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

This collection holds the family and business papers of George Croghan, a hero in the War of 1812 and the inspector general of New Orleans from 1825-1845.

The Correspondence series holds the family and business papers of George Croghan. The earliest item is a brief letter from Christopher Clark to Francis Meriwether, May 26, 1794, regarding land. The items from 1814 to 1840 are primarily official missives to Croghan, when he served in military and governmental capacities as a major, postmaster, and inspector general. These concern enlistments, operational expenses, and debts. Beginning in 1837, many of the letters are addressed to George's brother, Dr. John Croghan, including 27 letters written by George. Another personal item is a brief letter from Croghan to his mother, dated 1837.

The Documents and Financial records series consists primarily of Croghan family land purchases and transactions in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. An item from May 28, 1817, contains a small map of a plot of Kentucky land being sold. Other documents include receipts for baggage transportation; an account for the income and expenses of the New Orleans Post office, dated 1825; and a number of debtors’ notes and bank receipts that document his money problems from 1825 until his death.

The Printed Material series contains three items: a memorial pamphlet printed by Croghan Bank, Fremont, Ohio, honoring Colonel Croghan for his heroism at Fort Stevens, with a portrait of Croghan as a young man; an informational circular, addressed to Dr. John Croghan (1846), from Lyman C. Draper, advertising his book, Lives of the Pioneers, a biography of prominent pioneers of Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the western borders of Pennsylvania, Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia; and a brief from the Edmonson Circuit Court on George Croghan's petition for the removal of Nicholson and others as trustees of the Mammoth Cave estate, 1902.

The Griffin family papers contain the letters of a family from Sempronius, New York, and are comprised primarily of correspondence from Lavalette and Reynolds Griffin while serving with the 75th New York Volunteers during the Civil War.

The Griffin family papers contain the letters of the Griffin Family of Sempronius, New York, and are comprised primarily of correspondence from Lavalette and Reynolds Griffin while serving with the 75th New York Volunteers during the Civil War. The collection is composed of 20 letters, 4 miscellaneous compositions, 2 newspaper clippings, and 16 photographs and negatives.

The Correspondence series contains 20 letters, four of which date before the war. The earliest letter is from a group of men, including Daniel Griffin, to their landlord requesting that their credit be extended, because of a bad harvest (1799). The next two are between Adnah H. Griffin and Ephraim, Louisa and Jane Griffin, and concern family issues (1835). Gideon Wales (resident of Pike Pond, [New Hampshire]) wrote a letter to Jennie L. McConnell, in which he discussed many of his relative's struggles with mental illness.

The Civil War letters are from brothers Lavalette and Reynolds Griffin and are primarily addressed to their parents, Adnah H. Griffin and Jane Reynolds Griffin, and their sisters Loretta and Jennie Griffith. The letters were written from several camps in Virginia and Louisiana, and from on board the ship Daniel Webster. The bulk of the letters are in a 103-page letterbook dated October 1861-March 1863. These letters were likely copied by a relative around 1900. Both brothers were competent writers and discussed typical soldier gripes regarding food, pay, bad officers, and the boredom of the army. In a letter from December 30, 1862, Lavalette wrote: "If you want to fix a man so that he does not know anything in this world, nor care a d__m for the next, just put him to soldiering, and keep him shut up in camp for one year."

Seven separate Civil War letters are from Lavalette Griffin, dated April 1862-February 1865, and addressed to his father and sister Loretta ("Rett"). In these, he wrote favorably of the New York Soldiers' Depot, which he found well managed with many amenities for the troops. In an April 1864 letter, he recounted a trip to the capital while stationed at Camp Distribution, Virginia. In the next letter, he spoke highly of General Grant: "One thing is in our favor Since General Grant has assumed command there is not so many shoulder straps lying round Washington and there papers are examined as closely as the meanest private -- There is scarcely a day that there is not some dismissals and there aught to be more[.]" Even after the loss of his brother and his own illnesses, Lavalette found a way to keep his good humor through the war.

The lone post-war letter (1868) is an interesting item from Jennie Griffin to her brother-in-law Silas McConnell, in which she complained about the difference between salaries for male and female teachers in New York.

The Miscellaneous series has 13 items, which include two newspaper clippings; 4 pages of family birth records (1780-1878) from the family Bible; two journals by Mary Jane Wilson, which are entitled Compositions Written by Mary Jane Wilson During the Summer of 1861, A present to her Teacher Jennie Griffin (14 pages), and The Scholar's Casket, A Journal of Councils and Companion for the Young, January 1862, containing amateur essays such as Being Honest, Fault Finding, and Courage; two essays entitled On the Death of Lois Jane Griffin and On the Death of Polly Griffin, Written for her Mother (3 pages); and a receipt for groceries from Syracuse, New York, 1915.

This collection contains 11 photographs and modern prints of 5 negatives of the Griffin family. The original photographs are located in the Clements Library Graphics Division.

This collection is made up of letters that John Claude wrote to his brothers, Dennis and Abram Claude of Annapolis, Maryland, while serving with the United States Army at Plattsburgh, New York, during the War of 1812. He discussed his opinions on patriotism, the progress of the war, and contemporary European politics, particularly concerning Napoleon.

This collection is made up of 10 letters that John Claude wrote to his brothers, Dennis Claude (8 items) and Abram Claude (2 items) of Annapolis, Maryland, while serving with the United States Army at Plattsburgh, New York, in 1814 and 1815. He often referred to the progress of the war and to his strong sense of patriotism, and mused on topics such as contemporary European politics. He shared his opinions of domestic and foreign political issues, including the potential effects of Napoleon's defeat on the major European powers, and frequently included philosophical quotes and poetry in his letters. He also offered commentary on recent and possible military actions in the War of 1812, expressed his belief that a successful British attack in Maryland would prove disastrous (September 26, 1814) and lamented the destruction of Washington, D.C. (November 17, 1814). Though he commented most often on politics and on the general state of the war, Claude occasionally mentioned his own military activities and drew a map of the fortifications at Plattsburgh (January 7, 1815). He revealed some details about his personal religious beliefs and shared his grief upon hearing news of the death of his brother Abram (October 19, 1814).

This collection contains 5 letters that Private Jeremiah G. Dubois wrote to his father while serving with the United States Army in Michigan between 1818 and 1823, as well as 1 letter that Dubois wrote from Lebanon, Ohio, after his discharge. Dubois discussed his misgivings following his enlistment, military life, and life on the western frontier.

This collection contains 5 letters that Private Jeremiah G. Dubois wrote to his father while serving with the United States Army in Michigan between 1818 and 1823, as well as 1 letter that Dubois wrote from Lebanon, Ohio, after his discharge.

In his letter of August 7, 1818, Dubois described his journey from Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, to the Michigan Territory; he mentioned his encounters with family members and acquaintances during his travels and commented on his army-issued clothing. Though he had willingly enlisted in the Army and had encouraged his brother William to consider joining, he immediately expressed his misgivings. While stationed at Fort Shelby, he shared his anxiety about a possible transfer to an area with a prominent Native American population, a proposition that made his "very blood run cold" (March 4, 1819). He discussed the possibility of hiring a substitute, despite his relative poverty.

In mid-June, Dubois transferred temporarily to Fort Gratiot, an isolated outpost where his main duty was tending the garrison's vegetable garden (June 21, 1819); while stationed there, he complained about the difficulty of sending letters. On February 21, 1823, after his return to Detroit, Dubois wrote of his anticipated discharge and his desire to return home. His final letter, written in Lebanon, Ohio, discusses his ambition to return east, possibly by driving a herd of cattle to Philadelphia or marrying into a rich family, and provides news of acquaintances who had moved to the Midwest.

This collection contains letters that United States Army lieutenant (and later general) Amos Beebe Eaton wrote while training at the United States Military Academy and traveling in New York, Connecticut, Ohio, and Michigan. His early letters reflect the daily life of cadets at West Point in the mid-1820s, and his later letters to his wife provide family news, as well as information about the Army and contemporary politics.

This collection (59 items) contains letters that United States Army lieutenant (and later general) Amos Beebe Eaton wrote to his grandmother, Tryphena Cady of Canaan, New York, and to his wife, Elizabeth Selden Eaton.

Eaton wrote 6 letters to his grandmother between September 14, 1822, and March 26, 1826, while attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. He described cadets' daily lives at the academy, including their physical regimen, and discussed the possibility of remaining in the military after graduation. Though he considered applying for the marine corps or becoming a doctor, he stayed with the army, and wrote 3 letters to his grandmother between April 16, 1828, and October 21, 1830, while he served at the Hancock Barracks near Houlton, Maine. A group of 5 letters, written to his sister and grandmother from Fort Niagara, New York, between February 21, 1831, and November 8, 1833, concern his movements with the army and his family life, including news of his new wife and young daughters. He also described Fort Niagara and shared some of his opinions on enlisted men. He wrote to his grandmother from Fort Gratiot, Michigan Territory, on July 7, 1834, commenting on his distrust of the pursuit of recognition.

Between 1832 and 1836, Eaton wrote to his wife Elizabeth ("Betsy") while he traveled in New York, Connecticut, Ohio, and Michigan, on military and personal business. He often mentioned family members, religious sentiments, and general details of his daily life. Two letters were written from Detroit during the Black Hawk War, in which he briefly mentioned ill soldiers, his opinion about the mistreatment of Native Americans, and the military's pursuit of Black Hawk (July 24 and 30, 1832). In another he discussed foreign relations with France as well as abolitionism (February 12, 1836). The collection also contains 2 letters that Eaton wrote while serving as Commissary General of Subsistence in 1867.

Several letters are addressed to Amos Eaton. One, written by "Gordon" on August 10, 1832, comments on the public reaction to and possible consequences of a recently published letter of Amos's, wherein he attributes the cholera outbreak in the military during the Black Hawk War to the mistreatment of Native Americans. Also included is a letter that Amos Beebe Eaton's father wrote to his son with extracts of his communication with New York Senators about the motivations behind Eaton's statements, a partial copy of the offending letter, and the impact it had on his military career (September 21, 1838). Other material includes one letter addressed to Elizabeth Eaton from a sibling (July 3, 1836) and a copied document signed by several recruits, stating that they had recently received pay (June 9, 1835).

This collection is made up of correspondence, diaries, financial records, legal documents, photographs, speeches, and ephemera related to Ziba Roberts of Shelby, New York, and his family. Much of the material concerns his service in the 28th New York Infantry Regiment during the Civil War, veterans' pensions, reunions, genealogy, and estate administration.

This collection is made up of correspondence, diaries, financial papers, legal documents, photographs, speeches, printed items, and ephemera related to Ziba Roberts of Shelby, New York, and his family. Much of the material concerns his service in the 28th New York Infantry Regiment during the Civil War, veterans' pensions, reunions, genealogy, and estate administration.

The Correspondence series (approximately 110 items) includes a group of 17 items (1826-1852) related to the family of James Harland, an ancestor of Cynthia Dewey Roberts. Harland, who lived in Manchester, New York, received letters from his son William, who moved to Clarksfield, Ohio, around 1839. Shortly after his arrival, William described local marshes and discussed his land and the prices of various crops. His later letters concern his financial difficulties and his Christian faith. A letter of September 3, 1841, includes a small manuscript map of property lines.

The remaining correspondence pertains to Ziba Roberts and, to a lesser extent, his wife and children. The first item is a letter from his sister Henrietta dated March 14, 1858. Roberts regularly corresponded with family members and friends while serving in the 28th New York Infantry Regiment between January 1862 and April 1863. In his letters home (around 20 items), he described aspects of military and camp life, including food, hygiene, illness, long marches, and general boredom; several items concern his experiences in occupied Winchester, Virginia, in the spring of 1862 and his treatment after his release from Confederate prison. He sometimes commented on news of the war, expressing confidence in a Union victory. During this period, Roberts occasionally received letters from family members at home, who discussed farming, religion, and family news (5 items).

The Roberts correspondence resumes in 1886 and continues as late as 1937; most date between 1889 and 1912. Roberts received a series of letters from William W. Eastman in South Dakota, who wrote at length about his financial difficulties. Most of his late correspondence concerns Civil War veterans' affairs, particularly related to pensions and reunions. Some writers complained about the difficulty of receiving a pension, the health issues that affected former soldiers, and Roberts's own disability claim. One printed circular contains reminiscences by members of the 28th New York Infantry Regiment (printed and distributed in May 1892). In 1912, Ziba Roberts received letters from fellow veterans regarding the 28th Regiment's annual reunion; most expressed or implied a lasting sense of comradeship with their fellow veterans, though many declined the invitation on account of poor health or other circumstances (with some reflecting on whether deaths would put future reunions in jeopardy).

The latest correspondence, written in the 1920s and 1930s, concerns the Grand Army of the Republic, insurance policies, and Roberts and Sanborn family genealogy. One correspondent returned an essay written by Ziba Roberts in December 1916: "A Brief History of the Methodist Episcopal Church at East Shelby" (enclosed with letter dated February 27, 1924). Minutes of the 28th Regiment's 68th reunion, held in May 1929, note the death of Ziba Roberts and other soldiers.

Ziba Roberts wrote two Diaries between November 14, 1861, and December 31, 1862. His daily entries concern aspects of his service with the 28th New York Infantry Regiment in Maryland and Virginia, including his imprisonment in 1862. He wrote about marches, guard duty, drills, health, and rations.

