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

The Charles F. Tew papers contain letters and documents related to Union officer Charles Tew and his family. The letters document Tew's early career in the navy, his Civil War service, and his family's post-war activities.

The Charles F. Tew papers contain letters and documents related to Union officer Charles Tew and his family (1837-1905). The 1985 series is comprised of 448 letters, 2 diaries, 19 military documents (including orders, supply notes, commissions, and furloughs), 1 roll call notebook, 1 subpoena, 9 financial records (receipts), 3 printed items, and 11 items of ephemera.

The letters begin in 1841, during Tew's early career in the United States Navy, and were written to and from Tew, his mother, and his brother. Tew's letters detail his experiences as a young sailor aboard the Columbus, and include descriptions of ship life. In one letter, Tew complained to his mother that they begin scrubbing the deck early in the morning, and that "if you go below the mate will lick you with out mercy…I am sick of a sailor's life" (September 16, 1841). Several letters deal with his attempts to obtain a discharge. He explained to his mother that if he is not released from service he will simply run away again: "I will never consent to stay here five years on any account whatever I had rather they would throw me overboard with a forty two pound shot tied to my neck" (January 17, 1842). Soon after, the navy agreed to discharge Tew.

Most of the 1850-1860 items are incoming letters to Tew from friends and family, dealing with daily life, town gossip and scandals (such as an illegitimate birth (January 9 and 10, 1851)), firefighting, and cockfighting. Of note is a letter discussing "spirit rappings" (February 22, 1850), and a letter about newly instated fugitive slave laws (November 28, 1850).

The Civil War letters begin on November 5, 1861, when Tew wrote that he and his regiment had reached Annapolis, Maryland. The majority of the letters from this period are from Tew to his wife and family, with some letters addressed to either Tew or Amelia from other friends and family members. The letters indicate that, though Tew missed his family greatly, he was proud of his service for his country: "I am winning an inheritance for my children, and for them a name and a country that they may never be ashamed of" (November 28, 1861). Tew often exhibited frustration at the men who did not enlist, as he believed their reluctance to join the cause only lengthened the war. Tew suggested that their civilian pay should be cut in order to encourage them to enlist (November 21, 1863). Though the series does not include Amelia's letters to Tew, his responses indicate that she was often frustrated by his absence. Tew's letters contain vivid descriptions of army and officer life, battles and expeditions, and his illnesses and injuries. Tew described his part in the capture of New Bern and the ensuing skirmishes (March 16, 1862), Drewry's Bluff (May 22, 1864), Cold Harbor (June 5, 1864), and the siege of Petersburg (June 12-August 11, 1864). Tew wrote that many of his men had grown hard and accustomed to battle: "They are without fear as you may say, heardened to the sight of blood…O Wife you know not what it is to meat death face to face, yet I fear it not…" (April 9, [1862]). Beyond the battlefield, Tew discussed his impressions of and dealings with Southern civilians. He described commandeering houses and burning the homes of those who gave information to the Confederate Army (June 15, 1862). He noted the capture of several Confederate prisoners, mentioning that he wished he could have killed them in revenge for the death of Union soldiers (July 30, 1862). African Americans and slaves are also a frequent topic of discussion, and Tew claimed that, though the people in Maryland have slaves do all of their work, "they cannot be as happy as we are at home with our wives and daughters to do our work so neat for us" (November 1861). Tew occasionally discussed his views of African American troops.

Tew resigned from the service in August 1864, but reenlisted in 1865, to the consternation of his wife. In a letter from March 18, 1865, Tew defended his actions, claiming that he was not a bad husband, nor was he deserting his family. After his reenlistement, Tew felt unwelcome in his new regiment (March 23, 1865). The letters from this period contain a discussion of Lincoln's assassination (April 26, 1865), as well as a first-hand account of the execution of the assassination conspirators (July 10, 1865).

After the war, the series consists primarily of family letters, including several from Charles F. Tew, Jr (1877-1880), who traveled around the United States working odd jobs, including painting, piano tuning, and picking cotton, until he died suddenly in Colorado of an illness. His last letter is dated February 21, 1880, and is followed by a payment for transporting his body back to Massachusetts, and a letter from the hospital containing information on his death (May 17, 1880). Family letters, written primarily by Amelia, Charles, and their children, continue through the next few decades, providing accounts of late 19th century family life. Topics include illnesses, romances and marriages (accounts of Mabel Tew's wedding are provided in letters from January 8 and 15, 1888), work, births, vacations, and general family events.

