1861-1865

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Curtis

Writes to Curtis. Damuth is reading the paper, which is full of good news for the Union forces. Reminds Curtis to vote. Knows the soldiers will vote for Lincoln, because "you cant Stuff Copperheadism down the Soldiers." Writes about the punishments he gives to men in favor of McClellan. Writes about more mock elections held in the "Guardhouse."

GLC03523.14.72

11 November 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. Two regiments from Damuth's brigade are moving to Devil's Bluff. Discusses the camp they will set up, like the one they built while staying in St. Charles. Does not anticipate much fighting, and thinks the regiment will only "run into a few bushwackers." The election has passed with Lincoln as the winner, but McClellan received eighty-eight votes. Of this, Damuth writes, "I didn't think Mc would get as many as he did but the Damm Irish all went for him a few of the dutch and Americans that always voted the Democratic ticket." Adds that, "if I had voted fer…

GLC03523.14.73

16 November 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. The men have arrived at Devil's Bluff and will soon move to Little Rock. The colonel is hunting deer, but "evry one cant get out of the picket line." The mail has brought a death announcement about one of Damuth's close friends who was sent home on sick leave. Writes about military gossip: Sherman "has made a brake for Charleston with the most of his army." Things are looking up for the men following Lincoln's reelection and everyone is in good spirits.

GLC03523.14.74

20 November 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. Describes the early morning arrival at Little Rock. The day before, "one hundred men went out to cut timber to build us good houses and to day four teems have been drawing it up." Damuth thinks the regiment will be there all winter. Compares Little Rock to Madison, Wisconsin. Has run into other Wisconsin men, since seven companies are camped nearby. Finds part of a letter he wrote to his friend Emma published in The Chief, but without his name on it, "she did not expose my ignorance by giving my name."

GLC03523.14.75

27 November 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister "[o]n board Steamer Fannie Ogden bound for Memphis." The men end up leaving Little Rock on the 24th of November and move to "the Bluffs," where they have boarded a boat for Memphis. On board, they meet up with a soldier from Company D who was on leave. He has returned with many letters and packages. Damuth does not know what will be happening in Memphis and says, "the prospect is as good for us to go to the East to reinforce Sheriden as any." Repeats his belief that the war will end soon, but mentions that his father thinks it will last another four years "because…

GLC03523.14.76

3 December 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. The men are busy preparing for an inspection, because "they say that the Regt that passes the best inspection will do Provost Guard duty in the city this winter." Damuth has received a pair of suspenders from his family by mail and is glad, reporting that clothing goods are expensive if purchased in camp. Damuth is now receiving twenty-four dollars a month. The night before, Damuth went to the theater to see "the Webb sisters…young but perfect beauties." Going to the theater is a good pastime for soldiers, he argues, because "we see again a little civile life."…

GLC03523.14.77

13 December 1864

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. Damuth has visited a friend from home stationed nearby. The friend is married to a girl who cooks for the army. Of the visit, Damuth writes, "that day was the first time I had sat down to a table with a woman since I ate dinner at home the day I left fer the last time I hardly knew how to act or handle my knife and fork." Writes that he has news of Southerners fighting amongst themselves about states rights. Though Southerners are now trying to arm enslaved people, Damuth considers this a problem "when Slavery was declared to be the chief corner Stone of the…

GLC03523.14.78

8 January 1865

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister from a camp outside of New Orleans. The soldiers often go into the city. Damuth is going to get photographs taken. Some of the men taken prisoner the year before at Red River are now in the city. Of one of them, Damuth writes, "he has suffered more than to die." Many of the men in prison died of starvation and exposure to the elements, but some men "found relation in the Rebel army" and were protected by family members.

GLC03523.14.79

January 1865

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. The morning paper has brought news of "a peace movement…you cant think how the word peace sounds to us we at once begin to build castles in the air." Writes that Jefferson Davis probably "sees no hopes of ever getting his independance [sic]." It is warm in Louisiana and Damuth writes that he can watch "lots of negro men and women at work on the land…fitting it fer a sugar or cotton crop." Many peddler women come to the army camp with liquor hidden under their clothes and attempt to sell it to the soldiers. Damuth suggests that his family subscribe to the Chicago…

GLC03523.14.80

January 22, 1865

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Maria Damuth

Writes to his sister. Responds to family concerns that he might reenlist and promises this is not the case. He will come home and "take care of you as you intended I would when you gave me a deed of the farm." Warns his brother not to reenlist, since he has served a hundred days in Memphis and "seen a dead rebel and now he ought to stay at home and trot his young one on his knee." Writes about friends of the family. Ends the letter with the warning, "Dont let evryone [sic] see this."

GLC03523.14.81

1861-1865

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Damuth family

Sends a list of the killed, dead, sick, wounded and discharged. Writes about action at an unidentified battle. Letter written some time after "the fight at Champion Hills."

GLC03523.14.82

1861-1865

Damuth, Dolphus, fl. 1839-1913

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Damuth family

Writes short note to his family with information about directing letters to the Wisconsin Volunteers.

GLC03523.14.83

circa 1862-1864

Envelope

Title: to Dolphus Damuth

Envelope is addressed to "[Mr.] Dolph Damuth." Return address not listed.

GLC03523.14.84

3 June 1935

Pounder, George H., fl. 1935

Printed document

Title: to Jennie and Elizabeth Damuth.

