William Kimmell: The Rest of the Story.

We had several followers comment on yesterday’s post–Union soldier, William Kimmell’s letter home to his girlfriend Leah, following the Battle of Gettysburg.  Most wanted to hear the rest of the story, whether Kimmell survived the war or not.  And whatever happened with him and Leah?

Excerpts from William Kimmell’s letters and diary were compiled by his granddaughter, Eleanor Kimmell Roubique in the book, Home by the Fourth of July.

Following Gettysburg, Kimmell and his unit, Company C, 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, trudged on.  In November 1863, he wrote Leah from Warrenton, Virginia of buddies gone, but not forgotten.

William Kimmell - 8th Ohio Vol. Infantry

“As an instance of the uncertainty of war I will relate a little of the history of our company.  When we came into Virginia two years ago last July, we were given what is called tent to contain six men each.  In the tent with me were sic healthy young men, W.N. Williams,  M. Blanchard, B.J. Monroe, J.K. Barkley, L.G. Snowden and myself.  We made an agreement to stick to one another through the war.  How far we have done so you will see.  We passed through the various skirmishes up to the battle of Winchester all safe.  We all came out safe with the exception of a slight wound on myself.  We had the same good fortune through all the various skirmishes in the Shenandoah Valley up to the Battle of Antietam.  There my best friend and comrade, L.G. Snowden, was instantly killed.  Shot through the heart with a minie ball.  Poor fellow, he never knew what hurt him.  We buried him where he fell, but he has since been taken up and laid beside his parents in Pennsylvania.  Williams and Monroe were both severely wounded and did not join the company again until after the battle of Frederiksberg.

“Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville we came through safe.  But on the bloody field of Gettysburg two were laid in soldiers graves.  Williams and Barkeley, the later the only son of a widowed mother.  Monroe was severly wounded and will never do duty in the company again.  Blanchard was also slightly wounded but is again with the company.

“Today we were fixing up the tent when it came across my mind where are now those six who helped fix up the tent two years ago.  Three have delivered up their lives on the altar of their country, while the fourth is a hopeless cripple.  Two are left, but will any be left to tell the tale when the war is over.  None know but God.”

A month later, Kimmell wrote of  continued carnage. “In my last letter I think I gave you a history of six comrades in this company.  In this I have to add one more to the list of those that are gone.  In the skirmish on the 27th of November, Sgt. Blanchard was severly wounded in the right elbow.  So severely as to make amputation necessary.  I parted with him today.  I am now the last one of the six left in the company.  I have written to the friends of the five that have gone before me.  Who will write to my friends should anything befall me?  And who will write the history of those six?  Why should they all go before me?  I was always considered the smallest and the weakest one of the lot.”

Though wounded twice, William Kimmell would survive the war and return home to Leah.  They were married shortly after and raised four sons.

Kimmell helped found the town of Osceola, Nebraska in 1870.  He was later elected a state senator and served as the first post trader at Fort Robinson.  At Pitkin, Colorado, Leah died in 1887 and William followed in 1892.

For more on William Kimmell and over 70 other combat veterans, from the American Revolution to the War in Iraq, read Michael McCoy’s latest release, EVERYTOWN, USA.

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