Elias G. Jackson was my 3rd Great Grandfather. He was born on May 25, 1828 in Randolph County Indiana. He brought his family to Section 32, Elm Grove Township, Louisa County Iowa when he purchased 120 acres of land in 1854. He and his wife Margaret (Beauchamp) had 6 children: Magdalene, Margaret, Albert, Olletha, Martha, and Fred. His daughter, Margaret Frances Jackson, married my 2nd great grandfather William Isaac Huston.

Elias focused his efforts on farming and was known for raising fine horses.

April 9, 1861, the War between the States officially began. Elias enlisted in Company F 11th Iowa Infantry on September 23, 1861 as a Sergeant. He was later promoted to Second Lieutenant on February 23, 1863, and held that title until his discharge. Elias served in Company F of the 11th Iowa with 3 of his brothers including Reuben, Jesse, and Joseph J Jackson. Elias fought at the Battle of Shiloh, Corinth, Jackson, and also the Siege of Vicksburg. Family history suggests that he was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh, but I’ve not found any military records yet to confirm this story, although the diary of Isaac N. Carr of Company F of the 11th Iowa does mention a “Sergeant EI Jackson” as being slightly wounded. I think the transcription of Isaac Carr’s diary has the initials incorrect and that he was talking about Elias “EG” Jackson. On August 3, 1863 Elias resigned on account of what is described as failing eyesight.

While Elias was doing service he wrote some letters to his family. These letters were carefully preserved and passed down and eventually reached Leola Tobin. She transcribed them in 1963 exactly as he had written them.

The first letter was written by Elias to his wife, Margaret, in April of 1863.

The second letter to his wife was written in June of 1863. In this letter he talks about other local men who were killed or wounded.

The third letter was to Elias’s brother, Reuben Jackson. Reuben was also a member of Company F. of the 11th Iowa, but at this time during the war he was at home helping on the farm. I still haven’t determined why Reuben was at home, but Elias’s tone and spirits had changed dramatically in this letter and unsurprisingly he resigned shortly thereafter. This letter gives a great description of what he was dealing with emotionally and mentally at this time.

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              Camp Lake Providence La
              April 14, 1863

Dear Wife. I received your kind letter last night. I was truly glad that you were well and getting along fine. You spoke of having a storm that blew down all your fence, well it has been raining some here too. Jesse got a letter from Rett stating that John was done sowing wheat. I hope you will raise a good crop this coming summer. You spoke about throwing out your ground, you said it looked hard, it does, but I think it better than to be in debt and raise nothing.

If you kneed any money let me know. I am living verry well at present. I can get butter for 50 cts a pound. If I was where I could get Peggy’s butter at 50 cts a pound it would pay. I can buy flour at $3.50 per hundred that is government price, ham 5 ½ cents, potatoes 1.50 a bushel, eggs 40 cts a doz. We have a Bully cook RJ _____a boy that lived near Marshall. I saw a letter from Jim Beauchamp that he rote that surprised me some. I think the time has come when old barty strife should die. I hope the time will come when men shall see alike and do and get in union together. This thing of men turning out to burlusk (sp) each other, that is one thing I don’t do. Though if I was there and a man was to tell me cecession was rite and he hoped the south would gain its independence I would shoot him on the spot. Death to their murderous heart. That’s what keeps us here, just such men crying the nigger the nigger.

I think aney man can see whats to be done and let us go at it with all our might. We must put down the rebellion tho it takes all the men we have and all the niggers too. You know that I was never as hot headed as some and I would rather we could put down the rebellion without interfering with the negro and I think Old Abe gave them ample time to come in and save the negro but no sir they wouldn’t. Now I am in for taking the last darkey from them at all hazards.

There has been maney things happened since the war began that we didn’t like and things we couldn’t see through that caused dissatisfaction in the Armey but things are assuming a different aspect here of late and I hope we may see something good out of it yet. No more on this subject. A few words to my little girls. Your mother tells me you can cook and wash dishes and are right smart little women. I am glad that you are right smart little girls and you shall have some nice finger rings as soon as I can get them for you.

There is Albert-his mother tells me he thinks he can feed Jerry and Queen for his pap when he comes home. Well Albert must have something too. What shall it be for my little son? There is that little Cis of yours. I can hardly ever remember her name. What must she have? Be good children mind your mother. Your Pap I think will come home sometime.

E. G. Jackson
Margaret Jackson (My love to you all)

Transcriptionist Notes: This letter was transcribed initially by Granddaughter Leola Tobin in April of 1963. She transcribed the original letters by hand exactly as they were written 100 years earlier. The “Rett” that is mentioned in the fourth sentence is Elias’s sister Henrietta who was writing to Elias’s brother Jesse who was also with Company F of the 11th Iowa. The two oldest girls of which Elias spoke of were Magdalene (Mattie) and Margaret Frances (Frantee). Albert was the only son then and the little “Cis” whose name was hard to remember was Olletha (Ollie). Elias and Margaret later had Martha Ann and Fred after the war. Personal diaries from other members of Company F of the 11th Iowa (Maconah Lemon, and Samuel Gordon) state that Elias received his commission as a Second Lt. on April 5th of 1863. It’s surprising that this is not mentioned in his letter home, but one can assume that part of the reason that he was “living verry well at present” was because of his recent commission which would have paid considerably more and would have given him the ability to purchase his own rations, and at the government prices that he lists in his letter.