Also included in the series are several printed documents, including a navy broadside (1837); a pamphlet providing "Instructions for Officers on outpost and patrol duty" (March 25, 1862); and a subpoena to appear at a court martial for men who had gone AWOL (October 19, 1865). Also present are three bound volumes: Tew's roll call notebook for the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment (1862-1865), and two diaries from 1862 and 1865 that contain occasional brief entries.

The 2015 series consists of approximately 250 items, primarily Civil War-era military documents and returns related to ordnance, camp equipage, and clothing. Other military documents concern details, furloughs, and passes for Tew and members of his companies. Application materials for pensions, disability, and other matters area also included. The series also features seven letters from 1849 relating to Charles F. Tew's travels to California to participate in gold mining. Ten letters from Amelia M. Tew to her mother in the mid-1850s detail her young and growing family. These are accompanied by various other family letters, documents, and receipts from 1809 to 1902.

The series also includes several photographs, ephemera, and two essays. One, "An Incident at New Berne, N.C." relates to a Civil War battle in which Tew commanded. The other, "My Childhood Days in the First Third of the Century," is a partial memoir written by a mother for her child. Two autograph albums, one from ca. 1833-1836 and ca. 1874-1878, are at the end of the series.

This collection is made up of correspondence, military records, photographs, newsletters, scrapbooks, and other items pertaining to the military career of Charles H. Foster, who served in the United States Navy from 1898-1934.

The Charles H. Foster collection consists of correspondence, military records, photographs, newsletters, scrapbooks, and other items pertaining to the military career of Charles H. Foster, who served in the United States Navy from 1898-1934.

The collection's correspondence (144 items) primarily relates to Foster's naval service after 1902. Letters, memorandums, orders, and reports concern his ship assignments and work at the Naval Gun Factory (Washington Navy Yard) during World War I. One group of letters from the early 1920s relates to the acquisition of dependent's pay for Foster's mother. A series of World War II-era documents respect Foster's fitness for active duty. After World War II, he received letters from military acquaintances and veterans of the Spanish-American War.

Charles H. Foster's 1918-1919 diary concerns his travel on the Huron between the United States and France. Notes, newspaper clippings, and a telegram laid into the volume regard deaths, the military, and historical inquiries.

The papers include 4 of Charles H. Foster's scrapbooks, which contain materials related to the USTS Alliance's 1897-1898 training mission; naval ships, personnel, and theatrical and musical programs and performances; the Mexican Revolution and Mexican politics in the mid-1910s; and naval equipment, camps, and weapons tests.

Sixty-three photographs depict U.S. Navy sailors and vessels. One group of pictures show scenes from the Huron's voyage between France and the United States during World War I. The collection also features photographic postcards sent by Charles H. Foster and others from Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, Germany, and Borneo.

Financial records, legal documents, and service records primarily pertain to Charles H. Foster, with a focus on his time on the USS West Virginia in the 1920s and his mother's financial dependency. Documents, blueprints, photographs, and other items relate to devices patented by Charles H. Foster and others. Two service ribbons appear in the collection, mounted onto a wallet printed with "United States Battle Fleet, Sydney, 1925," which also contains a travel pass and membership card for Charles H. Foster.

The collection includes 429 typescripts about early American history, the Civil War, South Carolina Confederate soldiers, the Spanish-American War, aviation, and the US Navy. Rosters of American Navy ships and personnel include information on Union vessels during the Civil War; casualties from the 1898 USS Maine explosion; USTS Alliance naval apprentices in 1898; USS West Virginia officers in 1926; and the names and addresses of members in several naval veterans' associations.

A "Personal Log" by Royal Emerson Foster relates to his service on the SSAC Bedford in early 1919, with descriptions and illustrations of naval equipment, ship construction, signaling, personnel, and other subjects. The navy publication Rules to Prevent Collisions of Vessels also appears in the Log.

