The following letters were written by Eli Bogue (1840-1921), the son of William Bogue (1816-1846) and Rebecca Cook (1808-1900) of Ridge Farm, Vermilion county, Illinois. Eli enlisted as a private on 7 September 1861 in Co. K, 37th Illinois Infantry and remained with the regiment 3 years, mustering out on 17 October 1864. At the time of his enlistment he was described as a 5′ 10″ farmer with dark hair and dark eyes. From Eli’s letters it appears he was detached from the regiment from time to time working as a teamster.

Eli wrote all of the letters to his cousin, Josephine Cook (1847-1924), the daughter of Henderson and Lucinda (Trout) Cook of Georgetown, Vermilion county, Illinois.

[Note : These letters are from the Sic Parvis Magna, Gratias Jesu Collection and remain in private hands. They were made available expressly for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared.]

Letter 1

Springfield, Missouri
July [ ], 1862

Dear Cousin, I received your letter in due time. I was glad to hear that you was all well. I am well at present. You [say you] think it is impossible to raise a company [and that] maybe I should get in some other one that is a getting up around there. I heard that Clark out at Ridge Farm was a raising a company. I would like to get in some one for I am tired of this one. I don’t like the way things work and I have to have a promotion before I can get out of this. If they know as much as I do, I would get in. I ain’t a going to crawl for any office nor beg for it. I am above that. I thought I would offer my services to some of the new companies. If I don’t get in them, nature will prove itself. All companies want good and bold officers for to win the day and man has to be bold. When it comes to shooting, they have to watch or their heart will run off with their legs. I don’t pretend to say that I would make a officer, but when it comes to fighting, you can count me for one every time.

We expect more fighting out here in a few days for there is a heavy body of rebels a getting very close. A good many troops left here this morning at four o’clock. I expect to go tomorrow morning.

I was offered a body of men the other day to go out on a scout and I would not go because they wouldn’t give me what I wanted. Captain told me when I wanted some men, let him know. I have made up my mind that I would not go unless I could get a month or more. You can count me a young marrying [man], if they will give me a chance, that is. [That’s] all I ask.

I guess I have wrote enough for this time. Answer this as soon as you get it please. — Eli Bogue

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Letter 2

Camp on Illinois Creek, Arkansas
December 19 [?], 1862

Dear Cousin,

I take the pleasure of writing you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. I m in good health at the present, hoping these lines will find you the same. I must tell you we have had one more hard fight. Six thousand of us fought twenty thousand rebels for half a day. Just at dark, General Blunt came up, then we drove them back. We fought till after dark. I was out to a house yesterday six miles out. They said they could see the flash of the cannon. The folks here in the country says the Rebels whip us but noticed they come up a Saturday night and went back Sunday night under the flag of truce. They are across the Arkansas River. If they will let us go in, we will kill them twice. I expect the Government will wait till winter is over and then put us in winter quarters.

Tell your girl to write. I can’t think of her name. Tell her to write to me and tell her name and then I can write…. Your cousin, — Eli Bogue

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Letter 3

In Camp at Pilot Knob, Mo.
Headquarters, Army of the Frontier
April 3rd 1863

Dear Cousin.

It is with pleasure that I take the present time to answer your very acceptable letter. It found me enjoying good health [and] hoping that these few lines may find you the same. You must excuse me for not writing sooner. I was so busy that I did not have time to write. I expect you have heard of a big shout down in this part of the country.

I drove the General’s six-mule team over one hundred miles inside of three days and when we came to this place, the General left me to stay here until he sent for me. I am here alone. You may guess I am tired of staying here. There is some soldiers here but I don’t know them.

I heard since I left the camp that the 37th [Illinois Regt.] went down to St. Louis and then they were sent to General McNeil’s command to reinforce him. I know if the 37th gets there, the rebels will get hurt. Col. [John Charles] Black is the man for fight. I think the 37th is the best regiment that ever went into the field to fight a battle. If she was back there [in Illinois], them Copperheads would have to sleep. The 37th has honored herself to the state and crowned herself in glory. She is the first Board of Trade Regiment that left Chicago and she will be long remembered by the people of that city. I expect that she will have to fight against Price once more before her time will be up. I hear that he is at Little Rock and if that be so, we will have him to fight this summer sometime. I don’t care, just so we whip him as bas as we did at Pea Ridge. I think that would be as much as he would want in this rebellion or any other man. 

How are you and the Copperheads a getting along now-a-days?

We have had very rainy weather here this week. It makes the roads very bad to travel over. I expect to be ordered out one of these dark nights to drive to the command and I don’t know where they are. If they are in this state, I can find them or travel the state over again. I hope by the time we start South, the road will dry up. It will be very warm down South, I expect. There will be more soldiers die with disease than there will in the battlefield. Do you think we will ever have peace in the Nation again? I don’t believe we will very soon but some think we will. But I don’t see what grounds they stand on to see that way. They may know more about the cursed business than I do.

I hope that peace may be declared before you get this letter and it go through in three days. A person had just as well wish to go to heaven in a hand basket as to wish for peace. I suppose all the young folks are married back there by this time. I hope so. I must bring my letter to a close. Give my respects to all enquiring friends. Answer this as soon as convenient. Direct to St. Louis, 37th Illinois. Write soon. From Eli Bogue

Goodbye.

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Letter 4

Early in the Civil War, Clarksville, Texas, prospered because of the cotton trade and presence of Confederate blockade-runners. In 1863, however, the area was captured and occupied by Union forces, which seized private homes and warehouses and caused most residents to flee. As part of emperor Maximilian’s efforts to suppress Mexican resistance, French gunboats occasionally shelled Clarksville. Theresa Clark Clearwater, daughter of the town’s founder, recalled that “often the families were forced to take refuge behind some big sand hill during these bombardments.” Troops of the Texas Confederate Calvary, as well as French and Austrian soldiers from Maximilian’s forces also frequented Clarksville.

Clarksville, Texas
May 3rd 1864

Dear Cousin,

I expect you will be surprised to receive a letter from me this time of day but you must excuse me for I write when I get chance. We have hard times since we have been over here. We hope by the time we labor three years longer we will have our work complete. Has the 25th [Illinois] Regiment reenlisted again? When you write Ed[gar] or Alonzo, tell them I am driving team on the sea shore of Texas. Clarksville is at the mouth of the Rio Grande—a pretty place too. It is all sand. We have very warm weather here but cool breezes from the sea all the time.

We are expecting a fight here every night. I was up the other night [to] harness my mules about 12 o’clock. It rained very hard but no rebels came. We have niggrons to defend the place but they won’t fight unless they are where they can’t run—then they will fight. [An] American soldier is an honorable thing but the negro spils it. I must not say any more about negro for I may say too much for my own good. I don’t want to hurt my credit by saying a few words about negro for it is bad news back there.

I can say that I have been in Mexico and [a] poor country it is there. A great many rebel officers are staying in Mexico—run off from the rebel army. Some of them are a going to England the first vellel. I think they had better leave.

I hear that Gen. Banks got whip[ped] out up Red River but I guess he will get over it. You must excuse me this time for I have to hitch up my team. Direct to Brownsville, Texas in care of Captain Owens. Still remain your friend, — Eli Bogue

He has fallen but honorable in the field of battle.