The following letter was written by 35 year-old Willis Augustus Wolcott (1826-1890), the son of Daniel Russell Wolcott (1782-1872) and Philanda O. Atwood (1788-1867) of Orwell, Ashtabula county, Ohio. Willis claimed he was only 30 when he added his name to the muster rolls of Co. K, 6th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry (OVC) in October 1861. He did not remain on the rolls long, however. He was discharged for disability (“heart disease”) on 20 September 1862.

In January 1862 the regiment moved to Camp Dennison for drill instruction. In March it was assigned to Camp Chase to guard Confederate prisoners. The 6th Ohio moved to Wheeling, WV, on 13 May 1862. It entered Union field service, joining Fremont at Strasburg during his pursuit of Jackson down the Shenandoah Valley. On 7 June at the battle of Cross Keys, several Ohio cavalrymen were killed.

After a brief encampment at Strasburg, the regiment moved under Gen. Sigel, who had replaced Fremont. Coming under Gen. Pope’s command, the 6th Ohio faced Confederate fire at Rappahannock for 4 consecutive days. On 29 Aug., after the Second Battle of Bull Run, the 6th Ohio, along with the Union Army, retreated to Alexandria. Having passed the 1862-63 winter campaign guarding the passage of the Rappahannock, the 6th Ohio was reorganized for the spring campaign under the command of Gen. Hooker.

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

Camp Dennison
January 15, 1862

Friend Pratt, dear sir—

We have been in camp 11 days & yesterday was the first time that I had been out of our immediate lines & then I visited the 2nd Cavalry & this morning see them with two batteries of artillery start for Leavenworth, Kansas. Some 1400 of them. The 3 that was in camp at Monroeville are taking the same quarters that the 2nd left this morning & part of them came today.

There was a man and his wife killed this morning by the cars passing. They were watching them in one direction & stepped out [and] the other train passed over both of them which ended their warfare here on earth almost instantly. They left a child about 11 years old.

We have very comfortable buildings here, I suppose, for soldiers. Each company have a a building 120 feet long with two stoves to warm it. Then there is a cook room by itself. Then the officers have a small building for them. We have a plenty to eat by taking our rations in our hand to eat for we don’t have any tables yet, But a plenty of card playing and dancing & more profanity than any officers ought to countenance.

The missionary agent Clark that has been in Orwell a number of times preached here a number of times. Our chance for meeting here is not as good as in Warren. We get up some sings here minus the girl soprano, however. There are a great many reports here in camp about our being disbanded and I should some doubt our getting our horses yet. There don’t seem to be anything settled with us yet, as they say.

There has been some cases of the measles and also of small pox but hard colds seem very common here. They are making out pay rolls so we expect pay sometime. We have not suffered very much from cold freezing days such as we often see at this time of year at home. It may be in part because I have not been as much exposed as usual yet. I often think about the chores at home & how they have to get along. I have not yet heard from home but expect to tomorrow. We get papers twice a day from Cincinnati which is about 14 miles.

C. W. Babcock has been on the sick list for ten days with the measles, The sick can have better care here than at Warren Camp. Capts. [Amandar] Bingham and [Charles R.] Bowe’s company quarters are two rods apart. They are getting up for roll call and I may get a better chance to write in the morning for there has been any amount of confusion.

This morning is clear and beautiful. There are new rumors that our equipage is at Columbus. This needs confirming as well as a thousand and the other camp and war stories. Col. [William R.] Lloyd is at Columbus now to get orders from headquarters. I suppose there are some 9 or 10,000 here in camp. So I suppose the [ ] as lively times here as in Orwell. At least the Boys are feeling very lively this morning. How are the goo folks in Orwell?

Please write soon & oblige, — W. A. Wolcott