 |
| Elias Babcock 1817 - 1880 |
Elias is on my Maternal side.
Elias moved to Kansas in 1861 and filed a claim in Chetopa Township, Wilson County, Kansas. He built a fort of sand rock and timbers on the southern edge of Chetopa Township to ward off the Osage Indians, but did not succeed. He returned to Illinois and enlisted in the Union Army, Company K 1st Brigade Illinois 107th light artillery. While in the army, fighting in Kentucky, Elais became seriously ill. He wrote a personal letter to President Lincoln asking to be discharged. The President turned the letter over to the Surgeon General of the U.S. He reviewed the case and examined Elias and determined he was not fit to fighting; but was fit for ambulance corp. work. Consequently Elias was not discharged until the end of the war in 1865.
After he was discharged, Elias and his family returned to the original claim in Chetopa Township. They arrived on November 30, 1865, but were again run out by Indians. They returned in the fall of 1866. Elias was the first homesteader to stake claim in Chetopa Township, Kansas. He was a farmer and carpenter by trade.
Elias and Laura were the parents of 6 children; William, Ezra, Samuel, Sarah, Mary, & Joseph. Five of his children homesteaded next to his property. William and Samuel to the north, Sarah (Babcock) Osburn and Mary K. (Babcock) Kilgore across the road west and Ezra one-half mile west, where the Babcock fort was constructed. Part of the fort remains to this day.
Elias died March 26, 1880 and wife Laura Keziah died October 19, 1894. Both are buried in Harrison Cemetery, one mile north of their original homestead location. The cemetery is located on land donated by Elias' son William Henry Babcock. Five of the six children are also buried at Harrison Cemetery in Wilson County, Kansas.
Transcription of: (Spelling not corrected)
Letter to the President Lincoln of the United States from Elias Babcock, Jan 7, 1864
Dear sir-
I volunteered in the 107th Illinois some where about between the 10th or 15th of August 1862. Thomas Snell was our Col. C. McComas our Leut. Col. They picked often with Snell for some minor offence at Louisville, Kentucky, who was very good to his men but no military man. J.J. Kelly then became our Col. Some time in last June they put us on a force march for some two weeks which has destroyed my health. Had chronic diareah before I started. I was then transfered to the 7th Illinois Battery under John H. CAlvin as Captain, then put in the Munfordville Hospital 3 weeks for medicical attention. Then we was taken to Glasgow, Kentucky from Glasgow to KNoxville, Tennessee. Got there the first day of September (1863). Took medicine nearly all the time, but was forced to go with the battery. Some time in the ambulance and sometimes on horse back. The Captain went home to recruit, left us with little ammunition. Shot that all away at rebels at Bean Station, then was ordered to Knoxville, Tennessee. Whether for winter quarters or not I don't know. Sent to General Hospital No. 4 Ward 7. I have lost the use of myself, so that I can rarely get about. Taken so much medicine that I am so absent minded that I hardly know what I am about. Have been a dead expense to the government about ever since I was 46 years old, the 4th of last September (1863). Supposing that if I was fit for the service that it was my duty to serve my country and if I could not stand it at all would discharge me, but it seems as if that discharging is played out here to die here in the absence of my family is a great deal to bare. I have no disposition for anything more than the wellfare of my country. If this letter does no good, surley it will do no harm. I have lived where Piatt County is ever since December 6th of 1835. I have a wife and five children at home 3 and a half miles east of Monticello. It seems as if this is a rather rash step, but a drowning man will catch a straw. I hardley ever expect I will hear from this again, no doubt, but I have forever lost my health here in the Army. Besides my poor family is to be supported I ________ afraid that they will come to want. I will say that (General) Burnsides gave the rebels a good grubbing here. Certain the rebels are some where 25 or 30 miles east of here. They fitting every day probably without much advantage to either side. Food and forage hard to get. Hardly a half supply can't be had. General Grant came here the 31st of December and started to the front the first of January. I will say that while we was in Kentucky, that rations was twice ot thrice as large as now in this hospital and that many times as good we have neither bunks, hospital blankets. Breakfasts at 1 o'clock and with scarcely any fair, this seems strange but never the less it is and the half is told.
Direct your letter to Elias Babcock, Knoxville General Hospital No 4 Ward 7. E. Babcock to Abraham Lincoln of USA. I am your cencere friend and ever will be and was in 1860. If I should get a line from you I shall be very thankful indeed.
Just a little something for President's Day.
