Morris Schaff

Morris Schaff (December 28, 1840 – October 19, 1929) was an American military officer and historian. A native of Etna Township, Ohio, he wrote several books relating to U.S. Civil War history and the history of Etna and Kirkersville, in Licking County.

Early life

Schaff was born on December 28, 1840, to John Schaff and Charlotte Hartzell Schaff on a farm in Etna Township, Ohio. Schaff lived in Kirkersville, Ohio, between 1849 and 1858, when he was appointed by Congressman Samuel S. Cox to attend the United States Military Academy. He graduated from West Point in June 1862 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Ordnance. Schaff excelled in academics and developed excellent military skills while at West Point.

Books and publications Schaff's books include: Etna and Kirkersville (Boston : Houghton, Mifflin and Co.; Cambridge, MA : Riverside Press, 1905) The Spirit of Old West Point 1858-1862 (Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1907) Battle of the Wilderness (Boston, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1910) Sunset of the Confederacy (Boston, J.W. Luce and Company, 1912) Jefferson Davis: His Life and Personality (Boston, J.W. Luce and Company, 1922)