The following letter was written by James A. Humphres (1839-1863) began his service in Co. B, 3rd Missouri Cavalry, as a private but was later promoted to Commissary Sergeant of Co. H. According to the company rolls, James died on January 31, 1863 from a gunshot wound received during the Battle of Hartville on January 11, 1863. James was taken to the hospital at Lebanon, Missouri, where he died and was initially buried.

Though James served the State of Missouri in the war, he was actually a resident of Ashmore, Coles county, Illinois. James was the son of John Humphres (1803-1867) and Sarah Mitchell (1814-1849) of Ashmore. In the 1860 US Census, he was enumerated as a 21 year-old laborer in the household of Peter Conkler in Ashmore.

The letter was addressed to James’ cousins, Sarah Ellen Mitchell (1842-1879) and Phoebe Ann Mitchell (1844-1909), the daughters of John Bruce Mitchell (1817-1849) and Martha Cutler (1818-1882) of Ashmore township, Coles county, Illinois. For those who are unfamiliar with Ashmore, it is located just a few miles north of where Thomas Lincoln, the President’s father, had his farm when he died in 1851. Abe’s step-mother, Sarah Bush Lincoln, still lived in Coles county throughout the Civil War and died there in 1869.

Transcription

Camp Meagher, Missouri
Co. H, 3rd Missouri Cavalry
October 19th, 1862

Dear Cousin,

It is with pleasure that I seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at the present time, hoping these few lines may find you all well. I received your letter the other day & was glad to hear from you & to hear that you was all well.

There was a skirmish near here yesterday. [Joseph Chrisman] Porter‘s force started from northeast, Missouri, with one thousand men. He still had a thousand when he crossed the Missouri River. He was attacked four times before he got down here. We’d heard of him & started 200 men after him. Before we got there, he was gone. He had so far the start of us [that] we could not overtake him. Colonel [Albert] Sigel’s Cavalry had attacked him when he got down here. He had only two hundred men. Sigel’s Cavalry killed 50 of them. They are still in pursuit of them. Our boys all returned to camp this evening. Sigel’s got three men wounded and nearly one killed. The rebels loss was 50 killed. I don’t know how many wounded. That is the last account of them.

The 13th Missouri Cavalry—that is Sigel’s Cavalry—captured a very large silk flag. It was about 5 feet in length. The colors was red, white, and red, & quite a number of horses [captured]. ¹ No more at present. I will tell you more about it the next time.

Give my respects to all. Yours truly. Goodbye. Hoping to hear from you soon. — J. A. Humphries

to Miss Sarah E. & Poebe Ann Mitchell

Please excuse this big ugly writing for it was done in a hurry & the boys was bothering me so I couldn’t write.

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¹ The action described by Humphreys is verified in a report by Colonel Albert Sigel, colonel of the 13th Missouri state militia cavalry, which appears in the Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series 1, Volume 13, (skirmish at California house). Albert Sigel (1827-1884) was the brother of Gen. Franz Sigel (1824-1902).