Newberry Library - L.S. Willard letters, 1862-1864

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Title L.S. Willard letters, 1862-1864

Creator Willard, L. S. (Lot Sabine), active 1862-1865

Date Created 1862-1864

Place Mississippi, United States

Subjects Brothers and sisters, Kennesaw Mountain, Battle of, Ga., 1864, Parent and adult child, Resaca, Battle of, Resaca, Ga., 1864, United States

Description Nine letters written on stationery of the Seventeenth Army Corps Headquarters, Department of the Tennessee; one letter on blue paper, with a lithograph of an east view of Camp Benton, St. Louis at top.

Summary Nineteen Letters from Lot Sabin Willard to his mother, father, and brother in Peoria, Illinois during the Civil War, from 1862-1864, as well as two envelopes addressed to Mrs. G. Hathaway, Brimfield, Peoria county, Illinois. Willard's first two letters, which explain details of camp life at St. Louis, Missouri and express anticipation for active service, are quickly followed by two from Pittsburg, Tennessee detailing the horror of the Battle of Shiloh, with specifics about his participation and reinforcements. Willard continues sending letters from LaGrange and Memphis Tenessee; Tallahatchie River, Mississippi; Millikin's Bend, and Providence, Louisiana; and Vicksburg, Mississippi, which discuss food, skirmishes, battles, blockades, Vicksburg and commanding figures such as McPherson, Grant, and Sherman. Willard also writes about his promotion to major and Senior Aide-de-Camp, corruption amongst the officers, his feelings on the anniversary of the Battle of Shiloh, and his own longing for home and peace. After this, he follows Sherman and writes a quick letter after the battle of Resaca to reassure his family, as well as a longer one anticipating the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, writing from Resaca, Kingston, Big Shanty, Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia and near Chattanooga, Tennessee. Willard's letters clearly show his perspective as an officer, looking not only at the immediate battles but at wider politics and battle plans, as well as his obvious preference for peace.

Biographical/Historical Note First Lieutenant in the 11th Illinois Calvary, Company G, which served as Headquarters Guard, 17th Army Corps from 1863 to the end of the Civil War. Lot Sabine Willard enlisted at age 22 on December 20, 1861. The money that he earned being a "traveling agent" in his hometown of Peoria, Illinois allowed him to enter the war as a first Lieutenant in the 11th Illinois Calvary, Company G. At first eager to try his regiment with active service, Willard quickly changed his mind after the incredibly high mortality rate of its first fight, the Battle of Shiloh. The event was to haunt him for years afterward. Even though he often longed for peace and home, Willard continued his military career and became major and senior aide-de-camp to General McPherson on April 18th, 1863. He camped in Vicksburg, then marched with Sherman and fought at Resaca and Kennesaw Mountain. Willard survived the war, was mustered out on August 9th, 1864, and, despite his frequent assertions that he would never marry, settled down in Litchfield Ward 2, Montgomery, Illinois and began raising a family. 1870 found him as a dry goods merchant living with his wife Ellen, his children, William and May, and a domestic servant, having accumulated $6,000 worth of property. Within ten years, Willard moved to Minnesota and his family grew with the addition of a third child, Asa.

Extent 0.2 linear feet (20 items in 1 box)

Format Correspondence, Genealogies (Histories), Manuscripts (Documents), Personal narratives, Pictorial lettersheets

Archival Collection Title L.S. Willard letters

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Midwest MS Willard

BibID 265483

IIIF Resource Type Manifest

IIIF Resource ID https://collections.newberry.org/IIIF3/Presentation/Manifest/2KXJ8Z442YE2

Filename 992654838805867_midwest_ms_willard

Unique identifier NL1145GK

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