US Naval Ex. Apprentices Association materials include copies of Trade Winds, the association's newsletter, from 1939-1964. The newsletters are accompanied by a list of Alliance apprentices in 1898. A copy of Rocks and Shoals, a publication for former crewmen of the USS Memphis, is also present. Other printed works include military publications about equipment and procedures, a handbook on medicine, the Mariner's Pocketbook, A History of Guantanamo Bay, newspaper clippings, a souvenir book from the US Naval Training Station in Newport, Rhode Island, a death announcement, and a map of Arlington National Cemetery.

Notes, reports, and a bound volume concern the history of the Foster, Yates, and Lindstrom families.

David Porter and David Dixon Porter papers (4 linear feet) contain the letters and writings of two American naval officers who served in the 1st Barbary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War. Included are official and family letters, as well as David D. Porter's manuscript drafts of his history and fiction works.

David Porter and David Dixon Porter papers (4 linear feet) contain the letters and writings of two American naval officers who served in the 1st Barbary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, and the Civil War. Included are official and family letters, as well as David D. Porter's manuscript drafts of his history and fiction works.

The David Porter Correspondence series (231 items) contains Porter's incoming and outgoing letters covering 1805 to 1840, most of which deal with his naval service during the War of 1812, and his West Indian patrol duty, with some items documenting his time in the Mexican Navy and his diplomatic career. Present are seven items related to his time in the Mediterranean during the First Barbary War, eight letters from Secretary of the Navy Robert Smith during Porter's service in command of the United States Gun Boats at New Orleans prior to the War of 1812, and 15 War of 1812 era letters from Isaac Hull concerning his interest in administrative improvements in the navy. Other topics include the release of officers and crew of the U.S. Essex, Porter's relationship with the Carrera brothers and support for Chilean independence, and Porter's command of the West India Squadron (1823-1825).

• March 10, 1809: Edward Livingston to David Porter requesting an opinion of his proposed improvements to the harbor of New Orleans
• September 21, 1812: John Stricker to David Porter announcing the safe arrival of the Prize brig Lamprey, captured by Porter on July 13, 1812
• May 3, 1824: Cecilio Ayllon, military governor of Cuba, to Porter concerning the disrespectful and damaging conduct of American sailors at a woman's property near Matanzas, Cuba
• January 1843: George Read's naval order and an order of the procession, with diagram, for David Porter's funeral
• April 24, 1843: Abel P. Upshaw's general order concerning the death of David Porter

The David D. Porter Correspondence series contains Porter's incoming and outgoing letters between 1845 and 1889. These include few letters from early in his naval career, 26 Civil War era letters, and many peacetime letters with fellow naval officers and government officials. Also of importance are 24 letters dealing with the 1889 Benjamin Butler controversy, along with typescripts of material related to the court. Other family papers include 3 items to Evelina Porter and a small number of late 19th and 20th century material concerning the naval career of Theodoric Porter.

• January 10, 1847: David P. Porter's "Last will and testament"
• June 18, 1854: C.J. Latrobe to David D. Porter, Bay of Panama, concerning gratitude to Porter from the passengers on the Golden Age, the first steam ship crossing of the pacific to Panama
• March 23, 1855: Harry S. Wayne to David D. Porter, concerning introducing camels for use in U.S.
• August 25, 1861: G.H. Heap to his brother-in-law David D. Porter describing pre-war excitement in Washington D.C.
• June 1, 1862: Letter to David D. Porter planning an assault on the mouth of the Mississippi River
• September 6, 1862: Edward Hooker to David D. Porter recounting the naval engagement of the Louisiana
• June 5, 1863-May 30, 1865: 11 letters to or regarding David Dixon Porter and the Mississippi Squadron. Two of these letters refer to African Americans, including contraband (December 1, 1863) and "peddlers" (April 23, 1864).
• September 28, 1864: David D. Porter's general order for the Mississippi Squadron announcing his leave of office
• January 7, 1879 and April 21, 1889: William Tecumseh Sherman to David D. Porter discussing memories of Sherman's brother, Porter's current naval activities, and social engagements
• August 8, 1879: Fragment report on the construction of the Danish ironclad Helgoland
• March 3, 1884: Ulysses S. Grant to David Porter describing the state of Grant's health

The David D. Porter Manuscript Writings series is comprised of drafts and fragments of Porter's literary and historical works, novels, essays, speeches, and biographical notes.

