Jackson, Edwin (fl. 1862-1865) to William Jackson
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC00203.12 Author/Creator: Jackson, Edwin (fl. 1862-1865) Place Written: Cairo, Illinois Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 19 June 1864 Pagination: 4 p. ; 25.2 x 20.8 cm. Order a Copy
The regiment is in Cairo, IL, on its way to Helena, AK, where Jackson is happy to be going. He describes a parade they were in, where the regiment's "Silver Band" played and ladies blew them kisses and waved their handkerchiefs. He talks about his emotional departure from his father, but firmly defends his decision to fight for his country and do his duty for the three years for which he enlisted - although he feels that one man per family in the army is enough. He complains about the high prices, specifically of coffee, in Cairo, and recounts how he (maybe) accidentally forgot to pay for a cup.
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.
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