1861-1927

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Header Record

Title: Collection of Ira Blanchard, H company, 20th regiment, Illinois, infantry [Decimalized .01-.26]

This collection consists chiefly of correspondence from Ira Blanchard, Lieutenant, Company H, 29th Illinois Infantry, to Mary (Wright) Kellogg. These letters document Blanchard's service at Forts Henry and Donelson, Tennessee; Vicksburg, Mississippi; and other areas throughout Missouri, Tennessee and Louisiana from 1861-1863. Sometime after August 1863, Mary (Wright) Kellogg married Captain Henry Kellogg, and the letters from Blanchard ceased. In addition to the correspondence from Blanchard, this collection also includes a letter from Jason D. Wright to his niece Mary (Wright) Kellogg (…

GLC03523.31

January 22, 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Lyon. Discusses his holiday party and how he "...devoured his share of all the delicate dishes from the North." Complains of the hard crackers used as bread on marches. Informs there are two hundred confederate prisoners in camp that do much of the work. Written in Camp Lyon .

GLC03523.31.01

20 May 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Goodell. Reports there are 1200 soldiers there. Complains of sleeping on the cold ground with no blanket for a few nights. Says they are divided into squads of eight men who share a tent. Mentions they do their own cooking and drill everyday. Expects his uniform soon.

GLC03523.31.02

27 May 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Goodell. Expresses gratitude for her letter and says when the mail arrives, the soldiers "...flock to the office like sheep." Says once the letters are read the band plays "the girl I left behind." Reports his regiment is waiting to be received into the service of the general government, and if refused, they will return home next month. Mentions they have received their uniforms and muskets from Harper's Ferry. Discusses a large fight that took place in camp resulting in a lot of structural damage. Explains some of the troops were unhappy with the…

GLC03523.31.03

10 June 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Goodell. Reflects on the possibility of being killed. Reports his regiment is now part of the U.S. Army under Union General George B. McClellan, and they will be moving to western Virginia. Letter is very faded and largely illegible, with a Union emblem.

GLC03523.31.04

3 July 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Pope. Discusses his loneliness for the female sex, "You know it is not nature to be thus alone." Mentions shaving his whiskers close to his face and getting a severe cold. Comments on the constant rain, damp clothing, and difficult marches. Describes the tent structure of the camp, "... all arranged in beautiful order like streets in a city..." Remarks that two men had been shot, one very seriously. Describes the severely injured man's prayer, "... O Lord let me live this time." Reports the Lord must have heard the man's prayer because he lived. Says…

GLC03523.31.05

5 July 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Pope. Discusses in great detail the Fourth of July celebration in the camp. "The entire Brigade took a solom oath never to return to there homes until the last vestage of rebelion is wiped out." Describes a party at a female college in Monticello, "...where the ladies had prepared an excellent picnic for us." Comments on her upcoming marriage and his desire to attend the wedding. Writes about his duties as sergeant. Says they have just received marching orders to an unknown destination. Letter has a Union emblem.

GLC03523.31.06

14 July 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from camp outside St. Louis. Describes in great detail his trip down the Mississippi River aboard a government steamer "City of Alton." Mentions being applauded by Union people as they went down the river. Comments they have plenty of ripe fruit. "The little girls bring us plenty of apples and pies if we have any suspicion of them being poison we make them eat some first." States that were about 15 to 20 enslaved people at every home. Remarks that they appear to be people "...who seem to be a very happy set of fellows." Asks her to send a likeness of herself…

GLC03523.31.07

24 July 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Tremont outside St. Louis. Mentions cooking for the soldiers when he has nothing else to do even though there are five cooks for each company. Says they just received their uniforms and bayonets. Explains in great detail several expeditions and marches. Remarks the rebels were hiding in swamps and fleeing. Comments the local women visit their camp and many had never seen the "stars and stripes." States the local women are very pretty, but doesn't know if "...it goes more than skin deep or not." Discusses the friendliness of the "darkies" and their…

GLC03523.31.08

22 August 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Tremont outside St. Louis. Thanks her for the magazine she sent him. Reports Confederate General Gideon J. Pillow has a strong army in the state. Says St. Louis is under martial law and a very dangerous place. Informs they are expecting an attack at any time. Letter is faded and the bottom portion of all four pages is missing.

