William H. Lusk was captain and commander of Company B, Cole County Home Guards between 17 June and 1 Oct 1861. The Conners (Allen, Denis, Dennis, William, and William W. Conner) and the Rices (Daniel, James M., John P., Theron M., and Hiram C. Rice) were ALL in Company I (as in "Item") of the same regiment.

I could not find a Lusk in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th Regiments United States Reserve Corps (3 months units) of 1861 [There were only the five of them.]. All I found was John Luskandl, principal musician, who enlisted in 1st U.S. Reserve Corps Regiment 23 Apr 1861 at St. Louis, was mustered out 20 Aug 1861, also at St. Louis. Luskandl was a member of the detachment of enlisted men, unassigned, in the 1st Regiment U.S. Reserve Corp. From what you wrote, I don't see the connection between this man and any Captain Lusk.

I found all this using the MO Sec'y of State's Office, Missouri State Archives online search at http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/soldiers

Were the men you seek all from the Cole County area? Is that the connection?

Bruce Nichols