18 April 1842

Doublehead, Leaf, fl. 1838

Autograph document

Title: Claim re: horses, cows, and guns.

Was written while it was Cherokee Nation Territory.

GLC07562.03.18

February 6, 1863

Giraud, Pierre, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. & Mrs. Edward Giraud

Written by a Union sailor on the USS "Montauk" to his parents in New York City. Tells them that since his last letter he has been in two major engagements at Fort McCallester on the Big Ogeechee River where they tried to capture the CSS "Nashville." Says it was handled badly. Blames his commander, Captain Worden, who is "pleasant" but "excitable." Claims that "If we win a Fight in this ship it will be more by good luck than good management." Reports that he worked the guns on both occasions and "made some splendid shots" at the fort from 1,780 yards away. Says his captain said he is one of…

GLC08510

17 April 1863

Rifenburgh, Peter E., 1843-1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to brother and sister

Glad to have received their letter. Is healthy; hopes this letter finds them in a similar condition. Has orders to head up the Mississippi River with 140 rounds worth of cartridges each. Thinks he is heading to battle. Is taking blankets and his knapsack with him. Cooks have received orders to cool extra rations for them to bring on the march. Is not afraid of death, and "if I get shot then I die in a good cause, but I don't think that gun even was made to shoot me." One of the guards shot a Rebel earlier in the week. He approached the camp, was ordered to stop, did not, and was shot. The…

GLC08914.020

22 May 1864

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Harriet W. Dewey

Written "in the field." He read of Henry's death in the papers after he thought he had escaped unharmed. They may lose their guns. He is sick of the expedition.

GLC02161.128

29 December 1865

French, E.B., fl. 1865-1871

Printed document signed

Title: [Confirmation from the United States Treasury Department that Captain Ethan A. Jenks' return of arms was received, examined and found correct]

Signed by French as the Second Auditor of the United States Treasury Department.

GLC02750.209

22 March 1863

Stanhope, John R., fl. 1863

Autograph note signed

Title: [Record of one bayonet received]

GLC02750.223

3 June 1863

Stanhope, John R., fl. 1863

Autograph note signed

Title: [Record of a musket and equipment received by Ethan A. Jenks]

GLC02750.225

2 November 1862

Weeks, John F., fl. 1860-1882

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents

Writes that he is near Cave City six miles East of Mammoth Cave. He was finally given a tent to sleep in after a month of being tentless. Describes the recent battle of Perryville as "the heaviest storm ever I saw or heard." Some of the men of Weeks' company were arrested for exchanging guns. Writes that he doesn't know if he killed someone during battle and doesn't care to know. Reports that Buell has been removed and Rosecrans now has control of the army.

GLC06728.029

16 November 1862

Weeks, John F., fl. 1860-1882

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his parents

Writes that the soldiers prefer Rosecrans to Buell. Reports that General Gilbert was arrested at Perryville. Continues to write about the battle of Perryville, which has led him to believe that rebels are not cowards but "brave as yankees dare to be." Points out that many of the dead and wounded were barefoot. Also writes that the company was armed with minnie rifles, the best in the service.

GLC06728.030

2 June 1864

Weeks, John F., fl. 1860-1882

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister Ettie Weeks

Writes that they have been under musketry attack for eight days, but their works have been a safe place. Hopes that more one-year men will be drafted into the war. Asks his father about the late quotations of gold and how it will affect their interests. Reports that the 15th Corps. took position on the left to relieve Hooker who is moving into Marietta. Also reports that during this campaign, the regiment has lost 83 men killed and wounded.

GLC06728.072

January 11, 1863

Parrott, Henry C., fl. 1861-1877

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

Henry wishes to know how the his family at home is doing and if his father has sold the farm. He will send his father a suit of clothes and a revolver as soon as possible.

GLC03858.02.07

20 October 1864

Hammond, Horace J., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eleanor Hammond

Glad to hear all is well. Sad to hear that [Silphey] had died and "sorry to hear that Charley was wounded." One of his comrade's guns had gone off, shooting him in the leg just above the ankle. The surgeon took the bullet out, and "it did not go through." Has been with the boys the whole time. His leg is rehabilitating quickly. "Can walk some" on the bad leg, but not completely. Still not much to do around camp. Weather is fine. Have not been in any real danger here. Joseph has gained seven pounds since he left. "They have sent plenty of men up to the front and they are going to take…

GLC09273.07

28 March 1865

Hammond, Horace J., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eleanor Hammond

Is "tip top;" hopes she is too. Wants to know if she has received all of the money he has sent her. Is eating really well. Decided to turn in his gun to the quartermaster, so "all I will carry will be my knapsack." Expects to begin marching somewhere starting tomorrow morning. Believes he is going to North Carolina. About 135,000 infantry and 30,000 cavalry are going to be on the move. Would rather move than stay at camp any longer. Only 5 months until he will be home. Prays every day. "I think the war will soon be used up." Would like to see her and Oscar; looks at her likeness very often.…

GLC09273.37

23 April 1865

Hammond, Horace J., fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Eleanor Hammond

Everyone is healthy, but tired from all the marching. Legs feel "lame." Stopped 18 miles from Petersburg on the railroad. Going to guard the railroad, but is not sure how long he will be doing that for. "We may stay here two weeks and we may not stay here two days." Many think they will be discharged before their time is out. Thinks they will "come out alright." Only his regiment stopped here; "the rest of our corps is all along the railroad." The war is over in Virginia. Would like to buy a team of animals (presumably oxen). Since he has cooked for the captain, he has not touched a gun.…

GLC09273.42

14 June 1865

Morse, George F., fl. 1864-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to father

the mustering out of troops, Morse's intention to purchase his Springfield Rifle musket, and the insufficiency of the food rations.

