This letter was written by 28 year-old Henry Benson (1832-1883), a native of New York state, who resided in Howard County, Iowa at the outbreak of the Civil War. He enlisted in Co. B, 7th Iowa Infantry on 18 July 1861, was mustered in a week later, and was with his regiment on 7 November 1861 at the Battle of Belmont, Missouri, where he was wounded in the right leg. According to the unit history, the regiment went into the fight with eight companies numbering 410 men, and lost in killed, wounded, and missing 237 men. Henry was discharged at Pittsburg Landing on 17 April 1862.
In the 1860 US Census, Henry was enumerated in the household of 43 year-old Aaron Crosby—a fellow New Yorker and possible relative—working as a farm laborer. In his letter, Henry refered to having received a letter from his father and from Josephine, whom I presumed to be his sister. Confirming my hunch, I found Henry’s family residing in Hartland, Niagara county, New York, in 1850. His parents were Benjamin Hammond Benson (1799-1879) and Rachel Brown (1808-1880). His sister Josephine (1842-1928) was 19 years old in 1861. She married three years later to Gad Mather Adams (1840-1906) who had served on the Switzerland and the Queen of the West during the Civil War. These vessels were river patrol gunboats in the Ram Fleet of the Mississippi Marine Brigade, which was actually part of the Army—not the Navy.
Surviving his wound and being discharged, it appears that Henry then married Jane Ketcham (1833-1873)—to whom he wrote this letter—and settled in Pewano, Dallas township, Clinton county, Michigan. Jane was the daughter of Joshua and Keziah (Penny) Ketcham of Gasport, Niagara county, New York. Henry took Francis Gates as his second wife and relocated to Lafayette township, Gratiot county, Michigan. A pension record informs us that Henry died on 26 January 1883 at Merrill, Saginaw county, Michigan.
Transcription
Mississippi River
[on board steamer Jennie Whipple]
August 7, 1861
Your likeness reached me [paper creased] you feel an anxiety to know my opinion of it. Cannot say that I discover the least trace of the girl “I left behind” in it either in feature or expression of countenance. Know you have changed. 1 Your introduction is all that made me believe that it was meant for your picture. Do not feel mortified for I am not criticizing. Of course you do not look as young as when I saw you but more rugged and with the exception of those old fashioned smiles, equally as charming. It was some time before I could make up my mind to kiss the picture. I was afraid it represented someone else and you would be jealous. After considering all the circumstance, I concluded it must represent the right one so I hope you will not feel offended to learn that stole a kiss or two.
I am yet floating towards the Gulf of Mexico. We are now about fifteen miles below Hannibal, Mo., and still going at the rate of about 12 miles per hour. We passed the 5th and 6th [Iowa] Regiments last night at Keokuk. Neither of them was engaged in the late battle near that place. The battle was fought by the Home Guards of Keokuk. As near as I can learn from 30 to forty of the secessionists were killed and three or four of the Union men. The papers will give you more precise information than I can. 2
We have just been upon Missouri soil, cooked and [ate] all our rations—it being the first that the most of the company had tasted for 24 hours. I served as one of the cooks. We had fried bacon, bread and coffee. After breakfast was over, I took the fat to a farmer’s house and traded it for johnny cake and inions.
It was reported last night that the 5th and 6th [Iowa] Regiments follow us today. I have just received a letter from Father and one from Josephine. They thinkI should have stayed where I was.
You may wonder at my not sending stamps as usual. I am out of money and only six stamps left. I have sent to Howard Center for some more money and will pay up arrearages when it comes. I will send the pay for your picture at the same time for I had rather have it that one hundred times what it cost were it possible to get another.
We have not got our equipments yet but expect them tomorrow. 3 Four of our regiment were sun stuck yesterday but none of them have yet died. One of the regiment fell off the boat last night and was probably drowned.
You say you like to write to me. I like to have you so please write as soon as convenient. Truly yours, — Henry Benson
Direct to Henry Benson, St. Louis, Mo. Care of Captain Gardner of Seventh Regiment of Iowa Volunteers
Some of the boys are getting dissatisfied with our captain on account of his neglect to our wants. I have to write in haste and confusion.
1 It isn’t clear how long it had been since Henry and Jane had seen each other. Henry was already living in Iowa in the summer of 1860 so it’s possible it had been a couple of years at least.
2 Henry is referring to the Battle of Athens which was fought on 5 August 1861 near the present day town of Revere along the Des Moines river. Lot Abraham, who would later serve in the 4th Iowa Cavalry, rushed to the location of the battle from his home in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, with other young men to participate in the fight, only to arrive too late. In this extract from his diary, he described the scene: “Arriving at Croton about 4 P. M. after such a travel as this one, all hearts was glad to find all peaceful there & nothing of the rebels but their bloody work & the wounded & prisoners of their ranks. The Regulars were about leaving when we got there & we hurried to the depot. There we met many of our friends belonging to the Iowa 7th. In a few minutes the train moved rapidly away bearing the rafted looking but honest & brave Iowa boys, their bright muskets & bayonets gleaming in the sun. We then moved across the river into Athens, Missouri where the battle was fought, tied up our teams, & took a general survey of the battlefield. Dead horses, wounded men, & all that we could see together with the brave men who had fought so well under the command of Col. [David] Moore. The next thing of particular interest was this. After we had taken our survey, we drove up in line in front of the house where 25 men lay bleeding from their wounds & received Col. Moore who plead and begged & intreated us to go with him & his brave men. Said they expected to march that night. About that time, the fears began with some of our men thinking that they might be taken by force. Several prominent characters began to insist on our speedy return to Iowa & soon our line was moving toward the wagons in grand confusion. Some of them hurrying themselves a little & in that manner we left the poor fellows to go forth & do their best. We crossed the Des Moines River and camped in the village of Croton just as dark was upon us.” [My Own Dear Lot, 1861 Diary, July-September 1861]
3 According to the unit history, the regiment broke camp near Burlington, Iowa, and marched to the Mississippi River “under a burning hot sun” on 6 August 1861 where they boarded the steamer Jennie Whipple, bound for St. Louis. They arrived there on the morning of the 8th and marched to the arsenal. The regiment was armed, “the flank companies with Springfield rifles, and the other eight companies with the improved Springfield muskets.”
Spared & Shared 22 