• Two autobiographical manuscripts, parts 1, 2, and 3 of My Career in the Navy Department and portions of a journal describing his Civil War experiences
• Draft of an adventure story
• Pages 353-474 of a novel
• Notes on the Civil War, in particular the Vicksburg campaign and the Red River Expedition, and Sherman and Lincoln, for his book The Naval History of the Civil War
• "Extracts from my Journal made for General Badeau, when he was writing the life of General Grant. These are a little fuller than the Journal"
• Sketch of the career of D. D. Porter in the Mexican War (1870s)
• Report concerning a 1873 North Western Texas Land and Copper Expedition
• Various naval reports: Fleet Tactics, Report of the Board on injuries received by the Hyascar in the action of October 8, 1879, a "List of Vessels of the Chinese Navy and Custom Service" with details on class, tonnage, guns, carriages, number of men, horse power, location built, and construction material (1864-1877)

The Miscellaneous Documents series consists of newspaper clippings, a David D. Porter article entitled "The Opening of the Lower Mississippi, April 1862," a color map of Fort Jackson, and a schematic diagram of torpedo machinery designed for the tugboat Nina (May 1869).

This collection contains a letter, journal, and sketchbook belonging to Midshipman Edwin Osgood Carnes, who sailed along the South American coast and to Japan with the United States Navy in the early 1850s. The letter, from a friend in San Francisco, California, describes the author's financial situation and recent employment history.

This collection contains a letter, a journal, and a sketchbook belonging to Midshipman Edwin Osgood Carnes, pertaining to his service in the United States Navy in the early 1850s.

The letter, signed "Bill H." and dated April 6, 1853, is three pages long and describes the author's financial situation and "real California life" in San Francisco. Bill mentioned his recent employment at a quartz mine and brickyard, and went into detail about his finances, offering Carnes the use of his bank account after the sailor's return to California.

The journal (71 pages), kept by Edwin Osgood Carnes between 1850 and 1851, chronicles his service on the USS Falmouth (January 4, 1850-May 24, 1850, pp.1-24) and on the United States Store Ship Fredonia (May 25, 1850-January 18, 1851, pp. 31-68); he also intended to keep a journal of his time on board the USS Porpoise, beginning in June 1853, but wrote no entries following the emph page (pp. 69-71). Carnes kept a daily chart of wind type, speed, and direction; weather conditions; and barometric readings, applying a personal set of abbreviations to the wind and weather. Entries from his time on the Fredonia also track the ship's daily latitude and longitude. The Falmouth, commanded by Thomas Petigree, left San Francisco on January 4, 1850, and traveled along the western coasts of the United States and Mexico, stopping at several islands along the way. Occasional notes record encounters with other ships, most frequently English or American vessels, and on one occasion the ship "Saluted the Mexican flag with 21 guns. It was returned" (March 4, 1850). Carnes was reassigned to the Fredonia on May 24, 1850; the ship sailed around Cape Horn to the Atlantic Ocean and north to Sandy Hook, New Jersey. During this journey, Carnes mentioned observing the national salutes celebrating the Chilean Independence Day (September 18, 1850) and lowering the Fredonia's flags to half-mast to honor deceased President Zachary Taylor (September 25, 1850). He included several illustrations of scenery, naval personnel, and the logo of the Porpoise for its 1853 surveying and exploring expedition.

The sketchbook contains 8 drawings, primarily in pencil, portraying several islands near Japan, a naval officer, and "a patent 'quick working,' 'time saving' steam sextant." For lists of illustrations in the journal and sketchbook, see "Additional Descriptive Data" below.

This collection contains 98 letters that Eric C. Marker wrote to his wife Ruth while serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Marker commented on life onboard the USS Fergus in the Pacific Theater from July 1945-February 1946, and described his experiences in the Philippines and Japan after the end of the war.

This collection contains 98 letters that Eric C. Marker wrote to his wife Ruth while serving in the United States Navy during World War II. Marker commented on life onboard the USS Fergus in the Pacific Theater from July 1945-February 1946, and described his experiences in the Philippines and Japan after the end of the war.

