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Collection Overview

Collector:
Princeton University. Library. Special Collections
Title:
American Civil War Collection
Repository:
Manuscripts Division
Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/sx61dm36z
Dates:
1861-1865
Size:
2 boxes and 2.1 linear feet
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Box 1-2
Language:
English

Abstract

Consists of selected correspondence and documents related to the American Civil War.

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

The collection consists of selected correspondence and documents related to the American Civil War. Included are letters from individuals in the army to their families or friends describing their experiences in the war and their life in army camps. There are letters of orders from army generals, with orders for brigades, pardons, promotions, and one about the return of army prisoners, and one of a Confederate prisoner describing a Civil War prison at Point Lookout, Maryland. Correspondents include Henry M. Bond and Luke Lyman who wrote letters to James Walker about their life in Union army camps; others are Henry L. Benning, John Archibald Campbell, Gen. Charles H. T. Collis, and Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America. There are circulars, "Returns for Provisions" for Fort Sumter, S.C.; receipts for food and supplies for army personnel and for the horses; a "Parole of Honor" (1865) for J. C. Whitwell; and a musters roll for Capt. S. D. Rainey. Also included are a piece of a Confederate flag, a drawing of "Rebel" and Union "Picket Pits" at Fort Sedgwick ("Fort Hell") in Petersburg, Virginia, and a manuscript poem titled "Lines by a Confederate Major," dated May 1865 and written on the back of a Confederate one dollar note. In addition, there is a sample of paper manufactured by the Southern Confederacy during the Civil War.

Collection Creator Biography:

The American Civil War, also known as the War Between the States, began on April 12, 1861, when Confederate forces attacked a U.S. military installation at Fort Sumter, South Carolina. Eleven Southern slave states had declared their secession from the U.S. and formed the Confederate States of America (the Confederacy). Led by Jefferson Davis, they fought against the U.S. federal government (the Union), which was supported by all the free states and the five border slave states in the north.

The Civil War was the deadliest war in American history, causing 620,000 soldier deaths and an undetermined number of civilian casualties. Its legacy includes ending slavery in the United States, restoring the Union, and strengthening the role of the federal government.

Collection History

Acquisition:

"Parole of Honor" for C. J. Whitwell, was a gift of John Colman Whitwell.

"Returns of Provisions" for Fort Sumter were a gift of George Blight Halsted, Princeton Class of 1839, on June 29, 1937 .

Letters of Henry Bond were a gift of Mrs. Wilson Farrand, wife of Wilson Farrand, Princeton Class of 1886, on Nov. 29, 1938 and Sept. 1940. AM 11486, 12029-12030. November 29, 1938 and September 1940 . Various AM.

Custodial History

The collection was formed as a result of a Departmental practice of combining into one collection material of various accessions relating to a particular person, family, or subject.

Appraisal

No appraisal information is available.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Dina Britain on August 18, 2009. Finding aid written by Elizabeth Mulvey on August 20, 2009. Folder Inventory added by Hilde Creager (2015) in 2012.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

Credit this material:

American Civil War Collection; Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Permanent URL:
http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/sx61dm36z
Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (scamss): Box 1-2