The following letter was written by Thomas Benton Hobbs (1842-1910) of Delhi, Delaware county, Iowa, who enlisted on 17 September 1862 to serve as Commissary Sergeant of Co. G, 6th Iowa Cavalry. He was mustered in on 10 November 1862 and promoted to 2nd Sergeant on 21 February 1864. He mustered out of the regiment on 17 October 1865 at Sioux City, Iowa. His older brother Charles Francis W. Hobbs (1833-1883) also served in the same company.

Thomas was the son of Charles Warfield Hobbs (1805-1878) and Mary Eliza Wilson (1803-1855).

The 6th Iowa Cavalry was organized at Davenport January 31 to March 5, 1863. Moved to Sioux City, Dakota, March 16-April 26, 1863. Operations against hostile Indians about Fort Randall May and June. Moved to Fort Pierre, and duty there till July. Sully’s Expedition against hostile Sioux Indians August 13-September 11. Actions at White Stone Hill September 3 and 5. Duty at Fort Sully, Fort Randall and Sioux City till June, 1864. Sully’s Expedition against hostile Sioux Indians June 26-October 8. Engagement at Tah kah a kuty July 28. Two Hills, Bad Lands, Little Missouri River, August 8. Expedition from Fort Rice to relief of Fisk’s Emigrant train September 11-30. Fort Rice September 27. Duty by Detachments at Fort Randall, Sioux City, Fort Berthold, Yankton and the Sioux and Winnebago Indian Agencies till October, 1865. Mustered out October 17, 1865.

For those interested in the war experiences of Co. G, 6th Iowa Cavalry, you may want to explore “The Civil War in the Dakotas: A Soldier’s Diary” by Jacque H. Schmiedt.

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

Fort Berthold
February 19th 1865

Dear Friend Helen,

I received your kind and welcome letter of Nov 27th last mail and will try and interest you in this answer. Well Helen, we are all well here at present. There is nothing new here at present that would interest you. We have had warm pleasant weather here all this winter.

I am truly sorry that you wont excuse me about not answering your letter sooner and that I must keep civil when I come home. Well Helen, I expect that it will be hard for me to act civil then. I will be a true “Injin” by the time we get out of this God forsaken land Dakota.

You say my friend Mr. Clark has returned after killing three Indians. Oh, ain’t that “rich”—he killed three Indians. Did he bring their scalps home? Perhaps it was “Grey Backs” instead of Indians. I suppose he is quite a hero there now, isn’t he?

Well old Abe is elected sure, and I hope he will make everyone that voted for him go and smell gunpowder and see how they like war. Then I should think help was scarce when the girls have to turn out to help.

I had heard of the death of little Annie Sheldon and of little Mary, but Helen, you have one thing to console you in this your great loss—that they are now with God in that happy land above—free from the cares of this wicked world.

I suppose those returned soldiers have a fine time there now. My time will come soon. Eleven months more to serve. I had heard of “Hanks” good luck in becoming a gentleman. I see “Miss Eliza” (as Spangler would say) wrote some in your letter. Where is she? Tell her to accept of my best respects and if she thinks it worth the time, I would be pleased to hear from her.

But I must stop now. Excuse scribbling and all mistakes for I have written in haste. Give by respects to your Father and Mother and all. Accept the same yourself while I remain your friend, — Tom Hobbs

Write soon. In haste.