Michigan in the Civil War

Slayton family

The papers of the family of Hillsdale, Mich., farmers Russell and Berthena Slayton include Civil War letters and a journal of three of their sons, Asa, Charles, and Chester, all from Grattan, Mich., as well as letters from a number of other soldiers, most of them written to Asa Slayton:

Asa Walker Slayton. Journal (Oct. 1862-May 18, 1864). He describes the trip from Kalamazoo to Louisville, and writes of the pedlars and their poisoned pies; gives details of camp life, inspection, drill, dress parade, provost guard duties, foraging for food, and Morgan's raids. He describes his quarters, Munfordville, Bowling Green, the battlefield at Perryville, and the burial of an officer. He visits a pork factory, Mammoth Cave, a school, the slave quarters on a plantation, and hospitals. He comments on drinking, profanity, the draft, and gives a good picture of how he spent New Years, 1863, and a graphic account of the battles near Dalton and Resaca, Ga., May 8-18, 1864, while on the march with Sherman's army. Slayton enlisted in Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry, as second lieutenant. He was put in charge of fortifications at Munfordville, Feb. 1863-Apr. 1864. A section of the journal was sent to the Grand Rapids Weekly Eagle each week, and it is these newspaper articles, mounted in journal form, that we have. After the war Slayton became a teacher and a farmer. Also one letter (Oct. 17, 1863) written to Col. Gibson from Munfordville.

Charles Wood Slayton. One letter (Oct. 23, 1864) written to his brother Asa while he was in the field near Gaylesville, Ala. He tells what he saw on the campaign around Atlanta (Oct. 4-23) with special descriptions of the battlefields of Peach Tree Creek and Allatoona. He also describes the hospital sheds. One letter (Mar. 13, 1863) from Chet and Charley from Bowling Green, about guarding prisoners. Eight other letters (June 24, 1863-Nov. 19, 1864). Slayton was in Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry, 1862-1865.

Chester Metcalf Slayton. Two letters (Mar. 28 and Apr. 26, 1865) written to his brother Asa. He writes of Sherman's march through Georgia, mode of warfare, and the devastation left in the wake of his army; describes his cart-shop used in making topographical surveys and maps; finds plenty of books to read in the houses along their line of march; visits a deaf, dumb and blind asylum on public exhibition day; tells about camp recreations while waiting for Johnston to surrender, and the way in which they celebrated Lee's surrender; and comments on Lincoln's assassination. Thirteen other letters (Jan. 23, 1863-Aug. 26, 1864). Slayton enlisted in Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry, in 1862, and was detailed as surveyor and draughtsman in the Engineers Department.

Paul R. Baldy, of Schoolcraft, Mich., who served in Company E, 25th Michigan Infantry. One letter (July 3, 1864) from Louisville.

Hugh L. Barnes, regiment unidentified. Three letters (Feb. 1, Feb. 27, May 11, 1865) from Kentucky.

William L. Beardsley, of Cannon, Mich., who served in Company H, 21st Michigan Infantry. Ten letters (May 8, 1863-Oct. 25, 1864).

Samuel T. Brown, regiment unidentified. One letter (Feb. 28, 1864) from Camp Burnside.

Maynard E. Burgess, of Kent County, Mich., who served in Company C, 13th Michigan Infantry. Three letters (Mar. 10 and Apr. 30, 1862 and June 25, 1865).

Daniel D. W. Bush, of Kent County, Mich., who served in Company C, 13th Michigan Infantry. Three letters (Apr. 5, May 3, June 22, 1863) from Murfreesboro.

Horatio N. Bush, of Kent County, Mich., who served in Company C, 13th Michigan Infantry. One letter (Feb. 8, 1863) from convalescent camp at Gallatin, Tenn.

Frank R. Chase, from Charles Woodruff
papers

Frank R. Chase, of Otisco, Mich., who served in Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry, but at the time of these letters was in 1st Company, 1st Battalion, Invalid Corps, later 18th Regiment Veteran Reserve Corps. Five letters (Nov. 15, 1863-Sept. 22, 1865).

Samuel L. Demarest, from Charles Woodruff
papers

Samuel L. Demarest, of Otisco, Mich., captain of Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry. Two letters (Feb. 2, Oct. 26, 1863).

