This letter was written by Allen B. Johnson of Wilmington, Will county, Illinois, who served as the Commissary Sergeant of the Yates Phalanx Independent Regiment. This regiment began to organize not long after the news of the firing on Fort Sumter reached Chicago but did not raise troops quickly enough. “The state having filled its quota without this regiment, efforts were made to get it accepted into the State service of Missouri, but without success. The regiment had already assumed the name of His Excellency, the governor of Illinois, and was known as the “Yates Phalanx”. Governor Yates manifested an earnest desire to see it brought into the service, and sent General O. L. Mann (then known as Captain) to Washington, with strong commendatory letters to the President and Secretary of War, urging the acceptance of the regiment, which at this time had over 800 men on the rolls.” The regiment was finally mustered into service on 11 October 1861 as the 39th Illinois Volunteers.

According to muster records, Allen was commissary sergeant until 1 December 1861 when he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in Co. A. He was later promoted to 1st Lieutenant but died of Yellow Fever in September 1864 while in Newbern, North Carolina. He was single and working as a merchant in Wilmington prior to his enlistment. He was born in Montrose, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania.

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

Head Quarters Yates Phalanx Independent Regiment
Austin Light, Colonel Chicago, Aug 6th, 1861

My dear Eliza,

I snatch a moments time this morning to write you a word. We are fairly entered into the merits of the momentous cause. I came to the city yesterday with a detachment of our company, and having all their wants to provide for I have but little spare time. I for one feel proud of our company, for on being mustered in yesterday, so well did each man come up to requirements that we were promoted from Co. II. to Co “A” of the regiment, and if any other company supersedes us, they will have to work hard. Since we have been here we have been provided for at the “Briggs House” and shall not go into camp here at all as we first expected, but shall probably go to Springfield, or St Louis. So I suppose I can’t hope to hear from you while here, but if you will direct to Gardner as before, it will be forwarded to me.

My kind regards to all. I have no more time to write, and this is written in an awful hurry, Affectionately — Allen

The following letter was written by Barton Smith Walters (1841-1865), the son of William Walters (1814-1890) and Malinda C. Smith (1822-1888) of Minooka, Grundy county, Illinois. Barton enlisted in October 1861 to serve in Co. A, 39th Illinois Infantry. He did not survive the. war, however. The following excerpt was lifted from “The Patriotism of Will County.”

“Barton Smith Walters enlisted in the 39th Regiment at the age of 21, re-enlisted and served faithfully and bravely without any casualty until in May 1863 when he was taken prisoner. He with two others had been detailed to go upon the battlefield and bring in an officer who had been wounded. He was captured with two others, David Hanson and Andrew Sybert, of the same regiment, and they were taken to Andersonville. Hanson and Sybert fell victims to their treatment and were buried in that locality. Young Walters was released before his death, but he only lived to reach Annapolis, where he died April 1st 1865. His remains were brought home and repose in the Channahon cemetery.”

Transcription

Columbian Bridge
Sunday, May 4th 1862

Dear Father & Mother,

I now sit down in the shade of an apple tree to write after a march of 7 miles. We are all well but me. I have the erysipelas in my legs but they are now better. I have not seen nor heard from Mike for three weeks. He is at Mt. Jackson. When I saw him last, he was sick but on the gain. Charlie got a letter from Fatha [?] Hunter today. They were all well when she wrote and she had not heard from you for some time.

We are having nice spring weather here now only rather warm for marching. We are soon to have another fight, I think, from the way things are moving. We have two days rations in our haversacks. [Stonewall] Jackson is reported to have been reinforced but we don’t care for that. We want to have the fun of reinforcing him ourselves but the trouble is we can’t get near enough to him. He always runs away. We have the two fighting regiments together—namely 13th Indiana and the bloody 39th from Illinois. We bear a good name wherever we have been but now we are somewhat dissatisfied. Our Brigadier [General] Sullivan has been transferred to the 3rd Brigade of yankees and a yankee—General [Orris S.] Ferry—put over the brave sons of the west. They have gained a name which will live for years after they are laid to moulder in the grave. I have become an old man in my views of the war. I am glad to hear of the several democratic victories throughout my native state, one of the most beautiful lands in the world, and when you ask one of them abolitionists the reason why they were beat in the election and they will answer by saying they have gone to put down the rebellion, but we can rule them in this regiment.

I think our town is gone up when Dick Briscoe can get two officers. I wish you to let me know who are the town officers and if snipe bill or H. H. Randall got any. I have wrote 3 letters in the last two weeks to see if any of them would get through the mail here is uncertain, and if we don’t get any answer, we are not much disappointed. While I write, Earnest Holz is talking about this cursed rebellion. He is my right bower. This is the oldest country in the states. I was talking with a woman last night and she told me that she had lived in the same house for the last 65 years and her 4 sons were in the army and she was surprised when I told her that we had taken them prisoner a week before. When I told her their names, she felt very bad. At first she did not believe it or she would have heard it.

Write as soon as possible. Write like I have—without waiting for an answer. I still remain your affectionate son, — Barton S. Walters

Tell Sarah to write.