This collection (16 items) is made up of biographical sketches, narratives, and a poem about the Civil War experiences of several Union soldiers.
William D. T. Travis collected 13 Biographical Sketches and Letters about 11 Union soldiers and sailors, written in many hands. Some of the items are incomplete, and many are dated during the war; each is between 2 and 20 pages. The material primarily concerns the subjects' Civil War service, though some include details about pre-war activities. John Franklin Miller and John A. McClernand are represented by 2 items each, and the biography of Oliver O. Howard is signed by J. G. Blaine. One item is a narrative account of the 37th Indiana Infantry Regiment's participation in the Battle of Stones River, and the final item is a letter by a soldier stationed at Chattanooga, Tennessee, in December 1863.
The Writings series (4 items) contains prose and poetry about the Civil War. William D. T. Travis wrote a poem about the Battle of Belmont (November 12, 1861). The other, unattributed items pertain to the Union Army's actions at Murfreesboro, Tennessee, after the Battle of Stones River (2 pages); the strategic advantages of the Union capture of Chattanooga, Tennessee (2 pages); and the Civil War service of the 22nd Illinois Infantry Regiment.
William D. T. Travis ("Bill") was born in Virginia around 1840, the son of John W. and Margaret A. Travis. The Travis family moved to Grandview, Illinois, before 1860, and Travis, an artist, served in Company I of the 22nd Illinois Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Following the war, he lived in Paris, Illinois; Kansas, Illinois; and Burlington, New Jersey. He married Emma Allison. William D. T. Travis died on July 24, 1916.
