This collection contains 20th-century transcriptions of 18 letters originally written by John Eugene Allen in 1862 and 1863 to his mother and his brother, Isaac W. Allen. They pertain to his Civil War service in Company E of the 22nd Maine Volunteer Regiment.
The letters were sent from Camp John Pope, Maine; Arlington Heights and Newport News, Virginia; Fort Monroe, Chesapeake General Hospital; at and near New Orleans; Franklin City and Washington, Louisiana. In his letters, John Eugene Allen wrote about the everyday life of a soldier, as well as details of other men who enlisted from Lincoln, Maine. He discussed notable events such as the company's public reception as they traveled to the front, the sunken vessels USS Cumberland and USS Congress, sickness and a small pox quarantine, and details of a battle in Louisiana. The letters occasionally reflect on broader topics, like military events and prejudiced reflections on slavery and race.
The transcriptions were produced around 1922 by John Eugene Allen's brother, Isaac Webber Allen. Isaac Allen included a dedication "To the descendants of John Allen, and Hannah Sleeper Peaslee Allen" and a note to Charles Clayton Allen describing the intentions behind the effort. I. W. Allen also included annotations throughout the volume providing clarifying and additional information. A copy of the letter informing Isaac Allen of his brother's death, dated July 3, 1863, is also included. A copy of the poem "The Question" is the final item in the volume, accompanied by two clipped patriotic images of an American flag and shield.
John Eugene Allen was born on October 25, 1839, in Lincoln, Maine, to John Allen and Hannah Sleeper Allen. He had at least three siblings, Isaac, Charles, and Joseph. He enlisted in September 1862, and he served with Company E of the 22nd Maine Volunteer Regiment. He died on June 14, 1863, during the siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana.