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               Camp 11th Iowa
               Near Vicksburg
               June 8, 1863

Dear Wife. I again seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well. Alas all the boys in our company are all together again. When we left Grand Gulf we left all we had except our blankets. Some of our boys were left behind sick. They come up yesterday. We are all here except three.

At present the weather is extremely warm and dry here. At the present time we are laying around in the shade hoping the Rebs will soon cave in. We have them penned in their holes. They can’t come out nor we can’t go in. They must soon come to terms or starve. We are going to open on them with three hundred cannons. They have some forts. They haven’t fired a gun for ten days.

Our brigade has marched in musket range of their forts and they never fired a shot at us. Our sharpshooters lay as close to them that every one that showed his head is downed, and they do the same by our men. They can’t fool around them or they get it. We are having some killed everyday and they must have a great many more for we are throwing hundreds of shells on their parade ground everyday and night. We do not give them any rest day or night. How they can stand such bombarding I cannot tel. They have here all imaginable inventions to kill men, even to hand grenades a kind of shell they throw by hand over the walls of their forts on men when they come in from the ditches. When they throwed some on our men the boys caught them and throwed them back before they bursted.

Will James and Will Meddow (sp?) are here today to see us. John Basham was here yesterday. They are all well. Fulton Isett is dead. He had his leg shot off and died of his wounds. Wall Schnedier lost his left arm below the elbow according to the best information I can get there has been several of Company I of the 25th wounded but none killed. If we lay around and keep them penned up I don’t think we will lose a great deal many men though if we have to storm their works it will be a great slaughter. God forbid! That is my prayer though if it has to be done we will do it. You must be composed trusting in Him who is able to save to the utmost those who put their trust in Him. I hope these few lines will find you and the children well. Give my love to all.

Your husband
E.G. Jackson
2nd Lt. Co F. 11th Iowa

Transcriptionist Notes: John Basham was a member of Company C of the 5th Iowa Infantry. The roster of the 5th Iowa states that John Basham was wounded slightly in the hand at the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, 1863. The Fulton Isett that is mentioned was also a member of Company C of the 5th Iowa Infantry and was wounded in the leg severely at the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, 1863 and died 13 days later as a result of his leg wound. It’s likely that John Basham shared the tragic news when he visited Elias on June 7, 1863. The Wall Schneider that is mentioned is Henrietta (Jackson) Snider’s husband Henry Wallace “Wall” Snider. The last name of “Wall” Snider is misspelled by Elias in his letter. “Wall Snider” was a member of Company E of the 5th Iowa Infantry, and was wounded severely in the arm on May 22, 1863. Henry “Wall” Snider and Henrietta Jackson did not marry until after “Walls” discharge from the Army in 1864.

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               Camp 11th Iowa
               Vicksburg Miss
               July 30, 1863

Dear Brother Reuben,

I am sorry to hear of trouble at or about home. God knows my troubles here. I have the care of a home on my mind the care of an awful destructive war to face the groans and sighs and piercing wails of those who are torn and mangled by the way side and those who are unable to help themselves. Their groans I hear their helpless condition I see and with all the helpless women and children begging bread by the way side from the hard soldier as he passes them by with curses in his mouth to console and soothe their grief. Then comes that down trodden race trudging their way along hoping for freedom. I have heard them cursed for all the black devils that could be thought of. Summing it all up to myself whilst marching along under the burning rays of the sun my hearts was made to exclaim with the Psalmist, man born of woman his days are few and full of troubles. Can a sober thoughted man endure in this condition those things long? His hope must be in God our redeemer. He must have a strong reliance in the Almighty Arms of deliverance or he will sink. I hope to come home. I hope to find peace when home. I will close this for the night. It is now 11 Oclock. Can I sleep I do not know? May the Lord keep my soul and body alive through the night and all my friends and family and all whom I should remember before him-Amen-

Your Brother,
Elias G. Jackson

Transcriptionist Notes: There’s a very different tone in the letter that Elias writes to his brother Reuben in July of 1863 in comparison to the one that he wrote to his wife Margaret in April of 1863. Elias resigned from the Army a short time after he wrote this letter on account of failing eyesight. Family histories indicate that he struggled with civilian life upon his return home. He suffered from nightmares and what we would call “flashbacks” in modern terms. He left his home near Wyman, IA. Elias and traveled “west” sometime in 1864, and eventually returned home in 1865 and seemed to be in a better state of mind, but the war had taken a toll on him. Some family histories suggest that when he traveled west it was to work on the railroad with his brother Joseph J. Jackson. Brother Joseph J. Jackson was also a member of Company F. 11th Iowa Infantry.

This is a picture of Elias G. Jackson. This picture had to have been taken in 1863. Several personal histories and diaries from members of the 11th Iowa state that they had their “likeness” taken in February of 1863. However, Elias is pictured here with an officers belt and saber which would suggest that this portrait was struck AFTER he received his commission as a 2nd Lt. on April 5, 1863. Either way, one could safely say that it was taken between February and August of 1863 before he resigned due to failing eyesight. It’s a neat portrait and pictures him with a Lefaucheux Pinfire revolver. These revolvers were more commonly carried by cavalrymen, but it’s possible that he spent some of his new salary money on a new revolver after receiving his commission.

This is a picture of Margaret, his wife, and son Albert. Albert was born in 1860, so I’m guessing this picture was taken while Elias was gone fighting in the Civil War.

Elias G. and Margaret (Beauchamp) Jackson are buried in Beauchamp Cemetery, south of Wyman, Iowa.