Letters from the Field

It was to my surprise and elation to have had the rare opportunity to behold the actual correspondence between Uncle Henry and other Banks family members during his four years of service with the Illinois Volunteers. This collection was preserved, and shared with me by my cousin, Mary Emma Place-Allen. The letters offered much insight into certain particulars of the Civil War, and the collective concerns among family members as they shared letters from Henry with each other. I found it interesting that the Banks family members still clung to some of the old Quaker-speak, (thees and thous) left over from the old homestead in New York, especially Great-great-great grandmother, Cynthia. Some of the mis-spellings throughout the letters are cumbersome, but charming. Camp life and the aspects and politics of war did not agree with Henry from the very onset of his enlistment. All the while suffering from an acute stomach ailment that would eventually take his life, his attitude, and language becomes more and more antagonistic as he advances from Illinois into Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas. I was proud, however as Cynthia mentioned David Banks, my great-great grandfather encouraging his brother to stay the course instead of risking his life being shot as a deserter, when the going got really tough in the the thick of the conflict. 

Henry's own penmanship

Camp near Frankford ken  Oct 18^th 1862

Dear Mother (Cynthia Banks)

I received thy letter yesterday I was regoist (rejoiced) to get a letter from home for the first time I offand (often) allmost giveup getting one  I am sory Wm is sick  he is so grate hand to work it will go hard with him  still I am in hopes he will get well   I exspect the boys (Henry’s brothers) are bisy making molass and gathering corn I would like to be their to help rather than be here exsposed to the nite air and but a littell to eat   I am in hopes we will now do better   we received our tents yesterday before that we have lade out in the open air uprate (upright)  meny are sick  still we have bin blest by not having eny rain   there has not bin but too rains and them small wones (ones)  they say that there has not bin but a littell rain sens July   I exspect the has received my last letter that I rote th 14 I beleav it was   we are encamped in the same plase yet how long we are goin to stay I can ot tell   we may stay a month and maby not   to days camp life is a shifting life I like it very well iff I could eat entirely well  I have had the diare more or less ever sens I have bin in this camp   this morning when I awoke my hed felt very bad it felt as iff it had bin used for a mall (maul)   I was sory to hear of the deth of  Henry B Wanzers wife. (former neighbors in Fairfield, CT)   he will shurely be fonely glad to hear that gran mother is still smart     the spoke about working hard  the must be carful and not over do  I hope the will succeed in getting some help (on the family farm)  we have a battery to support here of to guns onell (only) I hav  sean nor hird aney thing of the rebels nether do I beleav we ever will   we take priseners ocasionely  they say that brags (General Braxton Bragg, C.S.A.) armey torge (toward) to cumber land gap  I think when he gets their he will meat something  we haf to get up every morning at the fireing of the canon whitch is at fore (4am) and stand in line of battle with our guns until ? ? unless sick.  I told them I was sick and got red (rid) of the job I had   rather be reported on the sick list than stand there   it is a tiresome job spesely for one that is a little sick and weak  tell the some of the boys to write and lett me know how there hogs look and how doing   I hear that they are still ?? with the ?? yet and there corn turns out and all sutsh things   I am glad to heare of eny thing from home   I will now close be causus (cautious?) and of good shear   give my best respects to all I remain as ever thy Sone (son) H I Banks

write sone (soon)

Directions

Con E 102 reg

Ills vol

Care of Cap Likely

By the way of Louis vill

Gallatan Tennessee  Dec 22th, 1862

Dear Brother (Egbert Banks)

I resived your letter last weak with pesure   glad to hear that you wer all well  I am getting better slowly  I had a letter from  mother last weak they wer well  She wrote that she was no going east on the account of it costing more than she expected  she sed she was going back home and take another start  I rote to her and directed it home  she sed she wold be home by the time my letter got there so I directed it home  write and let me know the particulars about it  I suppose you have got dun picking corn by this time   we are going to make our winter Quarters here  we do pickitt duty and garding   that is all we are worth  we are in camp close to the brest works that commands the town   I think of no particular nuse at present   we have not had no fiting yet to do & another thing   I don’t belive we ever will   there is more than half of our men sick   hardly enoff to stand guard   Will Torbart is beter but stil keps weak has the rumitis(m?)  Will Stuard has bin complaining but getting better   James Lee has bin sick but is getting better   he looks bad   Harve Lafferty keeps strong and ruged as a bare   the wether is fine here & dry   we are gont to have bred befor long  There is an oven making   I am tired of the darned crackers and sowbelly   we now draw flower but have nothing to coock it in   we get nofe to eat if we had something to coock it in   that is the gratest difficulty here, camp life is a hard life take it all in all but I am goin to try to stick it threw long or short   I hope it will be the latter   I send my best respect to you all   I remain as ever your Brother

H I Banks

Tennessee

To E Banks

(Assumed that the above letter was sent by Henry and Egbert’s mother, Cynthia Banks to their older brother, Willis and his wife Olive, since the original was found without envelope in a family album belonging to Ella Banks-Place, Willis Banks’ granddaughter)

Gallatin Tennessee  March the 27, 1863

Dear Mother (Cynthia Banks)