The Documents and Financial Papers series (74 items) includes legal documents and financial papers dated 1864 to 1940. Correspondence, indentures, and mortgages pertain to land ownership, management of decedents' estates, and a legal dispute between William W. Dewey and Seneca Sprout in the 1890s. Four items are Grand Army of the Republic commissions for Ziba Roberts, dated between 1918 and 1922. One group of tax receipts pertains to payments made by Ziba and Cynthia Roberts as late as 1940.

The collection's account book originally belonged to Ziba Roberts in the late 19th century. Roberts recorded around 35 pages of accounts between around 1884 and 1919, including records related to everyday purchases of food and other goods, a female domestic worker's wages, road construction, and estates. A later owner recorded tax payments for the years 1922-1944.

The Photographs series consists of 2 photograph albums and 8 loose items. Together, the photograph albums contain around 120 cartes-de-visite, tintypes, and cabinet cards. These items consist of studio portraits of members of the Roberts, Dewey, Wolcott, and Sanborn families, as well as additional friends and family members. Most of the pictures, which feature men, women, children, and infants, were taken in New York.

The loose items are made up of photographs of Ziba Roberts, including a heavily retouched portrait and a corresponding print of the original image; portraits of soldiers in the 28th New York Infantry Regiment; pictures of Colonel Dudley Donnelly's tomb; and a group of soldiers posing by the High Water Mark of the Rebellion Monument at Gettysburg. Additional items show a group posing for a souvenir photograph after a "balloon route trolley trip" in Los Angeles, California, and members of the Sprout family standing in front of their home.

The Speeches, Printed Items, and Ephemera series (30 items) includes Civil War materials, such as scores for the songs "We're Marching on to Richmond," "The Passing of the Veteran," "We Old Boys," and "Have You Got the Countersign"; and a printed booklet of war songs issued by the Grand Army of the Republic and related veterans' societies. Other items pertain to veterans' reunions and reminiscences. The series also includes two typed carbon copies of postwar speeches given by Ziba Roberts, "Seeing Lincoln" and "Lecture on Army Prison Life."

Additional pamphlets and ephemeral items concern New York political reforms, cholera, and a meeting of the descendants of Henry Wolcott. One newspaper clipping describes the career of William Ziba Roberts. The series includes a biography of George Dewey and history of the Dewey family (Adelbert M. Dewey, 1898). The final items are World War II-era ration books, with many stamps still attached.

The Genealogy series (21 items) is comprised of records related to the Roberts and Dewey families, and to the ancestors and descendants of Ziba and Cynthia Dewey Roberts. A manuscript volume contains approximately 35 pages of family trees; registers of births, marriages, and deaths; and the military service of Daniel Roberts (Revolutionary War) and Ziba Roberts (Civil War). Other items include additional registers, death notices, and notes.

This collection is primarily made up of letters that brothers Robert and James T. Miller wrote to their parents and siblings while serving in Pennsylvania infantry regiments during the Civil War. They described battles, illnesses and hospital stays, scenery, and military life. The collection also includes additional correspondence and documents related to the Miller family.

This collection (134 items) is primarily made up of letters that brothers Robert and James T. Miller wrote to their parents and siblings while serving in Pennsylvania infantry regiments during the Civil War. They described battles, illnesses and hospital stays, the scenery, and military life. The collection includes additional correspondence and documents related to the Miller family.

The James T. Miller letters (around 80 items) pertain to his service in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia from November 13, 1861-July 15, 1864. He discussed the various camps where he was stationed, soldiers' leisure activities, drills, and many other aspects of military life. He commented on the political atmosphere in Baltimore, Maryland, and the effects of the war throughout the South. Miller sometimes shared his opinions about Copperheads, conscription and men who chose not to fight, Union and Confederate generals, and the Confederate cause. During his service, he participated in (and described) many skirmishes and larger engagements including the Battle of Cedar Mountain, the Battle of Chancellorsville, and the Battle of Gettysburg. He also wrote about his experiences while recovering from a wound in army hospitals in late 1863. Miller's letters are addressed to his parents and several of his siblings; he occasionally wrote on patriotic stationery. The final item in this group of letters is a note from H. Allen to the elder Robert Miller regarding James T. Miller's death (August 2, 1864). Letters from Susan A. Miller, wife of James T. Miller, about her everyday life during the war are interspersed with her husband's correspondence.

Robert E. Miller's letters to his parents and other correspondents (about 30 items) relate to his experiences in Company F of the 151st Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment from November 2, 1862-July 18, 1863. Though he wrote less frequently than his brother, he provided vivid descriptions of army life and military engagements, also commenting on the progress of the war and political issues.

Additional materials include a marriage license for Robert Miller and Janet Todd (December 28, 1829), letters by the elder Robert Miller, financial records, and documents related to the Miller family.

The Busbey papers contain the personal and professional correspondence of William H. Busbey and many of his family members. Of note are letters to and from William and his brother during the Civil War; letters between William and his wife Mary after the war; and a letter from Ann Busbey, William's mother, which documents her 1894 trip west from Chicago, with vivid descriptions of the scenery in Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California.

The Busbey papers collect the personal and professional correspondence of William H. Busbey and several generations of his family. Included are 1,259 letters, 6 documents and receipts, 117 writings, 9 photographs, 134 newspaper clippings, and additional printed materials.

The earliest item in the Correspondence series is a letter from William's grandfather, Hamilton Busbey in Coles Country, Illinois, to his son Thomas (November 9, 1839). Included in the early letters are 33 items of schoolwork from the Busbey children in the late 1840-1850s, such as several essays, notes, and small decorated name tags. The collection also contains letters to and from William and his brother Hamilton during their service in the Civil War. The letters describe events at war, including the Battle at Stone River and watching gun boats patrolling the Tennessee River, as well as the brother's health and daily activities. Letters from Ohio report on deaths in the family back home and how the town and family are coping with the war. In one particularly poignant letter from a member of the Botkin's family, the author reports on local boys who have died and been discharged from the war, then writes:

"I have seen the tears trickle down the cheeks of old and young, while conversing on the subject of this unholy war. Secession, was their pet idol and it has ruined thousands, utterly bankrupt those who were wealthy, happy, and prosperous under the old flag. The new, has brought them nothing, but poverty and wretchedness -- well yes, I might say, it has brought swarms of Yankees, to bask in the salubrious rays of the glorious sun far down in the land of cotton..."

Approximately 70 letters were written by Mary (Molly) Busbey and William to each other, most of them in the months prior to their wedding in 1868. They wrote extensively about love and the health and welfare of their friends and family. Before their wedding, several letters were exchanged between Mary’s parents and William, regarding William's request for permission to marry their daughter. William's work as managing editor of the Inter Ocean is documented through letters to the editor and inter-office communication.

The Busbey family papers also collect letters to Mary from her family and friends, letters to their daughters Grace and Mabel, and letters to William from both his parents. Of note are three letters (23 pages) from Ann Busbey, William's mother, which document her 1894 trip west from Chicago, with vivid descriptions of the scenery in Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. Mary's mother, sisters, and friends wrote about 70 letters to Mary, with news about the family’s health and economic well-being.

The Documents and Receipts series contains 5 business receipts and a document related to estate of Ezra P. Jones of Ohio.

The Photographs series is composed of 8 photographs of various members of the Busbey family.

The Writings series is comprised of copies of William Busbey’s published works and rough drafts of articles, stories, and speeches from his career in the newspaper business. Topics include the newspaper business, the press and the Cuban question (1898), the Monroe Doctrine (1905), family and genealogy, and a biographical sketch of William H. Busbey.

The Printed Material series is composed of miscellaneous printed items such as poems, advertisements, invitations, programs, and other items. Of note is a list of members of the 1st Kentucky Infantry, Company C (of which Busbey was a Sergeant), and a fairwell card to Elwyn A. Barron of the Inter Ocean signed by other 23 employees.

The Newspaper Clippings series consists of 134 newspaper clippings, including several copies of the Inter Ocean's tribute to William's personal and professional achievements after his death. Miscellaneous items, such as ribbons, children's cards, and empty envelopes, conclude the collection.

The Clement Boughton papers consist of letters written home during Clement's service in the 12th Wisconsin Infantry as part of the occupying forces in Tennessee and Mississippi. The collection also contains other family correspondence and letters regarding Boughton's death.

The Clement Boughton papers include 86 letters from Clement Boughton to his mother, brothers and sister, 85 of which were written during his service in the 12th Wisconsin Infantry. The remaining 59 items in the collection include five documents relating to Boughton's service, four letters from a cousin, Mariette Bent, to Clement while he was in the service, a letter from an officer in the 12th Wisconsin relating news of Clement's death and several letters of bereavement from relatives and acquaintances. The balance of the collection is comprised of letters form other members of the Boughton family, both pre-War and post, most addressed to Clement's mother.

Boughton's Civil War letters form the heart of the collection and provide a complete account of the military service of an upright young farmer. While Boughton considered himself to be religious and while he held high standards of conduct for himself and his comrades, he was not prone to moralizing or quick condemnation. He was instead an avid, well-intentioned soldier doing his duty far from home, who felt pangs of guilt at being away during the harvest, and who continued to provide support, encouragement and advice to his mother, younger brother and sister on running the farm and leading their lives. His letters to his younger siblings Augustus and Anna are very affectionate and indicate how important he must have been in raising the children. His relationship with his twin, Clarence, is more difficult to ascertain. Clarence appears to have been an unusually poor correspondent and while Clement's tone in the one letter that survives between them seems strained, it is not clear whether there was actual tension between the two.

Among the more interesting letters in the Boughton are the series describing their duties in Kansas and Natchez. Devoid of any real action, they nevertheless paint an interesting portrait of military life away from the front, and include some good descriptions of Union-occupied territory. Boughton's letters written during the Vicksburg siege are also excellent, and include an interesting account of McPherson's attempt to tunnel under the Confederate fortifications as well as a fine sense of the tense, but at the same time boring life in the rifle pits awaiting the capitulation. Finally, Boughton's journal-like letter of the failed expedition from Memphis into northern Mississippi in December, 1862, to January, 1863, graphically details the hardships of field service in the deep south, the exhausting marches, mud, cold and hunger the soldiers faced, and the swings in morale that resulted when the objectives could not be attained.

Among the related materials, there is an interesting letter from members of the Baptist congregation at Chester, Conn., to Eliza Boughton, sending a small amount of money to help support her and her children after the death of her husband, Newell. A typescript of most of the Civil War letters was prepared by a descendant and is available upon request.

The Sylvanus Wheat papers contain the incoming and outgoing correspondence of Wheat, a soldier in the 144th New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment; the papers shed light on his Civil War service in 1862-1863, as well as on the activities of the Wheat family.

The Sylvanus A. and Rachel Wheat papers consist of 125 letters, covering 1848-1880, as well as an undated religious tract. The bulk of the collection is correspondence between members of the Wheat family during Sylvanus' service with the 144th New York Infantry, documenting Wheat's movements and observations on his duties and camp life, as well as the home-front experiences of his wife and siblings. Of the 60 letters written by Sylvanus during his military service in the Civil War, he addressed 48 to his wife, Rachel, and 11 to his sisters. Sylvanus was the recipient of a total of 58 letters: 30 from Rachel, 16 from his sisters, 6 from his brothers, and 4 from various cousins.

Just two items in the collection predate the Civil War, and both contain poems lamenting the death of Althea Loveland, the sister of Rachel (Loveland) Wheat. These items are dated September 21, 1848, and July 26, 1849. Sylvanus Wheat wrote the latter letter, in which he confessed that Althea "was if possible more lamented by me than any other person."

The letters documenting the war begin in mid-October 1862, and open with Wheat's travel to Washington, D.C., and his discussion of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart's raid on Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, in which he noted that rebels had taken the city and "murdered some" (October 13, 1862). Wheat soon moved to Camp Bliss in Arlington County, Virginia, where he stayed until February 1863, and from there, he frequently wrote home about camp life, duties, politics, health, the destruction caused by war, and other observations. He sometimes described picket duty, which he performed when he was healthy. On December 9, 1862, in a letter to his wife Rachel, he described several days of this duty in the snow and noted that "the officers could not see our fire which is forbidden by army regulations, although we had a rousing big one.” He also complained of the heavy load of supplies that they carried (December 14, 1862), and described the bivouac shelter that they built (December 22, 1862) while on picket near the camp. Another frequent theme in the letters is the destruction caused by war. On October 24, 1863, Wheat wrote to a sister about the "gloom" of "splendid mansions," abandoned and left in ruins near Camp Bliss. On December 9, 1862, he described the buildings and fields stripped and ruined by "rapacious soldiers," and noted that "distrust and hatred are visable on the countenance of all the inhabitants."

Wheat sometimes requested that his family send him tools, so he could improve his living conditions, and in several letters he gave accounts of his efforts to make his surroundings more comfortable. On November 25, 1862, he described elevating his tent by three feet with poles, allowing him and his tent-mates to walk around in it without stooping. On January 3, 1863, he requested that family members send him an axe, calling the ones provided by the Army "miserable soft things." In return, they requested small souvenirs from the war, such as pinecones and acorns, which they found highly desirable and crafted into ornaments and baskets (December 18, 1862). On December 27, 1862, Cordelia Wheat asked that Sylvanus send her a few small rocks or stones from the "sacred soil of Virginia."