GLC03523.31.09

10 November 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from a hospital in Mound City, Illinois. Reports he has been sick with fever for six weeks. Says the hospital is three stories high and capable of treating 6000 patients. Comments that war "...tries men's souls." States his regiment marched from Cape Girardeau to Frederick, Missouri where a "colored" woman told them the rebels were 6000 strong and waiting to ambush them just outside the town. Describes the battle in detail. Reports on the battle at Columbus, Kentucky which he considers to be "...one of the greatest battles of the present war..." Explains the…

GLC03523.31.10

25 December 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Lyon in Illinois. Apologizes for using the word "love" in his letters to her. Responds to her inquiry about the hospital in Cairo, Illinois. Expresses doubt that the rumors of poor treatment for the soldiers are true, even though he has never been there. Says he is sending her a box of products from the south. Mentions that most of the officers have their ladies with them. Letter is very faded and illegible in sections.

GLC03523.31.11

February 5, 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Fort Henry, Tennessee. Mentions Union General Halbert E. Paine leaving with the sick soldiers and supplies. Reports on his trip to Cairo, Illinois by steamer on the Ohio River. Says the boat was so crowded they had to stand for two days and two nights during constant rain with no shelter. Informs they moved onto Paducah, Kentucky where a large addition was made to their fleet. States Union General Ulysses S. Grant issued orders for the entire fleet to advance. Writes about killing a group of rebel spies with a well-directed shell. Letter is faded in…

GLC03523.31.12

circa February 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Fort Donelson, Tennessee. Reports his troops are pushing forward to Nashville, Tennessee. Refers to the battle and capture of Fort Henry, the first important Union victory in the Western Theater. Informs that cannons are all drawn by horses. Mentions he carries her likeness in his coat pocket. States that a number of wounded and dead have been sent home. Comments the weather is lovely and springlike. Date of letter is inferred based on content. Letter is incomplete. Written at Fort Donelson

GLC03523.31.13

April 21, 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from the General Hospital in Savannah. Reports on the Battle of Shiloh, "...a day never to be forgotten by me." Says the battlefield was littered with dead and wounded. Informs his right arm was wounded on the battlefield, and he was taken by boat to the hospital. Comments he is being cared for by a female physician. Says Confederate General Albert S. Johnston was killed and his second in command, Confederate General Pierre G. Beauregard was badly wounded. States his regiment of one thousand men has only two hundred left. Expects a furlough soon. Letter has a…

GLC03523.31.14

10 April 1863

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from camp on the Mississippi River. Mentions the levee was cut and submerged the whole country around it, sweeping away many homes and forcing people to flee to higher ground. Reports visits from Union Generals Lorenzo Thomas, John A. Logan and James B. McPherson to explain the President's policy on contrabands: fugitive slaves seeking protection behind Union Lines during the southern invasion. Claims "...within a month there will be more than 20,000 in this department alone in arms for the Union and their liberties." Encloses a yellow rose.

GLC03523.31.22

25 July 1863

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Vicksburg. Discusses in detail the fall of Vicksburg and the long siege. Claims "...70,000 men had received the death blow and fell into the hands of the invincible troops of U. S. Grant..." Reports the stars and stripes now fly from the spire of the court house. Says he hopes the war will be over and he will be home by the next Fourth of July. Reports many citizens and soldiers are sick. Mentions an abundance of peaches, figs and melons.

