The following letter was written by acting Union Brigadier General Isaac Fitzgerald Shepard who was serving in the Massachusetts State Legislature when he was commissioned a Major and served as an Adjutant General on the staff of General Nathaniel Lyon in the Missouri Militia. He was wounded at the Battle of Wilson’s Creek and promoted Colonel of the consolidated 3rd Missouri Regiment, succeeding Sigel.

While Colonel of the 3rd Missouri, he led four of the regiment’s companies into the fight at Pea Ridge, and the entire regiment in the expedition to Helena under Gen. Curtis. Later, in May 1863, he was placed in command as Colonel of the 51st USCT and then led the African Brigade (thee regiments of Colored Troops), 17th A. C., Army of the Tennessee during the Siege of Vicksburg. Following that, he was appointed an acting Brigadier General in October, 1863, but apparently the appointment was never confirmed by the US Senate. The reason the appointment was never confirmed may have had something to do with his having been placed under arrest in June 1863 which caused him to be absent at the time of the Battle of Milliken’s Bend. See “Grant and the Forgotten Court of Inquiry” by Michael B. Ballard, May 2013. Curiously, though he makes no mention of the anticipated promotion nor gives a hint of leaving the service, Shepard resigned his commission less than a week later on 4 July 1864 when the Senate failed to confirm his appointment.

For the remainder of the war he was one of the senior officers in charge of Colored Troops in Arkansas and Missouri. After the war, he was a journalist in Missouri and held various political offices.

Isaac wrote this letter in June 1864 to his daughter, Ella Gertrude Shepard (1845-1918) attending school in Boston. She was married in 1870 at St. Louis to William Otis Howland (1838-1914). Much of Shepard’s Civil War correspondence is housed at the UC Santa Barbara Library.

Note: This letter is from the private collection of Steve Prawdzik and was transcribed and published on Spared & Shared by express consent.

Transcription

[Vicksburg, Mississippi]
Monday evening, June 27, 1864

My own dear Ella,

It is a delightfully pleasant morning but will turn out a scorching day without doubt. Your dear letter of the 12th reached me the 23rd with “tin-type”, geranium blossom, and Order of Exercises all safe, for which receive much love. You ask me to preserve the “Order” and I think the best way to do that is to send it back to you. The “Song of Welcome” is very beautiful as well as very appropriate. Do you know the author? How I should like to hear your story of getting in!

The tintype you send shows you are growing mature. I can see it decidedly. I do not know whether the hair suits me or not. It looks odd and changes you as you are in my memory and that I do not fancy. It takes me some time to get used to new style of fixing yourselves up, because they come on me so abruptly. You see I am not with you to have little daily changes steal on imperceptibly and so when I get a view of the change, it seems abrupt and violent. I think I have never seen your hair parted in the middle till now, and then these puffs are odd to me. But I presume I should like it with you, and I am sure I like the face underneath. Colter says, “General, she’s as sweet as a pink [?]!”

The geranium blossom came elegantly—as fresh as when picked. It is a sweet flower and I did not remove it from the paper in which you folded it, but wrote on the fly, “From my darling Ella” and put date of the letter and date of reception on it, and placed it in my Bible for safety and frequent inspection. So I shall be reminded of my sweet blossom and of her sweet flower as well.

I received a letter from Aunt Harriet Foy at the same time with your last adn shall answer it soon. It was a dear, good, affectionate letter, and lots of good sense in it. I am glad you and Elvira had so pleasant a time. Help Jimmy Valentine to be a good, noble man….I shall be delighted to get the slippers in due time but you need not send them yet. Wait and see where I get to.

I am now under orders to be ready at a moment’s warning to take my entire Brigade into the field “by river,” but have not the slightest idea when, where, not what for. The order came Thursday eve, bit nothing further since. Then when I get my “walking ticket,” perhaps I shall not stay here long. That I can’t tell yet.

We had a military execution in the Division Friday [24 June 1864]. A colored soldier murdered his wife and was condemned to be shot in presence of the whole division. He died in a very cold way and with six bullets through him. He scarcely moved a muscle.

Dr. Osborne spent two days with me, leaving yesterday. He sends the enclosed photograph, which is a good likeness of a good man. He said he always intended to answer your letter but he waited so long to get a picture that he was ashamed. I am very well, darling. Have 25 chapters finished and want to see you so much! God bless you. Love to all and a thousand kisses from your own father, — Isaac

to Ella G. Shepard, Boston