In February of 1863, Sylvanus Wheat described leaving Camp Bliss for Camp California, which was located slightly west of Alexandria, Virginia. He noted the large number of "convenient articles" that had to be left behind, such as kettles, cans, cupboards, and a stove and washtub, but remarked that they had made two black walnut bedsteads (February 18, 1863). There, he suffered increasing health problems related to his lungs and throat. By April, Sylvanus Wheat wrote from the U.S. General Hospital in Fairfax, Virginia, shortly before receiving a discharge. On April 1, 1863, he described a night during which he and other patients tried to soothe the sickest among them; he also gave an account of an extensive examination, which involved both medical and personal questions (April 3, 1863). In his final letter before leaving for home, he expressed fears that he would die upon release from the hospital (April 5, 1863).

Several letters refer to the Dakota War, which Sylvanus' brother James and sister-in-law Almira reported on from Lenora, Minnesota. On February 5, 1863, James wrote that he expected the "Indians will make a fuss next Spring in Minnesota. The militia here is organizing and getting ready to do something if necessary." Almira also wrote, expressing worry that James would be drafted to protect settlers from the Dakota (October 24, 1863). A few post-Civil War letters provide news on the children and farming activities of Sylvanus and Rachel Wheat and their children.

This collection consists of 883 letters, documents, an orderly book, printed items, and other materials concerning revolutionary conflicts in Cuba and the Philippines, American involvement particularly, dating largely from the 1890s-1900s. This collection's contents include detailed information from Cuban and Philippine revolutionaries at home and in exile; U.S. Army activities related especially to the Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, and postwar occupations; American, Cuban, Filipino, and Spanish consular and governmental officials; and civilians (including families of U.S. Army soldiers' and sailors' family members) involved in the events.

This collection consists of 883 letters, documents, an orderly book, printed items, and other materials concerning revolutionary conflicts in Cuba and the Philippines, American involvement particularly, dating largely from the 1890s-1900s. This collection's contents include detailed information from Cuban and Philippine revolutionaries at home and in exile; U.S. Army activities related especially to the Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War, and postwar occupations; American, Cuban, Filipino, and Spanish consular and governmental officials; and civilians (including families of U.S. Army soldiers' and sailors' family members) involved in the events.

Please see the box and folder listing in this finding aid for extensive, detailed descriptions of items and groups of items in the Revolutionary Cuba and Philippines Collection.

The Storer family papers contain letters and documents concerning members of the Storer family of New Haven, Connecticut, particularly their travels and Civil War service in the 15th and 27th Connecticut Infantry.

The Storer family papers comprise 11 letters and 5 military documents, spanning 1851-1865. Alexander Storer wrote the four earliest letters during a trip around New York and Ohio in July 1851. In these letters, written to his wife and children, he gave detailed descriptions of viewing Niagara Falls, and commented on his food and accommodations.

George Storer wrote three letters in the collection in May and June 1863, during his service with the 27th Connecticut Infantry. On May 2, 1863, he recounted a surprise visit from his father and sister at camp, and noted that his regiment awaited orders to go to Washington, D.C. On June 10, 1863, he wrote about the dullness of camp life, his rations, and having an ambrotype taken, which he considered "poor" and decided not to send home.

Justus Storer contributed three letters. He described the opening of a pie shop next to his camp and his hopes of getting a furlough (November 22, 1863), the halting of furloughs (December 17, 1863), a yellow fever outbreak, and plans to look for a wife (December 2, 1864). His friend Adelbert H. Whaley, also in the 15th Connecticut Infantry, wrote one letter, in which he described the death of a sergeant, furloughs allowing soldiers to vote, and new recruits, some of whom he characterized as "the worst kind of dead beats" (September 27, 1864).

The Document series contains five items related to the Civil War service the Storer brothers. The items concerning Justus Storer are an 1862 appointment as 4th sergeant, an 1865 promotion to 1st sergeant, and 1865 discharge papers. Also included are an 1863 draft notice for Henry Storer, and a letter of introduction, allowing Alexander Storer to visit his son George in Annapolis.

The Emerson family papers contain letters from a Massachusetts family with relatives in Maine, Connecticut, and Wisconsin. Two sons, Horace and Irving Emery, fought for the Union Army. The letters describe life on the home front and the battlefield during the Civil War, labor on the railroads in Wisconsin, and the life of a music teacher in Maine.

The Emerson family papers consist of 98 letters and 4 printed materials. The bulk of the letters are from Horace; his earliest letters are from Bridgton, Maine, in 1851-1852, and from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in 1856. He wrote to his mother, Sister Maria, and brother Irving (Irvey) about his life in the West, his health, hunting bear and deer, killing cats that kept him up all night, and of leaning the engineering trade. He also requested that his wedding announcement be placed in most of the Boston papers.

Horace often used expressive language when describing his surroundings and his acquaintances. In a letter from April 15, 1858, he described Milwaukee as "the worst place I was ever in[...]Gambling is called an honorable business." Of a female friend back east he remarked, "she would comb my hair with a 3 leg stool if she could get a chance." He wrote to Irving about the railroad running between Milwaukee and Portage City: "Monday we killed 2 hogs and one cow...I wish you could have seen the cow. When we hit her it took her right up 10 feet and set her on her ass in a mud hole" (May 5, 1858). In 1861, Horace wrote a few letters from Bridgton, Maine, where his father, re-married with two children, was making shingles for a living. By April, he was beck in Wisconsin, and enlisted in the Portage City Light Guard (Second Regiment Wisconsin State Volunteers, Co. C. He described the daily routine training at Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin, and noted to his musical brother that they had 3 fiddles, one flute, a guitar, bones, boxing gloves and dum bells "for the mussle." When his regiment got to Washington, he called on "old Abe" at the White House and had a brief meeting and drink with him. His letter of July 26, 1861, recounts his part in the Battle of Bull Run, fighting with other "tough cusses of Wisconsin." Horace spoke often of bravery and described the enjoyable aspects of being a solder, and, like many Union soldiers in the first years of the war, thought highly of "the good General McClellan" (March 12, 1862). By January 31, 1863, however, Horace was disillusioned with the war. He wanted to leave the army and was hostile to the idea of fighting to free blacks from slavery. By July 1863, Horace was back in Wisconsin and considered enlisting in the Minnesota militia to fight the Indians: "I will go to fight Indians any time but to fight the Rebs, please excuse me." After 1863, his letters concern his work as an engineer for the St. Paul and Pacific Railroad and are about family life in St. Paul, Minnesota, with a new wife Emma and sons Irving and Horace Edwin.

In 1862, Horace's brother Irving received a number of letters from his mother, who lived in Roxbury, Massachusetts, and a few from his sister Maria. These concern family affairs and the state of the household, while her sons were at war. Irving Emerson's earliest letter is from April 3, 1863, when he writes from Camp Rogers to his mother and his sister Maria. By 1865, Irving was living in Belfast, [Maine], and was trying to earn his livelihood as a musician. Other family letters include an 1859 letter from Seth Webb to his grandchildren (Maria, Horace and Irving) and an 1864 letter from Amelia's brother Seth Webb, Jr.

Many of the letterheads, such as those dated May 27th, July 26, September 15, and October 6, 1861, have red, white, and blue images of a soldier with an American Flag. A letter from July 4, 1861, contains a large image of the Capitol.

In addition to the letters are four printed items: a monthly report of the Hartford Public High School, with the names of teachers and pupils, including Emma C. Tuttle (1875); and programs for Hartford Public Schools Fourth Musical Festival (1879), the Emerson Chorus concert on November 11, 1879, and the Collinsville Choral Union (1881), all conducted by Irving Emerson.

The Crossman papers contain correspondence between Ferdinand Crossman, Union solder, and his wife, Adelaide, between 1862 and 1864. The letters describe army life, fighting, military duties, pay, food, clothes, health, and personal news. Adelaide also received letters from her sister and friends that concern family life in Massachusetts.

The Crossman papers are comprised of 95 letters and 4 tax documents.

The Correspondence series contains approximately 60 letters from Ferdinand while he was in the army, from 1862-1864. In his letters, Ferdinand inquired about Adelaide's day-to-day activities, and described his own in the army. Many letters mentioned their children, though not by name. He wrote about army life, fighting, military duties, pay, food, clothes, health, and personal news. In a letter dated May 15, 1863, Ferdinand refuted inaccurate news from Adelaide that the Union Army had taken Richmond. In one of his final letters, that of April 18, 1864, Crossman wrote that he sensed a major battle brewing and predicted that he might not make it home again, and that Adelaide should do her best to get on with her life, if he should die. Crossman would die of disease on August 9, 1864, at the Andersonville, Georgia, prison.

The rest of the letters are to Adelaide from her sister and friends. These concern daily life in Massachusetts, as well as family and personal news such as marriage, children, health, and death.

The Receipts and Tax Document series contains a 1859 tax record and three receipts for subscriptions to the True Flag weekly newspaper.

The John and Samuel Hunt papers consist primarily of Civil War era correspondence between the friends and family of John and Samuel Hunt with many letters between the two brothers. Also included is John Hunt's Civil War diary, which contains accounts of his service as adjutant with the 81st Ohio Infantry Regiment between January and December, 1862.

The John and Samuel Hunt papers are comprised of 78 letters, 1 receipt, 3 miscellaneous printed items, 2 photographs, and 1 diary. The collection consists primarily of Civil War era correspondence between the friends and family of John and Samuel Hunt, with many letters between the two brothers. For the most part, cousins, sisters, and friends wrote the pre-Civil War letters, addressed to John Hunt. These concern family matters, school, and local Ohio politics.

John's Civil War era letters, mainly to Samuel with a few items to other family members, focus on his relationship to his family, particularly his parents. He also described Civil War camp life in Missouri, Tennessee, and near Corinth. Early on, in a letter from December 8, 1861, he wrote about a conflict between his regiment's lieutenant colonel and captain over a battalion drill, which almost resulted in a duel. The brothers often bonded over the activities (past and present) of the Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) fraternity, which they had both joined at Miami University. Samuel sent John his DKE pin, which made him popular with the ladies in St. Louis (February 23, 1862). Samuel kept John up-to-date on the fraternity's election results and activities. A few months after the war, John was working in Washington DC as a lawyer's clerk and reported that the town was "full of rebels at present seeking pardon" (September 17, 1865).

Letters from Samuel describe university life during the war and the impact that the war was having on the homefront. He included fiery political commentary and espoused bellicose sentiments, particularly in the early part of the war. In a letter to John dated May 25, 1861, Samuel wrote: "The murder of the accomplished Col-Ellsworth must and will be avenged -- those fine Zouaves will cause destruction in the enemy's camp -- they are 'spoiling for a fight' and will soon be gratified[.] " Samuel kept up his correspondence with a number of friends and Miami University alumni with whom he communicated about the school and his own academic progress.

The John Hunt's Civil War diary contains accounts of his service as adjutant with the 81st Ohio Infantry Regiment between January and December, 1862. He entered notes almost daily, except during his sick leaves in April and from August 15 through the end of 1862. During his leave, Hunt wrote a few entries in August concerning an Ohio Copperhead and his views on the draft, and recorded a short run of daily entries from November 1-22. The diary includes descriptions of travels in the north and south and is most detailed between May and August, when the 81st Ohio took part in the assault on Corinth, Mississippi, and in the late fall, when they were encamped near Corinth. Hunt's brief entries provide interesting anecdotes about life in the Union camps, soldiers' amusements, and the scene near Corinth.

The Miscellaneous series consists of two photographs (a staged family portrait and a carte-de-visite of a young well dressed man), an army pass for John R. Hunt (February 1862), and three programs concerning the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (1862-1863).

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.

The Peter H. Musty papers are made up of two bound diaries, disbound diary entries, a letter book, ten loose illustrations, and two printed items belonging to Peter Henry "Hank" Musty of Greensburg, Ohio. In 1862, Musty enlisted in the 61st Ohio Infantry and served as a musician until his health-related discharge in 1864.

Peter H. Musty Bound Diaries. The earlier of the two bound diaries dates from Musty's enlistment and initial period of service in the army (January 1862- September 1862) and the later bound diary begins after Musty had been discharged and returned home (June 1864- February 1865). Throughout both diaries, Musty wrote personal names and the daily entries for July 2- September 16, 1864, in a numerical substitution code. Before enlisting, Musty made multiple visits to a gypsy camp near Greensburg, where he had his fortune told and received an invitation into a tent to sing for them (January 15-19, 1862). Shortly after his enlistment, Musty was appointed as a musician (drummer) and transferred to Field and Staff duty where his responsibilities included cooking and guarding prisoners. Musty described daily life at Camp Dennison and Camp Chase in Ohio, including mentions of petty thefts such as a soldier being placed in the guard house for stealing a pie as well as someone stealing his blanket.

Although not directly involved in combat with his unit at the second Battle of Manassas, Musty was impressed by the intensity of the heavy "cannonading and musketry," and mentioned the forced retreat with the entry: "Jackson after us. I run all night - no sleep at all - cold, cold." On July 31, 1862, he described flags flying at half-mast in their camp and "canons fireing in every direction," at the news of Martin Van Buren's death.