Francis M. Dougherty, of Oronoko, Mich., who served in Company C, 25th Michigan Infantry. One letter (June 12, 1864) from Bowling Green, Ky.

Robert B. Griffith, of Pewamo, Mich., who served in Company B, 8th Michigan Infantry. Five letters (May 18, June 3, July 28, Aug. 26, Oct. 15, 1863) from Kentucky.

Gus ----, surname and regiment unidentified. Two letters (Apr. 4 and Oct. 14, 1863)

H. W. Hickox, regiment unidentified. One letter (Nov. 27, 1863) from Fort Terrell.

Ammi Jackenay, of Grattan, Mich., who served in Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry. One letter (July 22, 1864) from Jeffersonville General Hospital.

Charles W. Jones, of Scottville, Mich., who served in Company H, 21st Michigan Infantry. Three letters (Feb. 14, Mar. 9, Mar. 15, 1864) from Chattanooga and one from unknown location (Mar. 8, 1865).

Orin E. Jones, of Kent, Mich., who served in Company D, 1st Michigan Engineers. One letter (Dec. 18, 1861) from Louisville.

W. R. Kinney, regiment unidentified. One letter (Sept. 3, 1863) from Louisville.

C. P. Lively, a rebel soldier. One letter (June 23, 1864) from camp on the Chickahominy.

Charles E. McAlester, of Flint, Mich., captain of Company C, 23rd Michigan Infantry. Seven letters (Apr. 14-Sept. 24, 1863) from Louisville.

James McDaniel, of Watervliet, Mich., who served in Company C, 25th Michigan Infantry. One letter (Apr. 11, 1863) from Camp Jowett near Louisville by McDaniel and Abram Smith.

George Morris, regiment unidentified. One letter (Mar. 27, 1864) from Munfordville.

Orlando M. Poe, Library of Congress,
Prints and Photographs Division
[LC-B8172-1953]

Orlando M. Poe, chief engineer, 23rd Army Corps. One letter (June 9, 1863) from Munfordville).

John M. Ridlon, of Paw Paw, Mich., who served as quartermaster, 25th Michigan Infantry. One letter (June 4, 1864) from Knoxville.

James A. Sage,
from Charles Woodruff papers

James A. Sage, of Otisco, Mich. One letter from Louisville (Aug. 7, 1863) written to the parents of William Lambert Slayton concerning William's death. Sage was sergeant and second lieutenant in Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry (1862-1864) when he was discharged on account of wounds received in action at Deep Bottom, Va.

J. H. Simpson, major and chief engineer. One letter (May 8, 1862) from Munfordville, and seven letters (Oct. 17, 1863-Feb. 27, 1864) from Cincinnati.

Augustus Whitman Slayton, of Tecumseh, Mich. One letter (May 27, 1865) written to his cousin Asa W. Slayton. This is a get-acquainted letter in which he gives genealogical information about the Slayton family. He enlisted in Company E, 18th Michigan Infantry, in 1862, and was commissioned in Battery A, 2nd U.S. Colored Artillery in April, 1864. Slayton became a lumber dealer.

William Lambert Slayton, of Grattan, Mich. A diary (Jan.-July, 1862) gives brief and rather insignificant entries of his daily activities at Munfordville, Ky., while he was serving in Company B, Twenty-fifth Infantry. Slayton, a nephew of Asa Slayton, died of disease at Louisville, July 22, 1863.

Abram L. Smith, of Richland, Mich., who served in Company E, 25th Michigan Infantry. See J. McDaniel.

John A. Tardy, with the U.S. Engineers in Louisville, Ky. One letter (Jan. 5, 1862) relating to fortifications at Munfordville, Ky.

John R. White, of Grattan, Mich., who served in Company B, 25th Michigan Infantry, and at the time of the letters was in Company B, Engineer Battalion, 23rd Army Corps. Two letters (Feb. 27 and Mar. 27, 1864) from Tennessee.

George D. Wood, of Montcalm County, Mich., who served in Company F, 2nd Michigan Cavalry. Two letters (June 21 and July 25, 1863) from Tennessee.

Finding aid available online