January 11, 1862

Beauregard, Pierre Gustave Toutant, 1818-1893

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John L. Manning

Discusses prospects for a battle before the spring, and is doubtful one will occur. Discusses both their health. Discusses officers in and out of camp. Mentioned are Beauregard's chief of staff David R. Jones, staff member John S. Preston, Confederate General Earl Van Dorn, Confederate General Bushrod Rust Johnson, Confederate Brigadier General Edmund Kirby Smith, and Union General George McClellan. Beauregard was commanding general of the Potomac District, Department of Northern Virginia, at the time of this letter.

GLC00028

October 4, 1861

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Selina

He discusses conditions in camp. Letter is enclosed in a patriotic stationery envelope with the postmark cut out.

GLC00066.004

October 21, 1861

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mother

In his letter to his mother, he discusses conditions in camp. Written from Camp Prentiss, in Chillicothe, Missouri.

GLC00066.005

October 24, 1861

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sister

Written to his sister, likely Selina. He describes freezing weather, lack of bread, and conditions in the camp. Written from Camp Prentiss, in Chillicothe, Missouri.

GLC00066.006

October 13, 1862

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lena

He writes to his sister, Selina, regarding the Second battle of Corinth. The letter is written on patriotic stationery from a camp near Corinth, Mississippi.

GLC00066.024

March 26, 1863

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lena

He writes to his sister, Selina, about camp conditions and the arrival of spring.

GLC00066.027

April 23, 1863

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Sis

He writes to his sister, Selina, about plants and pets in the camp. The letter is printed on the letterhead of the 39th Ohio Volunteers.

GLC00066.028

May 1,1863

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Parents

He discusses boredom in camp, as well as the nurses' duties.

GLC00066.029

September 7, 1863

Pearce, Eben, fl. 1861-1885

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lena

Writes to his sister Selina, including a poem about conditions in camp.

GLC00066.033

April 3, 1862

Pearce, Edgar, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Father

Edgar Pearce discusses arrangements for his father to visit him. He also mentions a landing at Eastport which was deserted. He writes from "Camp Chiloh," possibly referring to Shiloh, in Tennessee.

GLC00066.073

April 10, 1862

Pearce, Edgar, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to "Folks at Home"

Edgar Pearce describes the Confederate attack at Shiloh as the "biggest fight of the new world." He writes from "Our Old Camp."

GLC00066.074

May 3, 1862

Pearce, Edgar, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to "Folks at Home"

Edgar Pearce writes this letter from camp, 8 miles from Corinth, and describes the march to Corinth.

GLC00066.076

May 16, 1862

Pearce, Edgar, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Father

Edgar Pearce writes this letter from "Camp no. 6." He declares that men are falling dead during the march to Corinth from heat and lack of water.

GLC00066.077

February 10, 1863

Pearce, Edgar, fl. 1861-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Father

Edgar Pearce discusses his father going into business. He also mentions a smallpox epidemic.

GLC00066.079

May 4, 1862

Lee, Charles, fl. 1862

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Artemas Lee

Written in pencil to his mother, Artemas Lee, in Templeton, Massachusetts. Reports fall of Yorktown and erroneously reports capture of Lee. Writes from a camp before Yorktown, Virginia.

GLC00334

1869

Custer, George Armstrong, 1839-1876

Autograph letter signed

Title: to my dear friend

Writes a long letter to a friend, in which he sends a report made by General Philip Sheridan (not included) that was not meant for publication and discusses hardships and Indian fighting. Of the hardships encountered, he comments that "some people might tern them appalling, but I enjoyed it all. " Tells of near starvation because of a lack of buffalo and game, eating one of their starved horses, and the group's jolly demeanor. He mentions that he will send some Indian curiosities and elk antlers he found in the Wichita Mountains. He describes his plans to travel to Camp Supply and attack…

GLC00385

July 13, 1863

Ira, fl. 1863

Autograph letter signed

Title: to parents

Written from "Camp near Frederic Citty M.D." Includes war news, deaths, and rumors of strategy after the Battle of Gettysburg.

