A Civil War Captain and His Lady: A True Story of Love, Courtship, and Combat

A Civil War Captain and His Lady tells the true story of Josiah Moore, a 27-year-old Irish immigrant who served as captain of the 17th Illinois Infantry, and Jennie Lindsay, a 19-year-old from one of Peoria, Illinois's prominent families. Their courtship began as the Civil War started, and their correspondence—a rare, unpublished series of letters—forms the basis of this account. Through Josiah's and Jennie's letters, the book explores the experiences of soldiers and those on the home front. Josiah's correspondence provides personal observations of army life, his responses to loss, and the physical, spiritual, and moral effects of war. Jennie's letters reveal a young woman managing difficulties at home while her brother and fiancé faced combat. Her encouragement strengthened Josiah's faith and resolve to lead his men. The letters also document political developments, including the evolution of Jennie's father's views. A Peoria community leader and former Illinois state house member, he shifted from the Whig Party to the Republican Party, later becoming an Illinois State Senator as a Peace Democrat and prominent Copperhead. The narrative tracks the 17th Illinois Infantry and their families, examining the war's toll on the nation and the difficult recovery period following 1865.