Manuscripts

George H. Mellish papers

Description: Letters from George H. Mellish to his parents posted from various places in Virginia and Maryland from 1862 to 1865. Also included are letters from his mother Mary Mellish, from 1864 to 1865. Mellish's letters home contain accounts and discussions of the military operation in the Eastern front from 1862 to 1865, the Battle of Fredericksburg, Burnside's second campaign (Mud March), duty in New York, military operations at Salem Heights, Bristoe, Rappahannock Station, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Appomattox campaign, and march to and duty at Danville. He writes about camp life in Virginia, Maryland, and New York, the commanding officers, war news and politics, including McClellan's presidential bid and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. His letters also contain brief discussions about escaped enslaved people and news of a female soldier in the 20th New York Infantry Regiment. Letters of Mary Mellish to her son discuss family matters and news from Woodstock, Vermont.
Type: Manuscripts(Opens in new tab)
Date: 1862-1865
Call number: mssHM 49070-49123
Creator: Mellish, George H (1844-1907)(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Purchased from C.E. Tuttle, June 1965.
Restrictions: Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.
Rights: The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining permission rests with the researcher.
Associated people: Mellish, Mary, (active 1861-1865.)
Find out more: View in the Library catalog(Opens in new tab); View in the Online Archive of California(Opens in new tab)

George H. Mellish papers

Manuscripts

Letters from George H. Mellish to his parents posted from various places in Virginia and Maryland from 1862 to 1865. Also included are letters from his mother Mary Mellish, from 1864 to 1865. Mellish's letters home contain accounts and discussions of the military operation in the Eastern front from 1862 to 1865, the Battle of Fredericksburg, Burnside's second campaign (Mud March), duty in New York, military operations at Salem Heights, Bristoe, Rappahannock Station, Spotsylvania Court House, North Anna River, Cold Harbor, Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Appomattox campaign, and march to and duty at Danville. He writes about camp life in Virginia, Maryland, and New York, the commanding officers, war news and politics, including McClellan's presidential bid and the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. His letters also contain brief discussions about escaped enslaved people and news of a female soldier in the 20th New York Infantry Regiment. Letters of Mary Mellish to her son discuss family matters and news from Woodstock, Vermont.

mssHM 49070-49123

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George Tate papers

Manuscripts

Diaries, military records, correspondence, and photographs documenting Tate's life, especially his Civil War career. The three Civil War diaries cover the campaigns of 1862-1865 in Virginia and Maryland, and discuss war news and rumors, including the news of Lincoln's assassination, and everyday life in camp. Tate's service in Texas is also recounted in two letters to Elnora L. Guest (1903). Also included a copy of pre-war diary made "for presentation and reference," documenting Tate's life in Fredonia in 1854-1860, including accounts of Fredonia Academy. The military records include Tate's commission, discharge papers, muster rolls, pension certificates, etc. Also included are photographs of officers and soldiers of the 72nd New York Regiment, a scrapbook of newspaper clippings of lists of the Union casualties, and two photographs of Tate taken in the early 1900s. Additionally there are two bound volumes: Henry Le Fevre Brown's "History of the Third Regiment Excelsior Brigade 72d New York Volunteer Infantry 1861-1865" (Jamestown, N.Y. :Journal printing Co., 1902) and a copy of the The English version of the polyglott Bible, containing the Old and New Testaments; : with the marginal readings ... Stereotyped by L. Johnson (Philadelphia: Thomas, Cowperthwait, & Co., 1844), with an inscription indicating that Tate acquired it in Brazos Santiago, Tex.

