Civil War
St. Louis, MO, April 21, 1862
Civil War Union Soldier Fears His Uniform Looks Confederate!
ALS

[CIVIL WAR.] James A. Monroe, Autograph Letter Signed, to "friends," April 21, 1862, Camp Benton, St. Louis, Missouri. 4 pp., 5" x 8". With separate patriotic envelope from November 1863 addressed to Henry Crawford in Ashland, Iowa. On patriotic stationery; expected folds; light soiling; general toning.

In this letter to his friends back home in Ashland, Iowa, Private James A. Monroe of the 17th Iowa Volunteer Infantry writes about his arrival at Benton Barracks near St. Louis, Missouri. The regiment had assembled in Keokuk between late January and mid-March 1862. On April 19, the regiment left Keokuk by steamboat for St. Louis, where it arrived the following day.

The regiment departed St. Louis by steamer on May 5 and traveled to Hamburg Landing, Tennessee, where it was attached to the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division of the Army of the Mississippi, commanded by Major General John Pope. Initially commanded by Colonel John W. Rankin, the regiment first participated in combat at the Battle of Iuka on September 19, where Rankin was disabled. Lieutenant Colonel David B. Hillis assumed command of the regiment and was promoted to its colonel. At the subsequent Second Battle of Corinth on October 3-4, Private James A. Monroe was mortally wounded. He died on October 5, fewer than eight months after enlisting and fewer than six months after writing this letter.

Complete Transcript
Camp Benton St. Louis
April 21st / 62
Dear friends it is with pleasure that I sat myself to inform you that I am well and I hope that these few lines may find you all well. we arrived here yesterday through the mud and rain and some was very much futigued. we started keokuk on saturday morning and arrived at st. louis on Sunday morning before daylight but we dident march out to the barracks until about eleven o'clock. it has been raining for the last two or three weeks nearly all the time and we havent drilled very much yet. we have got all of our knapsacks haver sacks canteens and we drew our uniforms at keokuk. we drew grey overcoats and pants and they say that the secesh has got grey uniforms we are agoing to get our rite uniforms to day and our arms and belts to day and all our tents and army equipage. the adjutant was in the captains office this morning and he said that we would leave here in aday or two for pitsburgh landing. there are three regiments of cavalry here at these barracks. the fruit trees are out in bloom and the trees and grass are green. And this would be a pleasant place if it wasent so mudy and rainy. one of our company deserted comeing down from keokuk he was a big irish man. He was one that was with mulligan he got mad because the officers emtied a quart of whisky out of his canteen.
I stood guard all night the last night we staid in keokuk. there were sixty guards, 6 from our company was on guard the guards were to keep the men in the quarters we have good comfortable quarters here better than we had at keokuk but I am afraid that we wont get to stay here long. They say that we will have to leave here in the morning but I dont believe it. the professor has got to be second lieutenant and he feels as big as a brigadier general we had an awful time a comeing down to here we were all put on deck and it was crowded. we had to sleep on the wet floor well our company got in a pretty warm place we got to sleep under the boiler. We come very near roasting, some times it was so hot. well for all that we got to here. I expect the next time you hear from me we will be a little farther south than this. I hant got to see much of the city of St. louis yet nor I don't expect to either. well I believe I have wrote all I know now I want you to write as soon as you get this letter Adeline if George comes over next Sunday you can let him see this letter. you will have to direct your letter to me as follows
James A. Monroe
Private Co "E" 17th Iowa Vol
Benton Barracks
Near St Louis / Mo
J. A. Monroe

James A. Monroe (1844-1862) was born in Ohio. By 1860, he was living in Ashland in southeastern Iowa and working as a laborer. He enlisted as a private on February 10, 1862, and was mustered into service on April 5. At the Battle of Corinth in Mississippi on October 4, Monroe was mortally wounded and died the next day.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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