The following letter pertains to Edwin Martin Whipple (1842-1904), the youngest son of Herman Whipple (1774-1842) and Phoebe Boa Lafferty (1816-1904) of Erie County, Pennsylvania. Edwin served in two different regiments during the Civil War. He first enlisted in enlisted in Co. C (the “Jackson Guards”) of the 23rd Illinois Infantry—the “Irish Brigade” led by Col. James A. Mulligan of Chicago. He marched with them on their expedition into Missouri and then was mustered out with the regiment in October 1861, after six months service. He then enlisted in late November 1861 to serve three years in Co. C, 111th Pennsylvania. As far as we know, Edwin remained with the regiment and was with them at the Battle of Gettysburg where he shot the hat off a rebel Colonel while skirmishing in the twilight of 2 July 1863. In the book, “Soldiers True; the story of the 111th Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteers” (page 181), Edwin is listed among the wounded at the Battle of Lookout Mountain on 24 November 1863. The company roster indicates he mustered out of the 111th in late November 1864.
The letter was penned by someone named Henry McKenzie who was most likely fulfilling the duties of a hospital warden or nurse. It appears that the content of the letter was dictated to him by Edwin and that he (Henry) was not a member of Edwin’s regiment. He may have been the sergeant in the 5th Ohio Infantry by that name who was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Veteran Reserve Corps. It’s not possible to confirm his identity. The letter does provide us with more details of Edwin’s history following the Battle of Lookout Mountain, however. Edwin’s letters can be found at The Glorious Dead.
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