The following letter was written by William (“Bill”) H. Talbott (1836-1900), a native of Springfield, La Porte county, Indiana. Bill enlisted in July 1861 to serve in Co. C, 1st Indiana Cavalry. He was discharged for disability (“disease of Kidneys”) on 8 September 1862. When he returned home, he married Elizabeth (“Lizzy”) Dorcas Knowles (1840-1926) in 1863 in Gibson county, Indiana, and together they had seven children. They lived in Owensville for a decade or more and then moved to Kansas in 1878.

The First Cavalry regiment of Indiana volunteers contained no less than three full companies of Posey county men. They were C, D and H, and were organized in the months of July and August, 1861. The first captain of Company C was John K. Highman, who was killed at Fredericktown, MO., in November, 1861. All the officers of Co. C were from New Harmony and the entire company came from the northern part of the county. The first encounter with the enemy was September 12, near Ironton, Mo., when three companies had a sharp skirmish with the rebels.

Transcription

Camp Clay, Missouri
September 8th [1861]

Friend Lizzy,

I thought I would write to you as I was not doing anything. I was thinking about you and thought perhaps you would read a little from me. We are all well at present but this is the first time for some time. But I think we will get alright now.

Lizzie, this is a hard life to live but it is our duty to defend our rights. It is my duty to mark one of that number for which our state has called for. All I want is for peace to be made again and our land prosper again.

I heard this morning that James Fisher and Joseph Wasin had been sent to Springfield, Missouri, to make a stand to keep back the rebels. I don’t know how true it is. They have been in camp [with]in eight miles of us but we have not seen them.

I will tell you about John Cole getting hurt. His horse throwed him about two weeks ago and hurt him very bad. He did not know anything for three days. He is better. He can walk out anywhere he wants to. He did not have any bones broke.

I will close for this time. You must write to your old friend Bill. Direct your letter to W. H. Talbott, Saint Louis, Missouri. 1st Indiana Regiment of Cavalry, Company C.

Your truly, — W. H. Talbott

You must excuse me for writing with a pencil as it is out of fashion to write with a pen in the army. Yours truly, — W. H. Talbott