Center for Archival Collections

Before the days of wire services or news bureaus, newspapers frequently printed letters from local soldiers to provide more in-depth coverage of war news. Since regiments were recruited by geographical regions, most of the men serving in a unit were neighbors, and their families often shared letters with each other. Some soldiers specifically arranged to send reports of company news to their hometown newspapers. This index, prepared by Dan Masters, records all soldiers' correspondence printed in Huron County newspapers during the Civil War. Researchers should be aware that these indexes do not necessarily represent the holdings of the Center for Archival Collections. Those wishing to review the news articles or editorials cited here should consult the Guide to Newspaper Holdings .

Illinois Units | Indiana Units | Iowa Units | Kansas Units | Michigan Units | Minnesota Units | Missouri Units
Ohio Units | Other Units || Huron County Newspapers by Date
Other Civil War Resources: NW Ohio in the Civil War | CAC Manuscripts | Resources on the WWW | Newspaper Index List

Illinois Units

12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

Private Chester D. Howe, Company E
Chester D. Howe enlisted while a Paris, Illinois resident as a Private in Company E, 12th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on July 15, 1861, mustering into service on August 1, 1861. His further record is unclear.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 4, 1862

26th Illinois Volunteer Infantry

Captain Amos F. Jaquis, Company E
Amos F. Jaquis enlisted while an Ottawa Co., Illinois resident as Captain of Company E, 26th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on August 15, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He resigned his commission December 5, 1862.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 4, 1862

Battery B, 1st Illinois Light Artillery

Private William R. Rogers
William R. Rogers enlisted as a Private in Battery B, 1st Illinois Light Artillery on February 8, 1862, mustering into service the same day he died of disease March 28, 1862 at Mound City, Illinois.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: March 4, 1862
Norwalk Experiment: March 3, 1862 (2)

Chicago Board of Trade Battery

Private Theodore E. Baker, Jr.
Theodore E. Baker enlisted while a Chicago, Illinois resident as a Private in the Chicago Board of Trade Battery on August 1, 1862, mustering into service the same day. He died of disease June 1, 1863 at Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: February 3, 1863

Indiana Units

39th Indiana Volunteer Infantry

Lieutenant L. Miller
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: September 15, 1862

44th Indiana Infantry

Private George Weamer, Companies G and E
George Weamer enlisted while a Columbia City, Indiana resident as a Private in Company G, 44th Indiana Volunteer Infantry on November 22, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He was transferred to Company E on January 2, 1862 and was wounded April 6, 1862 at the Battle of Shiloh. He died of his wounds April 17, 1862.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: March 18, 1862

Iowa Units

12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry

Private Leicester D. Lyon, Company F
Leicester D. Lyon was born in Ohio and enlisted while a resident of York, Iowa as an 18 year old Private in Company F, 12th Iowa Volunteer Infantry on October 23, 1861, mustering into service November 12, 1861. Listed as missing at the Battle of Shiloh, he was discharged August 21, 1865 at Keokuk, Iowa.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: March 4, 1862

Kansas Units

2nd Kansas Volunteer Cavalry

Corporal Elias E. Gibbs, Company I
Elias E. Gibbs enlisted while a Oskaloosa, Kansas resident as a Corporal in Company I, 2nd Kansas Volunteer Cavalry on May 14, 1861, mustering into service June 20, 1861. He was mustered out October 31, 1861 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
Gibbs was later commissioned as a First Lieutenant in Company D, 11th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry on September 13, 1862. He was given a court martial and cashiered on October 7, 1864.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: September 3, 1861

Michigan Units

3rd Michigan Volunteer Cavalry

Captain Oran W. Rowland, Companies C, E, and I
Oran W. Rowland enlisted while a 22 year old Lawrence, Michigan resident as a Sergeant in Company C, 3rd Michigan Volunteer Cavalry on September 17, 1861, mustering into service October 3, 1861. He was promoted to First Sergeant and later commissioned as Second Lieutenant of Company E to date April 29, 1863. He was promoted to First Lieutenant of Company I to date October 24, 1864 and to Captain of Company C to date November 17, 1864. He served as assistant adjutant general from January-March 1865, and was discharged June 6, 1865.
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: May 26, 1863, July 14, 1863

Captain A.R. West, Company I
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: June 18, 1863

