Unpublished Civil War Material
in the Clarke Historical Library
New York
Alexander, Walter H. Correspondence, 1864. 1 folder. One letter, dated Nov. 16, 1864, addresed to "friend Hez" and mailed from Watertown (NY). The letter describes the snow, a house full of relatives, and fears of raids from Canada. Politically, he mentions mass meetings, stump s(p)eaking (campaign speeches), a calm election in Jefferson County (NY) for Gov. Horatio Seymour, and "Hurray for Abe" (Lincoln). He mentions that Gus Alexander and Hez were drafted into the Gov. Seymour Guards. Gus was at Homeopathic Medical Hospital in New York City.
Berry, Charles (Union Soldier). Letter, 1864 Sept. 13. 1 item (2 pages). Photocopy of a letter written while encamped near Petersburgh describing hardships of a soldier's life and picket duty. Bio: Berry was a member of the 61st New York Infantry Regiment, Company H.
Bingham, Abel, Rev., 1786-1865. Family Papers, 1765, 1957. 14 cubic ft. (in 29 boxes), IL Family Papers, 1765-1958 and undated, include: letters relating to Bingham's son-in- law's (John C. Buchanan) service with the 8th Michigan Infantry during the Civil War, 1861-1864. The collection is also available on microfilm. Bio: Bingham was a Baptist clergyman. His daughter, Sophie, married Buchanan. Finding aid available.
Bullock, Miles Wayne (1844-1914) Family Papers, 1799-1911. Papers include: photographs; obituaries; autobiographical sketch; diaries, 1862, 1864-1865; and correspondence with Company G, New York 61st Regiment comrades about feelings of soldiers and civilians during Civil War, superior officers, armistice, battles of Fredericksburg (Va.), Gettysburg (PA) Harper's Ferry (W.Va.), and Sharpsburg (Md.). Bio: Resident of Sherburne (NY), alter Marion (MI), served in New York 61st Regiment, Company G. In 1866, he moved to Marion (MI). Finding aid available.
Craig, John. Letters, 1863. 2 items. Letter and fragment of a second. Relates details of daily routine. Bio: Craig served in the 12th NY Infantry, Company D.
Cunningham, John Lovell, 1840- Letters to Mrs. Wallis C. Smity in Saginaw (MI) about her father, Capt. Charles W. Wells, who served with Cunningham. Bio: Cunningham served as a major of the 118th New York Infantry. After the war he lived in Glenn Falls (NY).
Hamlin, John Henry, d.1891. Letters, 1864. 2 items. Letters to friend James W. Bentley of the MI 7th Cavalry, while healing from an eye wound in New York. Includes brief service history. Bio: Resident of Eaton Rapids, MI; enlisted with the New York Lincoln Cavalry, 1861; promoted and commissioned in MI 7th Cavalry, Co. F; died in 1891.
Hampton-Stark Family, 1816, 1992. 4 boxes, 1 Oversized folder (Approx. 4 cubic ft.), IL Family Papers, 1816, 1853-1958, 1992, and undated. There are Civil War diaries and documents of Charles Gardiner Hampton who fought at Bull Run, Middleburg, and Gettysburg, and was captured and imprisoned in Libby Prison. Emma Stark-Hampton's papers describe her work in the Woman's Relief Corps of the Civil War. Milo Stark's Civil War diary and oversized muster rolls, pay rolls, ordnance, and stores receipts and reports are also included. Bio: The Starks and Hamptons lived in Brockport (NY) and Detroit (MI). Charles G. Hampton (1842-1917) married Emma Stark in 1868. He was a member of Company H, 8th New York Cavalry and Company D, 15th New York Cavalry during the Civil War. Emma (1843-1925) was the first president of the Fairbanks Post, Woman's Relief Corps (WRC) in Detroit, the first president of the Dept. of Michigan WRC, and in 1887, she became the sixth national president of the WRC. Milo served in the 140th New York Infantry, Company A, rising to the rank of Major before he was killed in 1864. Charles G. Hampton also wrote a book about Michigan at the Battle of Vicksburg. Finding aid available.
Jeffers, Ira S. Papers, 1858-1930. Document his participation in the Civil War, probably in a New York unit, and life of his family in Binghamton (NY). Bio: Furniture dealer in
Palo (Ionia County, MI). Inventory.
Kitchen, Samuel. Papers, 1865-1866, 1875. Includes official correspondence re: his promotion from Assist-Surgeon to Surgeon (Brevet Capt.) in New York Volunteers (no subunit is mentioned), and his discharge papers, 1865. A letter from 1875 mentions Michigan Infantry Regiment, 2nd.
Spears, William. Diary, 1864. 1 folder. Diary, Jan.-Dec. 1864, describes the weather, grazing and guarding of horses, camp life near Searcy (Ark.), comrades captured and killed in action, serving on picket duty, and troop movement. The diary was probably written by William Spears. Bio: Spears was from Oriskany Falls (NY). He did not serve in a Michigan unit during the Civil War.
Ward, Gerritt Smut (1843-1916) Papers, 1860-1960. Papers include two Civil War letters from Ward while in New York Volunteers, 1864; 1 Oversized certificate promoting Ward to chief principal musician, 1863. Bio: Lumberman, Dir. of Valley Home Telephone Co., banker in Alma (MI). Mrs. Ward was a sister of Col. Ralph Ely.
Van Ostran, Clare E. Diary, 1864. 1 folder. Diary, Jan. 1-Aug. 16, 1864, describes camp life near Roandy Station (Va.), his duties and meals, the enlistment of new men, drunkenness and gambling among the soldiers, the weather, and fighting battles in Wilderness (Va.). Miscellaneous financial accounts continue through Dec. 1864. Bio: Van Ostran, from Hartford Center (Van Buren County, MI), was a Corporal in Company C, 70th New York Volunteers or the 1st Regiment Excelsior Brigade, 2nd Division, 3rd Corps, Army of the Potomac. He was mustered in July 1864.
Van Vleck, Henry L. Papers, 1861, 1862. 1 folder. Papers, include: picket pass for Headquarters 47th Regiment, New York Volunteers, Fort Edisto St., dated April 27, 1862, and signed by Col. Henry Moore; a letter from Van Vleck on board the Roanoke (Steamship) off Annapolis (Md.), dated Oct. 19, 1861, to 'Dear Parents and Friends," which describes sleeping on deck, the food, his dislike of the Irish Brigade which fights a lot, and waiting for his pay; and a letter to Van Vleck from James L. Smith, Capt., Co. D, 47th, Headquarters 47th Regiment, New York Volunteers, at Camp Moore, Hilton Head (S. Car.), dated Nov. 18, 1861, recommending his promotion from Sergeant to Lieutenant. Bio: From Augusta (Kalamazoo County, MI), Van Vleck served in the Sherman Battery or Company D, 47th New York Volunteers or Infantry.