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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.

The journal of Henry Hayes, a surgeon with the 3rd U.S. Heavy Artillery, includes accounts of his activities and observations, as well as essays on natural theology, dreams, and hymns.

The Hayes diary is a very slender accounting of Henry Hayes' service with the 3rd U.S. Heavy Artillery (Colored), but contains a fine description of the botched execution of Thomas Martin Smith, found guilty of perjury and treason, the execution of three soldiers for the brutal rape of a woman, some brief comments on the gaudy dress and rudeness of African-American women, and a description of the accidental shooting death of the camp photographer. Hayes also included two rough sketches: a plan of the officers' quarters at Fort Pickering (overlooking the Mississippi River) and a sketch of the front view of those quarters.

The book in which Hayes' diary was kept had apparently once been used by him to take notes during a medical course at Dartmouth. It contains a 28 page essay on natural theology and the animal and vegetable world, plus a 3 page essay on dreams and foresight, and a 5 page essay to the "Editor, Musical World" on hymns.

This collection is comprised of documents related to the Civil War conscription of James Griffin Miller, a resident of Clay, New York.

This collection is comprised of 4 documents related to the Civil War conscription of James Griffin Miller, a resident of Clay, New York. The first item is a notice containing information about methods by which Miller could avoid enlistment, including hiring a substitute or paying a commutation fee (August 27, 1863), and the second concerns his payment of the commutation fee and subsequent exemption from service at that time (September 1, 1863). The final two items relate to Miller's conscription in a later draft (July 2, 1864, and 1864).

Elliot and Henry Bush, brothers who served in the 95th Illinois Infantry, wrote several letters home regarding the operations of the regiment in Mississippi and Tennessee.

The six Bush letters in the collection represent a small part of their correspondence to relatives at home, relating to the operations of the 95th Illinois in Mississippi and Tennessee. Both brothers are exceptionally well written and reflective, and there must originally have been a far greater number of letters. Each of Elliot Bush's four letters, in particular, is a gem, from his first, in which he writes about tough conditions on the march in Mississippi, about parrying with Van Dorn's cavalry near Holly Springs, and the desire of soldiers in his company for destroying and pillaging rebel property and his duty, as an officer, to prevent them; to his last, in which he describes the effect of Union occupation on the women and men of Natchez, Miss.

Perhaps the best letter in this small collection is the one in which Elliot describes the fortifications at Vicksburg, the thoughts that run through his mind during battle, conditions inside the town, and an armistice during which Confederate and Union soldiers mingled, sharing canteens and locating relatives and neighbours in the opposing army.

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.

Thaddeus Carleton's journal provides continuous coverage of the daily activities of a family on the home front of the Civil War in New York.

The majority of entries in Carleton's diary concern the routine matters of daily life in a small New York town, including births, illnesses, and deaths, domestic chores, sending "goodies" to the soldiers, sleighing in winter, trading daguerreotypes, killing rats, and visiting friends and relatives. Other entries, though, enable one to track the course of the war and its effect on the lives of those on the 'home front.' Thaddeus is a faithful recorder of the names of local men who were casualties of the war, whether injured or dying in combat or suffering from disease, and he takes care to note the soldiers arriving home after being discharged or furloughed for convalescence or rest. Two soldiers returned home as prisoners 'paroled' by the Confederates, but Thaddeus suggests that, in reality, they may have deserted after their release. Throughout the journal, Thaddeus' greatest concern seems to be the well being of his relatives in the service.

Current events occasionally attract Thaddeus' attention. He responds strongly to news of the Emancipation Proclamation, the fall of Charleston and Vicksburg, the siege of Port Hudson, the anniversary of the fall of Fort Sumter, and the Battle of Gettysburg. While his reactions are somewhat stereotypical in their patriotism, his interest and desire to serve seem genuine. Many of the war reports he records in his journal turn out to have been nothing more than rumors (e.g., the fall of Richmond and the capture of Jefferson Davis), and following several such rumors, Carleton becomes considerably more cautious in accepting war stories. The red tape involved in soldiers' or relatives' applying for and receiving back pay and pensions is a recurring theme.

A few other incidents are noteworthy. On 22 May, a quack doctor who claimed to be the grandson of Ethan Allen and to be able to cure Thaddeus of his 'contracted cords' arrived in Churchville and offered to help. Having taken his fee, Dr. Allen took to the road, leaving the uncured Thaddeus understandably bitter when, on 20 June, he received word that Allen had been seen in a nearby town boasting of success in curing Carleton. The bloody suicide of Schuilar Bromley (29 May), young resident of Churchville, also attracted a fair amount of Carleton's attention for a time.