After being invalided out of the army in 1864, Musty's diary entries again focused on life in Greensburg, Ohio. Musty spent a large part of each day playing his violin, often for two or three different gatherings on the same day. He played at "apple cuttings," parties, school programs, and oyster dinners. He serenaded neighbors, often not returning home until well after midnight. Sometimes Musty was accompanied by friends on the "basse" and drums, and on several occasions they donned "blackface" by rubbing their faces with cork only to find that it was much easier to apply the cork than it was to remove it. Musty returned to helping his father with the coopering business and began working part time at the local post office, hoping to get well enough to return to Washington, D.C., to work for the Veteran's Relief Corp. On the local scene, the town of Greensburg worked actively to prevent the drafting of local men in 1864. Instead of individual men buying their way out of the draft by hiring replacements, a committee of Greensburg citizens went to Cleveland and hired replacements for all the Greensburg men subject to the new draft. The town then set about soliciting money from all the local families to cover this communally-incurred expense. Musty made a passing mention to visiting a photographic gallery in November 1864, where he saw "movements on negatives" and had his "picture taken with motion." The December 23, 1864, entry includes four small pencil sketches of a friend named Tom, showing his progression from civilian to soldier. Musty was fond of keeping lists, and in the back of his diaries he compiled the names of soldiers he served with, people who owed him money, letters he had received, and a six page chronological list ("Memorandum") of all the girls he had accompanied home from local events between April 1860 and February 1865.

Peter H. Musty Disbound Diaries. Pages disbound from diaries span from January 1, 1861, to August 7, 1863, with some ca. 1865 entries at the end. The early entries pre-date Musty's enlistment and describe his schooling, daily activities, and work. Musty occasionally mentioned topics like slavery (January 8, 1861; February 24, 1861), and by April 1861 he began to note military activity. Throughout the rest of 1861 Musty recorded local enlistments, drills, and military news alongside his daily work and activities, providing a glimpse of local reactions to the early war effort. Entries from January to September 1862 overlap with the bound diary for these dates, but with variant wording and occasionally more details. Musty described his enlistment on February 26, 1862, and his subsequent stay at Camp Dennison and Camp Chase, providing details about daily camp life. Musty commented on guarding Confederate prisoners at Camp Chase, some who were en route to Johnson's Island (April 26-May 27, 1862). Musty described the march through West Virginia, arriving in Strausburg, Virginia, on June 21. From June to November 1862, Musty wrote from Strausburg, Middleton, Sperrysville, Arlington Heights, Fairfax Court House, New Baltimore, and other Virginia encampments, describing marches, camp life, nearby Confederates and guerrillas, and recent military encounters. In his entry for September 10, 1862, he vividly recalled his first time in battle on August 22. From April to August 1863, the collection includes copies of letters Musty wrote while at the hospital at Brooks Station, Virginia, and convalescent camps near Alexandria, relaying news of nearby engagements and activity at the hospitals. In July 1863 he began working as a clerk at the Medical Head Quarters for the convalescent camp and subsequently the Invalid Corps Head Quarters. The entries for 1865 primarily detail his health complaints. Musty included occasional references to African Americans (May 4, 1862; May 28, 1862; July 30, 1862; June 9, 1863; June 25, 1863). Other items include lyrics to a song about alcohol, an extract from the Army Herald entitled "The Fruits of Rebellion," and several pages accounting for Ohio soldiers.

Musty's letter book contains eleven of his outgoing correspondences and eighteen incoming letters from friends (both male and female) during the Civil War. It also includes poems, songs, programs of performances at the local Greensburg school from 1859 to 1861, the constitution of the Tyrocinean Debating Society, and a list of other men from Greensburg who served in the Civil War. Among the copied letters is a formal letter of complaint against Captain Thomas Graham for being intoxicated on multiple occasions while stationed at the Invalid Corps Convalescent Camp in Virginia (November 7, 1863). A table of contents for the letter book appears between pages 101 and 104.

Ten illustrations drawn by Musty during his military service are present in this collection. He drew three of these sketches between February and April 1863, when his unit (61st Ohio Infantry) was stationed near Stafford Courthouse, Virginia. Of particular interest is a detailed drawing of General Adolph von Steinwehr's headquarters and the surrounding camp activities, with what appears to be a self-portrait of Musty sketching the scene in the foreground (March 6, 1863). The illustration is on the reverse side of a fragment of a letter in which Musty states that he and all of the soldiers he knows are not fighting for "the freedom of the collord race." Another drawing from around the same time shows a soldier carrying dispatches in front of a tent, with several wooden hitching posts in the foreground. The third illustration depicts a log cabin next to what appears to be an oven while two soldiers stand guard nearby. On the reverse side of this sketch is part of a letter to his brother Francis in which Musty mentions having received a valentine from a girl (whose name he rendered in code). The fourth sketch from this period is on the back of a letter dated May 28, 1863, and shows a long tent, possibly a field hospital, with a "No Admittance" sign over the entrance. A man is visible through the tent flap with a bucket at his side. The fifth sketch (undated) shows the fortifications at Aquia Bridge, Virginia, and the surrounding countryside. Two undated sketches depict women, one drawn in pencil with the title "Going By the Gate" and the other in black, blue, and red ink showing a woman with a striped hat. An undated pencil sketch, "The Signal Flag," shows soldiers atop a house waving the signal flag, an army encampment in the foreground, and soldiers marching in the background. A pen and ink drawing captioned "Near Cedar Mountain" shows three soldiers, one on horseback and two others cajoling a balking donkey. A dialog entitled "A Quaker on an argument" includes a pen and ink illustration of two men debating theology before a fireplace.

The last two items in this collection are printed items, a black and red print of Major General John C. Frémont torn from a letterhead and a Valentine containing an illustration of a man playing his guitar for a woman that includes the following poem:

"My song is mute, the strainWhich melodized each line,My sentiments conveyTo thee my Valentine."

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.

John P. Reynolds, Jr., was 19 years old when he enlisted in the Salem Light Infantry, one of the first units to respond to Lincoln's call for volunteers in 1861 at the beginning of the Civil War. His journal provides an account of life in the army during the opening states of the war, and includes long, detailed passages describing drills, parades, ceremonies and celebrations, and the ways in which soldiers chose to entertain themselves.

John P. Reynolds' journal is an unusually literate and well-written account of life in the army during the opening stages of the Civil War, and includes long, detailed passages describing drills, parades, ceremonies and celebrations, and the ways in which soldiers chose to entertain themselves. It is an example of a superb Civil War journal containing almost no reference to military activity. While nostalgically reviewing the events since the unit was called, Reynolds himself noted that "the pastimes we had experienced...combined together presented more the aspect of a pleasure excursion or mammoth pic-nic, than a military campaign during the period of actual warfare" (p. 90).

Particularly noteworthy descriptions include those of the camp at Relay House, of particular drills, flag-raising ceremonies, and of celebrations of the anniversary of the battle of Bunker Hill and of the Fourth of July. Reynolds is at his best when recounting an operation on July 3rd to capture a Rebel recruiter, Samuel Ogle Tilghman, at his home on the coast. Though no shots were fired, the atmosphere Reynolds sets provides a strong sense of what it must have been like for a young soldier on patrol. Tilghman was released on parole of honor just two weeks later, on July 26, 1861.

The Reynolds journal appears to be the second and only surviving part of a series that probably originally contained three volumes. The first covering muster to June 6, 1861, the third, from July 14th to mustering out on August 1st.

The Otis family papers contain letters home from four members of the 57th Pennsylvania Infantry, describing camp life, the battles of Williamsburg and Fair Oaks, and the hardships of war.

The Otis family papers consist of 39 letters written home by several Civil War soldiers between November 30, 1861, and December 2, 1862. Louisa Otis and her parents are the most frequent recipients. Louisa's brothers, Ferdinand and Israel, wrote the majority of letters in the collection; her cousins, Dudley Otis and Mortimer S. Roberts, also contributed several letters each. The brothers sometimes collaborated in their letters, each writing a portion, thereby giving two perspectives on events.

Early letters repeatedly reference pay, health, and camp life. On January 3, 1862, Ferdinand wrote to his parents concerning the rapid spread of mumps through the camp and reported that he had been vaccinated, likely against smallpox, and was very sore. Both brothers frequently anticipated upcoming paydays and how much they would send home, and requested items such as mittens. On February 2, 1862, Ferdinand provided a detailed description of how soldiers laundered their clothes.

By mid-1862, the correspondence had become more focused on battles, injured and dead comrades, and the hardships of war. A letter from Israel, Ferdinand, and Otis gives a description of the Battle of Williamsburg, which Israel called a "long and bloody struggle," which lasted into the evening. He also recalled the Union band's performance of "Dixie," and the cheers of the soldiers, which "must have sounded anything but pleasant" to the Confederates (May 12, 1862). Another letter, dated June 7, 1862, references the Battle of Fair Oaks, in which the 57th Pennsylvania Infantry lost several officers, including Major Jeremiah Culp. Ferdinand described the morale of the soldiers, noted "we have got only our field officer left," and gave an account of the stench of rotting corpses in the woods. Israel noted that a bullet went through Ferdinand's coat and that his haversack was shot open, scattering his belongings. Other correspondence documents receiving family photographs (August 30, 1862), finding Southern cows to milk (November 28, 1862), and desiring more letters from home.

The Mead family papers primarily document the Civil War experience of Henry Mead, of the 10th Connecticut Infantry, up to his death from typhoid fever in April 1862. Mead’s letters describe informal religious meetings, the battles of Roanoke and Newbern, and camp life.

The Mead family papers contain 28 letters written between October 10, 1861, and July 17, 1863. Henry Mead wrote 21 of the letters to his parents and siblings during his service in Company I, 10th Connecticut Infantry. Other letter writers include Henry’s friend William Long, who was also a member of Company I, as well as a soldier named Willis, likely Willis Mead of the 6th New Hampshire Infantry, and Henry’s father, Sanford Mead. George Pease, “Nellie,” and “Deak” contributed three additional letters; their connection to the Meads is unclear.

Henry Mead’s letters shed light on his six months of service with the 10th Connecticut Infantry, before his death from typhoid fever in April 1862. He provided details of camp life, drilling, sailing on the schoonerE.W. Farrington , and the religious activities of soldiers. He was a dedicated participant in informal religious “meetings” held in tents, and discussed them throughout his correspondence. On December 10, 1861, he wrote, “there was one thing that made the meeting rather more solom to night was the loosing of our men last night… It made a deep thought on my mind for I thought why was it not I instead of him.” In his letter of October 29, 1861, he described getting his photograph taken in uniform and having money stolen from his pocketbook. Although Mead’s battle descriptions are sparse, he frankly expressed his anxiety and fear of death before fighting at Roanoke (February 8, 1862).

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."

This collection contains 77 letters that members of the Disosway and Wilkins families of New York, Maryland, and Virginia wrote and received between 1861 and 1864. Correspondents include several Union soldiers who wrote about their military experiences, women who commented on wartime life in Maryland and Virginia, and southern sympathizers.

This collection contains 77 letters that members of the Disosway and Wilkins families of New York, Maryland, and Virginia wrote and received between 1861 and 1864. Correspondents include several Union soldiers who wrote about their military experiences, women who commented on wartime life in Maryland and Virginia, and southern sympathizers. The collection also includes 2 reflections on the death of William W. Disosway and the lyrics to a military song.

The bulk of the Correspondence series is made up of letters that Annie R. Disosway received from her brother, First Lieutenant William Wilkins Disosway of the 1st New York Cavalry Regiment and 1st New York Mounted Rifles; from a friend, Captain Richard H. Lee of the 1st New York Cavalry Regiment and 16th Independent Battery of the New York Light Artillery; and from several aunts and cousins living in Baltimore, Maryland, and in Virginia. In his 16 letters (13 to Annie R. Disosway and 3 to Eliza Disosway), William Disosway described camp life, particularly at Camp Kearney, Virginia, and related his experiences in the army; he occasionally mentioned participating in skirmishes or other actions in southern Virginia, such as the Union Army's move into Yorktown, Virginia (May 6, 1862), an action at Blackwater, Virginia (December 14, 1862), and "Spear's Raid" (August 4, 1863). On March 30, 1863, he mentioned his intent to join the French invasion of Mexico.

Richard Lee's 8 letters concern similar military topics and details about camp life, including his vow to remain temperate while in the Army (September 29, 1861). Lee enclosed a carte-de-visite portrait in one letter (August 14, 1862). Another Union soldier, Russell P. Forkey, wrote 2 letters in late 1861; in one, he mentioned the case of a fellow soldier charged with an intention to defect (December 22, 1861).

Most civilians' letters pertain to the impact of the war on daily life, particularly in Maryland and Virginia, where several members of the Wilkins family lived. Annie and Eliza Disosway also received letters from Annie's aunts, Achsa and Louise, and from Annie's cousin Rebecca C. ("Beck") Davis, a Southern sympathizer. In addition to providing family news, the women discussed the impact of the fighting on local churches, noted their personal interactions with the armies, and shared their opinions on the war. Davis described an encounter with Burnside's army and reported the soldiers' apparent dissatisfaction with military life (September 25, 1862), and others mentioned Baltimore's struggles under martial law. Other letters refer to Fort Sumter (April 11, 1861) and to Union supporters living among Confederate supporters in Virginia (October 27, 1862).

The Disosway family also received approximately 20 condolence letters following William Wilkins Disosway's death, including Captain L. W. Bates's description of the man who shot Wilkins (November 11, 1863) and a letter from Isabella Hurry, who enclosed a newspaper obituary (December 17, 1863). The collection also contains a letter from congressmen Harrison Gray Otis Blake, Benjamin Franklin Wade, and John Hutchins, asking President Abraham Lincoln to appoint Reverend J. W. McFarland of Wooster, Ohio, as a chaplain for contrabands at Port Royal (April 24, 1862).

The Writings series includes 2 reflections and resolutions respecting the death of William W. Disosway: 1 by Annie R. Disosway, offering sympathy and forgiveness for her brother's killer, and 1 by officers of the First Regiment Mounted Rifles, New York. The series also contains manuscript lyrics to "Punch 'em in the Eye," a song of the 45th Regulators.