Minnesota Units

4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry

Major William T. Kittredge
William T. Kittredge enlisted as Sergeant Major of the 4th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry on December 3, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant of Company B to date November 7, 1862, and to the post of regimental Adjutant to date November 20, 1862. He was commissioned Captain on June 30, 1864 and transferred to the Adjutant General's Department, where he was awarded a brevet promotion to Major to date March 13, 1865. He was mustered out December 5, 1865.
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: October 2, 1862, February 3, 1863,

Missouri Units

18th Missouri Volunteer Infantry

Captain Richard F. Fallis, Company I
Richard F. Fallis enlisted as a First Lieutenant in Company I, 18th Missouri Volunteer Infantry at an unknown date, and was promoted to the rank of Captain March 4, 1864. His further record is unclear.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 13, 1862

Missouri Regiment

J. Mc. W.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: October 8, 1861

Ohio Units

For complete biographical information about members of Ohio units, see Northwest Ohio in the Civil War.

3rd Ohio Volunteer Cavalry

Articles:
Norwalk Reflector: December 24, 1861, December 31, 1861, October 28, 1862, January 20, 1863, September 20, 1864
Norwalk Experiment: December 23, 1861

Quartermaster William R. Jackson (see also 7th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry)
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 13, 1862

Sergeant Major David E. Tyler, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: June 10, 1862

Captain John G. Oates, Company A
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: April 29, 1862, July 22, 1862, November 17, 1863

Captain Elisha M. Colver, Companies B and K
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: June 30, 1862

Private Charles Matthew McGlone, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: June 30, 1862

Corporal William F. Bradley, Company C
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 8, 1862

Private John Duxbury, Company F
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: March 31, 1863

"E.H."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 6, 1862

"G.B.S."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: September 13, 1864

"J."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 15, 1862

"J.D."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: February 17, 1863

"T."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: December 16, 1862

Unknown
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: August 19, 1862, February 3, 1863, November 10, 1863

7th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry

Captain William R. Jackson, Company C (see also 3rd Ohio Volunteer Cavalry)
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 8, 1864

11th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry

First Lieutenant John H. Boalt, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: August 20, 1863

Private George W. Hadley, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: August 20, 1863

Battery A, 1st Ohio Light Artillery

Private Lester A. Elster
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: January 6, 1862

12th Ohio Battery

First Lieutenant Alphonso E. Gregory
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 21, 1863

1st Ohio Volunteer Heavy Artillery

"W.H.V."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: July 12, 1864

7th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Articles:
Norwalk Reflector: April 15, 1862, June 24, 1862

Captain John W. Sprague, Company E
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: December 17, 1861

"W.J."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: August 27, 1861

8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Articles:
Norwalk Reflector: April 30, 1861, April 15, 1862, September 30, 1862, December 30, 1862, May 26, 1863
Norwalk Experiment: April 29, 1861

Lieutenant Colonel Franklin Sawyer, Company D
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: June 4, 1861, July 30, 1861, August 20, 1861, September 10, 1861, March 25, 1862, April 8, 1862, April 29, 1862, May 6, 1862, June 3, 1862, July 1, 1862, July 22, 1862, September 2, 1862, September 30, 1862, December 16, 1862, January 6, 1863, July 14, 1863, August 11, 1863, September 15, 1863, November 3, 1863, June 7, 1864

Sergeant Major Wilson S. Parker
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 7, 1863, June 9, 1863, September 22, 1863, December 31, 1863
Norwalk Experiment: November 25, 1861, February 3, 1862, February 24, 1862, March 17, 1862, July 28, 1862, January 1, 1863

Captain Daniel C. Daggett, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: October 14, 1861

Corporal George A. Darke, Company D (see also 123rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry)
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: May 7, 1861, May 14, 1861

Private Henry W. Crosby, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 21, 1861

Private Samuel T.A. Van Sciver, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: May 13, 1861

"C.L.," Company D
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: April 14, 1864

Unknown
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: October 8, 1861

14th Ohio Infantry

Private Lyman A. Carpenter, Company A
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 7, 1863

21st Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Captain Silas S. Canfield, Company K
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: March 31, 1863

24th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Lieutenant Colonel Lucien C. Buttles
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: October 22, 1861

Hospital Steward Frank E. Pray, Company A
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: September 10, 1861

Second Lieutenant Edgar Romeyn Kellogg, Company A (see also 16th U.S. Infantry)
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: August 13, 1861