On the political front, Carleton's commentary on the Republican victory in the November elections is unusually tinged with emotion: "the poorest, meanest armed rebel in the insurgent army is a good man by the side of the best of [the copperheads]. for has he not the spunk to march up to the cannons mouth and boldly assert their claims, while they are, crawl around (copperhead) like and strike your back in the dark, but their punishment is drawing nigh."

While Thaddeus is not a naturally gifted writer, and while his writing in neither richly detailed, stirring, nor insightful, his journal provides a continuous and dense coverage of the daily activity of a family on the 'home front' in New York. While his reactions are often muted, in the end, because of the regularity of entries and the presence of an occasional more descriptive passage, a complete picture emerges of the experiences of a would-be soldier and his community.

The William H. Lee papers are primarily comprised of correspondence and documents relating to Lee’s service with the 8th Missouri Cavalry and the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry, Union Army. A few items document his family life and career after the war.

The William Lee papers contain 57 items spanning from 1862 to 1955, including 49 letters and 8 documents. The earliest items in the collection are 16 letters written by Lee to family members during his service in the 8th Missouri Cavalry and the 3rd Arkansas Cavalry. In his letters of this period, Lee gave detailed accounts of marches, battles, and skirmishes and shared his opinions on several political subjects. His letter of September 11, 1862, contains an account of the Battle of Prairie Grove: “…we marched up on the right wing of our army & in two hours after our artillery commenced firing the day was ours. This is given up by all to be the hardest fought battle of the west & the most decisive.” Lee’s descriptions were frequently accompanied by numerical counts of forces and casualties.

Also of interest is Lee’s perspective on the conflict between North and South, which he expressed in several letters to his mother. Despite residing in Arkansas at the outbreak of the war, Lee strongly identified with the North, and his sentiments seemed to deepen over the course of the war. He expressed deep anger at Southerners (April 22, 1863) stating, “…if every one of them were today occupying a tract of land 6 by 3 feet under the sod I think they would have their Southern Rights…” He also cheered the changes to the Arkansas Constitution forbidding slavery and Confederate “brushwacking” (January 30, 1864). After his February 4, 1865, honorable discharge, the theme of Lee’s letters quickly turned to the courtship of his future wife, Mary, whom he calls “Mollie.” Included in the collection are six invitations to from Lee to “Miss Mollie,” and a letter written on the morning of their wedding day, April 18, 1865, expressing his wish for “a quiet family thing of it.”

Later letters document Lee’s business travels and family life. A letter from Mary to her mother (January 26, 1876) gives substantial information on the Lee children, the adjustment to living in Tennessee (“the society is not of the best”), and the difficulty of finding a school. The 20th-century letters mainly document efforts to put up a new gravestone for Abner Lee, William Lee’s grandfather.

The “Documents” series contains a variety of materials, including Lee’s army discharge papers, a brief autobiography with clippings on William and Mary Lee, and three photos, one of which may portray Lee as an elderly man.

The Litchfield-French papers contain correspondence and documents related to the Civil War service of Allyne C. Litchfield and the Spanish-American War participation of his Litchfield's son-in-law, Roy A. French.

The Litchfield-French papers consist of 414 items ranging in date from February 15, 1862, to 1918, though the bulk of the collection lies between 1862 and 1899. The collection includes 335 letters, 60 documents, and several clippings, photographs, and receipts. Approximately 280 of the letters cover the period of Allyne Litchfield's Civil War service, including letters from Litchfield to his wife, letters among and between the Litchfield and Carver families (especially Lysander Carver and Susan Carver), and other correspondence pertaining to Allyne Litchfield. Roy French either wrote or received around 65 of the letters, primarily during the 1890s.

Between early 1863 and Litchfield's capture in March 1864, he wrote near-daily letters to his wife, describing movements, battles, and camp-life, and expressing his love for her. On May 9, 1863, he described the exhaustion of cavalry forces, led by George Stoneman, to whom the 7th Michigan sent reinforcements: "you can imagine perhaps the condition of men and horses after being saddled and ridding [sic] for 7 days. One can see the bare bones on the backs of some of them." His letters of July 6 and 7, 1863, are almost entirely devoted to his experiences at Gettysburg, and contain his accounts of his horse falling on him after it was shot in battle, and his regiment's extremely heavy losses. At times, Litchfield's correspondence also reveals his managerial side, as in a letter from Michigan Governor Austin Blair, recounting an anonymous complaint about "Col. Man" (almost certainly Col. William D. Mann) and requesting Litchfield's perspective on the matter (June 18, 1863). Also of interest is a letter of December 19, 1863, in which Litchfield detailed having dinner with 24-year old George Armstrong Custer and expressed his admiration for him.