GLC03523.31.23

29 August 1863

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from a camp in Vicksburg. Thanks her for copies of the newspaper "Independent." Reports they are not campaigning now and have much free time. Comments letters from the North are scarce and wonders if his friends have all turned copperheads or simply forgotten him. Speculates many of his lady friends have gotten married because they did not want to wait for the soldiers' return. Inquires if she is going to school and playing the piano. Writes about the beautiful weather and lovely flowers. States that a large steamer blew up at the dock loaded with ammunition…

GLC03523.31.24

20 June 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Jackson, Tennessee, "...one of the most delightful cities I ever saw." Says the aristocracy of the south resides there. Mentions many slaves escaped to their lines and rewards of two-hundred dollars were being offered for their return. Informs they are called "bluebelied yankees." Upon the occupation of the city, "about 600 negroe girls elegantly dresed in their silks and satins came out to meet us each caring a rose in their black hands..." Reports going to church with "darkies" and being impressed with the sermon. Letter is faded and has an emblem.

GLC03523.31.15

18 August 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from camp on the Hatchie River. Mentions the warm weather and his illness. Reports on the imminent arrival of 600,000 more troops. Anticipates the end of the rebellion soon. Comments on the Confiscation Act of 1862 and how it "... will be a severe blow to rebels if properly carried out by our generals." Says they eat peaches and melons which grow in great abundance. Offers his opinion on what to do with the negroes; "...give them a spot of earth where they may dwell by themselves away from the whites, let the white women marry the white man and the black woman…

GLC03523.31.16

6 September 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Jackson, Tennessee. Says things look gloomy for the Union, especially in the East. Reports on the victorious battle of Britton's Lane led by Union Colonel Elias S. Dennis. Informs the intense heat caused soldiers to fall exhausted before the battle began. Comments their guns were so warm from excessive use they could barely manage them. States they buried their dead at night. Says upon their return to Jackson, Union Generals John A. Logan and Leonard F. Ross praised their victory as "...the greatest achievement in the history of the world." Compliments her…

GLC03523.31.17

4 October 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Jackson, Tennessee. Thanks her for the flowers she enclosed in her letter. Comments, " the flowers which grow here are very beautiful, I think their breath is not poisoned with the sentiment of treason..." Expresses interest in knowing "...who you are waiting for" to marry. Says the rebels are in force at Bethel, Tennessee and have cut off their communication with Corinth, Mississippi. Talks about the vigorous efforts underway to secure the city of Jackson. Asks her what she thinks of the Emancipation Proclamation. States he is happy about it and hopes…

GLC03523.31.18

8 November 1862

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Carroll Station. Includes the words of a love song. Describes the "darkies" returning home from the cotton fields with baskets of cotton on their heads. Explains what a cotton gin does and says the cotton fields are beautiful when fully ripe. Discusses the different responsibilities of soldiers and sergeants on guard duty. States part of his Brigade has gone to Boliver, Tennessee and if no attack occurs, Union General Ulysses S. Grant will move them to Holly Springs, Mississippi. Reports peaches are out of season but have been replaced with persimmons,…

GLC03523.31.19

January 30, 1863

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from a camp in the suburbs of Memphis, Tennessee. Reports on the lovely weather. Expresses pleasure she is attending school. States Union General Ulysses S. Grant is amassing troops outside Vicksburg, Mississippi and his regiment expects to go there soon. Describes in detail his visit to Elmwood Cemetery, where thousands of Union and Confederate soldiers are buried. Complains the monument of Andrew Jackson in the cemetery had been vandalized at the start of the rebellion. Expresses disgust at Illinois Democrats and their law to "..whip and sell niggers...they…

GLC03523.31.20

March 7, 1863

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from a camp on Lake Providence. Refers to her letter of February fourteenth, and comments on the meaning of St. Valentines Day. Thanks her for the rose enclosed in the letter and says he "...will carry it on the bloody battle-field..." Discusses his trip down the river on the steamer Continental. Comments on the beauty of Lake Providence. Mentions it is one mile wide and fifteen miles long. Reports his camp extends on the southern shore for several miles and they are constructing boats.

GLC03523.31.21