Special Collections

Finding Aid for the Miller-Avent Papers
(MUM01762)

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Finding Aid for the Miller-Avent Papers

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Descriptive Summary
PURL:	http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM01762/
Title:	Miller-Avent Papers
Inclusive Dates:	1851-1960
Bulk Dates:	1861-1863
Collector:	Avent, Tom; Silver, James W. (James Wesley), 1907-1988
Physical Extent:	1 box (0.417 linear feet)
Repository:	University of Mississippi. Department of Archives and Special Collections. University, MS 38677, USA
Identification:	MUM01762
Location:	General Special Collections
Language of Material:	English
Abstract:	The collection is primarily the Civil War correspondence of the Miller family, whose father and sons served in the 42nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Co. F.

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Administrative Information

Acquisition Information

Received from the Avent family, 2011

Processing Information

Collection processed by Jennifer Ford, January 2012. Finding aid encoded by Kathryn
Michaelis, March 2012.

Additions

No further additions are expected to this collection.

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Subject Terms

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Formats

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Biographical Note

Colonel Hugh R. Miller and his son, Edwin Miller, of Pontotoc, Miss., served in the
42nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Co. F. during the United States Civil War.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection includes the correspondence of the Miller family of Pontotoc County,
Mississippi. Letters include those of Colonel Hugh R. Miller and his son, Edwin, written
while serving in Virginia with the 42nd Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Co. F. Much
of the correspondence is with S.G. Miller, wife of Hugh and mother of Edwin, who moved
to Virginia to be closer to her family.

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User Information

Preferred Citation

Miller-Avent Papers, Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library, The
University of Mississippi

Access Restrictions

The Miller-Avent Papers are open for research.

Copyright Restrictions

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the
making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under
certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized
to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions
is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other
than private study, scholarship or research.” If a user makes a request for,
or
later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,”
that user may be liable for copyright infringement.

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Related Material

Resources at the University of Mississippi

Miller Family Papers (MUM00297), Archives and Special Collections, J.D. Williams Library

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Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically.

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Container List

Folder 1.1

Handwritten Letter Signed. W.H. to “My Dear Sir” [Capt. Hugh R. Miller], 10 May [?]

Scope: Columbus. 2pp. Visit to Columbus; Aberdeen, MS; government posts.

Folder 1.2

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller]. Culpeper C.H., 26 October [?]

Scope: 6pp. The unreliability of the mail; Whiting’s Brigade; Cousin Eliza; his coat; George and Eddy; Mrs. Faulkner.

Folder 1.3

Handwritten Letter Signed. W.D. Holder to Judge Miller [Hugh R. Miller], 21 July 1851

Scope: Pontotoc. 1p.

Folder 1.4

Handwritten Letter Signed. [Poston Scruggs] to Hon. H.R. Miller. 22 July 1858

Scope: Memphis, Tenn. 3pp.

Folder 1.5

Handwritten Letter Signed. [Poston Scruggs] to Hon. H.R. Miller, 25 August 1858

Scope: Memphis, Tenn. 2pp.

Folder 1.6

Handwritten Letter Signed. [Poston Scruggs] to Hon. H.R. Miller, 13 September 1858

Scope: Memphis, Tenn. 2pp.

Folder 1.7

Handwritten Letter Signed. W.S. Featherston to Hon. H.R. Miller, 28 February 1860

Scope: Holly Springs, Miss. 1p. Note of John S. Ratliff; paying the balance due; favors.

Folder 1.8

Handwritten Letter Signed. [Poston Scruggs] to Hon. H.R. Miller, 22 March 1860

Scope: Memphis, Tenn. 3pp.

Folder 1.9

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Child” [Edwin Miller], 11 March 1861

Scope: 4pp. Disappointment over not receiving a letter; Cousin’s college career and example; Mr. Mooser; George; Cousin John and the pistols for his company; Mollie Anderson.

Folder 1.10

Typed Transcript. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 17 November 1861

Scope: George and Eddy; Sadness at being parted; Bristoe Station; enemy and “fire encircling us”; Mr. Mooser; finances; Col. Faulkner. This is a typed transcript of the original. We do not have the original in the collection.

Folder 1.11

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller]. Bristoe Station, 28 November 1861

Scope: 4pp.

Folder 1.12

Handwritten Letter Signed. Ja. W. to “Dear Judge” [Hugh R. Miller], 30 April 1862

Scope: 1p. Conscript Act; records and archives of the government; removing records from Richmond to Columbia, S.C.

Folder 1.13

Document Signed. Amount due Private Edwin Miller, 1 July 1862

Scope: 1p.

Folder 1.14

Handwritten Letter. [S.G. Miller] to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 3 July 1862

Scope: Pontotoc, Miss. 4pp. Recent mail; sad letters from her children; return of Hugh Miller to Virginia; her travel to Virginia; Jackson’s fight on the 23rd; their future; Dr. Taggert; George and Eddy; carnage at Richmond; hopeful close of war; army at Tupelo; Yankee cavalry at Ripley, MS; burning of cotton; Patrick.

Folder 1.15

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 16 August 1862

Scope: Pontotoc, Miss. 4pp. Recent mail; Mr. Mooser; state of things in Pontotoc, MS; people traveling to Virginia; swindling in Pontotoc, MS; possible sickness of Hugh Miller; conscripts; Cousin John; Cousin Will; Brother Andrew; Patrick; Stuart’s cavalry in the valley.

