Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

This collection consists of 4 letters that Private Josephus W. Voodry wrote to his sister and to a female friend during his service with the 3rd Vermont Infantry Regiment, Company G, between 1861 and 1863. He discussed military life, his eagerness to participate in battle, and an August 1863 visit to the battlefield at Gettysburg.

This collection consists of 4 letters (16 pages) that Private Josephus W. Voodry wrote to his sister (1 item) and to a "Sarah," a female friend (3 items), during his service with the 3rd Vermont Infantry Regiment, Company G, between 1861 and 1863. He discussed military life, his eagerness to participate in battle, and an August 1863 visit to the battlefield at Gettysburg.

In his early letters, Voodry expressed his disdain for the Confederate cause and his eagerness to participate in battle, a sentiment somewhat lessened by the time he wrote his final letter in August 1863. In his letter of October 12, 1861, he commented on hearing shellfire and on visits from General George McClellan and Napoleon III. On January 9, 1862, Voodry stated that his unit had not yet engaged in battle and that he had not seen much blood beyond having a tooth pulled that morning. Voodry's final letter, written on August 9, 1863, contains his description of the Gettysburg battlefield shortly after the fighting.

• August 10, 1861: Red, white, and blue. Woman holding an American flag, accompanied by a four-line poem.
• October 12, 1861: Red, white, and blue. "The Shield of Liberty," accompanied by the dates 1776 and 1861.
• January 9, 1862: Purple. Soldier standing in front of tents, resting his arm on the state seal of Pennsylvania.
• August 9, 1863: Red, white, and blue. Patriotic shield in front of a five-pointed star, with the words "North," West," East," and South."

The Julius Bromet papers are made up of letters, postcards, and a diary that Bromet wrote while serving with the 305th Field Hospital (later the 305th Ambulance Company) during World War I. In his letters to his parents and brother, Bromet described his experiences at Camp Upton, New York, and in France; his diary pertains to his time in France during and after the war. The collection has four photographs.

The Julius Bromet papers are contains 145 letters and postcards and a diary that Bromet wrote while serving with the 305th Field Hospital (later the 305th Ambulance Company) at Camp Upton, New York, and in France during and after World War I. The collection also has 4 photographs: 2 photographs attached to the letter of December 7, 1917, and 2 in a separate series.

The Correspondence series consists of 145 letters and from Julius Bromet to his parents, Solomon and Annie Bromet; his brother, Louis Bromet; and "Minnie and Baby;" all letters were sent to his father's home in Brooklyn, New York. From March 7, 1917, to March 14, 1917, and again from December 9, 1917, to April 2, 1918, he wrote from Camp Upton on Long Island, New York, about his training and equipment. He also related rumors of his unit's upcoming transfer to Europe. After a brief period with the 152nd Depot Brigade in December 1917, Bromet returned to the 305th Field Hospital, which traveled to France via England in April 1918. In one 10-page letter from April 1918, he described his transatlantic voyage.

After his arrival in France around April 21, 1918, Bromet wrote about aspects of life near the front, including his account of witnessing a German and French "aeroplane fight" (July 26, 1918), and reported rumors that an armistice was imminent. After the war, he was stationed near Chaumont and Solesmes, France, where he described the scenery and conveyed the pleasures of sleep unhindered by the sounds of airplane raids and machine guns (November 12, 1918), though he admitted having an eerie feeling about the silence (November 14, 1918). He left France in May 1919. Two photographs of a soldier are enclosed in his letter of December 5, 1918. Illustrated postcards of various French scenes; new recruits at Camp Upton, New York (4 items, December 4, 1917); and several uniformed soldiers (3 items, undated). Bromet's co-workers sent him a postcard wishing him a safe return from the war (December 7, 1917).

Julius S. Bromet kept a Diary (53 pages) between April 6, 1918, and May 7, 1919, during his service in France. In daily entries, he noted the weather and interesting occurrences, such as a burial at sea during the voyage to France (April 18, 1918) and a close encounter with falling shrapnel (May 9, 1918). He also witnessed occasional air raids and unfavorably compared U.S. Army quarters to British quarters. He wrote his final entry just after arriving in Hoboken, New Jersey, on May 7, 1919, and expected to be mustered out within the next two days; he wrote down "Thurs May 8" but did not complete the entry. The diary also contains addresses and a list of letters that Bromet mailed home.

