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Recounts meeting "Majors Burnham and Merriman on board the boat" at Fort Monroe. Describes war torn Petersburg, noting that "almost every house shows the marks of our Shells." Explains that the troops were weary from travelling 165 miles in six...

GLC04498.07

Archive of Confederate general & family, primarily pre- and post-war re: plantation, slaves, military maneuvers, reconstruction. [decimalized]

Randall Lee Gibson and Family archive, divided into two sections: Randall Lee Gibson correspondence (.001-.039 and .025B) and Gibson family correspondence (.040-.105). The collection contains letters, military documents, financial documents...

GLC04501

[to Tobias Gibson]

He discusses a recent letter from home and the Currency Bill passed by the Confederate Congress which discounts notes at approximately 83 %. He also writes his views on slavery, "There is no such thing as satisfying a negro without slavery. They do...

GLC04501.094

to Tobias Gibson

Dated at "Cotton Press No. 4." Smith, a member of the 2nd LA Cavalry, Co. G, informs Gibson of his being wounded, captured and imprisoned. He requests $200-$300 in city funds.

GLC04501.096

[Collection of George W. Tillotson, H company, 89th regiment, New York, infantry] [Decimalized .01-.208]

Sergeant Tillotson served with the 89th NYS Vols (Dickinson Guards). He came from Greene, NY and left behind a wife and three children. His correspondence, mostly with his wife A. Elizabeth ("Libby") describe camp life, complains about the war...

GLC04558

To his wife

Discusses provisions and recruiting. Written on patriotic stationery.

GLC04558.001

To his wife

"I am not disappointed much as to soldiers life it is easier if anything as yet than I expected...." Also, "Damn the schoolmaster but then you know I an't [sic] afraid of him caus[e] why I've got good faith in my little wifes constancy besides I...

GLC04558.003

To his wife

Payday of $24.26, sees Vice President but has not seen Lincoln or McClellan. Rumors about their expedition. The letter is continued the next day. Written aboard the "Arracan"

GLC04558.006

To his wife

Washing clothes, food: "...sea buiskets which is a kind of very hard cracker. They taste pretty much like any other craker but I have about put my jaws out of joint chewing them but today they delt out pilot bread which is very much like soda...

GLC04558.007

To his wife

Traveling by ship, sea sickness: "I don't believe I have got over it yet for this eternal rocking heaving rolling bobing head [w]rong side up all the while." Cost of special food. Letter continued on 26th of January.

GLC04558.008

To his wife

Raising tents, selling bread that he baked, size of expedition. Written on patriotic stationery. Encloses an envelope originally addressed to him as an example to his wife of how not to address envelopes.

GLC04558.009

To his wife

Settled in camp, weather, price of food coming down.

GLC04558.010

To his wife

No mail, sickness (fever). Includes a letter on the last page to his daughter Georgiana in which he encourages her to learn to read and write so she can send him a letter.

Written at Camp Winfield Scott.

GLC04558.011

To his wife

Sea trip to Roanoke. "General Burnsides... think we shall be on our way home soon but even he may be mistaken...." Expected expedition to Norfolk. Letter continued on 1st of March. Written on patriotic stationery. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.012

To his wife

Fleet leaving for Newbern, drawing half-rations. "Yes, we are getting to be sober and steady, if we dont it is our own fault, for we have preaching almost every night..." Mentions that the official chaplain is lazy in providing mail and preaching...

GLC04558.013

To his wife

Drill, shooting guns, health problems of other men. "The inhabitants are a hard miserable looking set what I have seen of them and the contrabands say that most of them are rebels at heart for all they have taken the oath of allegiance." Rumors of...

GLC04558.014

To his wife

Pay day. Describing feelings in battle: "If you want to know just how I felt when I went into battle it would be hard telling exactly but in the first place I felt most d---d tired other ways I felt well enough, wasn't at all afraid [of] the idea...

GLC04558.015

To his wife

Mails, expedition to Elizabeth City by other troops and desire to fight. New clothing, suggestions for farm management. The letter is continued the next day. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.017

To his wife

Preparations for march and expedition including cleaning guns, etc. Written on patriotic stationery. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.018

To his wife

Received portrait of family but glass is cracked. Expedition delayed. Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.019

To his wife

Expedition to and battle at Elizabeth City [Camden, N.C. 4/19] described at length: 12 hour forced march of 35 miles, fatigue, errors in battle formation, thrown back and reformation in woods: "We were rallyed again here under the shelter of the...

GLC04558.020

To his wife

Mails, frying (and living-off) doughnuts, payday early because the Colonel has "the best brandy of any regiment." Written at Camp Dickinson.

GLC04558.021

To his wife

Clothing, trimming his hair, shell-collecting, "I hope that McClellan will bag the whole nest of rebels at Yorktown...." Describes how he drills with equipment and mentions a Burnside order "directing us to inscribe on our colors the words Camden...

GLC04558.022

To his wife

Soldiers leaving on furlough, one of whom "told us that the Dickinson Guards might kiss his [drawing of donkey]...." Describes men pretending sickness to avoid drill, salute for capture of New Orleans. "You must excuse the looks of this sheet for I...

GLC04558.023

To his wife

Mail call and man's epileptic seizure, rumor of Richmond's capture, news accounts of battle at Camden.

GLC04558.024