An Ephemeris Kept by Loren Webb

By Jonathan Webb Deiss, 2011




This work is an effort to present, chronologically, in contemporary words and images the life and times of a man whose life was cut short by illness, but in that short life exhibited some qualities we should all admire and aspire to. 

This work would not have been possible without the prior work of Matthew Burr, military historian and Vice-President of the Firelands Historical Society who spent many nights and weekends patiently transcribing the handwritten journal of Loren Webb. It was Loren Webb’s great-grandchildren, David Hester and Elizabeth Phillips and her husband Vinton, who had copies of the transcribed diary duplicated, bound and distributed to other family members. After being contacted by Vinton Phillips by email, and some ensuing correspondence, I was sent a copy of the Diary. Immediately, I fell in love with the story and the finding out about the lives of the people mentioned in it became a passion that has endured for a decade - and I am still finding more information. It has been the support and encouragement of family and friends which has made my work seem like such a joy, and an easy labor. 


There has been an effort, in this document, to present the life of Loren Webb, as closely to the way he would have seen it as possible, using contemporary accounts, presented verbatim, unencumbered by unnecessary interpretative narrative.

Frankly, when I started this work in 1999 I didn't have the background to present a coherent or authoritative thesis concerning such a daunting subject as the civil war, militia units, battlefield tactics, evangelical Christianity, or the life of a student and preacher in the nineteenth century. But I spent more than ten years studying this man, his effects, the soldiers he served with, spent countless hours examining documents at the National Archives and other repositories until I felt comfortable that I could do this man's life and the subject due justice. Now I am considered a decent source for information on the Civil War and work to help others uncover the records that enable them to tel their own stories from history.

What I hope to present here on this blog and on the Facebook and Twitter pages of Loren Webb are the sources, illustrating the impetus behind the life of the man, also highlighting the influences, and obligations felt and carried by him. This evidence, free of interpretation, is compelling enough in its onw light to present a view of Loren Webb as a true Christian Soldier, as Matthew Burr pointed out in his prologue to the first transcription.

So, what was Loren Webb doing before the war? We can read it in his own words, from his pension application of 1879 : "From April to August 1858, I resided at Roscoe, Goodhue Co., Minnesota, occupation farming. In August of that year I moved to Illinois, Madison Co. near Edwardsville engaged in farming until Jan 1st 1859. From that date to April 1st I taught school near Troy, same co. From April 1st to Jan 1st, 1860 my residence was at Brighton, Magoupin Co., Ill. Occupation farming and selling pumps. Jan 1st 1860 I entered McKendree College at Lebanon, St. Clair Co. Ill continued two (2) terms. From Sept to April 1861 taught school near Mascoutah, Ill. When I enlisted at said place." 

For Loren Webb the war was only one day away.