Michael Huston Collection
The following letters were written by Miles Leroy Storrs (1842-1866) and his brother Eugene Orange Storrs (1844-1908). They were the sons of Nelson Colomor Storrs (1818-1903) and Phoebe Ann Porter (1820-1896) of Clarinda, Iowa who enlisted together on 15 June 1861 to serve in Co. F, 1st Nebraska Regiment (Infantry/Cavalry). Surprisingly, the boys’ father also enlist a couple months later in Co. K, 4th Iowa Infantry, when he was 44 years of age. He found the rigors of a soldier’s life too difficult to endure, however, and mustered out on 1 February 1862.
Apparently Miles did not have a robust constitution either for muster rolls show that he was discharged for disability on 29 March 1863 after little more than a year and a half of service. Eugene, however, carried on until the expiration of his term of service in November 1864.
There are only eleven brief letters in this collection—most of them written by Eugene. Neither of the boys were particularly gifted in writing nor inclined to write lengthy or detailed letters. The collection was sold recently at an auction in Ankeny, Iowa. It’s not known whether there are any other extant letters. I have not found any in on-line bibliographies or archival catalogues. I would have to say that letters by Nebraska soldiers are rare. In the 15,000 or so letters I’ve transcribed in the last 15 years, these are the first letters by Nebraska soldiers sent to me for transcription. I wish to thank Michael Huston who now owns these letters for sharing them on Spared & Shared.
To read more letters by members of the 1st Nebraska Regiment, see “I thought it my Duty to Go, the Civil War Letters of Thomas Edwin Keen,” First Nebraska Volunteer Infantry, Edited by James E. Potter.
Letter 1
Georgetown, Mississippi
January 3rd 1862
Dear respected parents,
I will again write you a small letter. I guess you cannot grumble by this time for not receiving any letters from me. This makes the third letter I have written to you without receiving any answer. We are very well at present. My leg is almost well. There is some talk of leaving our winter quarters hastily. I know not where for. Tell me, father, when you think this trouble will be ended. I want to hear from mother. I think you do not quite fulfill your duty as concerns writing. I have completely given up all hopes of receiving any letters.
Johnny Pierce, R. Gibbs, & the rest of the boys.
I think there is no danger of Europe interfering since we have given up Mason & Slidell. You must write me one more letter father.
It is very disagreeable weather here at present—cold & sleety. I received a letter from Darius & Melissa yesterday. They are well but no news of importance. I will now close my letter. Goodbye, — Eugene O. Storrs
Letter 2
Memphis, Tennessee
June 22, 1862
My beloved parents,
I sit down alone on picket to answer a letter we got from Mother last night. I was glad to get your letter but very sorry that Mother is so uneasy about us. Mother, your good advise I will follow so be contented until we get home again and if you want to buy anything, use my money that I sent to you and have not heard whether you got it or not. It was $30. I sent it to A. Lorens in Clarinda so that you could get it by going there. We both get letters from you only once in a great while. Miles writes pretty often and so I don’t write very often.
It is said that Jeff Thompson was baptized here yesterday in disguise. I have no more to write—only that my health is very good and stand the marching very well. Excuse my short and hasty letter, — Eugene S. Storrs
Letter 3
Quincy, Illinois
November 13, 1862
Dear Parents,
I received your letter dated the 8th November his morning. I am quite well except a cough. I don’t know whether I can get my discharge or not but I will see if I can. I don’t know where the regiment is unless at Little Rock, Arkansas. If you know, let me know and I will write to the captain. If I go to the regiment and hant well, I can get a discharge there for our doctor said that I never would be fit for duty. I don’t think I can get it here.
The weather is good here. We have had one snow. I have not wrote to Miles yet. If he had done right, he would been here. As soon as I found that they were sending me to the Barracks, I took my knapsack and went back to the hospital.
Mother must not be discouraged for I am in good spirits. There is some men and nurses that is acquainted with father when he preached in Clay county away in the Yankee school house. — Eugene O. Storrs
Letter 4
Eminence [Shannon county, Mo.]
February 14th 1863
Dearest parents,
I have once more an opportunity of writing you a few lines today. We received our pay. Eugene came to the company yesterday. We both drew 6 months pay. I and Eugene send you $100 by our chaplain. We will express it from St. Louis to you. Eugene is not very stout. I am doing no duty now. I tell you, we see rough times now—barefooted, starved on half rations. There is some talk of our regiment on the left wing of our regiment going to the Knob to guard a provision train that takes our company. We are now about 60 miles from the Knob & the same from Rolla. I will be anxious to hear whether our money comes safe or not. Please to answer as quick as you receive this. The weather is quite pleasant today.
Mother, I received those rations you sent me. I tell you I had a good cup of tea. We were down pretty near to Batesville, Arkansas. I tell you, this is an awful rough country. I am tired of these Ozark Mountains. I have not seen a newspaper for over a month. I don’t hear any war news whatever.
I will leave room for Gene but he says he don’t want to write. He wants me to do it all as usual. I showed him Mother’s and his niece’s picture. He says, “Shaw.”
This is an awgul wierd country for to get mail. You must excuse this poor writing. I have nothing more to write so I close. Remaining your son, — M. L. Storrs
E. O. Storrs
Letter 5
Arcadia, February 24th 1863
Pilot Knob, Ironton [Mo.]
