Negro Equality | Spared & Shared 23

*I could not find an image of George but here is one of his 1st Sergeant, William D. Phillips, Co. E, 27th OVI (Photo Sleuth)*

The following letter was written by Corp. George W. Miller (1840-1862) of Co. E, 27th Ohio Infantry. At the time of the 1860 US Census, 19 year-old George and his brother Harvey V. Miller (1839-1862) were enumerated in the household of an older brother (James W.) on his farm near Dawkin’s Mill, Jackson county, Ohio. His father, Adam Miller (1806-1881) was living with his 2nd wife, Patsy Ward (1816-1874) in Lawrence county, Ohio, with at least eight of George’s half-siblings. George’s mother, Elizabeth Hulett (1810-1840) died in Fayette county, Virginia, before the family moved to Ohio. George wrote the letter to his older sister, Nancy Jane (Miller) Ward (1832-1931), the wife of George Ward (1825-1872) of Waterloo, Lawrence county, Ohio.

George wrote his letter in August 1862 from the regiment’s camp near Corinth, Mississippi. By this time the regiment had seen action in Missouri and participated in the capture of New Madrid and Island No. 10. They then participated in the Battle of Iuka and would soon see action in the Second Battle of Corinth where George was killed in action on 4 October 1862 [another source says he died two days later]. His brother Harvey also served in the same company and died in St. Louis on 15 June 1862, presumably by disease.

George’s letter dwells heavily on Negro Emancipation or the “Negro Question” as it was often referred to. His views are consistent with the majority of the Union soldiers, particularly from southern Ohio where the 27th Ohio Regiment was raised.

This letter is from the private collection of Greg Herr and was made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.

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

Camp of the 27th
Near Corinth, Mississippi
August 6th 1862

Mrs. Nancy Ward,

Dear sister—I seat myself to write you a few lines to inform you that I am enjoying a very reasonable portion of health and trust this will find you enjoying good health. I am in camp today and thought that I would write you a few lines for your perusal when you have a leisure time.

I have been in the Army near 13 months and have been in several states since I came out from Ohio. I have been in several fights. I have marched several hundred miles and have seen a great portion of the country. I have seen some as fine farms as could be found in America. I have seen more in the last 13 months than in all my past life before.

I can’t say that I am very tired of soldiering. You only [know] the condition that this war has come to. I know that it is a speculation to some there. I do not like to fight and expose myself for the plagued Negro to be free as I am plaugue on the Negro question. I wish some of the men that is agitating this Emanicipation and Negro Equality had to be in front of the battle.

I think that it will be a long time before this war will close from the present circumstances. I wish it was in some form that we could whip the Secesh and let the Negro stay where he is. I think the Negro has been living for some time with the Southern people and why not let them alone where they are, for I know that I don’t want to stay in the Southern climate any longer than I will have to stay. The country is very rough and not worth anything to anybody. I am tired of this warm state and want to go to a Northern climate where it is not so warm and sultry that a man cannot get his breath hardly. This is a hard place for white men.

I will not write a very long letter this time as it is so warm in my tent. Nancy, I have forgot whether I have ever written to you before or not. I will say that I mean no harm by just writing to you this time as I never have written before. I am well and trust this will find you enjoying the blessing of God who rules on high. I trust you are trying to live for heaven when done with Earth. I want to live right in the sight of my Maker. May God save us in His Kingdom when done with Earth and its cares. Pray for me. Give my best respects to all my friends and relations. I will close by saying oblige me by writing soon. Yours in love. From G. W. Miller

To Nancy Ward

Tell [your husband] George and the children that I will write to them soon. I want to hear from you soon. Tell Cintha Miller I am well.

Tell me if Miss Mary Hall is at home or not.

*No war time photo of Louis Shiffer but here is one of Ferdinand Fox who also served in Co. I, 46th Illinois.*

The following letter was written by Louis W. Shiffer (1835-1911), the son of William Shiffer (1810-1889) and Catherine E. Near (1812-1892) of Plainfield, Will county, Illinois. Louis enlisted as a corporal in Co. I, 46th Illinois Infantry on 1 December 1861. He mustered out of the regiment on 30 November 1864. His brother Solomon Andrew Shiffer (1841-1929) served in the same regiment and rose in rank to 1st Sergeant of Co. I before mustering out on 20 January 1866. Solomon was wounded during the siege at Corinth. Another brother, Robert Wray Shiffer (1843-1919) also served in the same company and was wounded at Shiloh.

[Note: This letter is from the collection of Ryan Martin and was made available for transcription and publication on Spared & Shared by express consent.]

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

April 18, 1863

Memphis, Tennessee

It is with pleasure that I take the present opportunity to answer your kind letter which I received last evening. It found me in [ ] good health. I hope these few lines will find you enjoying good health. Maggie, I wish I were sitting by your side in the parlor. I could talk to you much better than I can write and tell you how I have suffered since I have been in the service. But I enlisted to fight for my country and I have seen many of my fellow soldiers lie on the bloody field of battle and I thank the good Lord that he has spared my life for I have two brothers in the same company with me and they have both been wounded. The youngest one was wounded at Shiloh April 6, 1862. I have not seen him since. He is in Kentucky. He is sick. And one brother is in Virginia.

I do not feel at any discouraged but I do not like the idea of fighting for the negro and did not enlist for that. But it has come to that and I will not be called a coward.
— Louis W. Shiffer, Co. I, 46th Illinois, 18 April 1863

I do not feel at any discouraged but I do not like the idea of fighting for the negro and did not enlist for that. But it has come to that and I will not be called a coward. I have stood where the balls have passed me as thick as hail but I was none of the number that was to fall. There was 33 wounded and two killed in the last battle in a very few minutes and one Colonel was killed.

I was sorry to hear that your brother was sick and the other wounded. So Mary J. Folston wanted to know where I was. You can tell her that I am in Dixie land doing what little I can do to save our glorious Union and liberty which our forefathers bought with their precious blood. I should like to see some of them Rebel sympathizers—or Copperheads as they are called—down here. I should like to get behind them with my old gun and make them fight or shoot them down like Rebels. If they would hold their tongues, the secesh would not say that the North was dividing and they would soon gain their Confederacy.

Maggie, I should like to help you wash the dishes once more. I know you are willing to do good duty but don’t work too hard. I have often thought of you and the pleasant times we have had in this country where I have to suffer for this country does not agree with me for my health has been very poor ever since I am down here. I must close for this time. I am yours truly, — Louis Shiffer

to Miss Margaret E. Fellows. Write soon. Direct to Adams Hospital No. 3, Ward 4, Room H