Jackson, Edwin (fl. 1862-1865) to William Jackson
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00203.08 Author/Creator: Jackson, Edwin (fl. 1862-1865) Place Written: Sioux City, Iowa Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 20 December 1863 Pagination: 4 p. ; 24.1 x 19.9 cm. Order a Copy
re: He describes troop movements across the plains to Fort Thompson, and writes about the cold and stormy weather, which has caused the soldiers to nickname the march the "Moscow Expedition." He discusses food he's eaten (salt pork and "flip flaps"), his weight gain of five pounds, and how he will relax if he gets a furlough at home. He uses the Dakota phrase "wash-ta-do," which he says means "very good."
Edwin Jackson, a farmer from Minnetonka, Minnesota, served as a private in Company D of the 6th Minnesota Volunteers for three years, from August 1862 to August 1865. His regiment first fought the Dakota Indians in the Dakota-U.S. Conflict of 1862; they then continued fighting Indians in Minnesota, the Dakota Territory, and along the Missouri River. The last fourteen months of his enlistment are spent in various camps in Arkansas, Missouri, and Alabama.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.