Marker began his correspondence, at the United States Naval Training Center at Great Lakes, Illinois, around May 1945, where he reported on his daily schedule. He wrote the bulk of his letters on the Fergus, commenting on his work with the ship's boilers, life in port, and his relationship with his wife. After September 1945, he shared additional details about his wartime travels to places such as Eniwetok Atoll and Okinawa Island, and described an encounter with a Japanese submarine. In the fall of 1945, the Fergus was stationed in the Philippines and Japan, where Marker noted the large size of the American fleet and the effects of the war on Manila. He also shared his opinion of sailors and expressed his disapproval of some of their activities while on liberty.

In late 1945 and early 1946, Marker wrote from California, Hawaii, and Guam while traveling on the Fergus. On December 15, 1945, he shared news of a murdered African-American sailor who had been discovered in the water. Marker's correspondence is comprised of V-mail letters, airmail letters, and telegrams; at least 2 of his letters contain sketches of sailors, and his letter of September 29, 1945-October 3, 1945 includes 2 manuscript maps of the Fergus's travels in the Pacific. Marker's correspondence also includes a "Plan of the Day" for the Fergus (January 6, 1946), 2 undated photographic postcards depicting the HMS Hood and HMS Courageous, and a photograph of the USS Fergus.

Ezra T. Doughty's diary entries pertain to his experiences onboard the USS St. Louis and USS Grampus during the ships' voyages in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in 1832 and 1833. Doughty, a midshipman who became sailing master of the Grampus in December 1832, recorded detailed descriptions of Haiti; Veracruz, Mexico; and Havana, Cuba, and reflected on several aspects of navy life.

Ezra T. Doughty's diary entries (63 pages) pertain to his experiences onboard the USS St. Louis and USS Grampus during the ships' voyages in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico in 1832 and 1833. Doughty, a midshipman who became sailing master of the Grampus in December 1832, recorded detailed descriptions of Haiti; Veracruz, Mexico; and Havana, Cuba. The first page of the volume contains an incomplete description of the Grampus, including measurements of the schooner's masts, decks, hold, and ballast.

Doughty began his diary on October 9, 1832, while in port at New York onboard the St. Louis. He anticipated the ship's upcoming journey to the West Indies and complained that the ship would be carrying a significant number of officers bound for other vessels. He wrote semi-regular entries about his experiences on the St. Louis until December 3, 1832, in which he commented on party politics and the Andrew Jackson administration, scenery and nautical animals, his personal history, women, Commodore John D. Henley, and a theological discussion with a shipmate. On October 11, 1832, he quoted lines from a poem by Thomas Moore, "As Slow Our Ship." Two entries have descriptions of deaths at sea: a sea burial (October 13, 1832) and a failed attempt to rescue a crewman who had fallen overboard (November 13, 1832). In these entries, Doughty also reflected upon death in general and upon his feelings after watching a man drown. While traveling off the coast of Hispaniola, he composed an extensive description of Haiti, including notes on its history, governance, people (particularly with regard to slavery and race), customs, and coastline (November 13, 1832; November 23, 1832). Along the southern coast of Cuba, Doughty noticed the contrast between Spanish planters' villas and their slaves' huts (December 1, 1832).

The St. Louis arrived at Pensacola in early December 1832, and Doughty accompanied a fowl-hunting party on at least one occasion while in port. On December 11, 1832, he accepted a transfer to the schooner Grampus, on which he served as sailing master. Doughty also noted recent animosity between the United States Navy and the Mexican government, prompted by the ship's previous capture of suspected pirates sailing under the Mexican flag (December 11, 1832). On one occasion, Doughty was a member of a party that unsuccessfully attempted to recover a man who had gone overboard (December 24, 1832). He composed lengthy descriptions of Veracruz, Mexico (December 27, 1832, and January 1, 1833), and Havana, Cuba (January 11, 1833, and January 20, 1833). In Mexico, he recorded the effects of recent military operations, his opinions about Mexicans, and the history of Spanish rule. In Havana, he mentioned the local inhabitants and markets, and the United States's possible interest in owning Cuba, Havana Harbor, and Morro Castle. Later, he commented on workers on "Thompson's Island" (now Key West, Florida), the efforts of "wreckers" to assist ships stranded on nearby reefs, and the work of naturalist John James Audubon (January 20, 1833). By January 14, the Grampus had embarked for Norfolk, Virginia, and Doughty's entries of mid- to late February 1833 and March 1833 pertain to his social activities in Norfolk and his thoughts on nautical careers. His final entry is dated March 14, 1833.

