10 May 1863

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stockton Bates

Recounts recent battles, during which their colonel was killed and 50 soldiers were killed and wounded, losing in total 107 of 350 in the regiment and 1100 of 2300 in the division. Believes that Fredericksburg cannot be taken: "Every strip of woods is intersected with rifle pits, and every brook fortified." The men are very discouraged and the rebel soldiers look healthy and have great faith in their generals. Describes Fredericksburg.

GLC03523.23.14

24 June 1863

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stockton Bates

Has not received mail or news for a while and does not know what is happening. Their location has seen several battles before their arrival, with bullet marks in trees and casings on the ground. Describes a recent raid.

GLC03523.23.17

12 July 1863

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stockton Bates

They have crossed the river on a reconnaissance mission, "the quickest movement the Army of Potomac has been guilty of for some time." "It is pretty evident that Gen. Lee is trying to euchre 'Fighting Joe;' he plays his hands well, but it is a game two can play at, and clubs are trumps now." Hooker continues to be unpopular with the men.

GLC03523.23.18

2 August 1863

Allison, William A., fl. 1861-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Stockton Bates

They've been fixing up their camp, overlooking the Blue Ridge mountains. Comments on the arrival of conscripts and the need to drill them. "Charleston appears a hard place to take, but it is of so much importance that it deserves continued efforts." Comments on local farmers spying on their operations.

GLC03523.23.20

1 January 1865

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Writes from the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac. Writes to his mother in Tullytown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Describes how they were summoned out of bed to confront attacking Rebels who they were able to drive away. Writes that they may get paid in two weeks, but that it could be in six months. Wants to send money home but states that most letters with money in it never reach their destination. Mentions some acquaintances. Informs that he has not received his box yet and that he has heard that no boxes have left Washington since December 20th.

GLC03523.26.05

6 January 1865

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Written from headquarters of the Army of the Potomac. Writes to his mother in Tullytown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Reports that he is well and received his box. Reports that a man was shot nearby for desertion. Discusses his discharge and is worried that if his father puts up the money, they still might not give him the discharge papers. Writes, "there is a Rebel Congressman in the house at Washington a trying to Negotiate peace none of the soldiers here want to see peace ... when our armies if on the point of victory they dont want to see a dishonerable peace." Describes seeing…

GLC03523.26.06

20 November 1864

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin A. Woolston

Addressed from "Camp Near Gen. Mead/ Headquarters in Front of Platersburg." Writes to his father in Tullytown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Reports that it took 30 hours to get to City Point from Alexandria. States he is happy, "we set up on the top & feel as happy as a lord and am as well content as if were at home it is raining now but it dont faise us" Says he is not yet armed but their arms will be a saber carbine and a revolver. Comments, "...this squad will soon be mounted soon the cannon keep a constant cannonade the rebels and our pickets and ours goes pop pop all night at one…

GLC03523.26.03

8 December 1864

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin A. Woolston

Written from Headquarters, Army of the Potomac. Writes to his father in Tullytown, Bucks County, Pennslyvania. States that his regiment left camp on marching orders and came across the 13th Pennsylvania Cavalry and the 6th Ohio Cavalry. Describes an engagement with the Confederates, "...when the 13 advanced about 200 yards to the creek where they were met by the Rebs with a yell but they were not so easily scared and a general engagement took place our Cavilry being on one side and the Rebel Infantry on the other after about 1/2 an hours fight our men finding that they could not cross the…

GLC03523.26.04

8 March 1865

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin A. Woolston

Written from headquarters of the Army of the Potomac. Writes to his father in Tullytown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, that he is well and that the weather has been very rainy. Heard some musket firing last night but is not sure if it was Confederates coming near the picket line, or men trying to desert. Asks him to send postage stamps as they are hard to get and expensive. Reports that there is a rumor that Union General Philip Sheridan has captured 18,000 "johnies," [Confederate troops].