The Photographs series includes a portrait of a soldier, which is housed in a frame with the word "Welcome," illustrations of American flags, and the date (May 10, 1919), and a picture of a man and three women in a domestic environment. Two additional photographs are attached to the letter of December 5, 1918.

The Kate Pierce papers consist of letters sent to Pierce by several writers, including her brother, Franklin, a soldier in the 15th New York Engineers; Edward Brady, of the 13th U.S. Infantry; and several female friends. Also included are several school exercises.

The Kate Pierce papers consist of 36 letters written to Kate, 4 school exercises, and 3 photographs, spanning 1859-1873. Kate Pierce's brother, Franklin, wrote 14 letters in the collection, describing his experiences with the 15th New York Engineers in 1864-1865. In several of these, he described his duties: on October 12, 1864, he wrote, "…our folks tore down brick houses belonging to the rebels in side of the works that we are building. You can see the avenues leading up to the cellars still remaining[.] Shrubs and bushes graveled walks all denoting that wealthy planters owned them…". He also noted his gratitude for the U.S. Christian Commission (December 24, 1864), and described a prolonged stay in the hospital, which was "warm" and a "good place to sleep" (January 12, 1865). In many letters, he requested family news and expressed pride in having a number of female penpals.

The collection also includes eight letters to Kate from Edward Brady, a musician in Company F, 13th U.S. Infantry, stationed at Fort Bridger, Wyoming. Shortly after Brady placed an advertisement requesting a penpal in a newspaper, they began corresponding. In his first letter to her (March 5, 1871), he thanked her for her "kindness in noticing my poor Advertisement (and especially from a soldier).” In his letters, Brady discussed the difficulty of educating oneself while in the army (March 5, 1871: "if one's Comrades see one improving his time by study…they would never leave off plaguing him and playing him tricks until he should quit in disgust…"). He also discussed his motivations for joining the military (March 25, 1871), described the country surrounding Fort Bridger (April 15, 1871), and recounted desertions (May 29, 1871). In his letter of July 29, 1871, Brady included two carte-de-visite photographs of himself and described a confrontation with "an Organization formed, among the Mormons for the avowed purpose of fighting against the United States in case the Law against some of there [sic] so called privileges was enforced." Correspondence from Brady ended abruptly after he asked Kate if he could write to her "as though to a sister" (December 15, 1871).

Also present in the collection are four brief compositions written by Kate Pierce: "Order of Exercise," "Imagination," "Sleigh Ride," and an untitled piece beginning "There are 'dark hours' in everyones [sic] lifetime mingled with pain and despair." All appear to date from the 1860s.

This scrapbook contains correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and ephemera related to the soldiers' canteen that Katharine G. Prest hosted at her home in Lancaster, Massachusetts, between June 1941 and August 1945.

This scrapbook contains around 120 pages of correspondence, photographs, newspaper clippings, and ephemera related to the soldiers' canteen that Katharine G. Prest hosted at her home in Lancaster, Massachusetts, between June 1941 and August 1945.

Soldiers stationed throughout the United States and in both major theaters of war frequently wrote to Prest, expressing their gratitude for her hospitality and sometimes reporting on their experiences after leaving Massachusetts; soldiers' wives and mothers occasionally thanked Prest as well. Emily J. Nichols, who worked for the American Red Cross at Fort Devens, corresponded with Prest about upcoming events for wounded men. The servicemen sent manuscript letters, V-mail letters, postcards, and Christmas cards. Many of the postcards include cartoons and other illustrations, most frequently regarding military life. Snapshots and formal portraits show groups of young men and women relaxing at the Prests' home, often near the pool, and soldiers in uniform at various locations.

