Michigan in the Civil War
Fox, William H., b. 1815
Fox was a doctor in Schoolcraft, Mich. His collection consists of two letters written to him.
Wesley N. Hower of Park, Mich., wrote one letter (Oct. 18, 1862). He tells briefly of foraging, taking prisoners, the weather, and a near skirmish between a Union cavalry group and a guard detail of the 25th Michigan Infantry because each group mistook the other for a Rebel unit. Hower enlisted in Company D, 25th Michigan Infantry, in 1862, and died of disease at Bowling Green, Ky., in March 1863. On this letter is a briefer letter from Elijah Reed of Lockport, Mich. (also Oct. 18, 1862) written from Bagdad, Ky., to William H. Fox. He tells briefly of guard duty, taking prisoners, and foraging. Reed was also in Company D, 25th Michigan Infantry.
Solomon Shirey of St. Joseph County, Mich., wrote the second letter (Jan. 30, 1863) from Murfreesboro. He tells of his sickness, describes the battlefield after the battle of Murfreesboro, and lists the casualties in his company. Shirey was in Company E,11th Michigan Infantry, 1861-1864. He was taken prisoner near Chattanooga, Oct. 2, 1863, and returned to his regiment a month later.