GLC00273.02

July 3, 1864

Green, S., fl. 1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to A. Bucklin

Discusses boring garrison duty. Writes: "I have no hardship to endure. What troubles me most is the contempt I feel for the tomfooleries we have to go through with."

GLC00434.04

January 16,1862

Cameron, Simon, 1799-1889

Pamphlet

Title: Letter of the Secretary of War, in answer to a resolution of the Senate of the 6th instant, relative to the purchase of extracts of coffee for the use of the troops

Report submitted to the Senate by Secretary of War Cameron extols the advantages of Professor H.A. Tilden's coffee extract, apparently a synthetic or ersatz coffee and condensed milk mixture. Claims "[t]he coffee and sugar ration for 100,000 men for twenty days weighs two hundred and fifty tons, one-half of which is saved, or hundred and twenty-five tons, an important item on a march or advance, reducing the number of wagons for this ration half." Consists of various correspondence reporting the benefits of the coffee and its general acceptance. Dated from the date it was ordered to be…

GLC00267.255

1885

Walker, William C., fl. 1885

Book

Title: History of the eighteenth regiment Conn. volunteers in the war for the Union

Written by Chaplain Walker. Published by the committee in charge of compiling the history of the 18th Connecticut. The committee consisted of: Walker, H.M. Durfey, Geo. C. Setchel, James McKee, Wm. Caruthers. Printed by Gordon Wilcox. Bookplate of the Wyoming Historical & Geological Society marked "19211." Stamped throughout with a blue ink stamp of "Wyoming Historical & Geological Society Wilkes-Barre, Pa." Also stamped "Jul 6 1923." Sheet pasted on the title page says the book was started in early 1884 and was finished in 1885. Says it was written "to transmit to posterity…

GLC00267.246

1890

Hedley, Fenwick Y., fl. 1884-1890

Book

Title: Marching through Georgia...

Title continues: "Pen-Pictures of Every-Day Life in General Sherman's Army, from the Beginning of the Atlanta Campaign Until the Close of the War." Written by Hedley, who was adjutant of the 32nd Illinois Infantry and Member of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. Illustrated by F.L. Stoddard. Published by Donohue, Henneberry & Co. at 407-425 Dearborn Street in Chicago. Was copyrighted by Hedley in 1884. Contains 28 illustrations throughout. Divided into 49 chapters and covers the years 1862-1865. Covers battles at Forts Henry and Donnelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga…

GLC00267.262

1952

Wiley, Bell I., 1906-1980

Book

Title: The Life of Billy Yank

I Nevins 178.

GLC00267.346

1777-1778

Vanderslice, Henry, 1726-1797

Diary

Title: [Diary of Henry Vanderslice, wagon master in the Continental Army]

Daily entries detail Vanderslice's duties as wagon master and his travels with the army through Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Vanderslice reached encampment at Morristown, New Jersey in late March 1777. He writes about wagons and carters under his supervision, care of the horses, wages for carters, and supplies collected by the wagons for the army. Begins his duty on 31 March 1777 and is in charge of 12 wagons, 50 horses, and 12 carters, whose names he lists. Accounts for the travels of the wagons to various towns in New Jersey to collect goods and describes problems encountered along the…

GLC01450.018

October 20, 1781-December 19, 1781

Autograph manuscript

Title: [1781 military orderly book]

Mentions regiments from Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire. Entries relate to daily orders, court martials, troop duties and movement, equipment and supplies, arms, and clothing. Assigns the officers for each day. Entry on 29 October 1781 discusses British General Charles Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown which occurred 19 October 1781. Entry on 9 November 1781 reports on a raid launched by British, Loyalist, and Indian forces in the Mohawk Valley, New York, led by Major John Ross, who was met by American Colonel Marinus Willett and defeated. This occurred 20-30…

GLC01450.015

July 22, 1776

Davis, Aaron, 1709-1777

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jonathan Medcalf

Letter discusses appointment of William Draper of Roxbury as captain of a company being raised for Canada. Also inquires about the amount and type of camp baggage available for the company. Letter written when the American forces were in retreat from Canada. American troops were forced to leave their siege of Quebec in May 1776 after the spring weather allowed British ships to bring reinforcements. They eventually fell back to Fort Ticonderoga.

GLC01412.22