6 June 1863

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Sayles

Writes to his sister from the field. Reports that he has been in two fights so far and has not been injured yet. Discusses her upcoming wedding and how he would like to be there. Writes about there being very few girls and says that he has not seen 25 girls since he left home.

GLC03523.32.14

January 19, 1862

Phelps, Diton, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Edith M. Phelps

Writes to his sister from Camp Pierpont. Speaks of a friend named John choosing to "serve god." Comments that he is fond of Professor Waldon and believes him to be a "clever honest fellow." Says that they recently purchased a stove that smokes a lot and built a "Shebang" out of logs. Reports that some of the boys have been court marshaled and that he has been subpoenaed to testify. Describes there being hard feelings between some of the boys from Athens and Smithfield. Mentions that Captain Daniel Bradbury just lays abed swearing about his leg. Says that the Captain, "uses the most…

GLC03523.49.07

27-28 September 1863

Phelps, Diton, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to sister

Writes to his sister from Culpepper Station. Talks about the boys making fun of a man named Greenleaf who recently arrived in camp. Comments that he likes Greenleaf and finds him an "honest fellow." Tells his sister that she is foolish for thinking of marrying at such a young age. Writes, "Money is not what we should look at in selecting a partner for life. You are foolish girl for thinking of marrying or being engaged so young you had not right to think of it for seven or eight years. You have not fairly got your cloaks off yet."

GLC03523.49.13

8 January 1862

Russell, E. S., fl. 1861-1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Hannah E. Russell

Chastens wife for her thinking that he is going to die and wanting him to cover transportation cost if it were to happen. Mentions that it is unreasonable for her to think that any man would go to the expense of paying 100 dollars to have his "lifeless" body sent home when his is alive. Tells her that he is alive and well and expects to come home at the end of the war. Reminds her that she has "got plenty to eat drink and to ware. So please be Contended." Reports that the rebels have fell back 30 miles and have yet to fortify themselves. States that they have 150 thousand Union troops in…

GLC03523.50.04

18 September 1863

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Thanks his sister for the package that she sent him. Inquires if she likes her new mother-in-law. Informs her that he will not be able to get a furlough this year and that he prefers it that way. Writes that he would prefer to wait until he can come home permanently. Believes that the running back and forth only makes "it so much worse than it otherwise would." Discusses a fight between a woman named Mary Gardner and two other gentlemen. Writes, "it is a bad thing to get wounded for ones feelings." The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.32.22

30 September 1863

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Informs his sister that they might be heading up the river to Vicksburg, Mississippi. Writes that it has been raining for the last couple of days and the rivers are finally rising. Says that the rivers have been so low that several steamers have gotten stuck on the sand bars. Discusses a friend and says how she needs to get married before it is too late. Informs her that he received the stamps that she sent him.

GLC03523.32.23

2 January 1864

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Writes to his sister from camp. Informs her that it rained and snowed on the last day of the year and that it has been cold. Describes having a "first rate" oyster dinner for Christmas. Notes that everything has been first rate since they have nothing to do but guard duty. Teases her about wearing the britches in the family and if she has had any "love spats" yet. Inquires after people back home. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.32.30

February 17, 1864

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Informs his sister that he is no longer with his company, that he has been detached to guard ordnance stores. Writes that he prefers it over staying with the company. Comments that he is not surprised that it takes two stoves to keep her and her husband warm since they are both very large and it probably takes a stove each to warm them. Complains about all the women getting married and says that there will not be any ladies left for the "poor soldiers." Discusses some of the men's drinking. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.32.31

4 July 1864

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Writes to his sister. Mentions that the men are feeling rowdy for this Fourth of July. Comments that they want to have a good time while they have a chance to. Discusses how bad he felt when heard about Oney's (possible family friend) wife killing herself while Oney was in the army. Writes that it was especially bad since she had so many small children and now there is no one left to take care of them. Request that she writes him back with all the latest news. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.32.36

31 August 1864

Sayles, Sumner, fl. 1862-1868

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Writes to his sister from camp. Mentions a lady, Mill, from back home being sour and pities the man who marries her. Inquires after the farm. Wants to know if his father will have a hard time working the farm this year. Letter has an image and the words, "E Pluribus Unum." Possibly written from Tennessee. St. Charles is listed as the city but the state is not given.