An unattributed journal entry (3 pages) is dated December 20, 1859, with an additional heading made for the following day. The entry pertains to the first day of a transatlantic voyage on the Fortunata, commenting on encounters with fellow passengers (often British) and expressing anticipation for exploring tombs in "Nubia." A piece of heavy linen is tied over the book's covers, and the front cover bears the ink title "Amphibiology."

The Gerard B. Palmer journal consists of short entries and sketches by a Unites State Navy Lieutenant at the end of the Korean War.

With the exception of a two week period in April, when engaged at Wonsan Harbor, North Korea, Gerard Palmer's diary entries are very short and slight. Many dates are left entirely blank, either for fear of censorship, lack of time, or simply from never having developed the regular habit of keeping a diary. Although scant in detail, the diary provides some information useful in reconstructing the chronology of U.S. naval operations on the North Korean coast during the final months of the Korean War, and Palmer's pen drawings of naval life are as entertaining as they are roughly hewn.

Of particular interest among the illustrations is Palmer's pencil-sketch plan of Wonsan Harbor, labeled confidential. This drawing indicates the positions of North Korean gun emplacements and the American base of Yo Do, as well as notes on the areas of operation for U.S. ships, and it is accompanied by the densest description in the diary, documenting the activities of the Owen during a period of relatively heavy action. Palmer's sketch of South Korean Marines huddled on shore during a covert raid to gather intelligence is also worth noting, as are the humorous pair of sketches of an officers' club and serviceman's club in Singapore.

This collection contains letters to and between Harold K. Phillips and his wife, Betty Austin. Phillips, a native of Kansas, served on the USS Antares in the years before World War II. The majority of items dated 1938-1939 are letters to Harold and Betty from friends and family members in Kansas, Missouri, and Montana; the majority of letters dated 1940-1941 are letters from Harold K. Phillips to Betty Austin Phillips.

This collection is comprised of letters to and between Harold K. Phillips and his wife, Betty Austin. Phillips, a native of Kansas, served on the USS Antares in the years before World War II. The majority of letters dated 1938-1939 are letters to Harold and Betty from friends and family members in Kansas, Missouri, and Montana; the majority of letters dated 1940-1941 are letters from Harold K. Phillips to Betty Austin Phillips.

The first letter is dated April 18, 1938, around the time of Harold Phillips's enlistment in the United States Navy. At that time, Betty Austin lived in Kansas City, Missouri, where she received letters from friends and from her mother in La Harpe, Kansas. Friends and family members continued to write to Betty after she moved to Long Beach, California, in the summer of 1938. During his naval training, Harold received letters from his father in Spivey, Kansas, and his mother in Topeka, Kansas, as well as from his brother Bill in Great Falls, Montana, and from a girlfriend, Ethel Wardien, also in Great Falls. Harold (sometimes addressed as "Phil" or "Phill") and Betty began to write each other in August 1938, having been introduced by Harold's cousin Vivian. Harold continued to receive letters from Ethel Wardien; one of her letters contains a colored ink drawing of a sailor in uniform (June 1, 1939).

Following their marriage in October 1938, Harold and Betty received letters from family and acquaintances expressing congratulations and surprise. Harold occasionally wrote to Betty about life on the USS Antares while stationed at San Pedro, California; Guantánamo Bay, Cuba; and Mare Island, California. In 1940-1941, Harold wrote to Betty from the Antares, which was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The final letter, written to Betty from her mother, concerns the possibility of Betty moving to Kansas following "hard luck" (August 15, 1942). The collection also includes a birthday card; a printed document about the United States Naval Training Station in San Diego, California; and a pornographic poem by an Antares sailor entitled "A song of ABC's."

Seaman James R. Sturn kept this diary while serving onboard the destroyer Moale in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Sturn commented on sea life, reported the ship's movements, and described his experiences in multiple naval engagements.

Seaman James R. Sturn kept this diary (172 pages) while serving onboard the Moale in the Pacific Theater during World War II. Sturn commented on sea life, reported the ship's movements, and described his experiences in multiple naval engagements.