I received thy very welcome lettuer to day   I was very glad to hear from the & the wrest of my friends & brothers   sory to hear that Willis was not well   I my self have the hardest cold that I ever had in my life & a sore throat with it   I was so hores long at first that I could not hardly speak above a whisper but I feal very smart otherwies.   I have had a little cold all winter this is a hard place to get wred of a cold   one is exposed so mutch in being up nites on guard wrain or shine heat or cold and then make his bed on the hard ground or in the open are (air) every fellow it seams has to look out for him self hear in the army   I got a letur from Lyda Jane (sister) last weak they wer then all well   I have not hird from the boys (brothers) in some time   they were then all well the ??  they saw uncle Jonathan Dorland & family (Quaker relatives in Dutchess County, NY)    I wod to God that I could have bin their to enjoy time with them and the wrest of my dear friends that I soften think of down hear in Tennessee in the land of blood shed and vengeance   I would to God that this war woud soon come to a finell close so that this nation coud live once more in peas & enjoy the comforts of life but the prospects that is now before us looks dull in my eyes   Still I live in hopes   If I dident I woud dy in despair   I must now quit writing for I am cauld out in fatigue duty to dig out treas and stumps in our camp   there is a detale of a bout 100 men made every day   we haf to dig them up one thousand yards from the fort   I think we have got a summers job of it   well I must go write away   This evening I set down to finish scribeling theas treas are dug up so the wrebels cant have a chance to dog behind them  we are now under a different Curnell a Jenerral to & what we have bin   our curnells name is Smith (Franklin C. Smith) and Jenerral Sweat (Benjamin J. Sweet)   he has ordered the fort to be made stronger & all theas twreas  to be dug out   the prospect is we will stay hear all summer to hold this town and fourt   drill and stand guard   this town is on the Louisvill & Nashvill RR & I  have come to the conclusion to be wresind to my lot to stay until the ware comes to a close   for I see no way of getting out afit (of it) unles you are nearly ded   I theank of no more nuse (news) at this time   write often and give my love to all indqvering (inquiring) friends I wremain as ever thy Son

Henry. I. Banks

(This letter was enclosed in one of Cynthia Banks’ letters to son Willis H. Banks written while she was visiting son Daniel Banks in Roslyn, NY in March and April 1863.    She had come from Illinois to visit family in the East and previously had been visiting Willis & Olive Banks in Pawling, NY. )

I have another letter from Henry Ira.   I feel much discouraged about him   somehow I all the time thought he had gone only for 9 mo. And now he says he had made up his mind to try to stand it till the war was over   oh dear when will that be   goodness alone knows   I will send his letter with this and will give thee directions so thee can write to him   I suppose a letter does him great deal of good   

Henry I. Banks

Company E 102 Reg.   Ill. Volunteers

By the way of Louisville Tennessee

Care of Captain Likely

From Cynthia Banks to Henry’s older brother, Willis H. Banks

From North Henderson, IL dated: 22^nd of 6^th mo. (June) 1864

It is as I think a long time since I herd from Henry Ira  if I do not get a letter every other week I get over anxious and he is so far off that it takes a letter a great while to get here   Oh dear what do I think  shall I ever see him again  can I give him up a sacrifice in this cruel and most unrighteous war it seems not I cannot give it up  I do think that it is nedlesly purloinged by cruel rulers that care not for the government only to make money and get military honors   if everyone was of my mind their military honors would be laid low  there is no need in my way of thinking of having was all this time to put down a rebellion there is no good men  if their was difficulty could be settled for there is such a thing as overcoming evil with good but they have to much pay and the poor soldiers are dried(?) and slaved about worse or as bas as southern slaves well there is just God to whom all will have to give account of their acts?   Sooner or late and how can they keep hardening their harts, and that continually.

From Cynthia Banks to Henry’s older brother, Willis H. Banks

From North Henderson, IL dated: 18th of 11^th mo. (November) 1864

My Dear Son Willis

I hve had it on my mind to write to thee for some weeks and a multitude of business and things to prevent and I do not feel much like it not so much so as I did this morning a neighbouring woman came in and staid most of the forenoon and in a little time the boys came to dinner and so on and brought me two letters from Egbert one the 31^st of Oct. and the other 8^th of Nov.  he was at or in  camp in Merrietta Georgia  the first one he wrote they had a tegious march of 16 miles and made him sore and did not feel as well as he had done and in the last was well but had been troubled with a diare the consequence of their march he wrote but I thing more like it was in condequence wof the unstidiness of their meals and difference food  he wrote he was better of it than he had been  I knew he would have that complaint and if he don’t get into a hospital I shall miss my opinion of his case   Oh my son how I do miss him  he was the oldest of the boys here and was steady and religiously inclined and could not have thought he would have gone unless he was oblig to   so it is I miss him more than I did Henry   neither of them was oblige to go   both volunteered  but Henry has been the homesickets  fellow that could be by what he wrote to his brother David and indeed David said he was really aferead he would desert but he encouraged him to not do any such thin for he would be certainly get killed   then in his last letter to me he said 9 months more and his time would be out and they might whistle for all he  cared   he would not stay any longer & he writes he enlisted to fight in the cause and for the good of my country not for swine  he thinks it an awful corrupt ware to use his own words   the worst war that ever corrupted Gods earth   officers that do not care only to make and get money they care not for government   one man that went as captain from his neighbourhood (possibly Captain Likely) has come back was discharged and has turned out be peace Democrat and he is despised by all union men  he only went to get about a thousand $ of government money and now find fault with President Lincoln and run out against him because he has not ended the war and such like stuff thee knows enough such without my writing   

