Mecosta County MI Archives Biographies.....Morse, Willis November 21, 1830 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 17, 2009, 8:33 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers


WILLIS MORSE, farmer, sec. 12, Grant Tp., was born Nov. 21, 1830, at Concord, 
N.H.  His parents, Jacob and 

Nancy Morse, were both natives of New York.  Mr. Morse was reared to the 
vocation of agriculture, which he 

pursued until he was 31 years old, when the Southern Rebellion, with all its 
horrors and attendant 

calamities, made its fierce onset to destroy the national unity.

He enlisted Sept. 15, 1861, in Co. H, 44th N.Y. Vol. Inf., Col. Striker.  His 
regiment rendezvoused at 

Albany about five weeks, and then went to the front.  The first battle in 
which Mr. Morse engaged was at 

Yorktown, followed by that of Hanover Court-House, May 27, 1862, where he 
received a bad scalp wound from a 

minie ball.  After a lengthened stay in the hospital he was furloughed 30 
days.  When he rejoined his 

regiment at Harrison's Landing, the Union forces were falling back, and his 
command was detailed to protect 

the Federal Capital when Lee crossed.  Maryland with the exception that that 
State would rise to his aid, 

and the capture of Washington be a comparitive trifle.  But the rebel chief 
found his hopes vain, and, 

instead of establishing himself in the seat of the Union Government, he found 
battle precipitated at 

Gettysburg.  The regiment of Mr. Morse reached that most memorable field of 
the conflict on the second day 

of the fight, and at once went into action.  He was wounded twice in the head 
and removed to the hospital, 

whence he was sent to Baltimore.  Four months later he rejoined his regiment 
Fredericksburg, and was next 

in the fight at Chancellorsville, under Hooker; and after that most 
disasterous campaign, retreated to the 

northern bank of the Rappahannock, near Manassas.  After the second BUll Run 
fight he went to Alexandria, 

and thence to Washington Hospital, on the sick list.  He was transferred to 
the hospital at Point Lookout, 

and after four months agin rejoined his regiment.  The seven days' battles of 
the Wilderness ensued 

immediately, when Mr. Morse was captured.  He was held by the rebels about 36 
hours, when a charge was made 

by Gen. Custer and a rescue effected.  He accompanied the forces of the 
cavalry chief to City Point, and 

went back to his command via Washington.  He took part in all the battles 
where his regiment was engaged, 

until his discharge from service, Oct. 11, 1864.

He came to Michigan, and in July, 1866, entered a claim of 80 acres of land, 
where he established his 

homestead.  The entire tract was covered with heavy timber.  He has added to 
his estate by subsequent 

purchase, and now owns a fine landed property of 240 acres.  In politics he is 
independent.

He was married Nov. 21, 1871, to Ruth A., daughter of Elijah and Rhoda 
Blanchard, of chippewa, Mich.  Mrs. 

Morse was born Aug. 16, 1849, at Caton, Steuben Co., N.Y.  Of this marriage 
there are four children, born 

as follows:  Nancy R., March 29, 1874; Emmett L., May 8, 1875; Leonard E., 
Nov. 19, 1877, Orville T., Aug. 

19, 1879.

Additional Comments:
1883 Portrait & Bio Album of Mecosta Co.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/mecosta/bios/morse579nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/

File size: 3.7 Kb