Before commencing regular diary entries, Sturn recapitulated his experiences in the United States Navy between March 1943 and November 1944. From around November 3, 1944-August 4, 1945, he wrote about daily life on the Moale, which was stationed in the Philippines, near various Japanese islands, and in Hawaii. Sturn noted the ship's movements, listed other ships in the Moale's task force, and reported news of sunken ships and battles. He witnessed kamikaze attacks and described the ship's engagements, which included action in Leyte Harbor, the Battle of Ormoc Bay, the invasion of Mindoro Island, the invasion of Luzon, and bombardment operations. Other entries pertain to Sturn's leisure activities and drinking habits at Ulithi Atoll and Pearl Harbor, where the Moale went for repairs in early 1945. After returning to the Pacific, the destroyer assisted with minesweeping and antiaircraft efforts around Okinawa and other Japanese islands.

Newspaper clippings and parts of the Moale's newsletter are pasted into the diary. Most reflect the Pacific Fleet's progress; one is an article by Ernie Pyle, and one has a drawing of male and female mermaids. Sturn pasted the Moale's daily orders from April 13, 1945, and May 13, 1945 into the volume's endpaper and first pages. Five unlabeled snapshots of a United States sailor and a note about Sturn's genealogy are laid into the volume.

The Laurence Barrett family papers consist primarily of 113 letters written between Laurence Nexsen Barrett, his siblings, and his parents during World War II, while Laurence Barrett served in the United States Navy aboard the submarine chaser USS PC-1176. Barrent wrote about his work as a mail censor, family news, financial matters, fellow sailors, shipboard life, reflections on the U.S. Navy and the war, visits to French and English towns, and other subjects. The collection contains 18 editions of The Hillcote Herald, a newsletter named after the Barrett family home at Katonah, New York, contains poetry, news on local sports, family updates, and other content. Eighty five snapshot photographs and other images, along with 13 printed items complete the papers.

The Laurence Barrett family papers consist primarily of 113 letters written between Laurence Nexsen Barrett, his siblings, and his parents during World War II, while Laurence Barrett served in the United States Navy aboard the submarine chaser USS PC-1176. Barrent wrote about his work as a mail censor, family news, financial matters, fellow sailors, shipboard life, reflections on the U.S. Navy and the war, visits to French and English towns, and other subjects. The collection contains 18 editions of The Hillcote Herald, a newsletter named after the Barrett family home at Katonah, New York, contains poetry, news on local sports, family updates, and other content. Eighty five snapshot photographs and other images, along with 13 printed items complete the papers.

Correspondence: Though most of the material originated from members of the Barrett family, Laurence received mail from several acquaintances from his prewar educational endeavors. The letters of the 1930s through 1941 are largely incoming letters to Laurence N. Barrett regarding his empoyment at the Berkshire School (Sheffield, Massachusetts), his 1939 trip to Great Britain on board the SS Transylvania, family updates from their Hillcote home in Katonah, New York, the marriage of his brother Roberston to Margaret B. Sloat, and other matters. The papers contain 35 pages of largely undated courtship letters from the 1930s/1940s between Laurence Barrett and Ruth DeYoe, while the former taught at Middlebury College and the latter finished her studies at Connecticut College in New Haven. One letter from Heidi (i.e. Adelaide Barrett) dated June 29, 1939, contains drawings of a bicyclist in Ireland and a thatch-roofed house.

Captain, later Lieutenant, Laurence "Larry" Barrett's outgoing letters to his parents and sister begin with a July 4, 1943, missive written while aboard the USS SC-1003 while patroling for Japanese submarines. By fall, he sent correspondence from the Navy Section Base near New Orleans, Louisiana. He wrote both newsy and practical letters, discussing finances and sending money to his sister, his insurance policy, U.S. Navy discipline, life in the service, and gunnery training at Shell Beach (Southeast of New Orleans). December 27, 1943, he sent his first letter from aboard the newly-commissioned USS PC 1176 and provided his thoughts on the mood of the ship's officers and crew. One of the jobs assigned to Barrett was censoring outgoing mail and he found reading through other sailors' personal matters to be educational. He told his parents that through them he learned "what remarkable insights into human beings there are to be had in the letters they write their wives and sons and creditors and the girls they are traying to seduce. It is an almost Olympian view you get of the poor hunted, hunting race, and at times it makes you feel presumptious -- would even make you feel guilty, if there were not all the sheaves of naval regulations insisting upon it to salve the conscience (January 16, 1944). He provided a couple anecdotes about fellow sailors' relationships. The ship traveled across the Atlantic and stayed in port at England. Barrett wrote home during the spring of 1944 about interactions with and perceptions of English people and their suffering on account of the war. Though the PC 1176 participated in the Normandy invasion, it is not mentioned in the Barrett's letters (except one letter of February 13, 1945, in which he explains his reasons for not writing about D-Day or other "war stuff"). As the ship entered duty around Cherbourg and LeHavre in the fall of 1944, he sent his family letters about investments, fellow sailors, courts martial, shipboard activities, the Presidential Election of 1944, his communications with a woman named Courtney, reflections on U.S. Navy service and the war, visits to French towns, speculation about when he will be able to return home, .

