The following letter was written by 29 year-old Pvt. James McCollister of Co. B, 2nd Iowa Cavalry. The regiment was organized in the fall of 1861 and left the State for Benton Barracks, Missouri, on 7 December 1861. They remained on duty there until mid-February 1862. In his book, Hawkeyes on Horseback, author Stephen Z. Starr described the regiment as being composed of  “lawyers, politicians, newspaper editors and businessmen who had been instrumental in raising the regiment. Their single common characteristic—apart from patriotism—was a total ignorance of all things military. For that reason, and with a display of moral and political courage not at all common among state governors, then or later, Kirkwood offered the colonelcy of the regiment to an “outsider,” an officer of the Regular Army, Captain Washington L. Elliott of the Third United States Cavalry.”

James McCollister (1832-1920) was born in Seneca county, Ohio, the son of John McCollister and Rachel Martin. In the 1860 Census he was enumerated in Story City, Story county, Iowa, with his 55 year-old mother, Rachel McCollister. He was married in 1865 to Ruth Amanda. Adams (1840-1880) and resided in Seneca county, Ohio, after he was discharged from the service. He died in Jerry City, Wood county, Ohio, and lies buried next to his second wife, Sarah McLaughlin (1844-1931).

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Benton Barracks
St. Louis, Missouri
December 29th 1861

Friend William,

It is with pleasure that I sit down this afternoon to scratch you a few lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the living & above board & at dinner was able for my allowance. You han’t any idea how tickled I was when I seen Bill Brooks’ name at the bottom of a letter once more. I am glad to hear that you were well. I did not know whether you had fled from the earth or what had become of you. You say that you did write the last letter. I think likely you did. I suppose the reason I didn’t answer was that I was out of money & postage stamps so you will excuse me. I have been sick for most a week but am able for duty now. I had a very sore throat & bad cold. My throat is about well but my cold is not well yet. There is a great many of the boys complaining the same way. The weather is very changeable here when the days are warm. The nights are cool. I forgot to tell you that I was not at home but have enlisted in the army & am a going to try and show my awkwardness if called on. Won’t that be gay? The folks were well at home the last that I heard from home.

All the arms that we have drew yet is sabers, yet there is one consolation. I wear better clothes and ride a better horse here than I did at home. The place where we are quartered is a nice place. There is about twenty thousand men here. You had better guess that it takes something to feed Uncle Sam’s boys & horses. The most of them is cavalry come over some days since drill. You bet we look gay. There is not much of an excitement going on here now as we know of. Privates are not supposed to know what is a going on.

I suppose that you have heard that Mason & Slidel are delivered up. I hope that England will be satisfied now. If they ain’t, let them come. We will give them the best turn that we have got. I suppose that you get the news the same as we do here but there is one thing that I can tell you [and] that is don’t believe the half that you hear through the papers or telegraph. There has been over thirteen hundred secesh captured in this state since we have been here & fetched into St. Louis. I have not seen them. Some of the boys has been down & saw them. The most of them are young boys. They were new recruits on their way to join Price’s army but they got their foot in it. They were armed with shotguns & all sorts of arms such as they had at home. They are trying to make Price hunt his hole. They are running him pretty close. All the bad luck that I wish him is that they will catch him.

We have been here a little over two weeks. Don’t know how much longer we will stay. There is troops leaving most every day & others coming in. We are not very well drilled on horseback yet. There is a good many that has got the measles here now. There is one in our company. They are just now a going to take him to the hospital.

As far as I have tried soldiering, I like it very well. I should like to have you here. There is a wild set of boys here [full of] the mischief. There ain’t none here ain’t worth knowing. The last that I heard from Arch & Noah was the 21st of November. They were at Springfield waiting an attack with Price. They did not have any battle. They were well. Some of our Iowa infantry saw them in July. They was camped close by them two weeks.

Bill, you wanted I should tell you what to write. I don’t know—only that I want you to write what is a going on in general. Fred[erick A.] Harris ¹ of Tiffin [Ohio] is in our regiment here—Naomia Allen’s man. He is a first rate fellow. I should be very happy to come & see you all & take dinner with you New Year’s Day but I can’t. Please give my respects to all. Please write soon. Tell Hannah to bake me a pie & you eat it. — J. McCollister

to W. Brooks

---

¹ Frederick A. Harris (1825-1892) married Naomia R. Allen (1836-1908) in March 1854 in Seneca County, Ohio. In 1860, the couple were enumerated in Cass, Hamilton county, Iowa. Frank enlisted in Co. F, 2nd Iowa Cavalry and was soon promoted to 3rd Battalion Commissary Sergeant.