After his capture, Litchfield wrote infrequently; however, ,in his letter of March 16, 1864, he described his conditions: "I have been kept in an 8x12 feet cell… 4 negro soldiers with us." More prevalent are letters to Susan Litchfield from family members, expressing support for her and suggesting solace in religion. The few letters to his wife, Litchfield generally communicated an optimistic attitude and gratitude for his good health, as in his letter of November 4, 1865, from prison in Columbia, South Carolina: "I have shelter, still retain my old overcoat and have plenty of blankets, which I am sorry to say is not the case with most of the officers."

Very little correspondence exists between 1865 and 1893. In the latter year, Roy A. French began writing a series of letters to his relatives, which became more frequent when he joined the military. In 1898, he commenced writing to his future wife, Almira "Myra" French (daughter of Allyne and Susan French). He described "monotonous" camp life at Camp Townsend in Peekskill, New York (July 15, 1898), his voyage to Puerto Rico on the Chester, during which he was very seasick, and his observations of Ponce, Puerto Rico, including the people, their modes of transportation, and the wild fruits that he saw (July 15, 1898).

On September 25, 1898, he wrote from "Camp Starvation" ("that is what the regulars call this camp because we are fed so poorly"). He reported prolonged health problems, from which he would die in 1911.

The 60 documents and miscellaneous items include newspaper clippings, military and family documents (such as a will, a passport, and a wedding invitation), a wallet, and a metal nameplate. Of particular interest is a manuscript copy of a letter of recommendation for Litchfield by George A. Custer. The copy is dated February 24, 1881. Other items document Litchfield's service in India to some extent.

The Williamson family collection is made up of 9 bound volumes pertaining to Clara Gurley Williamson, her daughters Ruth and Mary, and other members of the Williamson family of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The items include diaries, financial records, a newspaper clipping scrapbook, and a photograph album.

The Williamson family collection is made up of 9 bound volumes pertaining to Clara Gurley Williamson, her daughters Ruth and Mary, and other members of the Williamson family.

The D. Abeel Williamson Diary, composed in a pre-printed pocket diary, contains David Abeel Williamson's daily entries about his life in New Brunswick, New Jersey, from January 1, 1862-May 25, 1862, and about his experiences with the 7th New York Militia Regiment from May 26, 1862-August 27, 1862. His early entries mainly record the weather and his social activities; he mentioned his admission to the bar in his entries of May 21, 1862, and May 22, 1862. A newspaper clipping about the surrender of Fort Donelson is pasted into the entries for February 16, 1862, and February 17, 1862. During his time in the army, Williamson noted the hot weather near Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Maryland, and mentioned other aspects of military service, such as guard duty, marching, and reviews. A commuter's ticket for the "New Jersey Rail Road" is laid into the volume's pocket.

The Hattie S. Williamson Memorandum Book contains financial records of collections that the Second Reformed Dutch Church Sunday School of New Brunswick, New Jersey, received from November 26, 1865-June 16, 1867. The amount of each donation is recorded next to the donor's name. Other records pertain to the Sunday school's accounts with the Novelty Rubber Company and the church's efforts to raise money for an organ.

The Clara Gurley Account Book, kept from July 9, [1875]-April 16, 1880, contains accounts for Gurley's purchases of items such as books, ribbon, fabrics, and buttons. A piece of fabric is pinned onto the book's final page.

The first Clara Gurley Williamson Diary, written in a pre-printed Excelsior volume, covers the year 1905. Williamson began writing in Dresden, Germany, where she had lived with her children since late 1903, and recounted her daily activities and news of acquaintances. In April, she and her children took an extended tour of Europe, including Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Holland, where Williamson remarked on visits to museums and other points of interest. The entries from August concern the family's return to the United States on the Holland-American Line steamer Ryndam and their first months back in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and Indianapolis, Indiana. Williamson kept a record of letters written and received and acquaintances' addresses in the volume's memoranda section. She laid newspaper clippings, a letter, calling cards, small photographs, stamps, and other items in the volume. The final page of the diary contains a newspaper clipping about the Williamsons' return to the United States and intention to relocate to Indianapolis.

The Mary Williamson Diary recounts the author's travels through Europe from April 10, 1905-August 11, 1905. Williamson described her daily activities and sightseeing in cities such as Prague, Munich, Venice, Rome, and Paris, as she visited museums and places of historical importance with her mother and sister. The diary includes a list of books Williamson read from 1907-1908 and a list of addresses of European hotels.