Prest collected newspaper clippings about her wartime activities and about the war, particularly related to soldiers' experiences in the European Theater. Some clippings include photographs of Prest. The scrapbook contains a small number of printed programs, song lyrics, insignia patches, and a pin from the 101st Cavalry Regiment. One page consists of several soldiers' drawings, including a caricature of Adolf Hitler with target values printed on various parts of his body. A colored illustration commemorating the 101st Cavalry Regiment and several portraits of unidentified individuals are drawn directly into the volume. Later items include awards and certificates of thanks that Prest received from various organizations (undated, WWII era), an award celebrating her commitment to fighting cancer (1951), and a birth announcement (written on a photograph) (January 25, 1954).

Two items pre-date United States involvement in the war: a 1930 group photograph of the "Lawyer's Club" (including William M. Preston), and a 1940 book entitled Yuletide in Many Lands.

This collection is made up of eight letters written by Private/Corporal Lauren Bray while in France with the American Expeditionary Forces, to friends and family in Kansas City, Missouri, April 1918-October 1919. The letters regard family business, daily life as a clerk in the office of the Assistant Provost Marshal, and cities in France. The letters bear color, printed "American Y.M.C.A," "American Expeditionary Forces," and "American Red Cross" letterheads.

This collection is made up of eight letters written by Private/Corporal Lauren Bray while in France with the American Expeditionary Forces, to friends and family in Kansas City, Missouri, April 1918-October 1919. The letters regard family business, daily life as a clerk in the office of the Assistant Provost Marshal, and cities in France. Private Bray often emphasized that receiving mail from loved ones was a great morale boost in the daily life of soldiers. The letters bear color, printed "American Y.M.C.A," "American Expeditionary Forces," and "American Red Cross" letterheads.

The Leach family papers are primarily comprised of the Civil War correspondence of the three Leach brothers to their sister in Cranston, Rhode Island. Joseph and Edwin Leach served in the 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, and Leander Leach, in the 2nd Rhode Island Infantry.

The collection consists of 100 letters, spanning 1857-1865. The most frequent writer was Edwin Leach, who contributed 64 letters, while Joseph wrote 19, and Leander wrote 7. Edwin's letters cover 1861 through 1864, and he wrote all but three to his sister, Anna. Edwin's letter from July 13, 1862, also includes a note from Anna to their brother, Joseph, as she forwarded the letter. Edwin's letters described camp life, fighting, and the hardships of war, such as cold weather, mud, and boils. On April 26, 1862, he wrote a letter describing the siege of Yorktown and noted, "you wanded [sic] to know if I was friten when we was in the fight I was in the first of it but when I had ben in there a little while I dind care … " Edwin also described the pervasive illness in the camps: "the guys is gitting sick we havd got men enough to work the Battery" (May 31, 1862).

Joseph's letters, also written primarily to Anna Leach, span 1861-1862 and contain rich details about camp life, movements of the battery, and battles. On August 26, 1861, he wrote a description of Washington, D.C., in wartime: "the streets is all dirt and hogs cows and every thing else runging around in the streets." He also expressed cynicism about payment: "I don't think that they will pay us untill we go into a battle and get some of us killed of and then they will not have so many to pay." In addition, he mentioned an axe fight between men and officers (November 7, 1861), gave his negative opinion of General Charles Pomeroy Stone's decisions at the battle of Ball's Bluff (February 12, 1862), and described the respiratory illness that led to his medical discharge in 1862 (March 12, 1862).

Leander entered the war in 1864, when he was only around sixteen years old. His letters include family news, his picket and cooking duties, and briefly recount a skirmish at Petersburg, Virginia (March 28, 1865). Leander wrote to both his brother Edwin, and his sister Anna.

Friends and relatives wrote an additional 11 letters to Anna, including two letters by Nathan B. Searle, of the 3rd Rhode Island Heavy Artillery. These letters shed light on Anna's friendships and provide some additional details concerning the Leach family.

This collection contains 10 letters that Lee and Grace De Graff and their son, Lee De Graff, Jr., received from men serving in the United States Armed Forces during and just after the Second World War.

This collection contains 10 letters that Lee and Grace De Graff and their son, Lee De Graff, Jr., received from members of the United States Armed Forces during and just after the Second World War. The first items are a letter in which Private Frederick T. Davis commented on machine gun training at the Air Forces Technical School at Lowry Field, Colorado (January 2, 1942), and a letter from Staff Sergeant Buddy Montana, a relative of the De Graff family, about his busy schedule and his correspondence habits (January 27, 1944).