Henry Banks’ Civil War Correspondence:

Hardeesville  January the23   1865  In Camp Northwest of Savannah

20 mi South Carolina

Dear Brother (Willis H. Banks)

I now take the opertunity to write you a few lines once more in the midts of the calametey of ware  here in the tretchereous state of South caroliney.   I received your very glad welcome leture yesterday dated the 6.   I was very glad to receive one for it had bin so long sins I had received any   the last one that I received from anyone before yours was from Mother and it was written the 18 of November last.   I am well and enjoying good health here in the swamps & mud & mire of south caroliney   well time roles on with traters in our front redy to oppose our progress with couradise (cowardice)  it loocks so sensive have enterd south Caroliney   I had to laugh one day at them when we wer out foraging we run on to a large squad of Johneys to se them run as same as we or they saw us one day while we wer out we run out to a squad we fired at them they toock to flite like wild deares without fireing a shot with the exception of one riding a creame colored hores   he stopt his hores  & fired & then put spur    the bullet past over our heds whisseling   they were on the other side of a river called the Red river & we on this side couredly traters, run from us when we coud not get any nearer to them for they had burned the bridg a crost it   I reley beleave they are afraid of Shurmons (Sherman’s) armey & men.   I want to se every thing in this state burnt level with the urth where they first egg of treson was lade & hatch & this army is the army that can do it & will if they get the chance to this town of Hardeesville that we are now in camp in every hous except a few that the offesers has there hedquarters in have bin toren down or burnt & made in to shanteys for the men to stay in there was a very fine Chirch standing in this town when we came here but now it is no more it was tore down the evening we came in here of the 7 of the month it fell level with the ground what out a solzer doo   I thout to my self when I saw it falling it loocks most to bad to tore a chirch down but I suppose there has bin a grate deal treson preached in it but it was not bilt nor desined for that   I don’t suppose if the confounded rebells don’t give up a come back in less than 5 or 6 months Shurmons armey will have this state & north caroliney cleaned out.   The repart is now that there is to be 40 days armistice  if that is the case we will not have any more fiting to doo but I am afraid there is nothing of it  but if the rebells come back to the Union it will be the best thing they can doo  it will save millions of dollars worth of property & thousands of lives & millions of money and time with all.   There is no use of there fiting eny longer for they are over powered & whipt & that badley.   But they are gritey & determined not it seames untill they get there states all destroid & they wiped from the fase of the urth no more to be hird of onely by past history.   You spoke in your leture that Old Jeff was sick   I never wished eny one to dy but I hope he sone(soon) may   it has bin reported here that he was ded & all so that he had run a way I woud sooner believe the latter we have had the nuse here that Fort Fisher & Williamton were oures but not offishely.   You say you milk 32 cows it muss keap you very bissey but I judg you are well pade for it for I suppose milk is a good prise   I am sory to hear that your wife is not well    I hope these few lines will find you all well & enjoying the plesures of this world.   Well I don’t think of mutch more nuse time wares a way sloweley a littell over 6 months more then gud by to the serviss by me I shall think I hav done justice in surving my perishing country in the time of nead if I am spard & we are musterd out of the surviss in the field I shall probely make you a call   I have a small black finger ring that I found in a hous here while helping to tare down   I send it in this leture for your boy (William G. Banks b: 30 Mar 1857, d: 19 Jan 1929) well I don’t know whether the mail will gou out tomorrow or not   I will close & if the mail dose not gou out to morrow I will write sumore.   Write sone   with love to you all & all inquireing friends

As ever your brother

Henry. Ira. Banks

Private Egbert Banks abt 1863

Finally, a small envelope in my cousin Mary's collection contained a brief, faded scrawl from Egbert announcing to his big brother Willis Banks that he was coming home from the war. 

Louisvile, Kent

July 8, 1865

Dear Brother

I take this opportunity to let you now that I will leave in 3 or 4 days for home as far Davenport Iowa to be discharge I am very well I suppose you have herd of Gen Sherman visit to our army on the 4 of Ju I herd him speak four times  we are all tired of the service and anxious to get home 

thy Brother

Egbert Banks

Give my love to all inquiry frends

Also enclosed within that same small envelope addressed to Willis Banks was a small photograph, and after careful examination, it was decided that the likeness was that of Henry's younger brother, Egbert. 

In a letter previously sent to Willis, Cynthia Banks had mentioned a "likeness" that Henry had sent to her while in the service. This image has yet to be located, yet Cynthia described the photograph as follows: 

He has send his likeness to us and he looks old and very much altered   has not been in any battle yet and hopes he will (not) be in any...