The Ruth A. Williamson Diary pertains to the author's experiences and travels in England from June 7, 1909-September 3, 1909. She spent most of her time in London; some later entries mention travels around southern England and to Edinburgh, Scotland. Williamson most frequently wrote about sightseeing and visiting famous landmarks, but also commented on other activities, such as shopping. Ruth A. Williamson's calling card is laid into the volume.

The second Clara Gurley Williamson Diary, also in a pre-printed Excelsior volume, contains daily entries about Williamson's life in Indianapolis, Indiana, from January 1, 1918-April 2, 1918. Williamson commented on her social activities, her health, and news of her friends and family members, especially her children. She occasionally mentioned news of the war, such as the signing of the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (February 22, 1918). Financial records and instructions for knitting a "Kitchener sock" are written in the back of the volume. Items laid in include a calling card for Charles G. Williamson containing his military address, a cloth United States flag mounted on a small wooden dowel, and clippings about the deaths of Henry Janeway Hardenburgh and Douw D. Williamson. A postcard with a painting of Waikite Geyser in New Zealand, addressed to A. Parsons in London, England, is also laid into the diary.

The Scrapbook (1860s-1880s) is comprised of newspaper clippings about numerous topics, including biographies of William Gurley and biographical notices about other members of the Gurley family, such as Clara Gurley Williamson and Esther Gurley Cook. Some clippings feature prominent individuals such as Ulysses S. Grant, Charles Dickens, and Louisa May Alcott. Items report national news, news from Troy, New York, and stories about Emma Willard and the Troy Female Seminary. Additional topics include poetry, international travel, and stamp collecting.

A Photograph Album contains 42 carte-de-visite photographs, 2 lithographs, and 1 tintype print. Most of the photographs are studio portraits of men, women, and children, including many members of the Gurley family and related families. Most of the pictures are dated 1866-1880, though the album includes a 1902 photograph of Charles G. Williamson in a military uniform.

E. C. Tillotson enlisted in the 14th Ohio Infantry during the Civil War, but was unable to serve on active duty because of frequent ill health. Among his papers are 29 letters to his daughter Mary and one each to his wife Angeline and son Charles, which describe the fate of Union dead at Chickamauga, the fortifications at Chattanooga, and other topics. His diary covers a one month period during the summer of 1863 and includes a description of the engagement at Hoover's Gap, Tennessee in June. A series of documents collected during his service include ordnance stores reports and surgeons' evaluations of Tillotson. The collection is completed by letters concerning Tillotson's death and the dispute between Angeline and Mary over his estate.

The Tillotson papers appear to be only a portion of his war-time correspondence, with only one letter present prior to 1863. Among the 80 letters, 29 were written by Lt. Tillotson to his daughter, Mary, and one each to his wife and son. The collection includes three letters from Benjamin St. James Fry and two from Lt. Van Meter concerning Tillotson's death and the dispute between Angeline and Mary over his estate. Finally, there are a series of documents collected by Tillotson during his service, including ordnance stores reports and seven surgeons' evaluations of Tillotson as unfit for duty.

As might be expected from a man so often removed from action, the collection is slight on military news. The diary, which covers only a one month period during the summer of 1863, includes a good description of the engagement at Hoover's Gap, Tenn., in June, 1863. Two letters mention the fortifications at Chattanooga, and one interesting letter discusses three soldiers in the 111th Pennsylvania Regiment and two servants, who froze to death while being transported by rail to Bridgeport, Ala. The best letter by far, however, is a grisly description of the supposed fate of Union dead at Chickamauga. Tillotson charges that Braxton Bragg refused to allow the Union to reclaim their bodies, and that the Confederate Army dismembered bodies, exposed them for hogs to devour, placed skulls on stumps, and took bones to carve into rings and other souvenirs for Southern ladies. An unusual printed poem "On Picket Guard at Stones River" is also noteworthy. On the home front, one letter mentions a gang of escaped prisoners from Johnson's Island who were terrorizing the neighborhood of Cedar Point.

The Tillotson papers will most likely be of interest as an unusual record of a soldier who spends much of his service sitting at home convalescing. Tillotson's mood swings and occasional dark thoughts during his long battle with "neuralgia" and other complaints, and his equally obvious inability either to serve or to secure a discharge are very interesting. The strained relations in his family are also of considerable interest, particularly after they develop into open hostility between mother and daughter over Tillotson's estate.