Upon the field of carnage I seat myself to write…

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Archive pertaining to Private Isaac Bishop, Co. "C," 55th Illinois Infantry. Enlisting at age 18 on September 9, 1862, Bishop landed in one of those hard-fighting regiments that participated in the major Western Theater campaigns that made generals Grant and Sherman household names. Bishop mustered out on May 16, 1865 after the 55th Illinois had "seen the elephant" at places such as Champion's Hill, Vicksburg and Atlanta. Included are the following items: Diary, approximately 80pp., in two oblong 8vo signatures, September 8, 1862 - May 18, 1863, neatly written in a continuous narrative form that suggests the text is a polished, retrospective account. Excerpts are as follows: "(near Memphis, 10/2/62)...we camped in a beautiful Oak Grove, and there being a number of pretty rank Secesh, "as the soldiers term them," in the place. And as a natural consequence of war their houses were burned, Pigs slaughtered, Chicken Roosts robbed, and the industrious little Bees shook, or smoked out of their cozy little homes…(Chickasaw Bayou, Mississippi, 12/26/62)…disembarked on the right bank, and immediately formed in line of battle…the enemy opened a galling fire on us, but our number being far superior to the enemy, we drove them slowly back through the woods…Orders came for the 55th to charge across the Bayou but the Col. Who had never disobeyed an order before…said tell General Steward that I will not lead my men into the very gates of hell…Next came an order for the 6th Missouri to lead the charge which four Companies undertook to do but failed in the attempt losing a greater portion of their men. This was a sorrowful sight to behold some twenty five or thirty of the brave boys stretched out upon the ground and buried in one grave…(Grand Gulf, Mississippi, 5/2/63)…they opened fire on us with grape and canister…we killed about forty of their number with the first volley…(Champions Hill, Mississippi, 5/18/63)…we pushed on in hot pursuit and overtook the fleeing enemy at Champion Hills (sic) where one of the bloodiest fights of the war took place, it lasted from 10 oclock until long after dark when the rebs broke and run in great confusion. The hardest hour of this battle was when an order came for us to Charge Bayonets…we rushed down upon them with a yell that could be heard far above the roar of Artillery and the cracking of musketry…Men went down with fearful wounds…Solid shot crashed through the bones of men and horses…men were crushed on either side of me so that scarce a bone was left to testify that there had been a man, some blood, some gory strips of flesh, a few patches of sky-blue cloth! Was all there was left of some of our brave boys…"…Plus; War-date letter by Private Bishop, 4pp., with postal cover (lacking stamp), 4to, "On Battle field" (Vicksburg, MS), May 26, 1863, to sister Victoria Bishop, Somers, WI, reading, in part: "…upon the field of carnage I seat myself to write...this is the seventh day of fighting & still the curse of rebellion remains in the city of Vicksburg…But our Gun Boats have silenced all of their water batteries…they fired a volley into our ranks & then went Double Quick over their Breastworks…I am sorry to say that the Col. & Brigadier Genrl was drunk. I have never mentioned any thing about it before, but half of our leading men in Battle are tight. They drink until they fear nothing & then call it Bravery…" The last page of the letter is devoted to an amateur map of Vicksburg, showing the position of the 55th Illinois to the east of the city…Plus; War-date letter by Private Bishop, 4pp., 4to, "General Ordnance Depot, Nashville, TN," April 20, 1865, with postal cover having illustrated corner card imprint for the Chicago Business College, to his sister, reading, in part: "…The Presidents funeral come off yesterday…each man had a black badge on his arm…The roar of our artillery was kept up all day…Maj. Gen. Thomas & Maj. Gen. Milroy were here with Brig. Gen. Miller, Johnson, Whipple, Donalson and several others that I do not remember their names. It was the most solemn affair that I ever witnessed. Genl Thomas issued an order for every family in Nashville to hang out a flag and drape it in mourning. At twelve oclock not one house in our city of eighty-thousand inhabitants was found without a Flag at the door - even down to the Negro shanties. Several rebel sympathizers have been shot dead upon the streets. The soldiers swear eternal hatred against them and unite in saying that they will kill the last one that they hear utter a disloyal sentiment. The death of Lincoln is the worst thing that ever befell the so called Southern Confederacy…"…Plus; CDV of Private Isaac Bishop, with the backmark of Morse's Gallery of the Cumberland, Nashville, Tennessee, with revenue stamp and penciled identification…Plus; Enlistment certificate, one pp., 4to, with docketing, South Chicago, September 9, 1862…Plus; Muster-Out Roll, one page, oblong folio, with docketing, Nashville, Tennessee, May 16, 1865…Plus; Manuscript document, Special Orders No. 112 detailing Private Bishop to the Ordnance Department, one page, 4to, Walnut Hills, Mississippi, May 28, 1863…Plus; Partially printed Descriptive Roll and Pay Account upon enlistment, one page, oblong folio, Chicago, September 9, 1862. All items have typical age toning, some creases, overall very good condition.

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