Corporal David F. McGowan, 47th Illinois Volunteers, Civil War Archive

About Auction

Live

American History, Featuring the Property of N...

By Cowan's Auctions

Jun 9, 2017 - Jun 10, 2017

Set Reminder 2017-06-09 10:00:00 2017-06-10 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : American History, Featuring the Property of N. Flayderman & Co. https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/american-history-featuring-the-property-of-n-flayderman-co-2392
Cowan's Auctions dawnie@cowans.com

View Full Catalog (392)

• Lot Description

  Lot of 11 war-date letters, mostly by David F. McGowan, 47th Illinois Infantry, Co. I.

  David F. McGowan was living in Illinois and working in his father’s hotel before the war. Like many young men, he enlisted at the very beginning of the war on September 4, 1861. He was commissioned a corporal of the 47^th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.

  Acclimated to the milder weather up North, an August summer in Mississippi made McGowan feel as if he were about to boil. The heat here is stunning, wrote McGowan. We can almost boil potatoes without any fire (Camp Rienzi, MS, August 14, 1862). While the Mississippi sun drained his energy, so did the constant suspense of an approaching enemy. He wrote, It is very tiresome work looking for the enemy everyday…you know what it is to be kept in continued suspense. I have quit looking for them all together… (Camp Rienzi, MS, August 14, 1862). The rebels came and the battle commenced. He also encountered the enemy at the Second Battle of Corinth, where his regiment lost many; thirty killed and over 100 wounded.

  War weary and uncertain of his future, McGowan gave up on dreaming of his future and became apathetic. If our Country is to be broken up, it seems to me, I would not care what becomes of myself. There are many people who don't appear to care what becomes of the country while they can make money & take things easy, he wrote. It makes me feel bad to think that there are so many men who ought to be in the ranks that can stay at home when if they would do their duty this war might be ended in a few short months (On Steamer Sunshine, December 3, 1863). He tried to enjoy the present and received a promotion to 1^st sergeant on October 11, 1864. He spent his leisure time admiring the Southern belles in the towns he visited. One encounter with a Memphis woman, however, almost became deadly. Calling it an exciting adventure he told his friend:

  I was walking about town and stepped into a large hotel and passing along a large passage when quite a fine looking lady came up and shook hands, chiding me for not calling sooner. She was a perfect stranger to me. We continued walking along the passage when I stepped on her skirts. I…apologized for my awkwardness. She only laughed and held her skirts up, when as ill luck would have it I got my foot through her hoops. And such a time as I had getting extricated. As fast as I could get my foot out at one place I would get it in at another. However, I finally got clear and we proceeded. We soon came to where there were a number of ladies and gentlemen when my companion going up to speak to one of the gentlemen I thought I would return to the hospital. Just as I was going out the door I felt a rope around my neck…I was lassoed. I struggled manfully, but vainly and soon found myself suffering for a want of…breath. Just as I was being overcome by strangulation I awoke and found myself in a profuse perspiration (Memphis, TN, July 6, 1864). 

  He finished his term of service and mustered out of Springfield, IL on October 11, 1864. Still not acclimated to civilian life, McGowan wrote his friend that he felt as restless as a-a-a monkey on a hot griddle and it would it will take [him] a month to get straightened out (Patapsco Hotel, Ellicott's Mills, [MD], November 21,1864). Proud of his son, his father told him that he wished him to take over the family hotel. By 1869, he moved to Washington DC and began working as a clerk. He then became a clerk for the Treasury Department. McGowan met and married his wife, Ida, who was nearly 20 years his junior. He continued to work for the government until at least 1920, when he was 84 years old. He died sometime before 1924, when his wife filed to collect his pension. Refer to cowans.com for additional transcribed letters. 