GLC03523.32.38

November 1865

Skinkle, Esbon, fl. 1864-1891

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Writes to his brother. Informs him that he has married and expects many happy days. Discusses the farm and the upcoming spring work. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner.

GLC03523.32.41

7 July 1867

Braithwaite, Ann, fl. 1862-1865

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Writes of a lady named Emma getting married. Discusses the importance of always remaining holy. Writes, "do not let your earthly lover draw your heart from the heavenly." Wishes her and her new family well. The letter has a watermark on the top left hand corner. The letter does not list a date; date was taken from the envelope.

GLC03523.32.42

January 27, 1867

Braithwaite, Mary, fl. 1860-1867

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Isora Skinkle

Informs her of Emma's wedding. Discusses the wedding and all the festivities around the wedding. Describes her ordeal with typhoid fever. Writes that she was bed ridden for the first three years and so sick that every day everyone expected her to pass away. Notes that this last year has been much better and that she has only been sick for a few weeks at a time. Request that she writes her back with the latest news on all of her old friends. The city listed in the letter is Middlefield; state is not given.

GLC03523.32.43

20 May 1874

Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to J. A. J. Creswell

As president, regarding his daughter's White House wedding. "In directing invitations for the Cabinet to attend the marriage of our daughter tomorrow, Mrs. Grant is not certain whether one was sent to Miss McIntyre or not. If none was sent it was an oversight." See GLC 4360.

GLC09240

August 1864-June 1865

Hammond, Horace J., fl. 1862-1865

Header Record

Title: [Collection of 50 letters of a soldier in the 189th regiment NY volunteers] [decimalized]

This collection consists of fifty letters from Horace J Hammond to his wife, Eleanor. Hammond enlisted on August 17, 1864 at Avoca, NY as a Private. He served largely at City Point, Virginia, the headquarters for General Ulysses S. Grant. While at City Point, he was injured when a fellow soldier's rifle discharged and the bullet became lodged in his leg. Doctors removed the bullet and Hammond recovered without having his leg amputated. Hammond was discharged on May 30, 1865. With Hammond's discharge.

GLC09273

1941-1945

Weiner, Sylvia and Morris, fl. 1941-1945

Header Record

Title: Morris Weiner archive of WWII letters [Decimalized .0001- .1710]

This collection contains 1710 letters between Sylvia Greenfield Weiner, her husband Morris "Moe" Weiner, and Alvin Greenfield, her brother. Moe Weiner served in the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps from February 26, 1943-1946. Moe had attended Brooklyn College and was a Customs inspector in the Port of New York, a specialist in Asian textiles. Moe underwent training at Fort Lewis, WA, among other sites and then was posted to England, where he served from 1944 until his discharge in 1946. Moe traveled in Europe after VE-Day and then returned to his wife, Sylvia Weiner, in Oceanside, NY where…

GLC09414

22 September 1864

Wirt, John, fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Bill Kessler

Writes to his cousin. Provides direction to California. Explains he cannot join him because of his job. Complains about his new stepmother. Writes, "thare never was a bigger fool than my father when he married that girl whenever thare is any work to be done she plays off sick she dont care about anything but dress…please never call her my mother again I wont own her…" Discusses the "Hundred day boys" who just arrived home.

GLC03523.52.66

29 November 1869

Lincoln, Mary Todd, 1818-1882

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sally Orne

To Sally Orne regarding her pension fight with Congress, friendship with Senator Charles Sumner, and Lincoln: "My bright little comforter Taddie, is of course with me today… The darkness is very great - we can only pray - that the dawn is at hand…If we fail, I fear, I shall sink under the blow. I have grown so nervous."4 p. With additional 4 pages, headed "Private & Burn." Though Turner calls this a separate incomplete letter, which he dates to 12-12-1869, it may be a lengthy postscript to the first letter: "My husband was so richly blessed with all these noble attributes that each day…

