Warren D. Chase papers

The collection consists almost entirely of correspondence by Warren D. Chase and the materials date from 1853 through 1868; the majority of the letters are addressed to Mary Frances Chase with a small number of letters written by Mary Frances, family members, friends and government officials. There are also a few letters to and from former Shakers which detail life in the Shaker faith and the lives of those, like Warren and Mary, who left the Shaker communities as adults.

The letters by Warren Chase contain vivid descriptions of life as a soldier, the cities and countryside he passed through, and his thoughts on the war. He despaired of ever returning home to Wisconsin but felt the war was for a just cause and worth his sacrifices. The letters also describe medical care during the war, the treatment of fugitive slaves, and the mundane job of a clerk even during a time of war.