad to get a letter from you, and perhaps you will be glad to get one from me, therefore I will write whether I write anything very interested or not.

I don’t know whether I ever told you that our Regt. had a band or not, we use to have a brass band, but they sold it, and bought a silver one, we got it since we came here, so we have plenty of good music.

You may tell Orson that I weigh 150 pounds, and the next time he wants to find anything out by me, to write to me and I will answer every letter that I get from him. And I expect there is a letter in Minonk for him if he hasn’t got it. I wrote him one while he was staying out there and directed it there, but I thought at the time, he would probably be home by the time it got there. But I had just written one to you, and I didn’t like to sent them both to the same place. When one envelope would have done for both of them.

You wanted to know whether I had any mustache or not. I haven’t got quite a stiff one as David Saffe, and I don’t think that I am any taller than I was when I left home, I might be a little.

Tell Darius to write and tell me whether school has commenced or not, and how far he has got or has been in arithematic.

I must close and write a few lines to Mother, by that time it will be time to go on guard. Give my best respects to inquiring friends.

Goodbye Sister, Sylvester

Dear Mother:

I was glad to get a few lines from you, although you did not write much. Yet you expressed your love and feelings for me, and I will in return send you my love and best wishings, hoping that we may enjoy the priviledge of seeing each other again some day. I don’t want you to think that I am a very good boy lest you should be deceived if I should live to come home, but I can say that it is my intensions to try to be a good boy, but I come far short of being as good and intelligent as I mind to be. I spent too much of my time in idleness. Write as often as you can.

Goodby Mother
Sylvester

Letter #18

N. Orleans, La.
Dec 31, 1864

Dear Sarah and Orillia:

I was very happily surprised a few days ago by being handed a letter from the hands of loved ones at home, and the form of a female said to be my sister, but it took a second glance for me to make it a sister of mine. I could after a little time see the features of my sister Sarah, but she must have lived in a land filled with milk and honey.

Also the mention of old associations around a passion in my mind that for a while wandered to the frigid north, and dreams of bands of persons sleighing played by me. And the sweet clear voices of the happy crew and the tinkling of the bells rang the welcome of the midnight air, and I longed for reality.

But then I take a second thought and another scene passes before me and I behold a motley crew, limbs dormant with cold, and a longing for the ignited coal, which has interned in it’s mothers breast, and a little further along in the scene, I discern the (scaly)? faces and ears presenting an enchanting appearance similiar to the gills of a haughty turkey after a very cold night, and not long after I see the scarlet inmates ushered out of their scaley palaces, or a board as a snake in the spring of the year, and then I am content again with my lot.

I must turn my subject and let you know that I am well, and what we are doing. We have been released from prison guard and have moved our quarters up in the city further, and are doing guard duty at different places in the city. They moved in at Christmas and went on guard. And for Christnas dinner I had corn bread and butter. The butter I suppose was made by my mothers hands. We had better quarters than we had down there. We are on guard every other day.

I should like very much to see Ella and Freddy. I must close my letter before the new year sets in. Tell Dry that he may expect an answer to his letter soon. Write as often as you can.

Goodby Sisters
Sylvester

Letter #19

Ft. Morgan
Mobile Pt. Ala.
March 7 1865

Dear Sister:

Once more on this sandy point, I embrace the opportunity of writing you a few lines, to let you know that I am well. We left N. O. on the 20th of last month. We have not received any mail since we left. But we are expecting the mail pretty soon now. There is a boat just coming in, and I expect she has mail on her, if so I will have a letter.

We are once more in the field with our little dog tents, that we have to get down on our hands and knees to crawl into them. For all that I seem more at home than I did in the city. I have not yet felt very sorry that we left there. For there was some that were all the time getting drunk and disobeying orders, and a great many of them have been court marshalled and a part of their pay stopped, but they did not seem to care, they would go right back and do the same thing over again.

We do not get much news here now, but we can hear all kinds of rumors, but we can not put any confidence in any of them. If every thing was so that we heard here, the war would not last many days londer.

Charleston is believed to be ours, we have heard two or three times that Richmond was evacuted. Also Mobile and several other places to numerious to mention.

I haven’t much idea where we will go, but it is generally beleived we will try Mobile Ala. I saw Morgan Moulton the other day, his Regt. is camped over on Dauphin Island, and he came over to see us. And I found out that John King was over there. I did not know he was in this department. I thought he was with Gen. Thomas’s Army. They were well and hearty.

I will sent you something that grows down here. I don’t know what to call it. I got it off from the roots of something that looks just like the palm leaf, but I don’t know whether that is it or not. I will call it natural woven cloth. I will send you a little of Mobile Point too.

