1861-1877

Bishoff, Lydia A., fl. 1861-1877

Autograph manuscript

Title: The Copperhead Song

The poem describes "the southern copper head/It's head is big its heart is black/In treacherous deeds there will nothing lack." The author discusses the possibility of "desert[ing] this glorious union cause and join[ing] the rebel side," but concludes that, "We would rather die than thus disgrace our flag in dicksies land."

GLC03523.40.31

25 August 1864

unknown, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Frank

He writes about a Copperhead toward the end. (difficult to read)

GLC08291.17

February 3, 1865

Wells, Edmund C., fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria

learned that Mr. Mellon of Cinncinati had charge of the plantations and had annulled all of his predecessors. had to go to Memphis where he came aboard a crowded a boat. currently in a copperhead state.

GLC08311.02

21 June 1863

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

He mentions the apathy and the copperheads amongst the North. He says the Southerners are a remorseless people who are willing to win or die. Recently they had a grand review by Gen. Barry.

GLC02161.084

22 July 1863

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

He says he'd rather shoot copperheads than Southerners because copperheads are disgracing the North. They are in Philadelphia and he thinks Philadelphians are the friendliest people.

GLC02161.087

31 May 1863

Parrott, Henry C., fl. 1861-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

General Rosecrans is "still entrenching very strongly." Henry saw "one of the greatest traitors of our land," Vallandigham, as he passed through the Union lines to join the Rebel Army. John is not well. Signed with the rank of Lieutenant. Two poems follow in another hand, possibly Margaret's as her name appears below them.

GLC03858.02.11

23 July 1865

Glaze, H.S., fl. 1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Amos J. Harding

Mustered out of service on 13 July and finally feels like a free citizen. Has not gone into business yet and is not sure where and what business he will get into, but it will happen soon. In St. Louis, he saw a mutual friend, who looked fine as usual. Harding has a poor opinion of Nashville. Glad that Harding is strongly taking the side of the colored people. Writes that Black people will "suffer great hardship by their former masters unless protected by the military and especially by the officers in the Freedmen's Bureau." Has never been an advocate of immediately extending suffrage to…

GLC02178.10

February 27, 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Drill, parade for new general, Gen. Smith, news. "As to my grinding my teeth if I 'could hear those rebel democrats talk' I'll bet anything that I can hear full as plain and treasonable talk from the soldiers every day and that not from one or to only, but from hundreds, and thousands." Conditions in barracks, everyone seems ill.

GLC04558.071

February 6, 1863

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Worried that his sister is sick with diphtheria. Many of the men in camp are sick, and the first man in Damuth's company has died. Damuth's friend Jesse has been vaccinated for small pox and complains of feeling unwell. Comments on a black servant who does the cooking - "a good fellow but is an exception to his race." Complains about division in the North between Republicans and pacifist Democrats.

GLC03523.14.12

9 March 1864

Jones, Joseph, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Nancy E. Jones

He was detailed as a Provo guard and sent to protect the Roberts, a slaveholding Confederate family, from being robbed. The women there do no work and he credits their intelligence to the luxury of time to study. He has a room to himself but has requested to return to camp. He compares the Confederates to the Copperheads: "there is no reason in them."

GLC02739.103

14 March 1863

Burnett, Lawrence T., fl. 1862-1863

Newspaper

Title: The confederate states. [Vol. 6, no. 36 (March 14, 1863)]

Conclusion of Vallandigham's speech. Blue and tan floral pattern.

GLC06208.20

3 March 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Inspection, cleaning his equipment and scrubbing his buttons; jokes about needing lectures from his wife "Maybe I am a sesech Democrat, but dont know guess [sic] I am straddle of the fence mit [sic] one foot on both sides." Expresses skepticism about the war's early end.

GLC04558.072

20 July 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Resting and settling down after the marches. On politics: "Your Copperheads up ther[e] I see have been kicking up quite a rumpus, but they will get sick of it, if they are not already. Didnt know one spell but what they would spite 'Massa Greely's' establishment entirely so that you would loose the chance of getting your favorite papers to read. Hip, hip, Hurrah! bulley!" Received pictures; worries about Leon's thin appearance and praises Georgiana's growing-up. Mentions Lucy. Talks about terms of the draft.

GLC04558.106

21 November 1863

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: To his wife

Hopes for furlough; talks about presidential election "I dont suppose for a moment that any soldier would go home and vote a Copperhead ticket, and on the other hand, I wouldnt vote a republican ticket just merely because it was republican but I should most assuredly vote for the Union, and those that would maintain it, let the principle appear under any name whatsoever." Jokes about appearance.

