This letter was written by Jerry Kingsbury Bullock (1838-1920) of Plano, Kendall county, Illinois to his friend, George A. Beck. Jerry was the son of Ephraim Allen Bullock (1806-1852) and Julia Ann Barber (1812-1874) of Oneida county, New York. Bullock’s letter was written from Camp Douglas, Illinois, in December 1861 where the 13th Illinois Cavalry was being organized. Jerry mustered into Co. H. as a sergeant but a little over a year later was commissioned as 1st Lieutenant of the company. He wrote the letter to George A. Beck who also served in the same company but was sick (or playing sick) at his home in Plano. George was discharged for disability in August 1862. Other people in the company mentioned include Peter Dahl who was discharged for disability less than three months after his muster; and Edward E. Avery (or Averly).

The 13th Illinois Cavalry regiment were sometimes called the “German Guides: because a large number of their members were of German descent. They had the distinction of being the very first Union unit to enter Little Rock, Arkansas, in September 1863.

Bullock’s letters speaks of the mutiny carried out by the Mechanics Fusileers who were employed to build the camp’s barracks. After completing the job on 18 December 1861, Gov. Yates attempted to press the Fusileers into service as infantrymen and did not pay them what they were led to believe they had been promised for their work. They rioted and burned part of the fencing they had erected. Bullock’s letter also refers to the Washburne Lead Mine Regiment (45th Illinois Infantry) that was quartered at Camp Douglas and experienced the primitive camp infrastructure as the camp was being built. They were happy to ship out to Cairo some three weeks later.

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

Camp Douglas

December 20th 1861

I feel very very well now that I have things as they should be. But to tell the whole story from the time of starting from Plano. I found [those] men at the cars with those boys that came out with us, Peter Dahl & one recruit—a young man—very good too. Peter was tolerable drunk when we got to Aurora. He was bound to run off. The Lieutenant caught him & with the assistance of the rest, got or rather put him back with the pleasure of holding him on all the way, but more sport than I have had for a good while for the conductor came in [and] sat down by Pete & called for his whiskey. They passed it to him in a bottle. He passed it to Pete’s face & [threw it] out the window. I wish you had of heard the laughing. They told him it was a fine joke. He did not enjoy it as well as the rest.

After we got into camp, things looked rather bad. The Orderly was so he could not perform his business & I had to take his place. The men were growling about the living [food]. I acted till yesterday, then he took the place. By this time, they had all got satisfied tolerable well in our camp but the Lead Mine Regiment had directed a spree, tore down the fence, told Old Tucker he might kiss their foot, and so on. It was on the account of passes. And after they got through, the Fusileers took it into their head they must have a time & so they tore the fence down—10 rods [of it] and burned it up. They also raised up seven flags on their barracks & they still wave. Theirs was on the account of pay. You know what they thought of getting & could only get 13 per month with 40 cents per day when they worked. All of their regimental officers have resigned. I think the whole regiment will bust up.

One word of ourselves. We have moved down in the Douglas Quarters. We had to either go in infantry or leave that regiment so we chose the latter. We now are in Bell’s Cavalry—all but some three or four. They will go into the infantry. It is not much trouble now to move, We have got use to it.

And now I will tell you the reason I feel better than a man. I now am writing on a desk that is made as I wanted to fix it. Before I had no place. It’s built as it should be.

Edward Avery [Averly] came in with me & now sleeps with me. But I write what I started this letter for—that you should be sick till after New Years if possible. This is providing you are well or are likely soon to be which I hope is so. Now stay as before anyway. Should the Lieutenant come out, be so sick that you cannot get back.

So praise my good writing & let me hear of you soon. My well wishes to all. Yours as ever, — J. K. Bullock

Washington is all straight [?] but mean as ever.