The Simeon Gallup papers are comprised of 30 letters written by Gallup to his sister, Emily, while he served with the 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery Regiment during the Civil War. Gallup bluntly offered his opinions about a number of aspects of the war and provided detailed descriptions of his experiences in North Carolina and Virginia.

The Simeon Gallup papers are comprised of 30 letters written by Gallup to his sister Emily, while he served with the 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery Regiment during the Civil War. Gallup's correspondence covers most of the war, and includes his bluntly expressed opinions on a number of topics related to the war's administration. Gallup frequently complained, for example, about the tedium of parades, and expressed hope that Lee's invasion of the North would stymie the growing Copperhead movement (June 21, 1863). Simeon provided an unflattering portrait of Southerners (June 22, 1862) and displayed a loathing toward censorship of soldiers' letters, but though he often depicted the words of contrabands and other African Americans in simplified dialect, Gallup expressed admiration for units of the U. S. Colored Troops attached to his brigade: "I have quite as much confidence in them for their fighting qualities as in any others who went with us. Such a thing would not have seemed possible" (February 12, 1864). His letters reflect a fair amount of frustration at the artillery's stint performing cavalry duties, as well as boredom while stationed in New Bern, North Carolina, but Gallup saw action several times throughout his military service. Several of his letters describe rebel troops and destruction occasioned by the fighting, and he shared a particularly wrenching account of experiences during the Siege of Petersburg (May 19, 1864). Also of interest is a description of a sword presentation to General Ambrose Burnside, including a description of the Union's commanding general (June 22, 1862). One additional letter in the collection was composed by a soldier known only as "S. P. C.," who wrote to his parents while recuperating from a shoulder wound in Chesapeake Hospital (undated).

The Hiland H. Weaver papers contain 11 letters written by an officer of the 3rd Iowa Independent Light Battery during his service in the western theater of the Civil War.

The Hiland H. Weaver papers contain 11 letters written by an officer of the 3rd Iowa Independent Light Battery during his service in the western theater of the Civil War. In his early letters, written in 1861, Weaver described camp life and his unit's eagerness to see action. On December 14, 1861, he said, "it is very uncertain when I will see you again but I hope it will not be very long. There is some prospect that there will be a…battle fought near here before long and the most of the boys are ancious to have a hand in it but some look rather pale when there is anything said about getting into a fight[.]" In 1864, Weaver exhibited a similar devotion to the cause, and wrote, "I do not care if we stay in [our winter quarters] as long as the war lasts for I am tired of running around the country and if Old Abe is reelected I think we will have this war brought to a close in less than six months…and we will have peace on honorable terms" (October 16, 1864). Weaver also ruminated on the harsh human cost of armed conflict as he described the devastation of a recent battlefield: "It is hard to see the destruction there is when an army passes through a country" (undated). In an undated fragment, Weaver provided a graphic description of battlefield casualties: "It was a heartrending sean there was men with their heads shot off and some shot all to pieces…and in fact any thing you may immagine." All together, Weaver's correspondence provides insight into the western theater of the Civil War, both at the beginning of the conflict and during its closing stages.

The Elsie Leake papers consist of 44 incoming letters to Elsie Leake, a young woman from Rochester, New York. The letters range from 1861 to 1865, and are primarily from Union soldiers from Rochester, New York, but also from several female friends.

The Elsie Leake papers are comprised of 44 letters written to Elsie Leake, dated between 1861 and 1865, primarily from Union soldiers, but also from several female friends. Leake seemed to have a “pen-pal” relationship with a number of the soldiers from Rochester, New York. The most prolific correspondent was Henry Tracy, of the 13th New York Infantry, who wrote 14 letters to Leake between 1862 and 1864. In his correspondence, he describes a stay in the hospital on David’s Island, fighting in the Bermuda Hundred campaign, but above all, his heath, the weather, and food. Another of Leake’s correspondents is Tracy’s friend Richard Ambrose, also of the 13th New York Infantry, who wrote 12 letters about his adjustment to army life and its hardships (“The muck was knee deep but it is all for my country it is a big thing but i can not see it,” May 17, 1862). Elsie Leake’s nephew, Alonzo D. Baker, of the New York 89th infantry, also wrote three letters, briefly describing his regiment’s movements and his duties (“last night i was on picket it was purtey rough for the first time.” April 12, 1864). Two letters from William Simpson (26th New York Cavalry) and five from James Simpson provide similar views of the everyday experiences of soldiers.

Several letters from female friends and relatives shed more light on Elsie Leake herself. Both “B.” and “Louise” informed Leake of their attempts to find a husband for her. In a letter of December 9, 1861, Louise wrote, “I have a nice young man here for you. I was showing all of my likenesses one day and he fairly fell in love with you no joking.” Their letters also describe dinners, parties, and other social events.

A fervent patriot and devout Christian, Benjamin Lincoln's strong abolitionist beliefs led him to take a commission with the 2nd U.S. Infantry (Colored). His papers contain 437 letters written by and to him through the course of the Civil War, revealing the effects of war on the relationships of friends, relatives, and lovers.

A fervent patriot and devout Christian, Benjamin C. Lincoln was also a remarkably regular correspondent. The Lincoln papers contain 437 letters written by and to Benjamin Lincoln between 1861 and 1865, including letters to and from his fiancée, later wife, Dora, letters from his brothers, Sam, Alfred, Irving, Ernest and Eugene, and from friends, Fred Gage, H.O. Walker, Charles H. Mann, Sam Hall, Amy Halliday, and Rev. Samuel Winkley, among others. The high literary quality of much of Lincoln's writing is matched by the quality of his friends' writing. Ideologically, temperamentally, and literarily they are a well matched set. There is a gap in letters written by Lincoln between November, 1863 and October, 1864, caused in part by his visits home. This period, however, is represented by letters to Lincoln, through which some of his activities can be reconstructed. The correspondence ends shortly after Ben's death at the Battle of Natural Bridge in March, 1865.

The collection is a valuable resource for examining the effect that the war had in shaping the relationships of friends, relatives and lovers. Throughout the separations imposed by military service, Lincoln remained in close contact with his fellow members of the Pine Street Chapel Association (many of whom served with him in the 39th Massachusetts Infantry), and his relationship with his brothers remained intimate. The early letters between Lincoln and his then-fiancée Dora provide a depiction of the pain of separation and the psychological hardships placed on these devout and devoted people, and the entire correspondence provides a fascinating portrait of the vicissitudes in their relationship up to and following their marriage in November, 1864. Lincoln and Dora discussed their relationship almost obsessively, whether it was going well or poorly, and the frequency of their letters makes for an unusually dense coverage of the course of one war-time love match. Dora's tendency toward depression was a problem throughout their relationship, and culminated in what appears to have been a mental breakdown early in 1865, probably over the stress of renewed separation from her husband. The collection also includes a wrenching letter from Julia M. (1864 November 21), mourning the loss her fiancé, Sam Lincoln, and several letters from Amy E. Halliday (see especially 1864 November 25) coping with the loss of her fiancé, James Schneider, an officer in the 2nd U.S.C.T.

The military content in the Lincoln papers includes far more on camp life than combat, with a few notable exceptions. During Lincoln's time with the 39th Massachusetts, the regiment was stationed in a comparatively calm part of Maryland or in Washington, D.C., and thus lacks first hand descriptions of skirmishes or battles. Lincoln's letters contain speculation on his own religious convictions, as well as on the spiritual and moral condition of his fellow soldiers, and there are comments on the hostile local citizenry, on his duties as a clerk, and occasionally on the war and the military itself. Once Lincoln receives his commission in the 2nd U.S.C.T. in September, 1863, however, the letters contain more of general interest. The collection is a significant resource for studying the attitudes and activities of a white officer in a "colored" regiment, particularly during the six weeks during which the regiment was filling up at Camp Casey, and during the period in which they were stationed at calm Key West. Lincoln was not always immediately forthcoming in his letters with descriptions of his experiences with his African American troops, partly for fear that Dora would think that he was ignoring her if he discussed anything other than their relationship. Lincoln does, however, provide good descriptions of racial tension surrounding the regiment as it was forming, and some spirited accounts of religious attitudes among the troops, along with several good accounts of their Methodist-style worship. In all, Lincoln's correspondence provides an excellent portrait of the motivations of a white soldier for seeking a commission in a colored regiment, his racial attitudes, and his experiences in camp and, to a lesser degree, in the field.

Equally valuable from the military point of view are the numerous letters from friends and relatives in the service, including those from Ben's brother Sam, a private in the 23rd Massachusetts Infantry and later as a civilian employee of the Quartermaster's Department in New Bern, N.C., and from a friend, Samuel Hall, of Co. G, 39th Massachusetts. Sam Lincoln's letters are filled with information about his regiment, and about life in the garrisoned town of New Bern. His position as a former soldier become civilian makes for an unusual perspective on Union-occupied North Carolina. Letters from Lincoln's other brothers create an impression, somewhat less fleshed-out, of the stresses endured by the members of the Lincoln family during the war, the losses they incurred, and their attempts to cope. The 15 letters from Charlie Brown, initially also a member of the 39th Massachusetts Infantry, but later an officer in the 7th U.S.C.T, are particularly noteworthy. Brown was one of Ben's closest personal friends, as was his wife Ellen, and his writing ability combined with his candor make his letters a particularly important resource for the study of one of the most active "colored" regiments in the Union army. Brown provides a description of the rout at the Battle of Olustee, of engagements near Jacksonville, Fla., and the Battle of New Market Heights, and comments throughout on life in the 7th U.S.C.T.

The 22 letters from Lincoln's civilian friend and fellow Bostonian, H.O. Walker, are also uniformly lively and interesting. A fiery abolitionist and an early advocate of arming African Americans, Walker was a man with strong opinions on the war who seldom demurred from expressing himself. Included among his best letters are a long discussion of electoral politics, radical Republicans, Frémont, Lincoln, and Johnson (1864 June 24 and September 8) and a detailed description of a public meeting held at Cambridge on the subject of conscription (1864 July 26). "We must have black troops," he wrote, "and a limitless number of them too -- paid and treated like their white brothers" (1863 September 5). The four letters from Rev. Samuel Winkley provide an interesting insight both into the powerful force that religious convictions held for some soldiers, but also the bonds of friendship and mutual assistance that tied Winkley and his former Chapel Associates, even across the separations of war. Winkley's letter of September 5, 1863, includes a fine discussion of the duties of a Christian chaplain, written with regard to the African American soldier.

This collection is made up of letters that Christopher H. Keller of the 124th Illinois Infantry Regiment and Albert C. Cleavland of the 42nd Illinois Infantry Regiment wrote to the Keller family and to Caroline M. Hall during the Civil War. The soldiers described their experiences in the South, including engagements with Confederate troops and guerillas, interactions with local civilians, travel between posts, and life in military camps. They occasionally discussed their feelings about the war and about political issues such as the presidential election of 1864.

This collection is made up of letters written that Christopher H. Keller of the 124th Illinois Infantry Regiment and Albert C. Cleavland of the 42nd Illinois Infantry Regiment wrote to the Keller family and to Caroline M. Hall during the Civil War. The soldiers discussed their experiences in the South throughout the war.

The bulk of the collection is letters that Christopher H. Keller wrote to his parents, George H. and Esther Keller of Batavia, Illinois, and to his future wife, Caroline Matilda Hall of St. Charles, Illinois, between September 2, 1862, and August 14, 1865. He described his travels between camps and other posts in Illinois, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana, commenting on the weather, the scenery, and destruction caused by the war. His letters provide detailed descriptions of everyday aspects of military life, such as camp conditions, rations and supplies, religious services, and medical care; in February 1863, he described his stay at Overton Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Keller occasionally expressed his opinions on military doctors, conscripted soldiers, and the war, and reflected on soldiers' deaths. He sometimes shared stories about his interactions with Confederate civilians.

Keller participated in skirmishes throughout his service. Two groups of letters concern his experiences during the Siege of Vicksburg in mid-1863 and the Union campaign for Mobile in the spring of 1865. In March 1865, he visited New Orleans. In 1864, he briefly commented on Abraham Lincoln's presidential nomination and noted his regiment's overwhelming support for Lincoln as they voted; in 1865, he reacted to news of Lincoln's assassination and the death of John Wilkes Booth. Keller's final letters, written from Mobile just after the end of the war, include mentions of freed Confederate prisoners and freedmen. Keller's enclosed a dogwood blossom in his letter of April 10, 1865.

A small number of items in the collection are incoming letters to Christopher H. Keller and, to a lesser extent, Caroline M. Hall. Keller received one letter from Albert N. Hall about Hall's experiences at Pittsburg, Tennessee (March 25, 1862). Albert C. Cleavland wrote letters about his service with the 42nd Illinois Infantry Regiment from 1861-1865. He served in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, and his letters include descriptions of skirmishes near Chattanooga, Tennessee, in October 1863, the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, and a visit to Atlanta after its destruction by Union troops. His later letters sometimes include comments about Confederate civilians, the fall of Richmond, and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Cleavland wrote his final letters from Port Lavaca, Texas, in late 1865. The final item in the collection is a letter that Mary Chind of St. Charles, Illinois, wrote to Caroline Hall Keller on December 31, 1865, congratulating Keller on her marriage and enclosing a pamphlet by Theodore L. Cuyler, "A Flaw in the Wedding Link."

