These letters were written by William Wycoff (1842-1927) of Co. H, 3rd Iowa Cavalry. He enlisted as a corporal but rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant during the war.
William was the son of Peter Wycoff (1801-1877) and Elizabeth Woodrow (1804-1867) of Union, Van Buren County, Iowa. William mentions two of his siblings in the second letter: Robert (“Bob”) Wycoff (1840-1916) and John Wycoff (1836-1905).
“On the 1st of June 1864 a considerable army of cavalry infantry and artillery moved out from Memphis under command of Gen. Sturgis in search of the enemy. The movement was a blunder and disastrous failure, owing entirely to the incompetency of the General commanding. The battle which took place is known as the battle of Gun Town in Mississippi. It occurred on the 10th of the month. The cavalry far in advance, bro’t on the action about 10 0’clock am. The troopers were dismounted and formed line of battle & lay down to await the charge of the enemy which was seen to be coming. It soon came. The rebels came on with shouting & whooping, and much shooting. The thin line of cavalry easily drove back the enemy. A second and a third charge by the rebels likewise failed. The bullets came awful close with the wicked ping of the minnie ball. One ball struck the gun barrel in Wm. Wycoff’s hands, and another struck a small hickory sapling directly in front of Wm’s head as he lay in line which probably saved his life. Joe Myers who lay just beside of Wm was struck in the left temple and a great flow of blood gushed out.”
William is buried in the Conway Springs, Sumner County, Kansas, next to his wife, Lucetta Jane Robertson (1848-1930). They were married in April 1866 and had at least nine children.
The letters were written to Alfred Giauque who was the same age as William and resided in Union, Van Burnen County, Iowa.
Letter 1
Mexico, [Audrain county] Missouri 1
July 18th 1862
Friend Alfred,
I was pleased to receive a letter from you and was glad to learn that you was so near recovered from your long sickness which you contracted in the service of the United States. I had heard from you now and then indirectly during your illness and was afraid you would never recover. But now believe me when I tell you that it gratifies me very much to know that you have so near regained your former health and strength. But Alf, I have an apology to offer for my delinquency. I received the letter you wrote to me last fall while we were at Benton Barracks. It had been nearly a month on the way because you directed it to Keokuk and it lay there a while before it was sent to Benton Barracks. I wanted to write to you in return but I did not know where to send it to. The next time I heard of you was when we were at Boonville. There I saw all the rest of my acquaintances but when I enquired for you, I was told that you was left behind sick. I was sorry to hear this for of all the boys in that company, I would rather have seen you. Some time after I heard that you had gone home and for a long time I did not know whether you was dead or alive. So if I have been neglectful, I will make amends hereafter by writing enough for your satisfaction. A correspondence with you is very desirable for your style is good and suits me exactly.
You say that you are done soldiering—that the march to Springfield done for you. Now don’t you wish that you had listened to my entreaties and joined the cavalry instead of the infantry? You did not think of the knapsack you had to carry on your back which was enough in itself almost to kill a man. Now we buckle one blanket and overcoat on the saddle, mount our horses, and off we go as easily as if we were going on a ride for our health, while you plod your weary way with 40 pounds to your back and a heavy musket in your hand, and then perhaps through mud ankle deep. I have never had cause to regret the choice I have taken, but on the contrary am well satisfied with it.
When we first started out we saw some pretty hard service but it had no effect on me except to make me stouter and heartier than I ever was before. We have had comparatively easy times since we came here which was the first of March. However, we have had some pretty hard scouts too. in the early part of the spring through mud knee deep across swollen streams which we sometimes had to swim. Then we have been out when the weather was warm, dry and dusty, which if anything was worse than cold, mud and water. But scouting now has got to be pretty much of a bore for we are poorly rewarded for our labors. I have often wished that we were with Gen. Curtis’ army so that we could see some real service. But here we are isolated from the rest of the regiment doing comparatively nothing while they are daily gaining new laurels. It is often rumored that we are to be sent south but it never comes true, and I presume we will remain here for a long time yet.
Well, to change the subject, you spoke of the good time you had in Hillsborough on the 4th [of July]. I can easily imagine the pleasant time you had and I can imagine what a good old fashioned time I could have had if I could have been in Iowa on the 4th. However, we did not let it pass off with the usual daily monotony. The citizens made no demonstrations of any kind, but early in the morning we made an effigy of Jeff Davis and putting it astride a rail, we carried it around the public square much to the chagrin of the Secesh who looked on in sullen silence while we shouted and hurrahed in derision for Jeff and his so-called Southern Confederacy. After this formal introduction, Jeff was suspended from the top of the house we are quartered in to the public gaze of the passers by. We had put a paste board on his back labeled, “Jeff Davis the Chief of Traitors!!” At night he was taken down, tied to a stake and burnt. So ended our day’s sport.
