Michigan in the Civil War
Browse by Name: Langdon, John C.
Smith, Peter, d. 1864.
Photocopies of about twenty letters written, mostly to his sister, while he was serving in Company C, 23rd Illinois Infantry. At Camp Douglas he tells of prisoners being brought into camp and of an incident while he was on guard duty that resulted in his being promoted to corporal. They have plenty to eat and drink but not much to do. Boys are deserting from the camp, "but I will be the last one that will." He comments on the regiment as the best in General Wood's division and on their officers, saying, "Mulligan is the best man out and a good capt., and our Lieut. is the menest man that ever drawed breth." They were sent to rout out some rebels. When the rebels escaped, they "took revenge on the town and took everything we could get a hold of."
They were on the march almost all summer, and "you better believe it is hard work soldiering among the mountains and vallies." Now they are very comfortably fixed for winter-log houses, comfortable beds with only guard duty, scouting, foraging to keep them busy, and very little fighting. He tells his sister he has found some good-looking girls, and "I would not be surprised if I should entice one to come to Michigan with me. Just say how you would like a rebel sister." Smith was from White Pigeon, Mich.
Three letters from John C. Langdon, of Constantine, Mich., who also served in Company C, 23rd Illinois Infantry, to Peter Smith's family concern Peter's death at Winchester, September 19, 1864.