The collection includes undated newspaper clippings from the Montgomery Daily Mail and an unknown paper, pertaining to troop movements and the restoration of telegraph services, respectively, and a tintype portrait of an unidentified Union soldier in uniform, posing beside a United States flag.

The Peterson papers consist of 14 letters addressed to Simon Peterson of Oakfield, Mich., written by acquaintances in Civil War service.Although war-related content is comparatively sparse, there are reports of the battle of Shiloh and the advance on Corinth, references to daily routine, marches, the pros and cons (mainly cons) of post-war service, and slaves in Alabama.

The Peterson papers consist of 14 letters addressed to Simon Peterson of Oakfield, Mich., written by acquaintances in Civil War service, including soldiers in Co. C, 13th Michigan Infantry (William N. Barnard, Bradley McArthur, Isaac Lewis Tower, and R.L. Wells) and Co. L, 1st Michigan Cavalry (H.A. Rowley). One letter was written by Peterson's cousins, Nellie and E. C. Schumeshorn, of Clifton Park, N.Y. Most of these letters are brief and relatively breezy, and their most notable feature may be the wide assortment of stationery and envelopes emblazoned with patriotic scenes, figures, and mottoes.

Although war-related content is comparatively sparse, there are reports of the battle of Shiloh and the advance on Corinth, references to daily routine, marches, the pros and cons (mainly cons) of post-war service, and slaves in Alabama. H.A. Rowley's letters are particularly interesting in that he actively discouraged thought of Peterson's (or anyone else's) enlistment. After the war, one of Peterson's friends, R.L. Wells, became a successful photographer in Cleveland, and one of his letters encloses some excellent, unmounted samples of his work.

The Stearns collection consists of 45 letters written by Ezra Stearns to his sister, Ellen M. Brewer while he served as a private soldier in the 1st Michigan Engineers, plus two letters from his brother, Edwin (a private in the 20th Michigan Infantry), and 10 post-war letters from Stearns' wife, Mary, all written to Ellen. Ezra Stearns' letters document aspects of camp life, particularly his culinary activities as a military cook, including recipes of several dishes.

The Stearns collection consists of 45 letters written by Ezra Stearns to his sister, Ellen M. Brewer while he served as a private soldier in the 1st Michigan Engineers, plus two letters from his brother, Edwin (a private in the 20th Michigan Infantry), and 10 post-war letters from Stearns' wife, Mary, all written to Ellen.

Stearns' letters provide an account of service in an important Engineer regiment in Tennessee. While the letters do not include much insight into the engineering activities of the regiment, they are quite useful at documenting aspects of camp life, particularly the culinary activities and tastes of a talented military cook. Stearns relishes in his descriptions of cooking and he provides recipes for biscuits and pork soup, among other dishes. Other interesting letters include one with a description of a guerrilla attack on a train (1863 October 23), some letters with commentary on the recruiting and service of African-American soldiers, and the series of letters written during the Atlanta Campaign.

Finally, among the post-war correspondence are two excellent letters from Ezra's wife, Mary. The first, written from July 29-August 2, 1868, includes a description of settling into a new life on an isolated farm, becoming a "real Mohawk" in their new life in the woods and battling a fire threatening their new home. The second letter, written on October 11th, 1870, provides an account of the malarial infection afflicting Ezra and their young son, Arthur.

This collection consists primarily of letters that Rohloff and Philip Hacker wrote to their parents and siblings while serving in the 2nd and 5th Michigan Infantry Regiments during the Civil War. Also included are two of Rohloff Hacker's diaries, letters by additional Michigan soldiers and a female aid worker, and letters that William Hacker received from his brother Karl in Neustrelitz, Germany, from 1877-1880.

This collection consists of letters that Rohloff and Philip Hacker wrote while serving in the 2nd and 5th Michigan Infantry Regiments during the Civil War. The collection also includes two of Rohloff Hacker's diaries, letters by additional Michigan soldiers and a female aid worker, and letters that William Hacker received from his brother Karl in Neustrelitz, Germany, from 1877-1880.

Among the most valuable letters in the collection are Rohloff's written during the summer of 1861. These provide an excellent sense of life in the camps defending Washington, going beyond descriptions of the routine of camp life to discussions of morale, officers, and the preparedness of soldiers on both sides. Rohloff describes the equipment and uniforms issued to his Regiment -- late and in poor condition -- in great detail, and their involvement in skirmishes and in the 1st Battle of Bull Run. He displayed an unusual zeal in soldiering, remarking that he did not hesitate in firing at Confederate soldiers, even the first time, and making a number of caustic remarks about Confederate soldiers. The amusing rivalry he and Philip carried on through their correspondence with home over their regiments and relations with friends and women decreased after the First Battle of Bull Run, and seems to have ended altogether after the Peninsular Campaign, when both their moods turned darker and more serious. The brothers both wrote informative letters during the Peninsular Campaign, particularly during the siege of Yorktown, the Battle of Williamsburg, and the Seven Days' Battles. The letters describing the Battle of Fredericksburg are also absorbing, particularly Philip's account of his own wounding. Somehow, through their experiences, which included a number of disastrous defeats at the hand of the enemy, both brothers unwaveringly maintained their faith in their country and their religion.

Rohloff and Philip wrote clearly and succinctly, and both were sensitive to the larger issues of the conflict and to the effect of war on the participants and civilians. Both commented occasionally on strategy and the leadership of the Union Army. Philip's letters are somewhat more polished than Rohloff's. The majority of the brothers' letters were written to family members, with most addressed to their father and mother, William and Barbara Woll Hacker, their younger siblings, Serena and Theodore, or their sister and brother-in-law Augusta and Alpheus Macomber in various combinations. Rohloff also wrote more than 30 letters to his former employers, E.F. Albright and C. Thomson, or Mrs. Albright.

The collection contains letters of several other Michigan soldiers, most of who served with the Hackers, or were friends of the Hacker family from Brighton. Among these are four letters from Peter Smith (Co. G, 2nd Michigan), reminiscing about his friendship with Rohloff and describing visits to his grave; five from Newton J. Kirk (Co. E, 26th Michigan Infantry); four from Capt. John C. Boughton (Co. G, 2nd Michigan), two letters of Edward R. Bliss (4th Michigan Infantry), and six letters written in February and March, 1863, by W. H. Pratt, a Sergeant in the hospital in which Philip Hacker was dying (probably William H. Pratt, Co. E, 26th Michigan Infantry). Another group of additional correspondence consists of 16 letters that Julia Susan Wheelock wrote about her work for the Michigan Soldiers' Relief Association in Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia between 1863 and 1866. Wheelock is also mentioned in several of the soldier's letters. In 1870, Wheelock published a memoir of her war-time experiences, The Boys in White; the Experience of a Hospital Agent in and around Washington.

The collection also contains a group of 5 letters that Karl Hacker wrote to William Hacker, his brother, from Neustrelitz, Germany, between September 16, 1877, and February 12, 1880. The letters are written in German schrift. Hacker's correspondence concerns local news and events, including several festivals; changes in Neustrelitz and Germany since William left for the United States; and his work as a construction supervisor. He provided updates about his health, and also discussed news of family members and friends in the United States and Germany.

The collection also contains The Congregational Psalmist: A Collection of Psalm Tunes, three soldier's bibles, two belonging Rohloff C. Hacker and one from Alexander Reuben that also has Philip W. Hacker's name in it, a leather wallet with Philip Hacker and William A. Ferguson's name on it, and a sewn cloth case. Miscellaneous items such as newspaper clippings, stamps, hunting licenses, currency, 4 photographs, and photographic negatives are also included. A small selection of 20th century family correspondence about the Hacker brothers supplement the collection.

The Joseph B. Husted diary documents the daily life of a member of the 12th New Jersey Regiment. In the short daily entries from August 11, 1862- January 24, 1863, Husted described camp life and drills while his regiment was stationed around Baltimore and Frederick, Maryland.

The diary opens with the following identifier:

Joseph B. Husted

Co. K 12th Regt

Camp Stockton

Tent No. 6

Transferred to tent No. 3.

The diary (111 pages) is composed of short daily entries from August 11, 1862- January 24, 1863, most consisting of only one line, describing daily camp life and drills. Husted was probably stationed around Baltimore and Frederick, Maryland, while he was writing the diary. In several entries he mentioned the capture of Confederate prisoners, and in the January 17, 1863, entry he described his division's review by General Burnside. The last 17 pages of the diary list members of the regiment and their statuses: dead, wounded, 1st and 2nd relief, and those who were paid out.

Though the brief entries offer just the essence of soldier life in the Union Army, they do supply a consistent level of detail throughout, especially in regard to food, drills, travel and activities, inspections, entertainment, weather, prisoners, and skirmishes.

The William G. Henderson papers consist of letters from a young soldier in the Civil War to his family in Connecticut. Henderson described camp and hospital life, and discussed his views on the war and incompetent Union leadership.

The William G. Henderson papers consist of letters from a young soldier in the Civil War to his family in Connecticut. Henderson described camp and hospital life, and discussed his views on the war and the incompetent Union leadership. On January 20, 1863, Henderson wrote:

"But it is rather vexing to men that left their business and came here in order to end the war to be kept month after month scouring brass, washing white gloves, carrying knapsacks, and the like. We are doing fancy soldiering, that is all while the Rebs don't stop to see whether a man's gloves are perfectly white or not if he can only fight."

In his letter of Jan. 22, 1863, Henderson stated that he was not fighting for racial equality, but did believe that the cause of the war was right. He constantly voiced his disapproval of Union general's management of the war. By February 22, Henderson had landed in the Fort Worth military hospital with ear aches and ear discharge. He remained in the hospital for the remainder of the next three months, and in his last letters stated that he was getting better. The collection's final item is an unattributed poem commemorating Henderson's death (May 4, 1863).

Commissary Sergeant Daniel E. Hedden kept this diary (62 pages) while serving with the 6th Ohio Cavalry Regiment between October 1, 1862, and July 28, 1863. He described life in camp, discussed military movements and developments in the war, and reflected on his visits home and his relationship with a woman named Emma.

Commissary Sergeant Daniel E. Hedden kept this diary (62 pages) while serving with the 6th Ohio Cavalry Regiment between October 1, 1862, and July 28, 1863. He described life in camp, discussed military movements and developments in the war, and reflected on his visits home and his relationship with a woman named Emma.

Hedden began his diary in Centreville, Virginia, on October 1, 1862, and stated his intention to maintain an account of his time in the Union Army. He wrote regularly for the next several days, and afterward composed entries sporadically until July 28, 1863, just before the completion of his military service. The diary includes entries from Chantilly, Virginia; Washington Creek, Virginia; Farmington, Ohio; Potomac Station, Virginia; Washington, D. C.; and other locations. Hedden commented on aspects of military and camp life, such as food, accommodations, and his relationships with other soldiers (including his brother Robert, an officer). On multiple occasions, Hedden mentioned rumors or news respecting the war, movements of the Union and Confederate armies, and his thoughts on political matters. He spent several days on furlough in late October 1862, and wrote a brief account of his travels through Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, as he made his way to his home in Farmington, Ohio. Daniel Hedden also wrote about his feelings for a woman named Emma, though he later broke off the relationship.

In his first entry, Hedden reported seeing a group of four slaves and two white children pretending to skirmish, reflected on the institution of slavery, and considered the role of the war in the "death struggle" over slavery (pages 6-8, October 1, 1862). He also related an incident of a soldier who sustained a concussion in an accident and suffered memory loss (pages 53-54, January 7, 1863).

The Andrew Knox papers are comprised of 6 letters from Andrew Knox, a lieutenant in the 1st Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery, to his wife Sarah in Danbury, Connecticut.

The Andrew Knox papers are comprised of six letters from Knox to his wife Sarah, written between July 31, 1862, and October 2, 1864. The letters convey rare and perceptive details about his locations and equipment, as well as deep affection for his wife and infant. In his letter of July 31, 1862, Knox described his pride in his regiment’s accomplishments after receiving accolades from Gen. George McClellan. In the next letter in the collection, dated August 3, 1864, and written from Union Headquarters in City Point, Virginia, Knox mentioned a nearby prison with 600 Confederate soldiers and a ride on a tugboat, on which he had “a pleasant little sail.”

Knox seemingly took a great interest in his equipment and wrote a detailed description of it for his wife: “The 13 inch mortar I have charge of is on a car made especially for it to be fired from. The mortar is a big thing. I weighs 17,185 # without the bed, and throws a shell when loaded weighing 230 #” (August 5, 1854).

Knox also speculated about strategy and future movements, as in his September 19, 1864, letter: “In regard to the expected battle down here, I do not think there will be any serious one for a long time unless the enemy makes the attack… My own observations lead me to think we will hold these lines for a long time. Many forts of a permanent nature are being made along the whole front. And the front lines are being retired in the rear of the forts in many places” (September 19, 1864).

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and typescripts related to Byron D. Paddock's service in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery Regiment, Battery F, during the Civil War. Most of the manuscripts concern the Atlanta Campaign and its immediate aftermath.

This collection contains correspondence, documents, and typescripts related to Byron D. Paddock's service in the 1st Michigan Light Artillery Regiment, Battery F, during the Civil War. Manuscript letters, reports, and orders largely pertain to the regiment's actions during the Atlanta Campaign of 1864 and in its immediate aftermath, including the siege and surrender of Atlanta. A typescript includes extracts from published works regarding the 1st Michigan Light Artillery Regiment, a muster roll for Battery F with information about each soldier's disposition at the end of the war, and a Paddock's war diaries. The diaries concern Paddock's experiences between January 1, 1862, and April 15, 1865, particularly with regard to camp life, target practice, movements and marches, engagements with Confederate forces and batteries, and celebrations at the end of the war. A gap from September to October 1864 coincides with Paddock's furlough.

