The following letter was written by William H. Morris (1840-1862) while serving as a private in Co. F, 33rd Illinois Infantry. William was from Anconia, Livingston county, Illinois. He enlisted on August 1861, was mustered into the service on 6 September 1861 at Camp Butler, and he died of typhoid fever at Benton Barracks, Missouri, on 26 November 1862. It should be noted that his grave marker in Illinois states that he died in Ironton, Missouri, however.

William was the son of Henry Morris (1803-1843) and Mary (“Polly”) Reynolds (1811-1875). Serving with him in the same company was his older brother, Andrew Morris (1833-1872).

The 33rd Illinois Infantry was originally formed from many college students on the campus of the Illinois State Normal School and became known as the “Teacher’s Regiment.” In one company there were 13 college graduates and all were privates. The soldiers were so well educated that the standard joke was that men discharged for mental incapacity would have made officers in other regiments. [Wikipedia]. As evident by William’s letter, he was not so well educated, however. He and his brother Andrew were both farmers who lost their father when they were young men.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

[Ironton, Iron county, Missouri]
Tuesday, October 1st [1861]

My friends,

I am still on the mend. I feel pretty well today & I hope that these lines will find you all well & in good circumstances. Andrew is quite unwell today and I am afraid that he is taking the measles but he thinks that it is nothing but a severe cold he has taken but he coughed very much like I did when I was taken them. He says for me to tell you that if he does not take the measles that if he can get a furlough, he will be at home between now and the fifteenth of this month. But he has been exposed to the measles & he does not want to come until he knows whether he is going to take them or not, and if he does not come for you, to do as you please about thrashing out his wheat, If you get ready to thrash and it is worth anything, to let it go for what it will fetch. But he wants to come home if he can, and I want him to go home if he can for I don’t know as I will come home until some time in the winter. I can’t tell anything about it yet.

You may do my thrashing if you have not yet just when it suits you best or you msay wait until Andrew comes home if you like and have it done at once. As for my corn, you do as you think best until you hear from me again. I want you to write and tell me all of the particulars and how Mother is getting along and if Mr. Murry is there with her yet and if John Lucas bought Fancy [and?] Chester, if you think it will not be too much trouble to take care of them, and if you can get a trade with Mother for her year old horse for them notes of mine, let them go if she will trade. Give her up both notes. Tell me if Earp has paid you that dollar yet and if he has not, ask him for it for it is due now.

When we left Camp Butler we all sent our clothes home or started them but Levi Lauderback got a letter from Liberty today and he said that they had not come yet. Me and Andrew put our clothes in our valise together and gave Liberty Lauderback the key. Andy had two coats and a hat and one pair of pants and some shirts, and I had a hat, pair of pants, one pair or two of socks, and one new pair of shoes that I drawed and I sent them to you. If they come, you will pay our share of the freight and we will make it all right with you when one of us comes home.

I suppose that Mahaly Springer is married. Tell them I wish them a long life and a merry one. Tell them to take care of their country.

Some of our boys is got the measles now. Thomas Lauderback & Dilman Hester and two others of our boys is at the hospital now with them. Tom is pretty sick. I think both of the boys will have them pretty bad.

Dear brother, I could write more [but] my paper is getting almost wrote over. I want you to give my best respects to Mother and all of the friends and don’t forget to accept a good share of it for yourself and family. If we stay here, I will write again in a few days. Now you must write without fail for I am anxious to hear from you and from home. Direct your letter to Ironton, Iron county, Missouri in care of Capt. Roberts. Company F, 33rd Regiment [Illinois Infantry].

So no more at present. Yours truly, — W. H. Morris

Yours in haste.