Printed ballot for George H. Pounder. Printed with a poem called "Then and Now!" and a photograph of Pounder. Also contains biographical information for Pounder, who grew up in Wisconsin and was part of the Wisconsin Cavalry during the Civil War.

GLC03523.14.85

January 15, 1914

Downing, C. A., fl. 1914

Printed document

Title: to Frank Damuth

Announces the death of Dolphus Damuth on 30 December 1913, written by the "Fort Atkinson Lodge Knights of Pythias, in loving remembrance of the many delightful years he was a member of this lodge."

GLC03523.14.86

5 July 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from Camp Pope. Discusses in great detail the Fourth of July celebration in the camp. "The entire Brigade took a solom oath never to return to there homes until the last vestage of rebelion is wiped out." Describes a party at a female college in Monticello, "...where the ladies had prepared an excellent picnic for us." Comments on her upcoming marriage and his desire to attend the wedding. Writes about his duties as sergeant. Says they have just received marching orders to an unknown destination. Letter has a Union emblem.

GLC03523.31.06

14 July 1861

Blanchard, Ira, 1835-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mary (Wright) Kellogg

Blanchard writes to Mary Wright from camp outside St. Louis. Describes in great detail his trip down the Mississippi River aboard a government steamer "City of Alton." Mentions being applauded by Union people as they went down the river. Comments they have plenty of ripe fruit. "The little girls bring us plenty of apples and pies if we have any suspicion of them being poison we make them eat some first." States that were about 15 to 20 enslaved people at every home. Remarks that they appear to be people "...who seem to be a very happy set of fellows." Asks her to send a likeness of herself…

GLC03523.31.07

2 April 1786

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Report of General Knox's letter to Dr. Gordon]

Later copy. Apparently an excerpt of GLC02437.03257, outlining an incident between General George Washington, the Comte de Grasse, General Rochambeau, General Henry Knox, and Lord Cornwallis. Note at top of page reads, "Report of Genl Knox's letter to Dr Gordon, which the Dr has transferred to his history ii 255,256. outlining General Washington's letter to Count de Grasse, 'which,' says Knox, 'by some unaccountable means has been published.'" Embossed seal in the upper left corner.

GLC02437.03258

13 June 1786

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to George Washington

Later copy of GLC02437.03273.

GLC02437.03274

June 16, 1786

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

Knox references Lafayette's letter from February 11, 1786. He thanks Lafayette for his kindness toward his brother, William, when he was ill. Says that William has recovered and has been with him since October 1785. Hopes the recovery is permanent. Discusses the affair of Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant, who had been sent to France in 1783 to purchase jeweled eagle badges for the members of the Society of the Cincinnati. L'Enfant returned to America in 1784 and brought back many badges purchased on credit. The price proved too high for some officers, which left L'Enfant in a bind. Goes on to…

GLC02437.03276

26 July 1863

Maitland, James M., 1815-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph M. Maitland

Updates his son with news of Morgan's Raid: "The Morgan Raid has been the absorbing topic for the last two weeks and strong efforts have been made to capture him. Thus far about 3,000 of his men have been captured, and sent to different places for confinement: the news yesterday that he with about 1,000 of his men had made their escape 12 miles below Wheeling. The most of his men were captured on an Island called Buffington's in the Ohio River... among the officers captured was Basil Duke and two of Morgan's Brothers." Notes that he was mistaken in predicting that the draft in Ohio would…

GLC03523.10.085

7 December 1785

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Webber

Appears to be of very similar content to, though not an exact copy of, GLC02437.03232.

GLC02437.03233

January 19, 1786

Francastel, Nicolas Jean, fl. 1784-1786

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette [in French]

For an English translation of this French letter see GLC02437.03239. The translation is in a different hand. This letter was written by Parisian jeweler Nicolas Jean Francastel, who was one of the creators of the jeweled eagle insignia worn by some members of the Society of the Cincinnati (Claude Jean Autran Duval was the other). Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant had been sent to France in 1783 to order the badges for the Society, which he did on credit and was later unable to sell to officers in America. This letter details the settlement over the payment for the badges. With interest,…

GLC02437.03238

January 19, 1786

Francastel, Nicolas Jean, fl. 1784-1786

Manuscript letter

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

An English translation of GLC02437.03238 in a different hand. This letter was written by Parisian jeweler Nicolas Jean Francastel, who was one of the creators of the jeweled eagle insignia worn by some members of the Society of the Cincinnati (Claude Jean Autran Duval was the other). Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant had been sent to France in 1783 to order the badges for the Society, which he did on credit and was later unable to sell to officers in America. This letter details the settlement over the payment for the badges. With interest, Francastel was to be paid 20,229 livres. Francastel says…

GLC02437.03239

12 March 1786

Greene, Nathanael, 1742-1786

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

General Nathanael Greene writes, "I thank you for the public attention you are paying to my public Trophies; but I have been so embarrassed and perplexed in my private affairs for a long time past which originated in the progress of the War that I have but little spirit or pleasures on such subjects. My family is in distress and I am overwhelmed with difficulties and God knows when or where they will end. I work hard and live poor but I fear all this will not extricate me." Describes some business losses he has suffered, including poor harvest due to wet weather. Mrs. Greene is about to "…

GLC02437.03251