During the winter of 1861–1862, the 9th Michigan Infantry camped at West Point, Kentucky,
building what would become Fort Duffield. Among the men were two soldiers from the Halladay
family—Lyman Halladay and Monroe D. Halladay. Their surviving letters
capture the cold, sickness, homesickness, and daily hardships of the regiment during the earliest
days of the fort’s construction.
Presented here are their letters in chronological order, each transcribed and paired with the
original handwritten page. Together, they form a rare firsthand account of the human experience
behind Fort Duffield.
Letters
- Letter 1 — A Short Note from Camp
- Letter 2 — We Are All Well at Present
- Letter 3 — Hospital Crowding and Losses
- Letter 4 — Expecting Orders…
- Letter 5 — As Soon as I Get to Nashville…
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