Willis, George W. Letter While in the Civil War, 1874

(From Robert Willis, Genealogical Research, see Families)

Copy of a letter written 120 years ago by George W Willis Jr of Rankins Cree, Lawrence County, Ohio, while in Service, Co E, 5th W VA Inf.


Charleston, West Virginia

July 3, 1874

My dear wife and children

After my best respects to you all I can inform you that I am not very well at this time I have got the Diarrhea and has had it for 34 days but I am getting a good deal better sense we have got back here which was July 2d 64 well Betty you and Purlina wrote me a letter being dated June 2d I received it on last b)? day knight and this is Sunday following I am in Hope these few lines may find you all in the best of health you wrote for me to write to you and tell you who was our Officers , General Haunter is our Major Gen.

 He is over all the West VA, troops and General Sullivan he is what is called Major General he has charge of the first Division and Creek has the charge over the 24 Division which is the one we 5th VA is in and we are in the 1st Brigade 2DIV 8 army Corps General Haze is our Brigadier General there is 6 or 8 Regiments in a Brigade one General over each Brigade our Regmental Officers is not change yet us veterans still serve in our old Regts yet same as before well Betty we have bin to old Stanton Lexington Salem Liberty Buckhannon on the James River and from there to Lynchburg we was gone two months and had to do a good deal of hard fighting.

Well, Betty we had liked to all Starved to death on this trip we had to live on quarter rations for 20 days 5 days a bite now and then as we could get it at houses by force we had to rob for our lives or Starve and 5 days without anything our wagons meet us 15 miles the other side of our old Camp Ganley with plenty of provisions so when I say the wagons I was a good deal like Jacob of old when he say his sons wagons I could not keep from shedding tears and had like to a fainted and when I got something to eat I lay down thankful to God for his mercies and goodness to me and went to sleep after which I awoke I felt much better and come on until I have got just below the south of Elk River in site of Charleston. This is all at this time.

G W Willis

 Later captured, held 4 months in Libby Prison till Richmond was taken, died March 21, 1865 in Co 9 1st W VA det Inf near Cumberland, Md.

 His eldest son William T Willis, Co E 5th W VA Inf died Dec 28, 1862 at Parkesburg, Pa in U S Army, Gen Hosp.

 His 2nd son Oliver (Dink) Willis, served in Co A 173rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (died 1914 at South Point, Ohio).