Give my best respects to all, and if you see Wm. Moulton tell him to write.

This from your brother Sylvester, to Sarah

I will send you another picture.

Letter #20

Camp near Fish River
March 28 1865

Dear Sister:

I received a letter from you the day before we started on the march, that was the 16th. There was a big mail for the Regt. but I only got one letter. I was expecting four or five. Your letter was a very interesting one to me.

We left Fort Morgan on the 17th and marched about 12 miles through the sand, it was very hard marching, we started in the morning at four o’clock, went into camp early, up again in the morning and off at day light, marched about 15 miles, the roads began to get swampy. Sunday the 19th march march at sunrise, there is scarcly any timber except pine and that is getting plentiful. Now and then a log cabin and once in awhile a family living in them. The roads are very bad, only march about 6 miles. Monday the 20th lay still and draw rations. It commences to rain about dark, rains all night. Tuesday up early, still a raining, under take to march, but only do about one half of a mile all day. Wade through water from ankle to knee deep and have to wade back and forth all day and pull the wagons through. And then at night go on picket.

Wed. the 22nd the sun came out bright and we dry our things. I have it better on picket then the other boys they have to work at getting the wagons through the mud. Got them through about 3 pm and started again. Each company takes 3 or 4 wagons and march along with them to help them through the worst places, and get about a mile by dark.

Thursday, 23rd start out again early the roads start to get better, march about 8 miles to where we are now.

H.J. Smith has landed about 20 thousand troops here, we will probably stay here a day or two. I think we have had the worst roads so far, on the march that we have had. It looked a little discouraging on Tuesday when the horses and mules were nearly all mired down, and the wagons and the artillery were sunk in the mud clear up to the hubs. Horses and mules were of no account at all. There we had to take them off, and roll the wagons out by hand. The boys all stand it first rate. They are all well so far as I know.

I am well and hearty and hope when you get this letter, you will be enjoying good health, and all the rest. I must close, the mail leaves in a few minutes. Write as often as you can.

Goodbye Sarah

Sylvester

Letter #21

Blakely, Ala.
April 10, 1865

Dear Mother:

As I have a chance to send letters off, I will write you a few lines to let you know I am well and all right yet.

Spanish Fort was evacuated the night of the 8th, we was there most of two weeks, we was getting up pretty close to them and they calculated it would be best for them to be getting out of there. If our gun boats could have got up the bay we would have had them fast, but the bay was so full of torpedoes that they could not, until they was taken away.

They was at work every night taking them up. As soon as Spanish Fort was evaculated, we had orders to march, so in the morning we drew three days rations and started for this place. Where Steal and a part of our Corps had a nest of Johnnie’s to content with. We got there about 5pm, just as the forces here were charging on the rebels, the charge lasted about a half hour, and they captured 4,000 prisoners and two rebel gun boats. That is what some say, but I guess no one knows for sure how many prisoners they did get, but I guess they got quite a lot of them. I do not know how many men we lost in the charge yet. The 11th and 8th Illinois was in the charge, so I suppose John King and Moulton was in the charge.

Perhaps you think that I can tell you all about things around here, because I came along, but I can not tell any thing for truth, only what I have seen with my own eyes.

Excuse this poorly written letter, and I will try to do better next time. Write soon.

Goodbye Mother
Sylvester

Letter #22

McIntosh Bluffs, Ala.
May 6th, 1865

Dear Sister:

I was made the happy recipient a few days since of a kind and most welcome letter from you, and this pleasant and cheerful morning, I set down to write you a few lines in return, to let you know that I am well. And hope that these few lines will find you enjoying the same great blessings.

As you wrote your letter, in great sorrow, I write mine in a time of rejoicing. Gen. Dick Taylor and his forces have surrendered and the rebel fleet will be down the river today, and we have heard that Johnson has surrendered too, and there is cheering news from all quarters. We expect to go to Mobile tomorrow on the rebel boats.

Sister I can not express to you my feelings, when I read of the assassination of our president. It was Sunday, and I never saw such a solium day in the Army as that was. At noon they beat the muffled drums and all seemed to have a sad look. It seems hard to part with so great and good a man, whom the nation put so much confidence in, and who has carried on the affairs of our government so well, though such dark and trying times as we have had to undergo, and at a time when there was such a bright prospect of peace. I think we now got a very good man in his place. One who will not show much mercy to traitors.

The long struggle seem to be near an end and I think our nation has learned a lesson, dearly bought.

Goodbye
Sylvester K.

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