The collection includes 18 issues of The Hillcote Herald, a typed newsletter containing poetry, family news, local sports, and other subjects. At one point, the Herald specifies that its readership includes three persons. While generally lighthearted, the December 7, 1941, issue included a remark on the attack on Pearl Harbor, "This is, we suppose IT. IT being the thing that a great many millions of Americans have been hoping might someday be prevented from taking place. That it will affect us all, and very directly, cannot be doubted. Whether or not it could have been avoided is probably no longer worth debating or wonderfing about--or praying over, maybe." The collection includes the following issues:

• 1939 July 24, v. IV, no. ?
• 1941 September 21, v. VI, no. 1.
• 1941 September 28, v. VI, no. 2.
• 1941 October 5, v. VI, no. 3.
• 1941 October 12, v. VI, no. 4.
• 1941 October 26, v. VI, no. 5.
• 1941 November 2, v. VI, no. 7.
• 1941 November 9, v. VI, no. 9.
• 1941 November 16, v. VI, no. 11.
• 1941 November 30, v. VI, no. 11 (located in the Correspondence Series under this date).
• 1941 December 7, v. VI, no. 21.
• 1943 July 4, v. VII, no. 17 (supposedly).
• 1943 July 25, v. VII, no. 18.
• 1943 August 1, v. VII, no. 20.
• 1943 August 7, v. VII, no. 21.
• 1943 August 15, v. VII, no. 21.
• 1943 August 22, v. VII, no. 22.
• 1943 October 3, v. VII, no. 23.

The collection's Photographs include 85 snapshots taken during Laurence N. Barrett's 1937 visit to Ireland, as well as images of sporting events, skiers, buildings, an exposition of glass products, a dog, and a variety of unidentified individuals. The photographs also include two real photo postcards of unidentified exterior locations, one photograph of an unidentified woman, and a modern copy of a photograph of Laurence Barrett's ship USS PC-1176.

The Printed Items include several pamphlets regarding Welsh government and politics, two book sales pamphlets, and Great Britain travel literature. A complete list includes:

• [Copy of Laurence Nexsen Barrett's Power of Attorney, December 4, 1944].
• [Copy of Barrett Family Tree, K. Barrett Kelly, rev. February 20, 2004].
• [Newspaper Clippings, 1942 (2 items).
• Davies, David James. The Economics of Welsh Self-Government. Swyddfa'r Blaid Genedlaethol: Caernarfon, 1931.
• Everyman's Library : 955 of the World's Great Books at 90¢ Each. s.l.: s.n., n.d. [Catalog of titles specifically marketed at the Princeton University Store].
• Herbert, Will; Wilber G. Katz; et al. Religious Perspectives in American Culture. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1961.
• Jones, J. Gwilyn; Plaid Cymru. The New Wales : Synopsis of the Policy of the Welsh Nationalist Party. Swyddf'r Blaid: Caernarfon, [19--].
• Lewis, Saunders. Local Authorities and Welsh Industry. Swyddfa'r Blaid Genedlaethol: Caernarfon, [1934].
• The Modern Library : 278 of the World's Greatest Books. s.l.: s.n., [1941]. [Catalog of titles specifically marketed at the Princeton University Store].
• Peers, Sir Charles. Caernarvon Castle Caernarvonshire. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1936.
• Peers, Sir Charles. Harlech Castle. London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1937.
• Road Atlas and Route Guide of Northern Ireland and Eire. s.l: s.n., n.d. [Printed map and outer cover include illustrated advertisements for Joseph H. Gass, Belfast, a bicycle seller].