These letters were written by John A. Wheelock (1840-1862), the son of Charles Asker Wheelock (1809-1904) and Clarissa Beatty (1811-1855) of Lyons, Clinton county, Iowa. John enlisted as a corporal in Co. A, 15th Iowa Infantry on 17 September 1861. Upon his own request he was reduced to a private on 1 March 1862. He was discharged for disability on 6 September 1862 at St. Louis and died at home on 31 December 1862.
Serving in the same company with John was his younger brother, Charles Myron Wheelock (1844-1923) who was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh but survived the war.
John wrote the letters to his father and other members of the family, including his older brother Hiram T. Wheelock (1836-1936) and younger sister, Laura Jane Wheelock (1846-1946). He also mentions his sister Henrietta Wheelock (1849-1924).
Letter 1
Keokuk [Iowa]
November 28th 1861
Dear Father,
I take this opportunity to write to you to let you know that we are well and doing well. We have been here about six weeks and have seen something of a soldier’s life since we have been here.
We had good pair [ ] about four weeks that boarded to at a hotel. There was a cavalry regiment in camp here. They was ordered away and then we had to go into their quarters. They weren’t fit for the hogs to live in. We stayed in that camp [and] whilst we was there, we had a big rain. We got good and wet and then came off cold and you can judge how we felt. We are seated in town in a big brick block. We have a good room to sleep in. Have got bunks built on one side and a big stove on the other so we are very comfortable now. We cook our own grub and use the lower room for a dining room. Our company is not full yet. It ain’t likely to be soon. There ain’t but two or three full companies in the regiment. The regiment lacks 200 men of being enough to organize.
There is some talk of us going to St. Louis before long. I don’t believe we will very soon. If we don’t go until the regiment is organized, we shan’t go very soon. Since we have been here, the 11th, 13th, and 14th Regiments have gone down. The 14th went today,
This company was raised to go in the 11th. It was not full so we could not get in. Then we had our choice to go to Dubuque and go in the 12th [but] the company chose to come here. We have the first position in the regiment—Co. A.
Charley like to soldier first rate. He makes a good soldier. He is as good looking a soldier as there is in the company. We have been trying to get a furlough and come home. We could get the furlough but couldn’t get passes up and back so I don’t know when we shall come. It will be when we get discharged and not before. I think we shall all be discharged in the course of a year if not less. Congress is going to do something the next session. The South is getting discouraged. There is 36 counties of North Carolina has come out for the Union. 18 thousand of them laid down their arms and they have elected delegates for Congress. The Union men of East Tennessee are coming out and burning the railroad bridges so that the rebels cannot transport their armies over them.
Col. Moor [?] of the Iowa 7th marched 20 miles last Sunday and took over four hundred Rebel prisoners and killing some with the loss of one man killed and one mortally wounded before sundown, He was camped in Memphis, Missouri, some thirty miles from here.
I don’t know as I can write anymore news this time. Tell I have wrote to Les an Henrietta since they have wrote to me. I have not heard from home but once since I have been here. Tell them to write to me and tell me where Hiram is and give me his address. Write soon and write the news from Vermont if you have any. Yours in haste, — John Wheelock
Keokuk, Iowa
Care of Capt. [Josiah W.] Kittle, Co. A, 15th Reg., Keokuk Camp, Keokuk
November 28th 1861
Letter 2
Benton Barracks
St. Louis, Missouri
March 26, 1862
Brother Hiram,
Yours of the 19th came to hand today, Always glad to hear from you. I ain’t got any news to write. I am getting so I feel first rate except a bad cold and sore eyes. We have got where we soldiers just begin to know what soldiering is. We have to get up to roll call 5:00 A. M. and go out and drill before breakfast and then again at 9 A. M. until 11 A. M. And then we have Battalion Drill from two P. M. until 4 and Dress Parade at sunset. So you see that we get put through from morning until night.
Eight men are detailed out of a company every other day for guard. I ain’t been out yet. Expect I will have to in a day or two. They have picket guard. They are out a mile or more and they have guard inside of that. There is 20 thousand men in this camp. Regiments are coming and leaving all the time. They go to Tennessee mostly now. We get our arms tomorrow. They are the Springfield rifle musket. They are here in the barracks now. This regiment is to be equipped and sent away soon. I am ready to go tonight. I want to go down there and whip the Rebels and go home. I would like to be down to [Island] No. 10 and help give them thunder there. We may have a hand there yet. Let us go. I am ready. I have laid around long enough.
Our company trouble has died away for the present. All of the non-commissioned officers have resigned except one so we have got a new set of officers. We shall watch the Captain and if he gives us a chance, we will hop onto him—that is, if he does anything that the law don’t allow.
I don’t know whether we shall get paid here or not but I think we will. There has been several regiments paid since we came in. The weather was cold and wet for three or four days after we came in but it is warm and nice now.
I want to write a few lines to Jane so I will stop. I ain’t got any [more] to write anyway. So write as soon as you get this and address [to] John A. Wheelock, Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Mo., Co. A, 15th Iowa Volunteers
Sister Jane, your kind letter came to hand in due time. I was glad to hear from you. I wrote to you since I came here. You will get that before you do this. I should [have] wrote to you if I had anything to write. I thought that you would hear from me. I ain’t got anything to write that will interest you. I ay have more next time. If we should go down South and get into a battle, I may have more to write. I expect we will go down there soon. I hope so for I am tired of laying around. We have got started now and I want to go and whip the Rebels and go home. I am tired of soldiering.
I don’t like the way we have to live and the way we have to do. I like to be a free man and be where I can do as I am a mind too.
That sausage went first rate. I wish we had some more. We don’t get very good grub. We don’t get enough. You spoke of yours & Henrietta’s likeness. I want you to get them taken and send them to us. I ain’t got any more this time. Tell Henrietta to write. She can read this just as well as if it was wrote directly to her. Write soon. So goodbye for this time. Yours &c.
John A. Wheelock, Co. A, 15th Iowa Vols.
Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Missouri
To Jane
Spared & Shared 22 