Folder 1.16

Handwritten Letter Signed. Edwin Miller to “My Dear Mother” [S.G. Miller], 7 September 1862

Scope: Richmond, VA. 3pp. Mr. [Topp] leaving for MS; Second Manassas; army crossing into Maryland rumor; George and his letter; Patrick.

Folder 1.17

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 29 October 1862

Scope: Pontotoc, Miss. 4pp. Recent mail; Edwin and their children; Cousin John and Robert; slaves running off; people leaving Pontotoc, MS; intended trying to get to Georgia; uncertainty of what to do; Miller’s law library; saving their possessions; Yankee’s gaining possession of area; crops; Braxton Bragg.

Folder 1.18

Typed Transcript. [S.G.] Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 21 November 1862

Scope: Pontotoc, Miss. Letter sent by George; Eddy; departure of Bro. Andrew for Sunflower; Confederate Army falling back in the area; Brother Robert moving the slaves; Bragg and North Mississippi; Col. Faulkner retreating to Pontotoc; depression among the people; refugees and stragglers; George’s movements in the area. This is a typed transcript of the original. We do not have the original in the collection.

Folder 1.19

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 29 November 1862

Scope: 4pp.

Folder 1.20

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 3 December 1862

Scope: Pontotoc, Miss. 4pp. Falling back of the Confederate army in Miss.; Mr. Denton; Jimmy’s camp; Oxford; Okolona; Brother Robert; Robert Edmondson; Mr. Cook; no safe place in Miss.; Meridian; cavalry in Tennessee; George; Edwin; and Patrick.

Folder 1.21

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 10 December 1862

Scope: Pontotoc, Miss. 3pp. Moving items of value away from the Northern armies; slaves; Cousin John and Brother Robert; Mr. Daggett; Mr. Gordon; stealing of horses; abolitionists in Oxford; her baggage is at Okolona; George anxious to be off; Mr. Drake; difficulty of getting recruits; Edwin.

Folder 1.22

Handwritten Document. Adjit & Insp’r Generals Office. General Orders No. 3., 9 January 1863

Folder 1.23

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller]. 16 February 1863

Scope: 3pp. Patrick and the regimental baggage; anxious about family; Miller’s clothing; Mr. Lane; Edwin and George.

Folder 1.24

Handwritten Letter Signed. R.A. Miller to “Dear Brother,” 22 February 1863

Scope: Pontotoc, Miss. 4pp. Miles Pegues; Yankees coming to Pontotoc; Van Dorn forces falling back from Holly Springs, Miss.; stealing of horses; Cousin John; Mr. Daggert and letter; Mr. Clemon; Grenada not being safe; love to Susan and the boys.

Folder 1.25

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 23 February 1863

Scope: 2pp.

Folder 1.26

Handwritten Letter Signed. “Your Son” to “My Dear Mother” [S.G. Miller], 12 March 1863

Scope: Camp 7 miles from Franklin, VA. 4pp. Recent letter; field officers of the 42nd; General Davis; Quakers in the area; furloughs.

Folder 1.27

Handwritten Document Signed. General Orders No.9. Hd. Qrs. Davis Brigade, 13 March 1863

Scope: 1p.

Folder 1.28

Handwritten Document Signed. General Orders No. 25. Hd. Qrs. Dept. Va. and N.C. 16 March 1863

Scope: Petersburg, Va. 1p.

Folder 1.29

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 3 April 1863

Scope: Cumberland, Va. 2pp. Recent letter; her sickness; Edwin’s visit home; money; relatives in Virginia.

Folder 1.30

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 10 April 1863

Scope: Cumberland. 4pp. Her recovery from sickness; last letter two weeks ago; raid of abolitionists; war spirit in the North; riot in Richmond; Jefferson Davis; Eddy; Ellen Denton’s letter; deserters.

Folder 1.31

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 13 April 1863

Scope: Cumberland. 2pp. Her sickness; a “diabolical deed” done to Hugh R. Miller; suffering; children; recent letter.

Folder 1.32

Handwritten Letter Signed. [Edwin] Miller to “My Dear Mother” [S.G. Miller], 27 April 1863

Scope: 4pp.

Folder 1.33

Handwritten Letter Signed. Edwin [Miller] to “My Dear Mother” [S.G. Miller], 7 May 1863

Scope: 3pp. Troop movements; crossing the river; haste of march.

Folder 1.34

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 13 May 1863

Scope: Cumberland, Va. 4pp. Recent letter; affairs before Suffolk; summer campaigns; religion; death of General Jackson; Whigs; Jefferson Davis; Robert E. Lee; money; Cousin William Clark; her possessions and plans for staying in the area.

Folder 1.35

Handwritten Letter Signed. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Husband” [Hugh R. Miller], 24 June 1863

Scope: 4pp. Recent letter from Hugh R. Miller; God and religion; not going home until campaign is over; Jim Rixey; relatives in Virginia; letter from Mississippi; slaves; Mr. Daggett; their crop and slaves; the enemy at Vicksburg.

Folder 1.36

Typed Transcript. S.G. Miller to “My Precious Child” [George Miller], 29 June 1863

Scope: Cumberland, Va. Recent letter from George and Edward; Richmond and Fredericksburg; finances; God and religion; Ginnie; Annie; and Aunt Sue. This is a typed transcript of the original. We do not have the original in the collection.

Folder 1.37

Handwritten Letter Signed. R.K. Byrn to George Miller, 6 January 1874

Scope: Booneville, Miss. 1p.

Folder 1.38

Empty envelopes

Folder 1.39

Handwritten Note Signed. “Jim” [Dr. James Silver] to “Tom” [Tom Avent], 15 August 1960

Scope: 1p. Adding material to the Miller Papers.