Well, I must close this rather lengthy letter for long letters like long sermons become wearisome—especially when they are not of much force. We have generally had good health in Mexico but there are four of our company in the hospital at present among whom is my much esteemed right hand friend, Newton C. Calhoun. But he thinks and I hope that he will soon recover. Dock Newman says he is too lazy to write but he sends you his respects. I received a letter from Marion Bechtel yesterday. Give my respects to James and my compliments to Miss Elizabeth and Mary, if a soldier’s compliments are acceptable. No more at present but hope you will write soon. Respectfully yours, — William Wycoff, Mexico, Mo.
To Alfred Giauque, Birmingham Iowa
1 Most of the early settlers of Audrain county, Missouri, were from Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee and were farmers. In 1856, a railroad line was laid through Mexico, the county seat. During the Civil War, county residents were politically divided. An estimated 600 men served in the Union Army and around 500 with the Confederacy. No official battles took place although one skirmish did occur. The war record of Audrain County centers on the railroad, the occupation of Mexico, and constant guerrilla warfare in the area. Because of the railroad, Federal troops made Mexico their headquarters for most of the war. The occupying Union army ousted elected officials, enforced martial law, with curfew and street patrols, damaged buildings, and furthered unrest throughout the county.
Letter 2
Camp near Arcadia [Missouri]
March 12th 1863
Friend Alfred,
I suppose you have often wondered why I have not written you before this, for it is almost two months since you wrote to me. But since that time we have marched many a long, weary, toilsome, and muddy mile, over many a rocky mountain, and across many a swift and turbulent stream. We have encountered and overcome hardships to which all our past experience in military life cannot be compared. We have traveled over almost all of South Missouri and part of Arkansas since we left Houston, which was on the 27th of January. It was extremely bad weather then and it has been ever since. We joined Gen. Davidson’s Army at West Plains on the 30th of January, but to relate even a condensed account from that time would cover many pages.
I should like for you to have a little history of the events which have transpired within the last two months for it would be of no little interest to you, but it would be too tedious a job to write it all. I suppose you read of the brilliant dash on Batesville, Arkansas, by Col. [George E.] Waring [See Skirmish at Batesville]. I and Joe both had the honor of being with that expedition and we know all about it, and we know that the brilliancy of the dash was nothing to compare to the hardships and privations we underwent, the extreme frigid cold to which we were exposed, or the brutish manner we were used by Col. Waring. The expedition was very much like the —
“King of France with 20,000 men
Rode up the hill and then rode down again.”
So with us; we marched to Batesville and then marched back again. ¹
On the 10th of February, the whole of the Army of the South East Missouri took up its line of march for Pilot Knob and after 10 days of hard marching, we arrived at this place which is two miles from Pilot Knob. We were glad a glad set of boys when we came in sight of this place, for we had been banished from any signs of civilization so long, that it did our hearts good to behold some signs of civilization and enlightenment.
On the 21st of February, we were paid off and we all got pretty happy over it, as it was almost eight months since we had been paid before. Greenbacks flourish pretty extensively yet and carousals, hilarity, and gambling has been all the go ever since. That is one reason I have not written sooner.
On Sunday the 22nd, I was happily surprised to meet brother Bob in the streets who had come up from St. Louis to see us. He staid here one day and I guess he got pretty tired of soldiering in that time for it was the muddiest, disagreeable time I ever saw. But since that time there has been a few days of nice weather and a couple of days ago, John came up and we had a good time as you may suppose.
Well, I must tell you the important news about the company. Several changes have taken place since we came here. The first and foremost is that our former Orderly Sergeant Peter H. Walker has within a few days received his commission as Captain. James R. Grousbeck is Orderly and Acting Lieutenant, and his commission will be forthcoming in a few days. Miles N. Newman is Sixth Sergeant. I presume that Samuel A. Young will be Orderly after Jim Grousbeck gets his commission.
Well, I must close this letter. It is not as entertaining as I would wish it to be, but it is owing to the way I feel. I don’t feel in a writing humor and you will have to bear with it this time. Hoping to hear from you soon, I remain your friend, — William Wycoff
¹ The 3rd Iowa Cavalry was brigaded with the 3rd Wisconsin and the 4th Missouri Cavalry on this expedition to Batesville, commanded by Col. George E. Waring (though history books only seem to credit the 4th Missouri). The “dash” on Batesville, Arkansas, resulted in its capture, but being outnumbered, was evacuated later the same night. The troopers in Waring’s brigade bivouacked a few miles north of Batesville and suffered through one of the worst snowstorms and bitterly cold nights imaginable. They moved out the next morning through two feet of snow and many of them suffered frostbite.
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