The following letter was written by Alonzo Kinsley (1836-1910), the son of Ben Alva Kinsley (1796-1870) and Catherine Montague (1798-1849) of Fletcher, Franklin county, Vermont. He wrote the letter to his old brother, Daniel Kinsley (1829-1923)—messenger for the courts at Worcester, Massachusetts for fifty years—who married Harriett Newell Mudgett (1834-1900) in 1854. Several of Alonzo’s siblings are also mentioned in his letter. They include Rufus Kinsley (1831-1911) who served in Co. F, 8th Vermont Infantry and later as 2nd Lieutenant in the 74th USCT (See, “Diary of a Christian Soldier: Rufus Kinsley and the Civil War“, David C. Rankin, Cambridge University Press, 2004); Jason W. Kinsley (1833-1903) who served in Co. K, 1st Iowa Cavalry; and William Lyon Kinsley (1844-1901) who also served in Co. F, 8th Vermont Infantry. William was wounded at Cedar Creek (Virginia) on October 19, 1864, and promoted to Corporal in January 1865. He was wounded again at Petersburg on April 2, 1865, and mustered out on June 19, 1865.

Like his brothers, Alonzo Kinsley also served in the Union army. He enlisted in Co. H, 2nd Vermont Infantry, on 20 June 1861 and a month later at Bull Run, he was wounded. The nature of his wound is not given in the regimental history but a letter dated 20 August 1861 by Chester K. Leach, a comrade in the same company, states that, “Alonzo Kinsley has a failing about his lungs he can hardly talk I think his getting hit at Bulls Run in the breast is the first cause & now when he takes cold he can hardly talk, but he will not give up as long as he can stir.” See “Dear Wife, the Civil War Letters of Chester K. Leach“] Alonzo’s health must have plagued him during the war for when he wrote this letter to his brother in December 1863, he was working as a hospital steward at the US General Hospital in Annapolis—a detail typically assigned to soldiers recuperating from wounds or illness and incapable of standing the rigors of the field.

There is little hint of Alonzo’s political views in this letter except to state that he favored Lincoln’s reelection. It’s not clear if he held the same views as his brother Rufus whose diary reveals that he was a dedicated evangelical abolitionist soldier and believed that the war and its consequences were divine retribution for the sin of slavery. He believed that the Civil War was not actually about saving the Union, but about freeing slaves.

[Note: This letter is from the personal collection of Jill Duffy and was offered for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

Transcription

U. S. General Hospital
Annapolis, Maryland
December 15, 1863

Brother Daniel,

I was not a little surprised to receive a letter from you last week, for as I had heard nothing from you since last August, I thought perhaps you had either enlisted, or gone to Canada to avoid the draft.

It seems you have some idea of enlisting if the quota is not raised before the time appointed for the draft to commence. Well, act according to your own judgment. I certainly would not undertake to advise you either way in regard to such a matter, but this seems to be a very favorable time for those to enlist who are in a situation to leave home.

I wrote a letter of inquiry to the Commanding Officer of Jason’s company a few weeks ago and in reply received a letter yesterday from Jason himself. He reports himself as being in excellent health and spirits, & since the capture of Little Rock by our forces, he has been employed in the General Hospital at that place, had just received a large bundle of letters, some of which were nearly a year old. He says he has repeatedly written, but in the very unsettled condition of the mails in that country, it is not surprising that letters should frequently get lost. I was very glad indeed to hear so favorable a report of him, for I really feared he had met with some mishap.

I am well & enjoying life hugely but shall not be sorry when my time expires, which will be in 6 months & 4 days.

We are having a famous Lyceum in the hospital this winter—debates, declamations, music, & a paper every Tuesday evening; great affairs, I can assure you. I am afraid the President will hear of it & try to get the performers into his cabinet.

Who are you civilians going to nominate for next President? I am going in for Lincoln again & I intend to have him elected. Don’t think of any news at present except that Dr. Vanderkieft has promised to muster me as acting Hospital Steward from the 1st of November which will increase my pay $8 per month & with the State pay, will amount to $28 a month.

Fine pleasant weather. No snow & no very cold snaps.

Remember me to Mary. Ann Loving, and other friends. Has Josie got well yet? Hope you & Harriet will find time to write a little oftener. — Alonzo

William writes that Rufus has got a commission in a Colored Regt. & that he had declined the offer of a similar commission.