Rhesa C. Houghton Letters, 1862-71 | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

Scope and Contents:

Rhesa C. Houghton of Wellington, Lorain County, Ohio, served in Co. F, 103rd Ohio Vol. Inf. In these letters to his parents, George M. and Susan, Houghton describes his experiences in the army, commenting on camp life, military activities, health, slavery, and alcohol consumption among soldiers. Houghton also describes the Knoxville Campaign, 1863; the Atlanta Campaign, 1864; the Franklin and Nashville Campaign, 1864; and fighting in North Carolina, 1865. Post-war letters discuss Reconstruction, Ohio politics, and Houghton's attempts at farming in Missouri and Kansas.

Acquisition Source: The University Archives transferred the collection to the Illinois Historical Survey in 1974.