Second Sergeant David N. Bodfish, Company A
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: August 13, 1861

Corporal Charles B. Davis, Company A
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: March 11, 1862

Musician Osmer B. Hall, Company A
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: August 13, 1861, December 3, 1861, December 17, 1861, May 13, 1862

Private Joseph M. Millis, Company A
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: February 19, 1863

"A Volunteer," Company A
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: July 30, 1861

"Vol.," Company A
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: September 3, 1861

Private Peter Bittman, Company G
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: August 13, 1861

"A.N.R."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 1, 1862

"C."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 12, 1861

"C.D."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: December 31, 1861

"C.J.H."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 25, 1862

"P.B."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: February 3, 1863

Unknown
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: September 24, 1861

25th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Articles:
Norwalk Reflector: December 20, 1864
Norwalk Experiment: June 2, 1862

Captain Luther B. Mesnard, Company B
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: January 24, 1865, May 16, 1865

Sergeant Samuel A. Wildman, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 17, 1864, June 28, 1864, December 13, 1864, January 3, 1865

Lieutenant Colonel Edward C. Culp, Company D
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: October 29, 1861, November 12, 1861, January 25, 1862, April 29, 1862, June 3, 1862, June 24, 1862, January 6, 1863, May 19, 1863, July 21, 1863, August 25, 1863, June 14, 1864

"C.P.W."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: September 29, 1863

32nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry

"Private," Company D
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: April 23, 1863

45th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Second Lieutenant Stephen D. Pond, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: February 16, 1864 (4)

55th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Articles:
Norwalk Reflector: December 24, 1861, February 4, 1862, March 25, 1862, September 9, 1862, July 14, 1863, April 11, 1865
Norwalk Experiment: October 27, 1862, May 14, 1863

Lieutenant Colonel George Huntingdon Safford
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 27, 1862
Norwalk Experiment: February 24, 1862, April 7, 1862

Lieutenant Colonel Charles Preston Wickham, Company D
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: February 4, 1862, February 11, 1862, February 25, 1862, March 11, 1862, April 8, 1862, April 22, 1862, April 29, 1862 (2), May 27, 1862, June 24, 1862, July 8, 1862, August 5, 1862, August 12, 1862, September 30, 1862, November 4, 1862, November 18, 1862, January 6, 1863, April 14, 1863, May 12, 1863, July 28, 1863, December 31, 1863, May 10, 1864, May 24, 1864, July 12, 1864, August 9, 1864, November 1, 1864, November 22, 1864,. January 31, 1865, March 28, 1865

First Lieutenant John R. Lowe, Companies B and C
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: January 24, 1865

Captain Frederick Augustus Wildman, Company D
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: February 4, 1862, February 11, 1862, February 18, 1862 (2), April 29, 1862, May 13, 1862, May 20, 1862, June 3, 1862, June 24, 1862, December 2, 1862

Captain William Samuel Wickham, Companies D, C, B, and I
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: March 4, 1862, March 11, 1862, March 18, 1862, April 15, 1862, May 6, 1862, June 3, 1862, July 8, 1862, July 15, 1862, July 29, 1862, August 12, 1862, November 25, 1862, December 30, 1862, May 12, 1863, August 18, 1863, November 10, 1863, December 7, 1863, May 31, 1864, April 18, 1865

Second Lieutenant Philetus C. Lathrop, Companies D and A
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 14, 1863

Private Sebastian E. Whyler, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: January 24, 1865

Private Lewis B. Mesnard, Company H
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 26, 1863

First Lieutenant Richard F. Patrick, Company I
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: August 11, 1862

First Lieutenant Benjamin F. Evans, Companies I and B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 8, 1864

Private Warren V. Franklin, Company I
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 26, 1864

Private John Sutton, Company I
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: August 11, 1862

"A Veteran"
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 19, 1864

Unknown
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: August 19, 1862, August 26, 1862, October 14, 1862, November 18, 1862, January 27, 1863, April 21, 1863, August 4, 1863, July 26, 1864, August 16, 1864, January 24, 1865

64th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Adjutant Chauncey Woodruff, Company E
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: December 31, 1861, April 22, 1862, June 10, 1862

65th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Private Alvin M. Parker, Company C
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: January 14, 1862

