from camp douglas to vicksburg: the civil war letters of william J. Kennedy, 1861-1863
on
A TRUE STORY OF THE CIVIL WAR
In August 1861 William Kennedy was a harness-maker living in LaSalle, Illinois. Married with four young children, he volunteered to recruit a company in response to Lincoln’s call for more troops. During the next two years, he saw action at Shiloh, Corinth, Chickasaw Bayou, and finally the Siege of Vicksburg. Observant, patriotic and sometimes cynical, Kennedy’s letters give us an intriguing picture of how people of the North really experienced the war.
“In telling the story of William Kennedy through his own letters, the authors of this fine book do a service to the memory of both this man and all the men who fought in America’s bloodiest war. Simply put, this is a Civil War story well told and one that is grounded on the actual words of a common yet uncommon man who served the Union cause he believed in and sacrificed everything for it.”
— Greg Romaneck, Civil War Courier
About rachael
Rachael is a teacher, writer, genealogist and historian. Educated at the University of London (UK), she earned a Master’s in Humanities from California State University Dominguez Hills. She lives in Peru, Illinois and is thrilled to share the story of William Kennedy with you.
Meet the mellen family
Writer Rachael Mellen is shown with her late husband, Robert, and their children, Elizabeth, Robin, and Alice, in 1992. This family was involved in Battery G, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery, participating in reenactments and community events. Photo by Nicholas Burman.
book-signing dates.
Saturday June 21, 2025 at 1 p.m.
LaSalle County Genealogy Guild
115 West Glover Street
Ottawa IL 61350
Wednesday 22nd October, 2025 at 6 p.m.
Peru Public Library
1409 11th Street, Peru IL 61354
Saturday 9th August, 2025 at 1 p.m.
LaSalle County Historical Society
Heritage Center-208 Clark Street
Utica, IL 61383
Wednesday June 25, 2025 at 6:30 p.m.
Oglesby Public Library
111 S. Woodland Avenue
Oglesby, IL 61348
Tuesday 4th November 2025 at 6 p.m.
Putnam County Library
S. McCoy Street
Granville, IL
5th-6th September 2025
Savas-Beatie Author Meet-up
Heritage Center
Gettysburg, PA
Wednesday 19th November 2025
Starved Rock Civil War Round Table
Ottawa High School
Ottawa, IL
Friday 13th March 2026
at noon
Civil War Museum
Kenosha, WI
26th September 2026
South Suburban Civil War Round Table
Frankfort, Illinois
BOOK A PRESENTATION!
I would love to share William Kennedy’s Civil War story with your group! Presentations can be tailored to your needs. I guarantee you will come away with a new understanding of this turbulent time in the nation’s history.
Email me at rachaelmellen@outlook.com