GLC04558.124

21 September 1864

Tillotson, George W., 1830-1918

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his wife

Farm advice; mustering out in one month's time. Politics: predicts Lincoln will win; eludes to soldiers support of Lincoln; Copperheads (democrats) are worse than sessionists. Has a cold. Written at Fort Powhatan .

GLC04558.162

7 March 1863

Wheeler, Lysander, 1837-1917

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents, [brother-in-law], and sister

Darius is almost fully recovered. There is talk of Wheeler's regiment moving to Camp Douglas, but Lysander does not want to go North unless they are going for good. Expresses that hewould like to drive all the copperheads in the Army SOuth, and run them in front at Murfreesboro. He is glad that Dick Yates is governor of Illinois so the soldiers don't have to worry about losing their homes. He hopes they will "Draft, Conscript and any other way old Abe may cho[o]se to rush this thing through to completion." He updates Darius on the situation with Captain Warner and the board bills.

GLC07460.021

17 October 1864

Tillotson, Anne Elizabeth, fl. 1861-1898

Autograph letter signed

Title: To her husband George Tillotson

Cross written. Family friends inquire on their son's death, wanting to bring the body home. Copperheads claiming the war will continue four more years if Lincoln is reelected. Farm business. Accompanied by a recipe for dye in a child's hand, possibly Georgiana's.

GLC04558.171

circa November 3, 1865

Penn, Willey, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Writes that he will be coming up next Wednesday after he votes. Says that, "I will kill one Coperhead vote before I leave the City." Reports that the copperheads had a meeting last Saturday where several men were kicked and killed. On White Horse Hotel stationary. Letter dated 3 November but no year listed.

GLC03523.43.27

5 October 1864

Kessler, Thomas J., fl. 1843-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Elizabeth N. Kessler

Writes to his sister from camp. Expresses his joy in hearing about the copperheads getting drafted. Comments about the wages being less when one is drafted versus volunteering. Notes he would like to see "some of them Baby Boy's" get drafted from Washington. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. Addressee name and year taken from envelope.

GLC03523.52.70

26 April 1864

Morgan, George, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his friends

Writes to his friends from Camp Blue Springs. Reports a couple of cases of smallpox in camp. Comments on the copperheads and how he would have liked to confront them while on furlough back home. Discusses new recruits in camp. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.52.52

March 7, 1863

Clark, Alex M., fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sara McMillan

Captain in the 8th Regiment Iowa Infantry, earlier taken prisoner at Shiloh and later paroled: "My vengeful feelings are the hardest to keep down, when thinking of those in the free North, who would prefer giving up to that Tyrant, Jeff. Davis who is trying to establish a government the corner stone of which is oppression....We…are fighting…for the principles that are, or ought to be, dearer than life, Liberty, Freedom from the oppression of the basest of tyrants."

GLC09319

February 12, 1863

Logan, John Alexander, 1826-1886

Printed letter

Title: To My Fellow Soldiers (Circular Letter)

Gen. "Black Jack" Logan encourages his Union troops, writing from "Headquarters, 3rd Division, 17th Army Corps" in Memphis, TN: "The day is not far distant, when traitors and cowards North and South, will cower before the indignation of an outraged people. March Bravely Forward! Nerve your strong arms to the task of overthrowing every obstacle in the pathway of victory until with shouts of triumph the last gun is fired that proclaims us a United People under the old Flag and one Government. Patriot soldiers!"

GLC09333

13 July 1863

Engberth, Jacob M., fl. 1863-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Describes fighting another hard battle. States, "the Army never fought So hard befor thair wos so men killed and wonded and missen in our Rege- thair is 40 men left in the three Compene and some of them wos wounded but some wore out by hard marches…all the officers is wonded but one Capt and Leutenet..." Describes the place being the prettiest area with the nicest girls. Comments on how many Copperheads there are in the states. Mentions the farmers complaining about the army marching through their fields: they "was not Pleased because we wos fiting on thair land but men in merland cheard…

GLC03523.43.06

3 November 1864

Howe, Nathan, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Reeser

Discusses putting Lincoln in for four more years. Inquires if Reeser received his letter requesting gloves and if so for Reeser to send him the gloves along with ten dollars. Tells him that he is out of money and won't get paid for another month. Inquires after a female, saying that if she is a Copperhead that she need not write to him. Comments that he will fight until the rebels are locked out. Describes giving the rebels hell on the 24th on the old barracks battleground.

GLC03523.43.17

January 17, 1862

Bradbury, John S., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: Dear Brother

Writing from Little Rock, AR, Bradbury expresses his anger with Copperheads, and says that he stands "for the Union, and old Abe forever." He describes camp food and activity, including the construction of log cabins and stables, and suggests that life in camp is quite easy. He also refers to a rebel spy being caught.

GLC03523.39.04