Unpublished Civil War Material
in the Clarke Historical Library
Mississippi
Currie, George E. Papers, 1861, 1960. 3 folders. Papers include: typed transcriptions of 12 of Currie's Civil War letters, Dec. 20, 1861-Aug. 17, 1864, from his service in the Federal Mississippi Ram Fleet and the Mississippi Marine Brigade. His letters discuss the fleet; various battles; the suffering of the wounded; marches; the death of Col. Charles Ellet (June 20, 1862); various towns and barracks; his black servant, Bill; southern blacks (Nov. 28, 1862); composition of the brigade; grounds of Benton barracks; black boathands (June 30, 1863); U.S. Colored Troops (July 6, 1864); the wounded on board, including civilians and women; and the nursing of federal troops by Southern women (Aug. 16, 1864). There is a 1960 typed draft of "Guerrilla warfare along western waters: being chiefly the experiences of George E. Currie in the Mississippi Ram Fleet and Marine Brigade, 1861-1864" by Norman E. Clarke, Sr. See also, the book, "Warfare along the Mississippi." Lastly, there is a 497 page volume of typed letters, Sept. 10, 1863-July 6, 1864, describing the Battle of Pea Ridge (Ark.) and being on the U.S. Steamers Diana and Ram Dingo. Bio: Currie was a Capt. in the 59th Illinois Volunteers, Co. F, and joined the Federal Mississippi Ram Fleet in Dec. 1891. He served as commander of the U.S. Steamers Diana and D. J. Adams.
Diana (Steamer) Ship's Log, 1863, 1887. 1 v., 179 p. IL Ship's log of the Diana (Steamer), 1863-1887, detailing her participation in naval actions of the Civil War in the Mississippi River, near St. Louis, Mo. The log includes: copied letters and general orders, March 4, 1863-Aug. 11, 1864; a roster of men on duty, Nov. 1864-Jan. 1865; a note about the ship's decommissioning; a list of custodians of the log, 1863-1885; a list of the Mississippi Marine Brigade members, 1887; two partial pages of accounts, 1865-1870 of D. E. Wilson and E. A. Hall; and a letter from E. A. Hall, 1865, pasted on the inside front cover. See also Warfare Along the Mississippi by (Lt. Col.) George E. Currie. Currie was the first log keeper and commander of the Diana. Wilson was the last keeper of the log and a member of the Mississippi Marine Brigade, Company C. Bio: The Diana was a member of the Federal Mississippi Ram Fleet, also known as Ellet's Fleet.
US. Military Railroad Dept. Military Division of the Mississippi. Letter, Sept. 8, 1864. Letter from Superintendent of Carpenters, A. R. Moore, in Chattanooga (TN) to Mr. L. P. Dean, authorizing him to hire 100 carpenters to work on the military road.