GLC02180.29

2 May 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

Writes that he is well and that the weather is pleasant, sometimes it rains and sometimes it is warm. They were on picket duty yesterday. The day before yesterday, a man from their Company was wounded; he was shot in the calf. He is the third man to be wounded in their Company. Writes that in Company A, the 2nd Regiment had three killed by the rebel sharpshooters and the 6th Regiment had three men wounded. Does not think he will write again till after the Siege of Yorktown (5 April, 1862 - 4 May, 1862). They were called up a few nights ago at midnight to vote as to whether they want…

GLC02749.002

23 May 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

Many men have caught Dysentery from the bad water. States that they "lost 500 men from this brigade while across the river and the Corps lost 6000." Writes that the army was put into "the shape of a horseshoe with the heel resting on the river." It was a pleasant and sunny day, but there was enough wind to lift the smoke out of the guns so anyone could see every rebel, even if you were a mile away. Claims that the rebels must have lost four men to every Union man killed because the rebels had four lines of battle, whereas they only had one line in front. Found out by the prisoners that…

GLC02749.004

28 May 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

They have not arrived at Richmond yet, but must be ready for a start at a moment's notice. Only allowed to take their haversacks, no knapsacks or blankets. Have to bring 40 rounds of cartridges in boxes and 20 rounds in their pockets when they cross the creek. The creek is about half a mile in front of them, and Richmond is about seven miles away. Writes that their pickets stand on the bank and the rebel pickets are in sight on the other side, about 80 roads apart. There was heavy fighting all yesterday afternoon about half a mile on their right. The report is that they have driven the…

GLC02749.005

9 June 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

Writes that nothing important has happened since he "last wrote except the battle of Sunday. Our division was not in it, there was not much artillery firing that day but the muskets was heavy and it was kept up without easing till near two hours after dark." Now on the Richmond side of the Chickahominy; does not suppose that they will attack Richmond this week. Writes that the rebels have fired more than 100 shots since he started writing this letter. Although they have several batteries there, Henry does not know why the rebels are firing because the batteries will burst in the swamp on…

GLC02749.006

16 June 1862

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Henry's camp is on picket duty, and there has been a great deal of shooting during picket duty. Writes that some of the rebels climb into trees to get a better opportunity to shoot at their camp; one of the boys in Company G shot a rebel who was in the tree. The next day, the rebel sharpshooters shot into the Union camp and into a crowd of men; two boys from the 4th Regiment were wounded. Did not realize that the rebels could shoot into their camp, but bullets come into the camp everyday now. Writes that it was a "curious circumstance that out of about 200 men in the very crowded and…

GLC02749.007

26 September 1864

Henry, Josiah E., 1840-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Writes that they can only send letters every four days now, and soon he will not be able to send any letters for two or three weeks. They are in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia within 25 miles of Staunton, Virginia and nearly 100 miles from Harpers Ferry, Virginia. They have had two battles since he last wrote, one at Winchester, Virginia (Battle of Opequon or the Third Battle of Winchester, 19 September 1864) where "this Regiment captured a brigadier General. It was a hard fight; our forces took five cannons, 15 stand collors [sic], 2500 prisoners besides killing and wounding over 5000."…

GLC02749.010

14 August 1861

Sam, fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to cousin [Lydia A. Bishoff]

Sam is still in Oakland, and does not know how soon he will be called to take the line of march, although he is going to get his arms this week. He describes the health of a few members of his company, and asks how his mother is doing back home. He has heard from the "north Branch" that there are 5000 "sesechers" within 5 or 6 miles of Oakland. Sam suspects that this is true, and is worried since "there is no company but ours and whe have no arms whe would play hell afighting without arms," he says.

GLC03523.40.04

4 April 1862

Foglesong, John C., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to cousin [Lydia A. Bishoff]

Foglesong informs Bishoff that he arrived at Sleepy Creek Station, and from there, traveled to Martinsburgh yesterday evening. He and his fellow troops received new guns. According to Foglesong, a dispute is underway between the officers and some of the company men, who are refusing to leave Martinsburgh "Before they get their pay." Foglesong's company is scheduled to leave Martinsburgh the next day, but he is not sure where they will be going. There is some talk of the company traveling to Florida, which is why some of the men want to be paid before they find themselves so far from home…

GLC03523.40.08

16 June 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

He got a letter from Will who has picket duty. Their sharpshooters killed or wounded every gunner that attempted to use their artillery. There will be no more picketing on their end.

GLC02161.027

11 July 1862

Dewey, Orville S., fl. 1861-1902

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary "Mollie" McLean

He prefers hand to hand combat instead of getting shelled. He also thinks Will must be a full fledged captain by now.

GLC02161.033