Chuck Hill, Curator, GAR Memorial Museum, 27 December 2017 from the NWRC collection
Wilmer W. Dickerson, a 22-year-old farmer from Concord, Illinois entered Company K, 27th Illinois Infantry on 2 September 1861 and served until 20 September 1864. He was wounded at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (GA) on 27 June 1864. Dickerson married Mary Jane Madden in 1865 and they made their home in Harper, Kansas, where he joined #251 GAR Post. He died on September 4, 1926 Wilmer left behind 17 letters and journals written to his family during the Civil War.
In a letter dated 5 Nov 1861 from his camp in Cairo, IL he spoke about the troop movement soon to occur: “... I quietly resign myself to what ever may be my fate and if I fall I should leave the comfortable assurance behind from you and all of my friends and relations that If I fall I fall in the most holy cause that a Nation had to fight for and to fight to maintain the rights and liberties of our once peaceful and happy country that became Sacred by the Blood of our Fathers…” Another letter dated 22 February 1862 states “...the boys are eager for a fight..." In his journal he wrote on 12 November 1863 “I have just witnessed a sight that I never seen before, nor never wish to see again; It was the execution of two deserters, by being shot to death; I must acknowledge I felt bad, and my knees trembled as the executioners made ready to fire Men that to all outward apearence was as good as I was taken off to try the realities of the unknown world to us The soldiers belonged to the 44th & 88th Ills”
In a letter dated 6 July 1864, after he was wounded at Kennesaw Mountain, he wrote about another disturbing incident: “The most shocking sight I have witnessed on the march is the skeleton of a man that has either hung himself or someone has done it for him and he is still hanging; some of the boys in searching him found a descriptive rool (roll?) and twenty dollars in confederate money; no one knows anything concerning his character…”
On 6 July 1864 he shared about his approaching homecoming: “I shall be pleased to pay you a visit at any rate and see how home looks it sounds sweet to my ears after what I have seen and passed through. Praying that the Blessings of God may continue with you I close accept love and write often from your Son & Brother W.W. Dickerson”