The following letters were written by Charles Otto Henthorn (1841-1910), the son of Nelson George Henthorn (1810-1890) and Elizabeth C. Moeller (1815-1887) of Lacon, Marshall county, Illinois. of Co. B, 77th Illinois Infantry. Charles’ parents were married in Licking county, Ohio, but had relocated to Marshall county, Illinois, prior to the 1840 US Census.
Charles enlisted in Co. D, 77th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. Many of his letters are housed in the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan. Charles is described in that collection as “an unusually powerful writer and provides thoughtful, evocative descriptions of the events unfolding around him. His observations on the varied roles of African Americans in the army are particularly noteworthy. They are depicted in several ways: as informers on Confederate sympathizers hiding from the Union Army, as victims of racism and southern hatred, and as highly motivated and effective soldiers at the Battle of Milliken’s Bend. Henthorn appears to have a much more positive attitude toward blacks than many of his fellow soldiers, and he appears equally to be aware of this fact. Equally interesting are Henthorn’s descriptions of the land itself, including fine descriptions of towns in Indiana and Ohio, and of evacuated plantations in Louisiana. He makes several references to hostile southern attitudes toward the Union troops, and describes an instance of pillaging by members of his regiment. There are two second-hand accounts of battles, the Battles of Richmond and Milliken’s Bend, but by and large, there is very little martial content in Henthorn’s letters. He is instead at his best in his reflections on the effect of the conflict on the soldiers and civilians. The final two letters in the collection provide (respectively) an insight into the depth of Henthorn’s religiously held pro-Union, anti-slavery views, and an account of a copperhead rally in Lacon during the 1864 presidential election which featured a coffin containing a likeness of Lincoln with buzzards flying overhead…Like many soldiers in his regiment, Henthorn was striken with illness during the Vicksburg Campaign, and spent seven weeks in the Van Buren Hospital at Milliken’s Bend, La., before being sent to St. Louis for convalescence. This series of correspondence essentially ends when Henthorn leaves the south, however the regimental history for the 77th Illinois records Henthorn as mustering out only at the end of the war.”
Although Charles is carried on the Muster rolls of Co. B as Charles O. Henthorn, there is also a Charles O. Hawthorn on the rolls of Co. D which is also the company commanded by Capt. Robert Brock and the other privates mentioned in this letter. Henthorn, not Hawthorn, is the surname that Charles wrote on his letter and envelope. Because of the other names mentioned in this letter, I’m going to assume Charles was in Company D.
Letter 1
In Camp opposite Vicksburg
January 31st 1863
Dear Father,
I received a letter yesterday from you stating that you had not received a letter from me since leaving Memphis. I have written four since the one to George while going down the river the first time. In [it] I told him he might have the skates and gun. Then I think I wrote one to you from a place called Milliken’s Bend, 25 miles from Vicksburg. Then I wrote you one on the 4th of January—the same day that Goodrich opened his box—informing you that i had received the letter containing the five dollars and also the boots and box of notions. I do not wonder that you are all uneasy though I suppose some of my letters have reached home before yours reached me. There even may be a possibility that mine may have been miscarried or misplaced. While on the boat, I was too unwell to feel much like writing. Besides, the jar of the boat rendered it difficult. I shall try to write oftener.
All the time that I have been sick, there has not been a day but what I could walk around. Our regiment left the boat on the 24th of January (on which some of us had stayed over a month) and marched down the river to our present camp ground—a distance of 3 or four miles. I could not keep up with the regiments with my accoutrements on so had to fall behind and take my time for it.
We have some bright and shiny days here though the principal part of the time has been cloudy and rainy since we came into camp. I am still unwell and unfit for duty but have good and accommodating messmates—Will Fenn, Joseph Will, Martin Hoagland, &c.
The mails now is quite irregular and sometimes far between in going up. I hope you may receive all my letters. I think I got all of yours. I hope soon to become entirely well. The most that troubles me is the diarrhea—very common in the camp. A baker with an army bake oven has been engaged to bake light bread for the regiment. We got our first today. You can have a fine view of Vicksburg from the top of the levee.
February 2nd, This morning two of our gunboats ran the blockade of the water batteries. There was a brisk cannonade for over half an hour. It sounded quite interesting. You will perceive from my handwriting that my hand is nervous.
Yours sincerely with love to all. — C. O. Henthorn
Letter 2
In Camp Opposite Vicksburg
February 14th 1863
Dear Father,
Although I have no letter from home to answer, I concluded to write again. Capt. [Robert H.] Brock [of Co. D] received a letter from you dated the 5th in which you stated that you had not heard from me for more than a month. You said you did not know whether I was dead or not and that the report was around town that Joseph Will was dead. You certainly must know the contrary by this time. You can’t believe all the reports you hear.
I am still unwell. The doctor this morning marked me fit for duty My appetite is very good and I feel well enough with the exception of diarrhea and that debility which still hangs to me.
The weather now is very warm and pleasant with occasional rain storms. The buds on the trees are already putting out. There are fig trees growing in the yard over at Headquarters. A rougher looking tree you can scarcely imagine.
But I have forgotten to state that I received yours of the 29th January on the 8th inst. which you said both you and George had received letters from me. Your letter to the Captain was written previous to the one written to me so you must be relieved somewhat of your anxiety. Captain says letters going North are rather doubtful in their destination.
Last night one of our ironclads 1 taking advantage of the darkness and ran ran past Vicksburg with a barge laded with coal. The rebels, however, discovered it and opened fire which was briskly returned. The cannonading lasted about half an hour. It sounded almost sublime to hear those large guns booming forth in the still night. The rebels frequently try to shell our men out at the canal but they can’t begin to reach them.
Last night we (our mess) had quite a luxury for supper. We traded some coffee for a can of green peaches at the sutler’s which we ate with sugar. We would like to have had some cream but this of course was out of the question. We have been trying to make some pies but they don’t go very well without spice. Will Fenn and Joe Will have written for small quantities of spice. If you think it practicable, please send in a newspaper—say Gazette—a nutmeg broken in several pieces and some small quantities of ground cinnamon, all spice and ginger. Then I think we can bake quite a respectable pie.
Give my love to all. Yours sincerely, — Charles O. Henthorn
1 USS Indianola, a 511-ton ironclad river gunboat, was built at Cincinnati, Ohio. Commissioned in an incomplete state in September 1862 to defend Cincinnati against a threatened Confederate attack, she was ready for active service in January 1863. Sent to join the Mississippi Squadron north of Vicksburg, she ran past the guns of that fortress city on 13 February 1863 in an effort to cut off Confederate supply lines.
Spared & Shared 23 