GLC03523.26.07

16 April 1865

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin A. Wooston and Maria Woolston

Written from headquarters of the Army of the Potomac. Writes to his parents in Tullytown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Reports that they broke camp in front of Petersburg on 28 March, forced the Confederate forces out of Petersburg, and chased them within 18 or 20 miles of Lynchburg. Writes about the last day of the Appomattox campaign, "...Sheridan got around them and when Lee went to move on the morning of Aprile the 9th he came against our skirmishd line to his surprise and here ended his career he fought desperately that morning we got there just after it had ended..." Informs that…

GLC03523.26.08

11 May 1865

Woolston, Charles, fl. 1864-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Woolston

Reports to his mother that they have marching for miles and miles to Essex County, Virginia in order to get to the house of Virginia Senator Robert Mercer T. Hunter, whom they captured. He called Hunter, "a big dark complected man and said to been the been the best speaker in the Rebel senate." Does not know when they will be discharged but is looking forward to coming home. Feels it will take a least three weeks of "good grub" to get his strength back. States that their rations of sugar are less than ever but blames it on the quatermaster, not the goverment, which allows much more.…

GLC03523.26.09

1864

Gottshall, Samuel G., 1841-1902

Diary

Title: [Diary of Samuel G. Gottshall] [Incomplete]

Leather bound manuscript signed. First entry is not logged down until 18 February 1864. On 25 March, he reports that General Ulysses Grant is visiting. Reports on the battles of the Wilderness and Spotsylvania. Reports of heavy fighting from May through the 24th, right when his enlistment expired. On 5 May, he relates how "we crossed the Rabidan 1 p.m. fight commenced on plank road 11 p.m." On 6 May he reports, "fighting heavy," then a few hours later "still heavy fighting." Writes on 11 May that Company A is reported to have "suffered severely in loss… a regular engagement took place in…

GLC04564.05

January 15, 1862

Whiting, Jasper S., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Paul J. Semmes

Jasper S. Whiting, major and assistant adjutant general, tells Semmes to ascertain which regiments in his command do not have proper medical officers. Also requests that he makes sure to enforce General Orders no. 27 and 69. Written from the Headquarters of the 2nd Corps. Addressed to Semmes as Colonel commanding the 9th Brigade.

GLC00572.35.02

February 3, 1862

Whiting, Jasper S., fl. 1861-1862

Manuscript signed

Title: Copy of General Orders No. 20

Copy of orders from Acting Assistant Adjutant General A.P. Mason by command of General Johnston. Information on recruiting to fill companies. Advises each company should have 125 rank and file who will be compensated with $50 bounty upon joining. Signed official by Jasper S. Whiting as Major and Assistant Adjutant General. Written from the Headquarters of the Department of Northern Virginia.

GLC00572.35.03

February 4, 1862

Whiting, Jasper S., fl. 1861-1862

Letter signed

Title: to Paul J. Semmes

Major and Assistant Adjutant General Whiting gives instructions on leaves and furloughs and stresses that leaves should not be granted except under extraordinary circumstances. Written from Headquarters, 1st Division A.P.

GLC00572.35.04

February 5, 1862

Whiting, Jasper S., fl. 1861-1862

Letter signed

Title: to Paul J. Semmes

Major and Assistant Adjutant General Whiting informs Semmes of modifications made to recruiting details. He also instructs that as per General Joseph E. Johnston's directions, "it is expected that a Bill providing for recruiting the One year Regiments, with men for three years or the War, will immediately become a Law." Letter written from Headquarters, 1st Division A.P.

GLC00572.35.05

February 11, 1862

Whiting, Jasper S., fl. 1861-1862

Letter signed

Title: to Paul J. Semmes

Major and Assistant Adjutant General Whiting replies to a report Semmes filed noting deficiencies in supplies for his command. He informs Semmes that he should do whatever is necessary to obtain the necessary supplies. He advises that brigade commanders are responsible for the condition of their troops. Letter written from Headquarters, 1st Division A.P.

GLC00572.35.06

February 1, 1863

Gorsuch, Joseph B., 1834-1908

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph and his wife

Written in the field near Vicksburg, on the Louisiana side of the Mississippi River. Gorsuch, Captain of the 83rd Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, discusses recent Union attempts to take Vicksburg, Mississippi by way of a constructed canal. He writes: "You need not be troubled but what we will take Vicksburg, but I confess that I consider it very doubtful whether we will now. If we do take it, it will be by very hard fighting. The rebels appreciate the importance of this point as well as we do... I hope that our Generals will not waste any more valuable lives... Bayonet charges are very…

GLC00653.09.03

November 15, 1860

Columbus Guard

Letter signed

Title: to Paul J. Semmes

Encloses a copy of the "Southern Guard" (see GLC 715.09.01) a publication of the proceeds of a meeting held at Temperance Hall on 13 November. Announces that Semmes has been appointed commander. Ask that Semmes accept this proposition. Signed all in one hand by James M. Rupell, F. G. Wilkins, W.R. Turman, Thomas J. Nicholls, and G.W. Atkinson as members of the Columbus Guard.