The Henry Grimes Marshall papers consist of letters written by Marshall to his family while serving with the Union Army, including time spent as an officer in the 29th Connecticut Infantry Regiment (Colored). Marshall's letters describe the events taking place around him as well as his thoughts about African American regiments, women's roles in war, and his reactions to the war.

Henry Marshall is among those writers whose letters provide insight into the workings of the mind, but also the workings of the heart. As a result, his surviving correspondence ranks among the outstanding collections in the Schoff Civil War Collections, providing a sensitive and deeply introspective view into the experience of a white officer in a "colored" regiment. An exquisite writer, Marshall was also among the most punctual of correspondents, rarely allowing a week to pass without sending something to his family at home. As a result of this fidelity and his meticulous eye for detail, it is possible to reconstruct nearly every day of Marshall's life under arms, the swings in his emotions, and the sudden changes in fortune that marked his career.

The high point of the collection is a remarkable series of letters written while Marshall was captain of Co. E, 29th Connecticut Infantry (Colored). Unlike the vast majority of white Americans, Marshall saw African-Americans as capable soldiers, brave and willing, and though afflicted with an unrelenting paternalism and sense of his own racial superiority, he generally refrained from swinging to the romantic extremes of many white abolitionists or the vicious extremes of his more racist compatriots. Marshall provides good accounts of daily life in camp, the inevitable rumors circulating among the soldiers, and opinions of officers. Of particular value are the ruminations on African American troops and their officers, living conditions while on duty guarding plantations in South Carolina or in the trenches before Petersburg, and the heavy labor while working at construction of the Dutch Gap Canal.

Among the military engagements described by Marshall are Fredericksburg, the sieges of Suffolk and Petersburg (particularly the battles of New Market, Darbytown Road and the Darbytown and New Market Roads), and the capture of Richmond. Furthermore, Marshall was involved in a number of minor skirmishes, many of which are exceptionally well documented. Overall, the best accounts are those for New Market Heights, where African American troops again distinguished themselves, and for a smaller, but significant skirmish during the Petersburg Campaign on October 12 and 13, 1864.

Marshall's letters are made more valuable in that his observational scope extends beyond the military, to report on such things as contraband children's schools (April 30, 1863), "shouts" and religious services (1864 July 5), and the local civilianry. An educated man with a keen interest in botany, he frequently sent home lengthy descriptions of southern flowers, often enclosing samples and seeds, and he left a rare record of the reading material available to a soldier. Marshall was also a keen observer of the religious life in his regiment, writing scathing attacks on his regiment's chaplain, whom Marshall felt was suspect of character.

This collection consists of letters written by James K. Hale sent to his brother George Hale while serving in the 106th New York Volunteers during the Civil War. The letters document the movements and viewpoints of a soldier in this regiment.

This collection consists of 28 letters written by James K. Hale, which he sent to his brother George Hale while serving in the Union Army during the Civil War. The letters cover the entire existence of the 106th New York Volunteers and document the movements and viewpoints of a soldier in this regiment. Little personal information was offered outside of discussions of health and comments that he had received letters from Rosina.

In the letters, Hale openly discussed his superior officers, his interactions with other regiments, daily troop movements and battles, army life, and life in a field hospital. In a letter from October 1862, he mentioned that "Mulligan’s regiment are a hard lot of men." In December 1862, he described secondhand reports of a skirmish at Winchester, resulting in 7 prisoners and 12 Union deaths. In a particularly interesting letter from February 2, 1863, Hale expressed a bleak outlook for the outcome of the war, based on the Union's failures in the major battles thus far. Another item from August 1863 contains a vivid description of skirmishing at Manassas in late July 1863.

Hale wrote letters from November 22, 1863, and after from the Central Park Hospital in New York City, after he was shot with a musket ball in the ankle. He remained, however, in good spirits and health: "It is nothing but a flesh wound." While letters from this period record typical life in an army hospital, Hale noted some interesting details. For instance, in a December 28, 1863, letter, he described surgeons "putting on an artificial jaw on a man which is a great thing if they can make it work." He returned to his regiment in late March 1864. In his letter of June 19, 1863, Hale briefly commented on the siege of Petersburg happening in the background and ruminated on the merits of McClellan versus those of Grant. He praised the new Union leadership:

"…the men have great confidence in both Grant and Mead[.] They both keep close along in the front. I do not think Gen Butler has shown himself to be the greatest Gen. that ever was[.] I think he will do better for military Gov than he will for Gen. We have had three Brigade commanders wounded in our Brigade and our corps commander was killed[.] there has been a great many officers killed and wounded which is done by the sharpshooters in trees and other places" (June 19, 1864).

Hale wrote about other Union generals and discussed the merits and drawbacks of their battle strategies. In later letters, he described the progress of the 106th New York toward Richmond and looked forward to the end of the war. The last dated letter of May 21 [1865], briefly describes the reactions of soldiers to Lincoln’s assassination. "Even a greater portion of the South consider it an act beneath the dignity of any true man..."

This collection is made up of typescripts of letters that Thomas D. Willis wrote to his family while serving in the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment during the Civil War. The letters concern his imprisonment after the regiment's unsuccessful mutiny in early 1863, his hospitalization in late 1864, and daily conditions in army camps in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.

This collection is primarily made up of typescripts of letters that Thomas D. Willis wrote to his parents and siblings while serving in the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment between August 1862 and June 1865. The Willis family also received a small number of letters from John McKee and Walter G. Wilson, also of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry, and a family friend who encountered Willis during his hospitalization in late 1864.

Thomas D. Willis sent letters to his parents and two of his siblings, Julia and Seth, throughout his Civil War service, writing less frequently as the war went on. From late August 1862 to early April 1863, he discussed his pride in the regiment, his close friendships with a group of other soldiers, and life in camps in Carlisle, Pennsylvania; Louisville, Kentucky; and Nashville, Tennessee. He described his daily schedule, meals, equipment, and marches, where he noticed the effects of the war and the graves of soldiers who had died along the road. After arriving in Nashville in November 1862, the regiment became involved in a controversy over their expected and assigned duties. Willis reported that he and others had enlisted to serve as bodyguards for General Don Carlos Buell; upon learning that they were to become a regular cavalry regiment following Buell's removal, the members of the regiment laid down their arms and refused to serve, believing that they had been enlisted under false pretenses. In the absence of obvious ringleaders, Willis and several other men were randomly chosen as representatives at a court martial. Willis described the poor conditions during his imprisonment and expressed his growing discontent with Captain William Jackson Palmer and other military leaders, whom he accused of acting as despots.

After his release from prison in early April 1863, Willis returned to the front, where he continued to describe camp life in Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. He mentioned several skirmishes and at least one major engagement with Confederate troops. He noted that the civilian population, including both Union and Confederate sympathizers, had suffered because of the war. His letters also refer to health problems, often related to dysentery, and he was hospitalized with a large open sore on his hip in late 1864. Willis described his treatment in hospitals in Nashville, Tennessee, and Jeffersonville, Indiana, and discussed his appointment as a wardmaster for a branch hospital. Willis wrote infrequently between late 1864 and the spring of 1865, when he anticipated his return home. Along with the Willis family's incoming correspondence, the collection includes typescripts of 2 letters that Willis's mother wrote in August 1864; she discussed life at home, Copperhead politicians, and the presidential election of 1864.

The materials were transcribed by Scott Willis, a descendant of Thomas D. Willis, around 1978.

This collection contains 6 letters that Private Melvin W. Drake wrote to his sister, Mary A. Daniels, while serving in Company C of the 23rd Michigan Infantry Regiment between 1862 and 1865. He described his experiences in camp and mentioned his participation in battles such as the Siege of Knoxville.

This collection contains 6 letters that Private Melvin W. Drake wrote to his sister, Mary A. Daniels, while serving in Company C of the 23rd Michigan Infantry Regiment between 1862 and 1865. Drake composed his first 2 letters while in camp at Bowling Green, Kentucky, and described camp life, which included serving on picket duty and digging trenches; he also noted an unsuccessful attempt to catch a rebel cavalry unit (January 31, 1863). He also reported that the 111th Ohio Infantry Regiment had mistakenly fired a cannonball into his company's campsite during artillery practice, and the ball tore through a soldier's tent (January 31, 1863). Drake occasionally mentioned taking part in battle, and related his experience at the Siege of Knoxville, during which he spent three hours on the battlefield and sustained a slight wound in his right hand, though he hadn't fired a shot (December 24, 1863). On October 27, 1864, he wrote that he had seen many skirmishes, and that they had become somewhat routine. His final letter contrasts Democratic and Republican approaches to campaigning amongst the troops, and he reported that he had voted despite the fact that he would not turn 21 until February 1865 (January 9, 1865).

The Josephine Wakely papers contain correspondence from several Civil War soldiers from Whiteford, Michigan, primarily describing battles, attitudes, and duties.

The Josephine Wakely papers contain 22 letters written to Wakely between 1862 and 1871. Six Union soldiers wrote seventeen of the letters during their Civil War service; they were likely Wakely's neighbors in Whiteford, Michigan.

Adam H. Crist, a corporal in the 15th Michigan Infantry, composed 10 of the letters in 1862 and 1863. In them, he described the aftermath of the Second Battle of Corinth (October 18, 1862), attacks by guerillas in Grand Junction, Tennessee (December 13, 1862), and taking horses from Southerners (December 27, 1863). Throughout his correspondence, Crist exhibited a dislike for military life, repeatedly stating that he did not blame anyone for getting out of the Army in any way he could. In several letters, Crist mentioned African Americans. On May 21, 1863, he observed that many in his regiment had taken roles as officers in "Negro regiments," while in another letter, he commented on the plight of soldiers: "they say we took the Negroes place & they took ours & it looks so to me for we are in bondage now while they are free." (July 16, 1863). In the same letter, he also discussed the superiority of western troops and wrote, "I never want to go unless Grant goes with us for I don’t want to fight under them Eastern generals."

Thomas Wakeley [sic] of the 8th Michigan Cavalry and George H. Rogers and Edward Keller of the 18th Michigan Infantry each wrote one letter to Josephine Wakely. In his letter of May 29, 1864, Thomas Wakeley described an assignment to tie a man to a tree as punishment. Rogers gave an account of washing clothes at Cumberland Hospital and expressed his appreciation for freckled Southern girls (February 15, 1865). From his location, Keller recounted seeing many steamboats burning aboard a gunboat on the Cumberland River (May 14, 1863).

Morris Cummings of the 24th Michigan Infantry and Thomas G. Spriggs of the 18th Michigan Infantry each contributed two letters. Cummings wrote from Camp Butler in Springfield, Illinois, and mentioned attending Abraham Lincoln's funeral (May 26, 1865), while Spriggs wrote from Huntsville, Alabama, concerning news and an upcoming prisoner-of-war exchange (February 19, 1865). Five letters postdate 1865. They primarily provide news about family members and mutual acquaintances, though one letter recounts a religious conversion experienced by its author (June 1, 1866).

The Nathan D. and Thomas Robinson diaries contain entries relating to the Civil War service of two brothers from Ohio, in the 104th and 143rd Ohio Infantry.

The Nathan D. and Thomas Robinson diaries consist of five Civil War diaries; four kept by Nathan D. Robinson, and one written by his brother Thomas. Nathan's diaries cover 1862-1870, while Thomas' volume spans January-May and September-December of 1864.

Thomas' 49-page diary documents his life on a farm near Hanover, Ohio, before and after his military service, as well as three weeks of his time with the National Guard unit he joined, which was incorporated into the 143rd Ohio Infantry. Between January and late April, in daily entries, he described farm work (including harvesting buckwheat and making cider), weather, routine activities, and his efforts to resist alcohol. From May 2-22, he briefly documented his military service, mentioning drilling, traveling by train, and exchanging weapons, though not in much detail. Thomas resumed writing in the diary on September 17, 1864, and added daily entries until the end of the year. These focus primarily on his health, duties, finances, and the weather. On September 27, he wrote that he had contributed $10 to a fund to hire volunteers to take the places of drafted men in the war. In the back of the diary are several pages of financial accounts.

Nathan D. Robinson's first diary spans August 15, 1862-January 14, 1863 and contains approximately 90 pages of entries. In it, he described his arrival at Camp Massillon in Ohio, movement around Kentucky, camp life, duties, and incidents of note, such as the arrival of "Contraband" (escaped slaves), who warned the soldiers of surrounding Confederates. On October 6, 1862, Robinson wrote down detailed instructions on how perform picket duty, including whom to approach and at what distance.

The second volume, covering January 1-November 18, 1864, mainly contains extremely terse descriptions of movements and military actions. In its approximately 100 pages, Robinson gave brief descriptions of such events as the Battle of Resaca (May 13-15, 1864), and the destruction of railroad tracks in Macon, Georgia, during the Atlanta Campaign (August 30, 1864). He also provided ongoing details about the weather and his regiment's casualties.