67th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Sergeant John H. Smith, Company I
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: December 2, 1862, March 24, 1863, May 19, 1863, June 2, 1863, August 18, 1863, September 29, 1863, November 3, 1863, December 7, 1863, January 5, 1864, April 12, 1864, August 9, 1864

Sergeant Joseph Parsons Owen, Company K
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: April 14, 1862

72nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Colonel Ralph Pomeroy Buckland
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: August 26, 1862

Private Edward H. Gibbs, Company G
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 6, 1862

86th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

"Nemo"
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: July 22, 1862

88th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Private Samuel B. Robbins, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: August 12, 1862

101st Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Article:
Norwalk Reflector: January 20, 1863
Norwalk Experiment: January 22, 1863

Major John N. Latimer, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: February 3, 1863

Quartermaster George E. Seney
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: October 15, 1863

Surgeon Thomas M. Cook
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 19, 1863

Captain Ira B. Read, Companies D and E
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: October 5, 1863

Sergeant Charles H. Mead, Company D
Letters: Norwalk Experiment: September 15, 1862, October 6, 1862

Corporal Justus N. Brown, Company D
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: September 16, 1862, September 23, 1862, September 30, 1862, October 14, 1862, November 4, 1862, December 2, 1862, April 14, 1863, May 5, 1863, June 23, 1863, July 28, 1863, January 26, 1864

"I."
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: May 3, 1864, July 19, 1864

123rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Articles:
Norwalk Reflector: October 21, 1862, May 31, 1864
Norwalk Experiment: June 2, 1864

Colonel William Tecumseh Wilson
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: December 22, 1863

Lieutenant Colonel Horace Kellogg, Company D
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 3, 1863

Adjutant Elmer E. Husted, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: July 21, 1863, November 3, 1863, July 19, 1864, August 9, 1864, October 18, 1864, May 2, 1865

Captain John Fritz Randolph, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: August 11, 1863

Captain Henry S. Clapp, Company B
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: June 30, 1863, July 6, 1863

First Lieutenant Caleb D. Williams, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: July 6, 1863

First Lieutenant Frederick Christian Wickham, Company B
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: November 11, 1862, March 17, 1863, March 31, 1863, April 7, 1863, May 5, 1863, May 17, 1864, May 31, 1864

First Sergeant George J. Frith, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: February 17, 1863

First Lieutenant George A. Darke, Company B (see also 8th Ohio Volunteer Infantry)
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: November 17, 1863, March 8, 1864, October 18, 1864

Sergeant Harris E. Smith, Company B
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: October 28, 1862, December 2, 1862, January 27, 1863, February 3, 1863, March 24, 1863, March 31, 1863, December 22, 1863

Corporal Enoch L. Birdseye, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: June 25, 1863

Corporal Andros J. Gilbert, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 25, 1865

Private Ebenezer B. Harrison, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: January 13, 1863, May 16, 1865

Private Warner R. Smith, Company B
Letter: Norwalk Experiment: February 12, 1863

"D.," Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: April 14, 1863

"D.H.," Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: January 6, 1863

"F.," Company B
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: October 28, 1862, November 4, 1862, November 25, 1862, May 12, 1863

"H.," Company B
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: July 6, 1863

First Lieutenant Charles H. Sowers, Company E
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: July 5, 1864

"F.B."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: January 27, 1863

Unknown
Letters: Norwalk Reflector: June 9, 1863, June 16, 1863, July 28, 1863

166th Ohio Volunteer Infantry

Second Lieutenant John E. LaBarre, Company H
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: June 28, 1864

Other Units

Fremont's Bodyguard

"F.B."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: June 17, 1862

Union Light Guard

"F.T.H."
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 2, 1865

16th U.S. Infantry

First Lieutenant Edgar R. Kellogg, Company F, (see also 24th Ohio Volunteer Infantry)
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: January 27, 1863

5th U.S. Colored Troops

Unknown
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: February 28, 1864

U.S. Signal Corps

 Captain Lucius M. Rose
Lucius M. Rose enlisted while an Effingham, Illinois resident as Captain of Co. G, 11th Illinois Volunteer Infantry on May 2, 1861, mustering into service the same day. He was mustered out July 30, 1861 to enter the three years' service with the same company, from which he was mustered out August 6, 1864.
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: October 29, 1863

Unknown Unit

Leander Husted
Letter: Norwalk Reflector: May 12, 1863