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William L. Stephens Letters to Olive M. Lord, 1863

1 folder
Creator:
Stephens, William L., 1837-1914
Collection Creator:
Princeton University. Library. Special Collections
Dates:
1863
Located In:
Box B-002091, Folder 3
Extent:
1 folder
Languages:
English
Content Warning

The letters and description describe violence against Indigenous persons.

Content Description

Consists of two letters William L. Stephens wrote from Camp Sibley to his niece Olive M. Lord that relate his experience in the 7th Minnesota Infantry. He shares in his letter dated January 4th that he traveled to witness Dakota men being hanged at Mankato, and he expects his regiment to chase the Sioux to the Rocky Mountains in the summer. In his letter dated November 2nd, he states that the troubles with the Sioux "are over for this time. I enlisted the 13th of Aug. and should of [sic] been South long before this if it had not been for this outbreak: I could not begin to tell you the depradations they have Committed here: the most horrible sights I ever saw."

Biography:

Stephens

William Lord Stephens was born in Wyoming County, PA, in 1837. In 1962, he enlisted in Company A, Seventh Minnesota. He was mustered out in October 1865. In 1869, he married Florence R. Ingram, with whom he had two children.

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.

Acquisition:

Purchased from Michael Vinson Americana in December 2022 (AM 2025-004).

Credit this material:

William L. Stephens Letters to Olive M. Lord; Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions, C1771, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box B-002091
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.

Processing Information

Item processed and described by Lauren C. Williams in August 2024, using description provided by the dealer.

Subject Terms:
Dakota War, Minnesota, 1862
Soldiers -- Minnesota -- Correspondence -- 19th century
Names:
Lord, Olive M., 1844-1918

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Content Warning

The letters and description describe violence against Indigenous persons.

Content Description

Consists of two letters William L. Stephens wrote from Camp Sibley to his niece Olive M. Lord that relate his experience in the 7th Minnesota Infantry. He shares in his letter dated January 4th that he traveled to witness Dakota men being hanged at Mankato, and he expects his regiment to chase the Sioux to the Rocky Mountains in the summer. In his letter dated November 2nd, he states that the troubles with the Sioux "are over for this time. I enlisted the 13th of Aug. and should of [sic] been South long before this if it had not been for this outbreak: I could not begin to tell you the depradations they have Committed here: the most horrible sights I ever saw."

Collection History

Acquisition:

Purchased from Michael Vinson Americana in December 2022 (AM 2025-004).

Appraisal

No material was separated during processing.

Processing Information

Item processed and described by Lauren C. Williams in August 2024, using description provided by the dealer.

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:

William L. Stephens Letters to Olive M. Lord; Princeton University Library Single Item Acquisitions, C1771, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
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Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box B-002091