A Civil War Letter from Col. Sebastian C. Vick

I love to read old documents (although I have trouble understanding some of the older writing styles). My uncle Robert E. Vick, Sr., sent me copies of some old Civil War letters written by my second great grand uncle, Sebastian C. Vick. The copies are a little hard to read, but my sister-in-law, Gayle Moore Vick, transcribed them for me. The letter below (with an enclosed statement) shows that being a colonel in the Kentucky Union militia was not without its frustrations. The letter was to Major General Daniel Weisiger Lindsey. According to the online biography of General Lindsey at the National Guard History Museum he “served as a key leader of Union forces in Kentucky in the Civil War and was named Adjutant General in the summer of 1864 by Governor Thomas E. Bramlette, serving in that position until the fall of 1867.”

Headquarters, 71st Regt. Em.
Greenville, Ky. Decem 5 1864
Major Gen.
D.W. Lindsey
Frankfort Ky

Sir
I Have the Honor to
forward a communication
To your address
General with High Regard to
Your Honor, I aske you
To do me & your country
The favour to Revoke my
commission as col of the
71st Regt of EM. and
appoint Some other man
whoo will Be more able
to do Justice to the caus of
our common country than
I am able to do as my
meanes ar So Exhausted that
I cant no Longer ? ?
This country
? company of State
Guards comanded By capt
James S. Lewis
I with Regret Say to you
that It is mortifying to
me to know that you Have
to Be continualy anoyed
By the Rebells of this
country whoo are continualy
Sending unfounded and
unjust Reportes to you
against me, and am Left
defenceless By your Refusing
to give me the names of
thoes foul conspirators against me and
their countrys Honor
Had I the Rigt to defend myself
I would proove to you and the
world at Large that I am
unjustly and dishonorably
assaild By the Rebells and
guirillar Sympathisers of
this country
whoos Sole object Is to
wield an Influence with
you to disband, or, disorganize
the men that I have
organized By your order
When we ar disbanded
this country Is Left to the
Ravages of those deamons
that Have So long
devastated our country
With High Respect
I am your most
obedt Servt
Sebastian C. Vick, Col. ?


State Militia
Greenville, Muhlenberg Co. Ky
December 1st 1864
Eaves Charles ?
Says Col Vick has 21 of the
best horses in Greenville
and has killed eleven
peaceable citizens. He also
Killed three woman last
week, one of whom he
saw buried. He
has also issued a proclama-
tion requiring citizens to
bring him a horse or he
will compel them to
leave the State, he has
tried too to hinder the
navigation of Green River
has taken four Steamboats
and tore up a dam on
the river
See Special ?
No 86 Extract
? ? ?