Letter from John S. Schenck - Civil War Soldier - 1861

Letter from John S. Schenck - Civil War Soldier

Chenango American, Greene, NY, January 2, 1862

Provost Marshall's Office,
St. Joe, Mo., Dec. 17, 1861

Dear Brother Theodore:  I received your last letter about three weeks ago, but have been so busy in the interim discharging the duties of orderly Sergeant and writing in this office, that I really could not think of home and friends in "old Chenango" before tonight.

Since my last to you, we have had stirring times in St. Joe, after having had a multiplicity of Brigadiers over us the past seven months (Pope, Hurlburt, Sturgis, Adans and Todd).  The veritable Ben M. Prentiss, who commanded at Carlo all summer, has at last come up alive acting Brigadier, and has come down upon the Secesh in this vicinity with a heavy hand.  I believe that I have told you in former letters how the 16th Ill. was the first Regiment from a foreign State, to tread upon the "Sacred Soil" of Ex-Gov. Jackson's domains--after having camped in every town and beside every bridge of importance on the Hannibal and St. Joe R.R., [surrounding] the country 25 miles on each side of the road, driving Jim Green and his 2,500 ragged "bushwharkers" from Northeast Missouri, making long marches during the sultry weather of July, and ague in the meantime raging almost as an epidemic from drinking the water of the stagnant sloughs, and sluggish, muddy streams that intersect the prairies,--I say after all those hardships (though trifling in comparison with the cause) the 16th at last brought up at St. Joe, travel worn, clothes furnished by ourselves, soiled and worn out, features bronzed, and I might say feelings hardened, having received no clothes or pay for five months, hard service.

Here we arrived during the time the battle was raging at Lexington, seventy miles distant.  After resting one night, the Regiment was ordered to march on to Liberty 30 miles from Lexington, to intercept Green with 4,000 men, who was endeavoring to effect a junction with Price. The boys obeyed the order to march, with sincerity.   At "Blue Mills," a few miles from Liberty the 16th and Iowa 3d, who there joined us, came up with Green, strongly posted, in a thicket occupying both [sides] of the road.  At the first fire the artillery horses of the Iowa 3d, were all killed, and many men killed and wounded.  They fell back dragging the guns out of range by hand.  Our Regiment coming up we drove them from their position, but being all mounted they got away with severe loss, and ultimately joined Price before Lexington. We marched on to Liberty and recovered many muskets and sabers and powder, stolen from the Liberty Arsenal last spring. The object of the expedition being accomplished, we returned to St. Joe. 

On arriving here, Col. Smith found orders three days old to continue on to Lexington, but 'twas too late, the brave Mulligan had surrendered.  It would have been of no use, however, if we had gone on; we would only have been outnumbered and taken prisoners with mulligan.  After resting a few days, we commenced throwing up intrenchments on "Telegraph Hill," a point which commended the city and Missouri river.  This was deemed necessary, as a force from Price's victorious army, flushed with their late success, were marching upon us with the avowed purpose of taking St. Joe, and replenishing their scanty Quarter Masters department, from our full stores, but after approaching to within 12 miles their scouts no doubt reported to the reputed 15,000 Southern chivalry, that their force was inadequate to take the 16th, and returned to Price, and commenced their flight towards "Dixie", we remaining in peaceful occupation of this city.  

The 1st of Nov., a great change came over us.  We then received our first pay and clothes from Uncle Sam, having been in service since April.  Then it was that money, in a measure, compensated for previous hardships, and our absence from the dear ones.  So passed the time until the removal of Fremont, and the return of the Federal army from Southwest Missouri.  This gave the suffering members of Price's army a change to scatter Northward along the Western borders, and plunder the Union people in the counties South of us. They finally became so bold and had collected in such numbers, that more energetic measures were necessary.  The 50th, Ill., 39th, Ohio, 25th and 18th Missouri and 52d Ill. were ordered here, and several battalions of Missouri Cavalry, making in all about 7,000 effective men, and Gen. Prentiss to command them.  Activity was soon visible in all the departments.  Hundreds of men were armed with shovel and pick and commenced making a fort inside the intrenchments.  Strict martial law was enforced, and no one allowed to leave the city without a pass.  Rolled cannon from Pittsburg were brought here, and everything in proportion necessary for war.  

On the 12th day of this month, Prentiss, with 2,500 men, well supplied with artillery and Cavalry, started on an expedition south--to [hunt] up a fight.  In the meantime strong pickets have been posted all around the city. 4,000 passes have been given to those men, women and children who could prove themselves loyal.  A Secesh Major, one Captain and several privates have been caught within our lines, and will according to Gen Hallock's general orders be tried as spies; also a mail carrier from Price's army intercepted.  Among the news items, was one that a portion of them would winter in this city and have a dance in "Corby's Hall" on Chirstmas.  

Since Prentiss left, the whole city has been on the qui vive to hear from him.  Last night a courier came from him saying that he had come upon a body of 3,000 men, this side of Lexington, had driven them across the river into Lexington, and was then shelling the town from this side of the river, and was building floats to cross over, the secessionists having the ferry boats on their side. The enemy are rallying fast, and have now from four to six thousand at Lexington. I expect that reinforcements will hurry on to Prentiss' assistance, and hope the remainder of the 16th will go.  We have Winter quarters built for our Regiment inside the works; have a stove in each mess room and are living as comfortable as people generally so. The measles is raging among the camps to a great extent, but only one or two cases have terminated fatally in our Regiment.  Though we have a comfortable station here, the soldiers are impatient for active service.  They think it nonsense to remain idle all winter.  If fighting is to be done we want to do it, finish the whole job as soon as possible and return home. We are very impatient to hear of something being done on the Potomac, and along the coast.

Our gallant Col. (Smith) is loudly denounced by the "Kansas Jay Hawkers" below here, under Jamison and Montgomery, for not permitting them to indulge in their known proclicitires of plundering both Union and Secesh, and liberating negroes.  As soon as the result of Prentiss' expedition is ascertained I will write you agian, in the meantime believe me,

Your aff. brother

John S. Schenck

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John S. Schenck was born about 1840 in Smithville, Chenango Co., NY the son of Martin Schenck.  During the Civil War he served with the 16th Illinois Infantry, achieving the rank of Adjutant.  He survived the war, being mustered out for the final time 8 July 1865.  He died 11 May 1887 and was buried in Spring Forest Cemetery, Binghamton, Broome Co.., NY.