The following letter was written by Pvt. George Washington Atwood (1831-1863) of Co. E (the “Sandwich Rifles”), 13th Illinois Infantry. Muster rolls inform us that he enlisted on 24 May 1861 and was discharged for disability at St. Louis hospital on 15 February 1863. They also inform us that he was born in 1831 in Belfast, Allegany county, New York, and that he was a 6 foot tall, light-haired, blue-eyed single farmer residing in Little Rock, Kendall county, Illinois, at the time of his enlistment. What the muster rolls don’t tell us is that the reason he was mustered out of the regiment is that he died and was buried in the Christ Church Cemetery at St. Louis, though he was later reinterred in the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery (Grave No. 6550).

The 13th Illinois was part of General Fremont’s force that went to Springfield, Missouri, in the fall of 1861 where they became known as “Fremont’s Grey Hounds” for their rapid marching. They joined General Curtis on his long march to Helena, Arkansas, and they participated in Sherman’s attack on Chickasaw Bayou where their colonel was killed. They took part in the capture of Arkansas Post and later in the siege of Vicksburg. Most likely Atwood fell victim to disease at Young’s Point, opposite Vicksburg, where the regiment spent the winter of 1862-63.

To read more letters and diaries written by members of the 13th Illinois Infantry transcribed and published on Spared & Shared, see:

Frederick W. Partridge, F&S, 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Abiather Webster Sutliff, Co. B, 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Harvey R. Frazer, Co. C, 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Enoch Benjamin Darnell, Co. E, 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Wilson E. Chapel, Co. F. 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Reuben Macy Hevenor, Co. F, 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Oliver Willard Smith, Co. F, 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Hiram L. Ketcham, Co. K, 13th Illinois (1 Letter)
Abraham L. Marks (“Charley Harris”), Co. K, 13th Illinois (Diary)

Transcription

Camp Dement [Dixon, IL]
May 26th 1861

Dear Brother,

I take my pen in hand to let you know that I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you the same. I am now in Camp Dement, Lee Co., Illinois. I have enlisted for three years unless sooner discharged. We were sworn into the United States service day before yesterday. I belong to the Sandwich Rifles. We are the color company of the regiment. We are the center company and that is not all. We have the best officers that there is in the regiment and that is not a trifle.

We have very good times here and plenty to eat and good blankets and all in good spirits and itching for a chance to attack the rebels and traitors and we can do it too and do it well.

Now John, I want you to write as soon as you get this and let me know how you are getting along for I have not heard from you in a long time and I think that it is time that you wrote to me. I have written three times to you since I have heard from you and Josiah and folks were all well when I heard from them last and that was yesterday.

We are encamped about 60 miles from where Josiah lives and when I had a chance, I left the plow and started and enlisted to serve my country which I esteem above everything else here below. I have not much time to write nowadays. Write soon and often and remember me.

From your loving brother, George

Direct to Camp Dement, Dixon, Lee Co. Illinois, in Care of Captain [Frederick William] Partridge