The Litchfield-French papers contain correspondence and documents related to the Civil War service of Allyne C. Litchfield and Lucius Carver and the Spanish-American War participation of Litchfield's son-in-law, Roy A. French.
The Litchfield-French papers consist of over 500 items ranging in date from February 15, 1862, to 1918, though the bulk of the collection lies between 1862 and 1899. The collection includes letters, documents, and several clippings, photographs, and receipts. Approximately 280 of the letters cover the period of Allyne Litchfield's Civil War service, including letters from Litchfield to his wife, letters among and between the Litchfield and Carver families (especially Lysander Carver and Susan Carver), and other correspondence pertaining to Allyne Litchfield. Approximately 100 letters relate to the Civil War service of Lucius Carver, Litchfield's brother-in-law, his death in combat, and attempts to retrieve his remains. Roy French either wrote or received around 65 letters, primarily during the 1890s.
Between early 1863 and Allyne Litchfield's capture in March 1864, he wrote near-daily letters to his wife, describing movements, battles, and camp-life, and expressing his love for her. On May 9, 1863, he described the exhaustion of cavalry forces, led by George Stoneman, to whom the 7th Michigan sent reinforcements: "you can imagine perhaps the condition of men and horses after being saddled and ridding [sic] for 7 days. One can see the bare bones on the backs of some of them." His letters of July 6 and 7, 1863, are almost entirely devoted to his experiences at Gettysburg, and contain his accounts of his horse falling on him after it was shot in battle, and his regiment's extremely heavy losses. At times, Litchfield's correspondence also reveals his managerial side, as in a letter from Michigan Governor Austin Blair, recounting an anonymous complaint about "Col. Man" (almost certainly Col. William D. Mann) and requesting Litchfield's perspective on the matter (June 18, 1863). Also of interest is a letter of December 19, 1863, in which Litchfield detailed having dinner with 24-year old George Armstrong Custer and expressed his admiration for him.
After his capture, Litchfield wrote infrequently; however, in his letter of March 16, 1864, he described his conditions: "I have been kept in an 8x12 feet cell… 4 negro soldiers with us." More prevalent are letters to Susan Litchfield from family members, expressing support for her and suggesting solace in religion. In the few letters to his wife, Litchfield generally communicated an optimistic attitude and gratitude for his good health, as in his letter of November 4, 1865, from prison in Columbia, South Carolina: "I have shelter, still retain my old overcoat and have plenty of blankets, which I am sorry to say is not the case with most of the officers."
The collection includes over 70 letters written by Lucius Carver to his friends and family in East Boston while he was serving with the 7th Michigan Cavalry between 1862 and 1864. Lucius Carver detailed his travels, camp life, military engagements, items he needed from home, and particulars of serving with the cavalry in Virginia. His letters provide vivid descriptions of battles, pickets, and movements of the cavalry. At times his letters are written on scraps of paper, as writing supplies were scarce, and occasionally include evidence that they were written in difficult circumstances, like on his knee while briefly stopped for rest (July 10, 1863). Prior to Allyne Litchfield's capture, Lucius Carver would make reference to him in his letters, and he frequently reminisced about home life and inquired after loved ones. A number of Lucius Carver's letters include pen-and-ink drawings, such as illustrations of hard tack and coffee (July 10, 1863), the layout of his camp quarters (December 25, 1863) and details of camp life like hunting for lice (undated). Other letters include portions done in rebus for his younger siblings (October 29, 1863) or feature manuscript maps relating to battles and his locations (November 24, 1863). The collection also includes correspondence from George R. Richards, a surgeon serving with the brigade, notifying the family of Lucius Carver's death, answering questions about his final days, and providing details about the location of his remains that were left on the battlefield. There are also letters written between members of the Carver family on the heels of Lucius Carver's death, reacting to the news and trying to coordinate the return of his body.
Very little correspondence exists between 1865 and 1893. In the latter year, Roy A. French began writing a series of letters to his relatives, which became more frequent when he joined the military. In 1898, he commenced writing to his future wife, Almira "Myra" French (daughter of Allyne and Susan French). He described "monotonous" camp life at Camp Townsend in Peekskill, New York (July 15, 1898), his voyage to Puerto Rico on the Chester, during which he was very seasick, and his observations of Ponce, Puerto Rico, including the people, their modes of transportation, and the wild fruits that he saw (July 15, 1898).
On September 25, 1898, he wrote from "Camp Starvation" ("that is what the regulars call this camp because we are fed so poorly"). He reported prolonged health problems, from which he would die in 1911.
The 64 documents and miscellaneous items include newspaper clippings, military and family documents (such as a will, a passport, and a wedding invitation), a wallet, and a metal nameplate. The documents include an undated battlefield map, likely produced by Lucius Carver, as well as expenses associated with retrieving Carver's remains (June 28, 1865). Of particular interest is a manuscript copy of a letter of recommendation for Litchfield by George A. Custer. The copy is dated February 24, 1881. Other items document Litchfield's service in India to some extent.