Manuscripts
Civil War sketches of James L. Colby
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Colby family correspondence
Manuscripts
This collection of letters were written by James T. Colby and his daughters Sarah and Rebecca, to John M. Anderson and Rebecca Anderson of Salem, Massachusetts, whom Sarah and Rebecca address as "Uncle" and "Aunt." The letters are largely concerned with details of the Colby family's life in San Francisco during the years 1859 to 1861. In the first four letters, HMs 4214, 4216, 4218, and 4219, written between January and April, 1859, James Colby is alone in San Francisco, but has encountered such success working in a Navy yard that he wishes his family to join him. Starting with HM 4220, dated June 3, 1859, letters from his daughters begin to appear. HM 4220 also contains lithographs depicting the city of Sonora as well as the town of Springfield in Tuolumne County. In HM 4224 (July 19, 1859), Rebecca Colby, who appears to be the younger Colby sister, reports that she is to have a tooth extracted that afternoon. There is no correspondence from Mrs. Colby directly, though she is mentioned in several letters (HM 4225, dated August 19, 1859). In HM 4226, written 1859, August 19, Colby addresses his son John A. Colby, who has been left at home, to study hard. It can be inferred that John is staying with the Andersons. It appears, to, that Mrs. Colby gave birth in San Francisco, for in HM 4227 and HM 4228 (dated 1859, September 4 and 19), Sarah and Rebecca both refer to "the baby" for the first time. In HM 4231 (1859, November 29), Colby writes that he has been quite sick, and the doctor has recommended that he return home to Massachusetts, but he is reluctant to give up the money he makes at his job. He reports that Rebecca is learning dress-making. HM 4236, written by Sarah on 1860, January 4, is addressed "Dear Brothers" and is directed to John and William, implying that William Colby is also still in Massachusetts. By February (HM 4237), James Colby is still sick, and writes that "I can't eat anything to speak of and I am getting to be Nothing but a skeleton." James Colby writes of the discovery of a silver mine (HM 4236, 1890, March 4), which has caused great excitement. He reports that he is the foreman on a naval steamer, in charge of seventy-five men, and he is feeling better, after his weight dropped from 155 pounds to 127 pounds in six months. By April 1860, Sarah is working in a sewing factory (HM 4241) and her father has fallen sick again. In HM 4247 (1861, May), James Colby writes of the secession of the South, and the "great Union procession" in the streets of the city, where, Colby writes, there were "16,000 American Flags flying in San Francisco." In the final letter of this group (HM 4254, dated 1862, January 26), James Colby writes of a tremendous flood in Sacramento, and how it has devastated business, but he hopes it will pick up soon.
mssHM 4214, 4216, 4218-4220, 4222-4248, 4250
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Civil War diaries of Harvey Henderson
Manuscripts
Six diaries that Harvey Henderson kept during his Civil War service covering the following periods: 1) 1861, Oct. 5 - 1862, Apr. 30; 2) 1862, May 1 - 1862, Dec. 31; 3) 1863, Jan. 1 - Nov. 30: 4) 1863, Dec. 1 - 1864, May 18; 5) 1864, May 19 - June 30; and 6) 1864, July 1 - 1865, Apr. 2.
mssHM 30481 (1-6)
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Civil War collection
Manuscripts
A collection of 546 items containing chiefly letters written by prominent military figures during the American Civil War (1781-1915, bulk 1861-1865); also included are some documents, a diary, manuscript maps, and battle plans. The collection focus is upon the land forces with a few pieces related to the Union navy. Significant persons represented in the collection, among others: Pierre G. T. Beauregard, Benjamin F. Butler, Jefferson Davis, David G. Farragut, Ulysses S. Grant, Henry W. Halleck, Edward Hatch, Joseph E. Johnston, Robert E. Lee, Francis W. Pickens, Philip H. Sheridan, William T. Sherman, and George H. Thomas.Material created by U.S. presidents in this collection include: James Buchanan autograph note, 1861 February 28, added to Winfield Scott letter to Joseph Holt, 1861 February 26 (CW 388); James A. Garfield, Chattanooga, autograph letter signed to "Brother Evrett," Detroit, 1863 October 5 (CW 133); Andrew Johnson, Washington, D.C., autograph letter signed to Edwin M. Stanton, 1867 February 11 (CW 215). Also present are the following Ulysses S. Grant items: autograph note signed to unidentified recipient, 1862 February 26 (CW 144); autograph letter signed, Pittsburg Landing, to Henry Halleck, 1862 April 28 (CW 146); autograph order no. 111, 1863 April 21 (CW 154); autograph letter signed, Culpeper, to Edward Davis Townsend, 1864 March 30 (CW 153); autograph letter signed, Washington, D.C., to Lorenzo Thomas, 1864 April 4 (CW 152); autograph letter signed, City Point, to Benjamin Butler, 1864 November 30 (CW 145); autograph letters signed to George Henry Thomas sent from Chattanooga, 1863 November 7 (CW 149); Nashville, 1864 January 19 (CW 150); and City Point, 1865 January 31 (CW 151); and autograph letters signed, City Point, to George Gordon Meade, 1864 July 14 (CW 147) and 1865 March 27 (CW 148).
mssCW
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Civil War letters of Ransom Allen Perkins
Manuscripts
Letters that Perkins wrote home from Camp Harris, Md. (1861, Dec. 7), Hagerstown, Md. (1862, Aug. 27), Alexandria, Va. (1862, Sept. 28), Fairfax Court House, Va. (1863, Jan. 21), Stevensburg, Va. (1864, Apr. 24), Chancellorville, Va. (1864, May 14), and Bridgewater, Va. (1864, Oct. 2). The long, detailed letters describe the battles of Antietam and Spottsylvania Court House, recount news of the Union and Confederate military operations, discuss camp life, regimental news and recruiting, and depict tensions between the Union troops and local "secessionist citizens."
mssHM 36791-36792
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Manuscript speeches by Rodney L. Tabor
Manuscripts
Two of Tabor's speeches are on the subject of temperance and are addressed to the Dashaways (July 1862 & Sept. 20, 1863). A third speech is an opening address at the annual commencement of the San Francisco College (Nov. 28, 1862). The fourth speech is on the subject of California and San Francisco's growth since the discovery of gold (1862-1863?)
mssHM 60925-60928
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Civil War memoirs of John G. Lemmon
Manuscripts
Memoirs of the Civil War service that John G. Lemmon wrote in 1866. The memoirs incorporate Lemmon's field diary that covered the period from his enlistment in August 1862 and his improsonment in August 1864, his letters home, and some of his official documents. The manuscript includes a survey of "Hospitals at Nashville (ff. 17 v-- 18) and two hand-drawn maps: "Sketch of Nashville and its Defences as it appeared in the winter of 1863 & 4. Draws at Store-Room Hospital No. 1 January 1864," (ff. 20-21 v.) and an untitled map of the vicinity of Rome and Kingston, Ga.,
mssHM 553