Pvt. Silas Bailey Letters, 1862-1864

In 2020, the Civil War letters of Pvt. Silas Bailey, 24th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, were brought to the Archives to prepare them for donation by the owner to a military archive.  In addition to flattening and foldering the items for protection, we made a digital copy of the letters for the owner.  The letters include those received by Silas Bailey before his military service, those sent home by him during his service, and a few received by his mother after his death.

Silas Bailey was born November 3, 1844, in Johnson County, Iowa to Asa and Sophia (Kepler) Bailey.  He enlisted September 28, 1862 in Company D of the 24th Iowa Volunteer Infantry, USA.  His regiment was involved in skirmishes in Mississippi at Madison, Ft. Pemberton, Greenwood, Port Gibson, Bayou Pierre and Fourteen Mile Creek.  He was killed at the battle of Champion's Hill on May 18, 1863, age 18, and was interred in a mass burial mound there.