Dewar Parents,
I have written a letter today to you & while going to the Post Office, I lost it. I tell you, I do not feel much like writing. Eugene is doing no duty. Neither do I. I am so worthless I do not know what to do. I see in today’s paper they commenced fighting at Vicksburg the 21st. I hope they will do the thing up this time.
Father, I will not quarrel with you on the question of slavery but I am decidedly opposed to abolitionism, Horace Greeley & co.
We have marching orders in the morning. I do not think we will go far. Write and tell me if you get the money expressed to you. I am not going to write much. Melissa, you must excuse me for not writing & answering your letter. I am glad to hear from Daring. Tell me if he went in the Vicksburg fight. I close.
— Miles L. Storrs
Excuse this. I am so tired. The one I wrote this morning was quite a lengthy letter. — M. L. S.
Letter 6
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
April 29th 1863
Dear Brother,
I improve the time in writing you a few lines. I am well & the rest of the boys are well. THe regiment is out on White Water after Old Marmaduke. We had a pretty good fight Sunday. Pretty hot times but not much loss on our side. A. B. & P. R. Wagar is on Provost Guard in town so they are not on a scout. I and Mr. Franklin is left to guard the camp. — E. O. Storrs.
Letter 7
Pilot Knob [Missouri]
June 13th 1863
Dear Brother [Miles],
I received your letter yesterday and was very glad to hear that you are getting better & that Father was well. You wanted to know what I thought about improving Father’s land in Page county. Well, if Father wants to put improvements there, I think it is as good thing as we can do with our money, to make a home there first. And if I get a land warrant, I can do as I like about improving the land if I could get any. But I don’t believe I will get a warrant. Let father go ahead with it and so what he wants to do.
Miles, we have got Solomon Knight in the guard house for a deserter and of Sam Ford [?] that went at Shiloh. I guess we will stay here until Davidson goes below and then we will go with him. — Eugene O. Storrs, Co. F.
To M. L. Storrs, Citizen
Letter 8
Pilot Knob, Mo.
July 2nd 1863
Dear Father,
I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you and Miles a few days ago that I did not answer on account of being sick. I am getting along pretty well now. The weather has been hot but if you can make any use of the money I sent to you, do it. We are to be paid today but I can’t send any money this payday for I owe some for clothing that I have to settle for.
We are building a fort on the hill where we used to drill and shoot at the target. Miles knows where it is. It is called Fort Davidson. 1 It has 6 fronts. It is said that we are a going to leave here before a week. I hope it is so. Mr. Fickling went to the post hospital this morning. Excuse this short letter. — E. S.
1 Fort Davidson was a six-side earthwork fort built to protect iron mines and furnaces near Pilot Knob, Missouri. It was built on an open plain in Arcadia Valley southwest of Pilot Knob. Each of the hexagonal sides was 150 feet long and made of packed earth with planks on the inside 5 to 9 feet high. There was a dry moat surrounding the fort 6 to 8 feet deep and ten feet wide. There were four 32-pounder siege guns, three 24-pounder howitzers, and a half dozen Woodruff guns mounted in the fort.
Letter 9
Pilot Knob, Missouri
July 4th 1863
Dear Father,
I received a letter from you yesterday. My health is good as could be expected in this place. You said I did not write often enough. Well father, when I am not sick, I am on duty of some kind, either on guard or on the fort. There is nothing going on here but firing the National Salute from the fort at Arkada [Arcadia] two miles below from the 32-pounder Sigel guns that Co. C is manning. I would think that Miles—as he can’t do any hard work—would go to studying book keeping and then he would have something to work at that he could do, but I guess Miles hant a going to get married in Page county for Hapy J don’t want to marry, I guess, & she is all be corresponded with there.
Mother, I wish you would write some to me when Father does. Is Melissa’s school out yet in town? I got a letter from Darius that I must answer so I must close. — Eugene S. Storrs
Letter 10
St. Louis, [Missouri]
October 30th 1863
Dear Mother,
I got your letter the 29th on my return from Vicksburg. I was glad to hear from you but sorry to hear that you think I don’t want to hear from you and don’t like to write to you. I would answered your letter yesterday but it was such a cold, wet, rainy day, you must remember that I don’t have a house and table & everything to write with when I want to write like I did at home.
I was gone to Vicksburg one month. The regiment went on a scout to Jefferson City while I was gone and all got arrested for cheering for Jim Lane & to punish the boys they put us in our tents. [rest of letter missing] 1
— [Eugene O. Storrs]
1 The cheers for Jim Lane may have been in reaction to his speech given in 1863, while the 38th United States Congress was debating a bill that would confiscate land from rebelling southerners, Lane said, “I would like to live long enough to see every white man in South Carolina in hell, and the Negroes inheriting their territory. It would not wound my feelings any day to find the dead bodies of rebel sympathizers pierced with bullet holes in every street and alley of Washington. Yes, I would regret this, for I would not like to witness all this waste of powder and lead. I would rather have them hung, and the ropes saved! Let them dangle until their stinking bodies rot and fall to the ground piece by piece.”
Letter 11
St. Joseph, Missouri
September 30th 1864
Dear Father,
I sit down to inform you that I am on my way to Omaha to be discharged. I left the bluffs on the 14th September and arrived here 4 days ago. We are waiting for a boat to go up. A good many of the boys have gone home to Page County. Mr. [Jabez] Fickling went yesterday. If you lived in Amity, I would be home before long. I expect it will be a month yet before we can be mustered out. I have been sick a great deal. That is the reason I have not wrote before. — E. O. Storrs
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