"Villain Damn Him"

Spent part of this evening reading the Civil War diary of William A. Skiles, published under the title Letters to Home. Skiles was a private in Company G of the Fifth Illinois Cavalry. His captain, Benjamin B. Hopkins, is one of the soldiers I am currently researching. I found a great reference to Hopkins, which will be included in his forthcoming profile. I also found an interesting reference to Clement Vallandigham, the Ohio Democratic congressman booted out of the Buckeye State into Confederate territory for his outspoken support of states rights and the withdrawal of Southern states from the Union. Pvt. Skiles refers to Vallandigham (shown here in this portrait from the Library of Congress) as "Villain damn him," a pithy word play on the congressman's last name.

A Google search reveals one other reference to this nickname, made by a soldier in the Ninth New Jersey Infantry and noted in Beneath the Starry Flag.

Forthcoming History of the Fifth Illinois Cavalry

In the course of researching the life and military service of Capt. Benjamin B. Hopkins of the Fifth Illinois Cavalry (pictured here), my request for information posted on the Civil War Message Board Portal received a response from Rhonda Kohl. She sent me a great letter referencing Hopkins, copied from the Illinois State Archives. In return for her kindness, I sent her a high-resolution scan of Hopkins' carte de visite for use in her forthcoming regimental history, The Prairie Boys Go to War: The Fifth Illinois cavalry, 1861-1865.

Rhonda's book promises to be an excellent addition to the library of Civil War regimental histories, and I look forward with great anticipation to its publication.

If you have information about the Fifth, please contact Rhonda at 5Illinois@gmail.com