The next diary, spanning January 1-June 28, 1865, contains 100 pages and comprises lengthier entries. Topics include the health and diagnosis of typhoid fever of Nathan's brother Thomas (January 24, 1865), the capture of an Armstrong Gun "said to be presented to Jef Davise [sic] by the Queen of England" (February 13, 1865), and conflicting rumors about the Lincoln assassination (April 17-19, 1865). On April 22, 1865, Robinson learned that Thomas had died eight days before, and he subsequently drew a mourning curtain over the top and sides of his entries through April 26. In his writings of April 24 and 28, he mentioned several visits to the "Deaf, Dumb and Blind Asylum," which he found "entertaining" and "interesting."

The fourth volume, of approximately 100 pages, sporadically filled in, contains only occasional entries between 1866 and 1870. It also consists of miscellaneous financial notes, two messages from women, and the lyrics to the song "When Sherman Marched Down to the Sea." A single receipt is laid into the volume.

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 diary, kept by a soldier in the 138th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, chronicles the regiment's movements throughout Maryland and northern Virginia between June 16, 1863, and January 1, 1864.

This diary, kept by a soldier in the 138th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, chronicles the regiment's movements throughout Maryland and northern Virginia between June 16, 1863, and January 1, 1864. The author listed three soldiers from Company A who died, deserted, or were discharged, and he also frequently mentioned Captain L. C. Andress of Company H, who died on November 12, 1863. He composed entries of varying lengths on an almost daily basis, consistently noting the regiment's movements during the pursuit of Lee from Pennsylvania to Virginia. The author also documented various aspects of camp life. Though the regiment saw little action, it did participate in guard duty near Washington, D. C. The soldier reflected upon the history of the war as he passed Manassas, where he saw "Graves every mile or so" (October 19). In early December, he received 10 days of leave. In the back of the journal, which concluded on January 1, 1864, the author recorded his "Expenses for Mess" and the amount of money sent home to his wife.

This collection contains 15 letters that Fred Hewitt wrote to his family and friends while serving in the 5th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment during the Civil War, as well as 1 letter written by his brother Frank, who was in the same regiment. Fred Hewitt discussed several aspects of his service in army camps in Maryland and Virginia.

This collection contains 15 letters that Frederick K. Hewitt ("Fred") wrote to his family and friends while serving in the 5th New York Heavy Artillery Regiment during the Civil War, as well as 1 undated letter written by his brother Frank, who was in the same regiment. The envelopes are addressed to Marion Hewitt and "Mayne" Hewitt of Horseheads, New York, and to Mrs. Albert Fields of Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Fred Hewitt wrote letters home from March 29, 1863-July 4, 1865. Though he was primarily stationed at Camp Hill in Harper's Ferry, Virginia, he also wrote from several Maryland locations, including Fort McHenry. His letter of August 7, 1864, is dated from a hospital in Frederick, Maryland. Hewitt wrote about other soldiers and officers in his regiment, desertions and soldiers declining to reenlist, a local smallpox epidemic, loneliness in camp, and other aspects of military life. He sometimes provided news of and expressed concern for his younger brother, Frank. Some of his letters mention picket duty and the possibility of being called into battle. One letter recounts the story of his lieutenant, Disosway, who was taken prisoner (November 17, 1864). Hewitt's final letter, dated July 4, 1865, concerns life in New York City. Frank Hewitt's undated letter to his sister also concerns aspects of military life.

The Octavius Leland diaries contain entries concerning Leland's service in Company C of the 10th Minnesota Infantry, 1863-1865.

The Octavius Leland diaries contain two volumes of near daily entries, spanning October 6, 1863, to June 20, 1865. The two volumes contain a total of 232 written pages. The first volume covers October 6, 1863-September 12, 1864, and the second volume spans September 13, 1864-June 20, 1865. Volume one, which includes 23 newspaper clippings in its front pocket, begins with Leland's travel by train from Elgin, Minnesota, to the barracks at St. Louis, Missouri, during which time, his bag, flute, clothing, and personal effects were stolen. Entries for October 1863-May 1864 describe Leland's time in St. Louis, including his concerts with the regimental band, visits to the city, and military duties. On November 10, 1863, he gave an account of his first visit to downtown St. Louis; he noted with awe the newly built Lindell Hotel with "cars that run to every room," and enjoyed the view of the city from the dome on top of the courthouse. On January 18, 1864, he described a visit to a St. Louis "museum," where he saw a bearded woman and the "Albino Twins of black parents."

Despite the theft of his flute, Leland mentioned playing in several band performances, including the funeral march of "Maj. Brown" (November 7, 1863) and a commemoration of the Battle of Pea Ridge (March 8, 1864). During the latter performance, he was pleased by a "general waiving [sic] of handkerchiefs from the ladies" as he played through the streets. However, on June 1, 1864, a doctor advised him to "quit blowing the fife for awhile" in order to halt dizziness and fainting spells.

During his time in St. Louis, Leland's military responsibilities were light, and allowed him time to sell fruit and carved rings to make extra money (March 9, 1864). By May 1864, however, Leland's regiment was sent to a series of camps in Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama, taking part in some minor engagements with guerillas and with Forrest's cavalry, in the Battle of Nashville, the defense of Memphis during Forrest's raid, and the Siege of Mobile and capture of Fort Blakely. The most notable aspect of Leland's service, however, was his long and ultimately unsuccessful bout with disease. He suffered particularly after July 1864; the second volume of Leland's diary chronicles near constant sickness, including diarrhea and respiratory problems. Too weak for duty much of the time, Leland was assigned to assist ambulance personnel, and to other support roles for the regiment. Despite the length and evident severity of his sickness, his requests for a discharge were repeatedly denied, and his Captain apparently believed that he was attempting to shirk his duty. He died of the effects of chronic diarrhea on August 12th, 1865, three days before he was to be mustered out.

From about 1860 through at least the end of the Civil War, Samuel C. Taylor worked as a salesman for the Philadelphia clothing firm of Charles Stokes & Co. The 1863 portion of his journal contains almost daily entries between February and May, vividly describing his travels from Philadelphia to Memphis and social life in Memphis during the Civil War. The 1890 portion of the journal consists of seven humorous essays, which are highly stereotypical, possibly semi-fictional, depictions of life in the south.

The Taylor journal is a single, 3/4 leather-bound volume in two sequential parts, the first dated 1863, the second, 1890. The journal is probably a transcript made in 1890 or 1891 from the original, based on the style of binding and paper, and the continuity in handwriting and pen between the two dated parts. The 1863 portion, 260 pages long, takes the form of almost daily journal entries from the time of Taylor's departure from Philadelphia on February 16th, through his stay in Memphis, until his return to Philadelphia on May 16th, and is uniformly well written and interesting. It is a far more polished piece of writing than many journals, and may have been corrected or embellished at the time of its transcription. At its best, Taylor's prose has the feeling of Mark Twain's exuberant descriptions of life on the Mississippi, leavened with the cynical undercurrents of Melville's Confidence Man., and though it is brief, covering only a four months' residence, the journal is a valuable social record of life in wartime Memphis as seen by a person come to take advantage of the quick money to be made. Taylor has a preference for the "colorful" aspects of life in Memphis, and includes vivid descriptions of the shoddy accommodations, the venality and corruption, rampant violence and crime, and of soldiers, prostitutes, rebels, drunks and rowdies. Throughout, he displays an eye for the telling detail, a good sense of humor, and an unerring flair for making a good story out of difficult circumstances.

Among the several highlights in the journal is an excellent description of the steamboat trip to Memphis, during which a "Jewish" swindler/gambler managed to con his way out of several tight spots by his using his wits and his finesse with cards. Once in Memphis, Taylor provides memorable descriptions of the city in all its war-time depravity, and vivid accounts of long lines of ragged, worn-out soldiers marching in to town, of murder, robbery and charlatanism, of prostitutes and drunks shouting and shooting in the streets, and of the characters, like himself, who have descended on the city to turn a quick profit, legally or illegally. Taylor was somewhat less accomplished in his poetry, though his poem about life in Memphis during the war is an amusing, sarcastic look at the closet secessionists of the city, Memphis' cheerless, malattired women, crime, and the amusement he occasionally found, including listening to the "darkies" singing. One quatrain summarizes his attitudes well: "What an awfull place to live in / Now I'll stop or freighten you (sic) / Yet upon my word of honor / What I've written you is true" (p. 106).

Taylor's attitude toward Jews, synonymous with swindling merchants in his mind, and African-Americans is highly stereotyped. He is, however, somewhat sympathetic toward slaves and freedmen even as he is willing to have a laugh at their expense. In Memphis, he attended a religious service for freedmen delivered by a mulatto preacher named Revels. Taylor was genuinely moved by the sermon, and seems to have agreed with its message. He is also somewhat sympathetic with the "contrabands" he sees being trampled by Union soldiers, or boating up river, half-dressed and hungry to a mission in Missouri. In general, though, Taylor is inclined toward a cynical view of strangers, and is always on his guard for the cons and crooks that were abundant in Memphis.

The 1890 portion of the Taylor journal consists of seven humorous essays, which are highly stereotypical, possibly semi-fictional, depictions of life in the south. They include:

1. "Sketches from the South," (Chattanooga, April 3, 1890: p. 263-268)
2. "A Kentucky Wheelman," (Louisville, Ky., April 20, 1890: p. 269-271)
3. "A Hodoo Doctor" (Birmingham, Ala., April 30, 1890: p. 272-275)
4. "The Negro Drill Workers" (Memphis, Tenn., May 2, 1890: p. 276-279)
5. "The Georgia Cracker, The Alabama Razor Back" (Atlanta, Ga., May 10, 1890: p. 280-284)
6. "New Orleans, La." (May 20, 1890, New Orleans: p. 285-293)
7. "Pensacola, Florida" (September 20, 1890, Pensacola: p. 293-295)

These essays are the interesting products of a talented writer, who, though sympathetic observer of southern society, is nevertheless mired in the ingrained attitudes and prejudices of his day. In the first essay, Taylor discusses the phenotype of African-Americans and the several "clases or sets" that comprise the African-American community in the South, from the rich, to the merchants, mechanics, drill men, tramps and the "poor old uncle." "The hoodoo doctor" and "The Negro drill workers" are somewhat longer essays along the same lines, and are written as first hand experiences. In "A Kentucky wheelman" and "The Georgia cracker, the Alabama razorback," Taylor turns his eye to the poor white community in the deep South, and paints a dismal view of the state of their culture. Essays 3, 4, and 5 also include crude, pen and ink illustrations of the subjects of the essay.

This collection contains a diary chronicling Hiram W. Coppernall's service in the 24th New York Cavalry Regiment throughout 1864, as well as a photograph. Coppernall recorded his daily movements and activities with the regiment, which saw action at the Battle of Petersburg.

The Hiram W. Coppernall collection pertains to his service in the 24th New York Cavalry Regiment, Company H, during the Civil War. Throughout 1864, he kept a diary (120 pages), which concerns his military training, his unit's marches through Virginia, his participation in the Battle of Petersburg, and his affliction with severe sunstroke. He began writing shortly after his enlistment, and a woman named "Eliza" contributed some early entries in which she apologized for intruding and encouraged Coppernall to remember and write to her. After training and performing police duty in Washington, D.C., the regiment left for Virginia in late April. On May 7, they constructed a breastwork, and on May 18-19 they traveled to Spotsylvania Court House. Coppernall occasionally reported on military engagements that often ended in Union defeats. On June 18, he participated in an assault on Petersburg, Virginia, and on July 30 he mentioned a tunnel explosion and the resulting Battle of the Crater. He wrote less frequently after August 6, when he suffered from severe sunstroke, and he spent much of the rest of the year recuperating and on furlough in New York. He rejoined his regiment in December. In addition to Coppernall's diary entries, the volume has a list of men in his regiment and financial accounts, which include a list of the clothing he received from the United States government for his military service. The diary is accompanied by a carte-de-visite photograph of Coppernall and a framed photograph of two Union cavalry officers, with the message "Same here" (1864).

The George W. Martin papers consist of letters from a young soldier in the 22nd Pennsylvania Cavalry to his parents in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

The George W. Martin papers consist of 16 letters from Martin to his parents, dated between March 1864 and May 1865. Many of the letters are postmarked from Virginia and include items sent from the Harper's Ferry area, with a number of the 1865 letters posted from New Creek, West Virginia. The letters primarily concern daily camp life, such as a fire in the camp (March 31, 1864) and the theft of two pounds of Martin’s coffee (January 11, 1865). Martin also frequently recounted hardships (“We are almost starving these three or four days.” February 11, 1865), and continually discussed and requested care packages from his parents. On April 16, 1865, Martin wrote to his parents concerning the death of Lincoln, “We got very bad news here yesterday that President Lincoln was shot. And also secretary Steward was stabbed and his son. Dear Mother I am affraid that is a going to put the war back it will encourage the rebbles and they will fight the harder now since he is killed.” The letters document the experiences of a young adolescent faced for the first time with the hardships of army life.

J. Martin Gorham was a lawyer from Barre, Mass. who enlisted in the 33rd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. His papers consist of four letters written to his sister and her husband during the Atlanta Campaign and shortly after the fall of Savannah.

The Gorham collection consists of only four letters, three written to his sister Sarah Jane and one to her husband, James R. Marrett. Three of the letters were written during the Atlanta Campaign, and one shortly after the fall of Savannah. Gorham's letters reflect his high level of education. They are observant and literate, and yet, because he was detailed as regimental clerk during the campaigns in Georgia and the Carolinas, they are comparatively slight on detail concerning military activity. The last letter in which Gorham describes the headquarters in Savannah and relating a little bit about the city and state, is far and away the best in the collection. Gorham's notion that the quality of the regimental band made them a popular choice for headquarters guard duty and favoritism is also worth noting.