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Miller Family Correspondence: From George W. Miller

October 20, 1862

Davis House
Berlin Heights
October 20, 1862.

Dear Brother

I rec'd your letter this morning which was very welcome, I assure you.

The day that I left home I had to wait at home[illegible] Bed till about noon for the Bonnie and consequently we reached Sandusky too late for the two o'clock train. There being no other way I had to stay in the City all night. The next morning at 7 o'clock we started (the train and I) left for the city of Free love at which, after a short and pleasant ride, I soon found myself. The station is about 3 miles from the city, and I took passage with the mail carrier, and reached here before nine o'clock.

The land along the road is very level until just before you reach the city is reached when a quite high hill has to be ascended.

This is a very pretty place. The town dwellings are all neat and have very tasty surroundings of trees and flowers. There are no poor looking houses here, and some that are realy splendid.

The only manufacturing that is going on here is that of molasses from sugar cane. There is a large steam mill in full blast, making about 200 gallons daily.

I am boarding at the Davis House a country town hotel 4 stories high. Three ladies and four other gents are boarding here and I assure you we have good times and a good place.

We have an upstairs parlor for our study room, well furnished and just the place to pass our evenings pleasantly and profitably.

We form ourselves--ladies and all--around the table and do our study in a sort of public way. Our parsing lessons we study all together, ask general questions on geography and discuss about the lectures we rec'd through the day. Mr. Fish is a splendid scholar and teacher, and this session is going to be of great value to me.

There are 6 gentlemen and about 15 ladies present. Saturday afternoon the class was excused, and we all went to visit a place called the "Pinnacle" which is about 1 ½ minutes northeast of here. It is a place about 200 ft. high, which overlooks a vast extent of beautiful scenery. From there the lake Erie can be seen from for miles. The city of Sandusky can be seen, it is said in a clear day. It is a new thing for me to see over the tops of trees and have a large extent of country spread out before me. Kelly's Island can be seen from here. From my window I can see, at night, the light on Marble Head, and in the day, when clear, the trees of the peninsula. There has been a great deal of talking around me, while I have been writing this; which, with my haste will help excuse my mistakes.

If I stay to the examination on Saturday I can not get home that day. I don't know yet as I will stay, but if I do not go you will know the reason. There are lots of chestnuts here.

Yours Truly,
G. W. Miller

November 29, 1863

[Port Clinton, Ohio]
Home, Nov. 29th 1863

Dear Brother

I suppose I should have written to you sooner than this, but have not done so for reasons unnecessary to mention. It snowed considerably last night & is quite cold today. Mr. Wayman preached in Crislie this morning. Quite a large number were out. Ann & Kate Anglebeck came home Friday night. Father went after them & came back by the way of Sandusky. School was out. i.e. closed last Tuesday. I have resigned my posist. & am going into better business. My successer, or one to fill the place I had engaged is not yet chosen & I dont know who they will get. Wilson came home & stayed over night last Monday, but had to go away Tuesday morning. He was to leave Columbus for the Reg't on Wednesday & must be nearly there by this time. Mr. Celonson's oldest girl died Friday morning & is to be buried tomorrow at twelve o'clock in the grave yard down to the dutch church. Mr. Song had a child scalded to death about a week ago by getting into a pail of soap suds when its mother was out of the room.

Philip Shook is still very much indisposed--has to keep his bed or lounge all the time. We finished husking corn a week ago. There was a husking B at Philips last Friday & we rattled his out in short order.

Perhaps you would like to know what my "better business" is that has caused me to give up my school. Well I will tell you. It is soldiering. I have enlisted in the 9th Ohio cavalry for "three years unless sooner discharged."

I saw a Capt in Sandusky who offered me a 2nd lieutenancy if I would raise a good squad of 15 or 20 men. As I had about concluded to go if I could get a privates, corporals' or serg'ts position, the bait he offered took & spent nearly all last week recruiting. Abe & brothers, Jim Johnson & Wm Britten are sworn in with me & it is go sure.

There are very fair prospects of getting quite a number of others & I will stand a chance of wearing stripes if not straps.

We will not go away probably before two weeks. The reg't is being organized at Camp Dennison. So you perceive you are elected to stay at home. I have never felt better in my life than since enlisting to serve my glorious country & defend the Stars & Stripes.

How are you getting along with your school? Have you got your certification yet? Write sometime--fill a whole sheet & tell us something. It is getting dark & I will have to deport from my usual custom & leave a part of this sheet well. I will will write to you again before I leave if I receive one from you. I think one of the Anglebeck boys will go with us & I expect to get [unreadable] in Erie.

Yours Truly
Geo W. Miller
Lieut 3rd Bat 9th OVC

MS 656 - Miller Family Papers, Introduction | List of Transcripts
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