  _____________________________________________________________________________

  Transcriptions include:

  [n. p., but Peoria, Ill.], Sept. 12, [1861], reading, in part: …they make a fellow get up as soon as it is daylight so as to answer the roll or else do double duty…they are getting pretty strict down here…we do not have such free times as we did but I think better of it. We drill from 7 till 12 steady then from 2 till 1/2 past 5…we do not have much time to spend foolishly…we are learning fast and…we will soon be proficient in the drill…there was a report…that the Rebels have taken Washington…I do not know when we leave this port, but I will…come up first if I can…you cant imagine how handy those needle book are. The boys think that the Minonk girls have the interests of the poor soldiers at heart…it is no joking matter for to leave your family and friends and home…to and go fight perhaps never to return but as you say those that are killed die in a good cause. Hope it will soon end and then we will return home…Harvey.,/i>

  Camp Rienzi, Miss., Aug. 14, 1862,/i>, reading, in part: …the heat here is stunning. We can almost boil potatoes without any fire…I should judge Minnonk would look very lonesome when all her businessmen leave [for war.]…I think I can see them lying on their straw thinking of the pleasures they are leaving behind and trying to imagine what the future has in store for them…I hope they may have a much easier time than we have had. We have orders to stay in camp…as the Genl. expects an attack…we are pretty much prepared for them and they are welcome to come as soon as they are fit. We have been expecting them for some time. It is very tiresome work looking for the enemy everyday…you know what it is to be kept in continued suspense. I have quit looking for them all together…the contrabands are coming in pretty fast. We have one in our company as cook…how I spent the Fourth…I was out looking at the artillery practice. They fired a good many rounds. One of the guns went off prematurely and hurt one of the men very badly…he lost a hand…probably through his own carelessness but that is poor consolation for the loss of a hand…we…have drawn the tops of several young trees together which makes our covering. We have a board platform for a bed…and live like princes…we have pretty heavy guard duty to perform…if I had Fannie's double revolving etc, etc, gun I would go down South further and kill the rebels all by one fell swoop…D. F. McGowan.

  3.) Youngs Point. La., June 12, 1863, reading, in part: …we have been marching very steadily since we left here on the Second day of May. During the month of May we marched 308 miles. Our brigade is nearly worn out and I think we will be left here for some time to rest…Dave F. McGowan.

  4.) On Steamer Sunshine, Dec. 3, 1863, reading, in part: …it was a very hard task to bid you all good by. Still it had to be done & we should be willing to sacrifice our own pleasures willingly for the good of our Glorious country. If our Country is to be broken up, it seems to me, I would not care what becomes of myself. There are many people who don't appear to care what becomes of the country while they can make money & take things easy…it makes me feel bad to think that there are so many men who ought to be in the ranks that can stay at home when if they would do their duty this war might be ended in a few show months…Dave.

  5.) LaGrange, Tenn., Jan. 3, 1864, reading, in part: …Mr. Hart and me had to get up alternatively (during the night) and keep the fire going to keep from freezing…the thermometer stood 8 degrees below zero all day…our tents are a very poor protection against cold weather. I hope I shall never hear any more about the Sunny South…there are two or three good singers in Co. B and we get together once in a while…we have joined the 16th 'Army Corps'…they will [not] make another attempt to make a Veteran Regt. out of our Regt. The boys have seen much to much hard service to be anxious to try it again…there are some young ladies in town who play well on the piano. Think I will try to scrap an acquaintance if they are not too strongly Secesh…our theatre is a very lame affair…Dave.

  6.) Vicksburg, Miss., Feb. 3, [1864], reading, in part: As we may be on the boat a few moments yet…we have not had a berry pleasant trip as we are or have been very much crowded. Three regiments were on the boat at one time and…they did not take much pains to keep the boat clean. We had quite a number of drunken men aboard and some little fighting. One man fell overboard yesterday and was drowned. He wasn't tight, belonged to the 25th Indiana. It rained the first night we were aboard and made it quite disagreeable for those who were exposed. I had my quarters in the cabin. The Genl. has just been aboard and ordered us to get off so I will have to hurry up…Dave F. Mc.