The De Graffs' nephew, sailor Hugh Brown ("Hughie"), wrote 5 letters while stationed on P.C. 494 and serving in the Philippines from June 1944-April 1946. He requested information about family members in New York and provided his impressions of the Philippines; in one letter to Lee De Graff, Jr., Brown described local women (June 9, 1945). In another letter, he commented on the recent success of the New York Yankees, whom he followed while recovering from tonsillitis in a Brooklyn hospital, enclosing 5 humorous (unrelated) cartoons (April 6, 1946). By the end of the war, Brown was stationed in Subic Bay, Luzon, and intended to return home and marry a woman named Peggy (undated).

Lee and Grace De Graff also received a letter and a Christmas card from Private William W. Kosboth of the 304th Medical Battalion, as well as a V-mail letter from William H. Whipple, who included a Christmas card from the 14th Air Force ([1945]). The final item is a typed speech by M. A. De Graff urging donations for the Second Red Cross War Fund (undated).

Lewis Hickok's journal contains brief daily entries for 1863, describing his service during the seige and occupation of Vicksburg in the Civil War.

The diary of Lewis T. Hickok is a product of the flux inherent in military service during the Civil War, the alternation between long days of boredom and moments of intense excitement. Through very brief entries for each day in 1863, Hickok sketches a picture of service centered almost exclusively on the siege and subsequent occupation of Vicksburg. Since Hickok (and the limited space available in the diary) unintentionally imposed a two- or three-sentence limit on each entry, the diary sheds little light on any particular topic, however, since he wrote every day, it provides good documentation of the movements of the regiment, and, along with his occasional side comments, an intriguing picture of a quixotic individual who apparently could never quite conform to military life.

The inside cover of the diary also includes the name of John Kidston, a recruit who died in Battle on May 18, 1863. The reason for the inclusion of Kidston's name is obscure.

This collection is a series of four letters written by Louis Bevens during his time at Camp MacArthur in Waco, Texas, in November 1918. He addressed them to family members in Kansas City, Missouri, including his mother, brother, and sister-in-law. Bevens wrote about rheumatic pain in his leg, making it home for Christmas dinner, and need for employment. The letters have colored, printed "Knights of Columbus War Activities" letterheads.

The Louis E. Bevens letters are a series of four letters written by Bevens during his time at Camp MacArthur in Waco, Texas, in November 1918. He addressed them to family members in Kansas City, Missouri, including his mother, brother, and sister-in-law. Bevens wrote about rheumatic pain in his leg, making it home for Christmas dinner, and need for employment. The letters have colored, printed "Knights of Columbus War Activities" letterheads.

This collection consists of 17 letters Marinus Heyboer wrote to his brother Harry while training with the United States Army's 308th Field Artillery Regiment and 310th Field Hospital at Camp Dix, New Jersey, between February and April 1918. Heyboer discussed his training exercises, food, and other aspects of military life, in addition to responding to news of Harry's wife and young child.

This collection consists of 17 letters Marinus Heyboer wrote to his brother Harry while training with the United States Army's 308th Field Artillery Regiment and 310th Field Hospital at Camp Dix, New Jersey, between February and April 1918. Heyboer discussed his training exercises, food, and other aspects of military life, in addition to responding to news of Harry's wife and young child.

Marinus composed 7 dated letters at Camp Dix between February 23, 1918, and late April 1918, as well as 10 undated letters covering the period between his arrival at Camp Dix and his departure for Europe. After initially joining Battery B of the 308th Field Artillery Regiment, Heyboer began medical training with the 310th Field Hospital. He told Harry about several training exercises, such as drilling, attending lectures, practicing with field guns, and experiencing gas in the "gas chambers." He also commented on his experiences with horses, which included cleaning up after the animals and witnessing a fatal accident. Heyboer frequently responded to news of his parents and inquired about Harry's wife and baby, Marie and Harry Jr. In one letter, he described two African American regiments that were also training at Camp Dix (March 16, 1918).