This letter was written by a member of Co. M, 9th Illinis Cavalry. His name seems to read clearly as William Willis but I cannot find a soldier on the muster rolls by that name. There was a soldier by that name in the 7th Illinois Cavalry but the letter being datelined from Black River Station and the mention of a comrade (Joseph Morey) in Co. M, 9th Illinois Cavalry suggests that he was indeed in the 9th. The 9th was organized in the Chicago area which is also consistent with the content of the letter.

Transcription

Black River
March 21, 1862

Dear Mother,

I hope these few lines will find you all well as I am ay present. This is the fourth letter that I have written and have not received any answer. I wish you would write as soon as you can and let me know how you are all getting along. Tell me how Pa is a getting along with the farm for I am in hopes that I will be home in time to help through harvest.

We are still at Black River, fifty miles from Pilot Knob. We went out on a scout the other day but we could not see anything of the rebels.

I had commenced this letter when the captain came down to my tent with your letter. I was very glad to hear from you. I am very much obliged to Luty for her letter and hope she will write another. I am glad to hear that you are all well and that you are having a good spring. You wanted me to tell you something about the country. It is a very poor country down here. It is very hilly and stony. I have not seen a bit of prairie since we left St. Louis. It is a very good timber country and on the hills three is a good deal of pine.

The rebels have left Pitman’s Ferry and Flat Rock. I think that they are getting pretty well cleaned out.

Joseph Morey has got the small pox and I am thinking that it will go pretty hard with him. I don’t think of anything more to tell you. Give my best respects to them all. In my other letter I told you to diret your letters to Black River Station. But I think that the best place is to direct them where you did the first to Chicago Box 39-50, Ninth Illinois Cavalry, Co. M.

— William Willis