GLC00715.09.02

1862

Gottshall, Samuel G., 1841-1902

Diary

Title: [Diary of Samuel G. Gottshall]

Leather bound autograph manuscript signed. Describes activity at Fort Donelson (the Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from 11 February to 16 February 1862), Yorktown (Siege of Yorktown took place from 5 April to 4 May 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign), the Peninsula Campaign withdrawal (March through July 1862), Second Bull Run (28-30 August 1862), and South Mountain (Battle of South Mountain was fought on 14 September 1862), and being wounded by a cannonball. This cannonball is found in GLC04564.02. Writes of his recuperation in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, where he spent the rest of…

GLC04564.03

1863

Gottshall, Samuel G., 1841-1902

Diary

Title: [Diary of Samuel G. Gottshall]

Leather bound autograph manuscript signed. Gottshall returns to the Army after being wounded in the arm by a cannonball. Throughout the early months Gottshall sees little action and he discusses his recovery and soldiering in the winter. In [13-15] February he reports an insurrection taking place in which a regiment refused to do picket duty due to the location of their camp and the cold weather. Writes of another incidence that took place on 1 July where he was defending the baggage and supply train from Confederates, 2 miles from Hanover, Pennsylvania. Also discusses [Confederate…

GLC04564.04

13 July 1861

Leslie, Frank, 1821-1880

Newspaper

Title: [Clipping from Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper regarding George Proctor Kane]

Clipping of a sketch depicting Boston soldiers searching for concealed weapons on the third floor of George Proctor Kane's police headquarters. Accompanies a note written by Isaac Ridgeway Trimble, colonel of engineers in Virginia's forces (Confederate), authorizing the delivery of ammunition to Kane, Marshal of Police for Baltimore, Maryland (refer to GLC08883.01). Verso of clipping contains advertisements for furniture, headache cures, and an English portable tent, among other items. Contains two pieces of mounting tape.

GLC08883.02

4 June 1864

Burch, James Anderson, 1829-1906

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Wortham

Burch asks Wortham to send Lea's petition from last winter as the latest one is missing. Lea has a large, helpless family and Burch wishes to send him home to support them. Burch reports that a truce boat came yesterday for the friends of those who went with the Yankees and will return in a few days. Excerpt: "I have no news of importance a truce boat came up yesterday for the friends of those who went with the Yankees who they said they heard at Newbern was suffering the commander at Newbern sent for them they did not carry off any person but said they will come again in a few days. All…

GLC02233.44

10 June 1864

Van Hook, John C., 1831-1910

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Wortham

Van Hook has just learned that two hundred Union soldiers have landed at Bath and he is certain that they can be captured and their boats sunk. He asks Wortham to send his battery, two companies of infantry, and his company of cavalry to assist in this operation. Excerpt: "…a party of Yankees no. two hundred have landed at [Bath?] taking off citizens they have taken two good & loyal citizens. Their gunboats two at least is laying in the river & have been for several days they can be sunk without a doubt. I wish you to join me & send your battery & two Companies of…

GLC02233.45

2 May 1863

McParlin, Thomas A., 1825-1897

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: [Report of Service as Medical Director of the Army of Virginia during the summer of 1862]

The report sent to General William A. Hammond on 2 May 1863 (see GLC02649.02). Written mostly in a narrative form the report, with some charts, maps and other media included, provides a detailed and dramatic history of medical procedures and services during the Civil War in the summer of 1862. Discusses medical organization, logistics, supplies, depots, and hospitals. Provides lists of men injured by category (deserter, discharged, returned to duty, on furlough, remaining, died) and charts with types of injuries (of eye, of ear, dysentery, etc.). There is one map, apparently drawn by…

GLC02649.01