Person:Isaac Stinson (2)

Died in Civil War, member of Company G, 39th Wisconsin Infantry.

He wrote this letter to his sister Ann on 27 June 1864, two months before his death and makes reference to the picket duty, where he would be killed. "Camp Buttrick June 27 Dear Ann As I wrote to mother last, I thought I would write to you. I have just returned from Cairo (TN) where a squad of us went to guard 26 Federal deserters. We were gone 5 days and we had a pretty good time. When we started back we got on board a Gov't Transport and the Officers of the Boat tried to run on us. Our Transportation did not say whether it was Cabin or Deck passage, and so they tried to put us on the lower deck, but we couldn't see it. The Sergeant in command told us to fall in, so we loaded our guns and put on our bayonets and told them that if they thought they could put us down 'so try the thing on', but they concluded that discretion was the better part of valor and let us alone. When we first started the cussed nigs tried to put on style, but they found out almighty quick that they had better keep their mouths shu Our Regiment is on Picket duty now about 5 miles from Memphis. Eugene has got so that he don't care whether school keeps or not. Will Soule does the writing for the Company which relieves him from Guard and Picket duty, but he has to come out on drill and parade and it wilts him down considerable with his knap sack and other fixins on out in the hot sun. Our Colonel has been a Bigadier since we came here. We have got the best Captain in the Regiment, just as full of fun as he can be. We are in the some Reg. as Ed Moore and the rest of the boys, so that there is a number that I have known well so that I am not lonesome. I can't think of anything more to write so I will quit. Write soon and tell me all the news. Be sure and let mother see this. Ike Write soon and send stamps."

1. ↑ Civil War Pension File #249324.
2. ↑ Civil War Pension File #249324.