mssHM 64287-64293

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George H. Dole Papers

Manuscripts

The collection is made up of two sections, correspondence and essays (both arranged alphabetically by author). The bulk of the collection is by George H. Dole, with almost half of his correspondence to his wife Clara Rowell Dole and several letters to his children. Thirty-one of the forty-five school essays were written by George H. Dole. Many of the items, both correspondence and essays, include the use of the Hawaiian language. George and Clara sign some of their letters with their Hawaiian names (George as Heoki and Clara as Kaalala). Correspondence: The 218 pieces of correspondence deal mainly with family events and daily activities, including churchgoing and visits with friends. The Hawaiian correspondence gives physical descriptions of Hawaii, commentaries on the Hawaiian government and details regarding the workings of sugar plantations. Some of the letters of George, Daniel and Charlotte describe their trips to America, giving an interesting look at travel in the 1870s. Daniel and Charlotte, while in America, visited Utah and met with Brigham Young. Two letters record their conversation with Young, in which they discussed polygamy and other church beliefs; the letters also give a description of the Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. Thirty-nine of the 102 pieces of George's correspondence are typewritten letters from Riverside, California. The California correspondence deals with the Doles' visits to northern California and the birth of one of their grandchildren. The letters also give some descriptions of Riverside in the1890s. The letter from George H. Dole to William E. Rowell is an invitation to invest money in the Minnehaha Oil Company in Bakersfield, California (enclosed with the letter is a summary sheet for the proposed oil company). Essays: The essays were written by several of the children who attended Daniel Dole's schools in Punahou and Koloa. The essays are about various subjects, a few regarding Hawaii's government and history. The essay entitled "The Last War of Kauai" discusses the events following the death of King Kamehameha II. The essay entitled "Dear Sir" is an explanation of Hawaii's government, and the unknown author gives some opinions regarding politicians of the time. The four newsletters were also written by students. Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard) Dole was the editor, and probably author, of The Koloa Evening Transcript.

mssHM 57700-57962

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George H. (George Henry) Thomas letter to James Magit

Manuscripts

Thomas acknowledges the sword presented to him by his fellow countrymen for military services rendered, and is greatly honored by the compliment and duty it represents.

mssHM 23133

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John B. Burrud papers

Manuscripts

In the letters to his wife, John B. Burrud, shared his war experiences, political views, religious sentiments, and intense longing for his home and family. The letters, many written over two or three days, cover the regiment's organization in Auburn, New York in September 1862; training in New York City; the voyage to Louisiana; the 1863 campaigns in Louisiana and duty at Morgan City, Bayou Boeuf, and Pattersonville; Burrud's month-long stay in St. James Hospital in New Orleans; the Red River and the Shenandoah Valley Campaigns of 1864, including the battles of Pleasant Hill (April 9), the third Winchester (September 19), Fisher's Hill (September 22-23), and Cedar Creek (October 19); duty at Middletown and Winchester, Virginia (1864 October27-1865, April), and Washington, D.C. (1865 April-June); the Grand Review (1865 May 23-25); and duty at Savannah and Hawkinsville, Georgia (1865 June-November). In addition to the detailed accounts of the campaigns and battles and discussion of the commanding officers (Weitzel, Banks, Grant, Sheridan, and others), Burrud's letters contain descriptions of Louisiana, Virginia, Maryland, and Georgia countryside, especially historical sites (e.g. the remains of the Jamestown church; the place of John Brown's execution; Blakely, a farm near Charles Town, West Virginia that belonged to George Washington's family, museums, public building, and gardens of Washington, D.C., or a Creek Indian mounds in Pulaski County), and natural wonders and various species of wildlife. He also reports, often in elaborate detail, encounters with residents, particularly enslaved people, contrabands, and women ("Yaller Gals"), who flocked to the Union lines as well as members of freedmen's aid associations and Union sympathizers. Burrud shares his thoughts on a wide range of subjects: slavery ("most damnable man degrading, soul killing, God dishonoring Institution that ever was permitted to exist on the face of the earth"); the Union cause ("the good of Mankind and the world and the Maintenance of the best and the Only true form of Government of the face of the Earth"); the Confederate government ("Jeff Davis's Empire"); Copperheads ("Political Miscreants"), African American soldiers whom he considered superior to white soldiers from "9 month regiments" and substitutes; guerrilla warfare, and race relations. He also at length discusses personal concerns and troubles of "the Boys" in his company, including an outbreak of sexually transmitted diseases and an alarming rate of marital infidelity that seems to have affected most of soldiers' wives of Wayne County; the role of women in the war effort; news from home (including his profound disappointment in the lack of patriotism and respect for the Union uniform on the part of the people of his hometown); war and political news; recruiting and draft; home front, religious revival in Marion; etc. Burrud, a staunch Republican, avidly followed political news, especially the New York state elections of 1863 and the 1864 elections. The letters also contain news from the 111th Regiment of New York Infantry where his brother William G. Burrud and his brother-in-law, Joseph Newton served as privates. An accomplished musician, Burrud also at length discusses music and army bands. Three pocket diaries cover the years of 1863, 1864, and 1865; the entries contain accounts of campaign and battles, duties, detachments, and details; and war and political news.

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William H. Hagar papers

Manuscripts

Primarily letters and other material written while serving in Virginia during the U.S. Civil War, 1864 to 1865; also includes some Hagar family material.

mssHM 32180-32203

George H. Mellish papers

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George H. Mellish papers

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