Chauncey Hill: Part 3

By Craig Hilmer

During the 1860’s settlers to the Saint Charles area not only tamed the prairie for agriculture and commerce, but the settlers of this fledgling town and citizens of the young state of Minnesota sent their sons and husbands to help fight for the Union in the Civil War.

One of those early settlers in the area was Chauncey J. Hill of Saratoga. Hill was a 26-year-old freshly married pioneer who had followed his family to Minnesota from New York. He met a young neighbor girl, Sarah Downing, married her, and was starting up his own farmstead when he was called up into the Minnesota 9th Regiment, Company K.

He and Sarah corresponded during the war and those letters were maintained by family until they were donated to the Minnesota Historical Society in the 1960s.  Some of those letters are being reprinted in The St. Charles Press over the next few weeks.

Week three in our series finds Private Hill at Fort Snelling in La Crosse Wisc., writing his first letter after a short leave in St. Charles. His Company is on its way South to fight the rebel army.

La Crosse, Mar 15”/64 

Sarah Mine,
We have just put into quarters here. Came through all right except for my baggage which got an awful banging as you can see by this paper.
After leaving you I had my first attack of homesickness. That afternoon and evening I felt down-hearted and sad.  

We stopped at a large house for the night but I had no appetite for supper and bedded down on the floor but did not sleep well. My bedfellow is Mr. Durham. This morning we started in good season and got to the crossing on the Jenny boat  a small steamer hove in sight. The first one down and the same one we rode on from Reed’s Landing to Wabashaw, (sic) the Union. That’s a name that sounds home-like to me. May our Union soon be restored and then God willing, you and I may be again united.
Our trip from Ft. Snelling over rough roads, with slow teams is ended and we are all glad! 

But Joseph is not here and I fear he will not overtake us. If he reports to the Provost Marshal at Winona he may be sent to Fort Snelling again.
I wish he might get well enough to come and join us in the course of two or three days.
I think we will be here a few days; how many is uncertain.  The re-enlisted boys of the 4th Minn Vol., are here waiting for an opportunity to go up the river on a boat. We have a large and pleasant room on a street near the river. It has been cleaned out since we came here. I hope we shall now have better fare than on our way down. The boys all seem quite well and in tolerable spirits; as long as we can have employment or new sights we can shut off home sickness in a measure. 

I was sorry for a while after leaving you I did not go back and stay till the other trains came along, but after thinking the matter over think I took the best and safest course for the train might have passed and left me if I had stayed beside many other objections.  

I have not yet been around town to see how it looks. La Crescent on the other side is a small village, not very thriving. It is in a pleasant location a mile or so from the river. There are several steam boats lying here frozen in. They will soon be moving. 

You know Sarah that I promised to write as soon as I got here and hope you will excuse both pencil and haste for we have not got things right around yet. I hope to be able to write more in order soon. 

May God’s best blessing go with you and all at home. Have good courage and keep in good spirits. My respects to all and much love to you.
Your affectionate husband,
C.J. Hill

Sarah's reply:

Saratoga MN March 19, 1864 

My Dearest Husband,
All of the boys and Mother have gone to meeting and now is my time to write to you and Albert (brother). I did not feel like going to day (sic) so I thought I would like to stay to home and have another talk with you, although you are far from home. How I wish that you was here with me now. When I go to meeting I do not hear half of the sermon for my mind is on you most of the time. 

God only knows how I miss you, Chauncey and all seem to miss you a great deal and I miss you more than anyone else. It seems as though you had just been gone from home a long time. 

Our folks are all well as usual. Father thinks of moving into the new house tomorrow. I was over there last Friday. They were painting it then. It all looks well, except the plaster which froze before it got dry and it spoiled the looks of it.
Mr. Gallop says paper will not stick to it. Father talks of getting some of the hard plaster and putting it on over the other, I am very sorry that it froze. Our folks have just got home. 

Mr. West’s folks have come over, 5 of them were over to meeting day. Joseph and Mary came home last night. Joseph is some better, he says he hopes to get well enough to start for La Crosse next Wednesday; he has no appetite yet. 

I believe that I did not tell you that Mary Kately was married, she was married to Mr. Rice 2 weeks ago last evening. Elder Griswold married them. I believe I have written all the news, so you will excuse me for a few days and I will get ready to go to Prayer Meeting. I wish you could be here to go with me, but you cannot and I must do what good I can without you. God grant that the time soon come when you and I can live together in happiness. 

I had a long dream about you the other night and I am afraid it will come to pass. I dreamt that you were sick, you ought to be vaccinated as soon as you have a chance, if you have not been yet. May God Bless You and keep you in safety and health.
Write to me often, for I do not know what to do with myself I am so lonesome. Truly yours, your loving wife, Sarah

In next week’s installment Chauncey is in Missouri, closing in on a battle with the rebels.  He is mustering courage for the fight ahead and the young couple continues on their quest to stay in contact over the distance all the while struggling with the uncertainty of war.

This drummer boy wears a uniform similar to what Chauncey Hill would have worn during the Civil War.
Photo courtesy of the MN Historical Society