  7.) Memphis, Tenn., July 6, 1864, reading, in part: …our troops all left LaGrange yesterday with thirty days rations. Some say they have gone to reinforce Sherman…the 4th passed off here with very little excitement…I think the citizens would much sooner celebrate the day that Fort Sumter was fired on. The city of Memphis is a very pretty place, but there is very little nature going on. Most of the citizens (although they have taken the oath) are very strong secessionists. There are some fine looking ladies in town though, of corse, I am not acquainted with any of them…I had quite an exciting adventure last night. I was walking about town and stepped into a large hotel and passing along a large passage when quite a fine looking lady came up and shook hands, chiding me for not calling sooner. She was a perfect stranger to me. We continued walking along the passage when I stepped on her skirts. I…apologized for my awkwardness. She only laughed and held her skirts up, when as ill luck would have it I got my foot through her hoops. And such a time as I had getting extricated. As fast as I could get my foot out at one place I would get it in at another. However, I finally got clear and we proceeded. We soon came to where there were a number of ladies and gentlemen when my companion going up to speak to one of the gentlemen I thought I would return to the hospital. Just as I was going out the door I felt a rope around my neck…I was lassoed. I struggled manfully, but vainly and soon found myself suffering for a want of…breath. Just as I was being overcome by strangulation I awoke and found myself in a profuse perspiration…my youngest sister lost her husband during one of the charges on Petersburg. My being at home might make their suffering a little lighter…Dave F.

  8.) Patapsco Hotel, Ellicotts Mills, [Md.], Nov. 21,1864, reading, in part: I am home at last…you should hear people talking about my appearance. Some say I have not changed at all, others that I am not…the Dave that used to live here…Tom say he might have been with me for a month and would never have dreamed that I was his brother. They all appear very glad to see me. Very few of my old friends live here now. A large number of them are in the Rebel army and some in our army. Many more are here, but are such bitter secesh at heart that our folks do not have anything to do with them…I am as restless as a-a-a monkey on a hot griddle…it will take me a month to get straightened out. Father says he wants me to take charge of the hotel…Bro. Dave.

  9.) Ellicotts Mills, Md., Feb. 20,1865, reading, in part: …the people don't seem to be half as sociable as they used to be. Probably it will be better after the war is ended…we may soon look for peace. Sherman seems to be doing big work. He has taken Columbia, S. C. and the report this evening is that Charleston is evacuated…how I do wish I was with Sherman. Ever since he started from Savannah I have been wishing I was along. The Southern people are getting quite desponding and I think they will soon cry enough. Free Maryland is progressing finely, and will soon enjoy the fruits of emancipation…I can see a difference already. The draft hasn't taken place yet. Quite a number of my male friends seem quite uneasy. I feel quite satisfied that I have served my three years…the draft doesn't stare me in the face. You have no idea what a number of unsound men we have in our midst. Nearly every man you meet between 20 and 45 has…lung fever, rheumatism, gout, consumption, or some other terrible disease…if Uncle Abe wanted a division of cripples he might get them in this country. Poor fellows! How I pity them…Dave. F. McGowan.

  Condition

  Letters are in good condition with typical folds, some with light spotting. 
• Shipping Info

  • SHIPPING. At the request of the buyer, Cowan's will authorize the shipment of purchased items. Shipments usually occur within two weeks after payment has been received. Shipment is generally made via UPS Ground service. Unless buyer gives special instructions, the shipping method shall be at the sole discretion of Cowan's Auctions, Inc.. Cowan's is in no way responsible for the acts or omissions of independent handlers, packers or shippers of purchased items or for any loss, damage or delay from the packing or shipping of any property.

• Buyer's Premium

  • Hammer Price	Premium (%)
    $0	28.00
    $250,001	23.00
    $3,000,001	15.00