Scope and Contents:
This collection includes a letter from a member of the 33rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, Sgt. John M. Follett to his wife in 1863. In this letter Follett described his experience in the Battle of Bayou Bourbeau and commented on stories from his wife’s life in Illinois.
John M. Follett (1832-1908) spent most of his childhood in Galesburg, Illinois. In 1857, he married Hortense B. Hill with whom he had four children. In September of 1861, Follett joined Company H of the Illinois 33rd Volunteer Infantry, having previously worked as a farmer. After being mustered out of the 33rd in December of 1865, he resumed farming. Later in life, Follett continued to farm or deal in farm machinery. He retired in 1904 and moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, for the final two years of his life.
Addressed to Follett’s wife, the letter included in this collection covers Follett’s account of the Battle of Bayou Bourbeau in Louisiana and his reflections on his recent outburst of anger directed at his wife. In the first half of the letter, Follett described the troop movements and final outcome of the Battle. Then Follett replied to parts of Hortense’s previous letters. He said that her attendance at the dance was “nothing to forgive.” Follett apologized for his temper—their previous letters about the family debts made him think that Hortense thought him “dishonorable” and “it touched a tender spot.” “If I can [only do it so as] never to speak a harsh word to you and the children, I will be contented.”
This letter was purchased by the Library in 2026 with support from the Bruce C. Creamer Fund.
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