GLC09395

1865

Hammond, Cyrena, fl. 1865

Diary

Title: [Journal]

One hundred and thirty three pages of diary entries and handwritten notes. Fourteen pages with preprinted text, including a title page and printed calendars. Previous research indicated that this is a "journal of Western New York teenager;" the title page cites "North Bergen" as Hammond's location. Discusses school and her friends: "Danced all the morn, & at recess we went out on the meeting house steps and danced for sharp to fiddle" (6 January 1865). On 9 January 1865, mentions attending a temperance meeting. In a note at the end of the diary, Hammond writes: "The 29 of this month,…

GLC09413

23 June 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to unknown

Signed G. J. H. Writes from Camp Alexandria. Thanks the recipient for the "interesting" letter he received. Mentions traveling 600 miles from Washington junction to Harpers Ferry, Virginia to Cumberland, Maryland by [train] cars. Describes the road being rough and Harpers Ferry being the roughest country he ever saw. Writes of washing himself "good" in the "little pool" everyday and believes that it benefits his health. Says he was "quite poor" when he first arrived from the 207th but he is now "fleshy." Worries about becoming sick and dying but believes that there is "sweet rest" in…

GLC03523.43.03

22 May 1864

Holly, William H., ?-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary Ann Davis

Written from "Lakeport, La." to a friend. Talks of the visit of the wife of his friend, William Hoyt, whom he will be sad to see leave as he enjoys having a "respectable female friend to chat with." Talks of how he wants to leave the army--"what a happy man I should be if I was permitted to live, to get out of this service, to know and feel that I am free, that I need not go to a place without I felt like it. But I am glad that I can say and feel that... I am in the hands of a just God that doeth all things well, we[re] it not for this faith I should feel miserable enough. Pray for me my dear…

GLC02165.17

11 July 1862

Ward, Edward K., 1837-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Writes that some letters he sent to his father were confiscated and later returned to him by General Grant. He laments that General Clarke has been reassigned and writes that "there was never a general so beloved by his troops." Explains that his company has every Saturday to clean up camp, and do the wash and other chores "like negroes" do. He jokingly admits that the men are better at playing poker on Saturdays. Ward is anxious to see girls again and is still resolved to marry. Discusses his feelings on women and marrying and warns his sister to never be "green enough" to let someone…

GLC02232.09

17 December 1862

Ward, Edward K., 1837-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Writes that he has been on furlough for two months. The 4th and 5th Tennessee regiments have been consolidated and he is hopeful that he will be decommissioned as a result. He's sorry to learn that Mrs. Champlin and her daughters, are abolitionists and is particularly concerned about Miss Ettie Champlin's abolitionist inclinations. Regarding Miss Ettie, he writes: "and there goes one of my Memphis sweethearts for I can't marry a yankee girl." Mentions a girl he's met in Murfreesboro by the name of Midora Henson who meets his "pretty, smart, and rich" critera. His health has improved and…

GLC02232.10

5 March 1863

Ward, Edward K., 1837-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Writes that he is very disappointed that a "fat letter" from home has been lost. Also writes that his brigade has been on outpost for over a month and he is anxious to leave. He asks his sister to deliver the enclosed notes to Miss Ettie (his ex-fiancee) and Miss Mollie. Writes that he's concerned that Miss Ettie has not been receiving his correspondence, but is certain that despite his sister's dislike for Miss Ettie, she would never cease from forwarding his letters to her. Requests that his sister send him a fat letter whenever possible. In a postscript note, he informs her that he has…

GLC02232.15

5 May 1863

Ward, Edward K., 1837-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to his sister

Advises his sister that in order to keep a sweetheart she should give him a daguerreotype and not a photograph of herself. Writes that his "sweetheart," Miss Melinda, has replaced him for another fellow. He discusses how many of the soldiers get positions (promotions) just talking their way up. Asks his sister to give his love to all the girls and writes that he will marry any that will take him, assuring them that he is still good looking and not "as some contraband, or American gentleman of African descent." There is missing text due to holes in the paper. The letter is very fragile.

GLC02232.17