Brown, Jacob. Letter, 1863 | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

This collection includes a letter from Private Jacob Brown of the 115th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment to his brother Henrey M. Brown and the envelope that contained the letter. The letter describes Hilton Head, South Carolina, and why the 115th Infantry was reassigned to Hilton Head. The letter mentions Abraham Lincoln and his Emancipation Proclamation and Camp Douglas, a Civil War camp in Chicago that was used to train Union soldiers and house prisoners.

Jacob Brown was a private within the 115th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. This regiment was mustered on August 26, 1862. Though nicknamed “The Iron Hearted Regiment,” this regiment had a poor reputation for actions such as surrendering at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, and being charged with mutiny and the burning of barracks at Camp Douglas in Chicago.

The 115th Regiment was comprised mainly of men from the Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Saratoga counties of New York. This regiment was stationed in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia during the Antietam campaign where it surrendered to the Confederate Army in September of 1862. Following this, the regiment was paroled to Camp Douglas in Chicago. Paroling was a method during the Civil War for dealing with military prisoners; captured soldiers would be sent back to their own lines where they would be temporarily held while formal prisoner exchanges were made. While at Camp Douglas, some of the regiments refused to perform drills, which resulted in a riot. As the 115th was leaving Camp Douglas, the barracks at the camp were set on fire. The 115th was blamed for this. Following their parole, the 115th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was sent to Hilton Head in South Carolina. In 1864, the regiment was sent onto Florida where they would fight in the Battle of Olustee. Later, they were sent to Virginia where they would join the Army of the James to participate in the Richmond campaign via the James River. The 115th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment was mustered out in June of 1865 with some of the men transferring to the 47th New York Infantry.

The letter included in this collection was written by Jacob Brown, a private in the 115th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment to his brother Henrey M. Brown on February 6, 1863. The letter was written on patriotic stationery featuring a red and blue rooster. Brown began with a description of Hilton Head, South Carolina. The regiment was stationed on this marshy island, which he described as being rainy, unpleasant, and having very sandy soil. Brown commented on being “sorronded [sic] by Cotton Plantations and Ornges [sic], and other Fruit.” He also commented on his perception of the Black population, which he characterized as having an “aristocratic” attitude due to Lincoln’s Proclamation. Later in the letter, Brown mentioned why he believed the regiment had been sent to Hilton Head. He wrote that the regiment was sentenced to Hilton Head for “Burning the Barracks” and for having been sent to Camp Douglas. Jacob Brown also mentioned that the regiment’s pay had been cut and the colonel was traveling to Washington to have it reinstated.

This letter was purchased by the Library in 2024 with support from the Dr. Harlan Horner Estate.