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Inventory of the Edward W. Curtis Letters, 1855-1865, bulk 1863
Machine-readable finding aid encoded by Martha Briggs, 2003. ©2002. |
Descriptive Summary of the Collection |
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Creator |
Curtis, Edward W. |
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Title |
Edward W. Curtis Letters |
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Dates |
1855-1865, |
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Dates |
bulk 1863 |
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Extent |
23 items (1 box) |
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Abstract |
Correspondence of Edward W. Curtis of Massachusetts, a private in the 88th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. Also includes clippings relating to battles, the life of Federal soldiers, and hospital listings near Nashville, Tennessee. |
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Language |
Finding aid is written in English. |
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Repository |
Newberry Library, Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections |
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Collection Call Number |
Case MS 10016 |
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Collection Stack Location |
Vault 35 4 |
Edward W. Curtis Letters, Midwest Manuscript Collection, The Newberry Library, Chicago.
Purchased from Charles Apfelbaum Rare Manuscripts and Archives, 2002.
Kelly Laas, 2002.
The Edward W. Curtis Letters are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 5 folders at a time maximum, and items in each folder will be counted before and after delivery to the patron (Priority I).
The Edward W. Curtis Letters are the physical property of the Newberry Library. Copyright may belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. For permission to publish or reproduce any materials from this collection, contact the Roger and Julie Baskes Department of Special Collections.
Civil War soldier in the 88th Illinois Infantry.
Hatfield, Massachusetts native Edward W. Curtis enlisted as a private in the 88th Infantry Illinois Volunteers (also known as the Second Board of Trade Regiment) on August 15, 1862. He was mustered in August 27, 1862 and spent most of his time with his company (Company I) in Tennessee around Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Salem; and in Alabama at Bridgeport. Curtis was mustered out on June 16, 1865.
Edward W. Curtis' pre-war and Civil War correspondence, 1855-1865, with enclosed newspaper clippings.
Pre-war letters from Curtis to his aunt (Rachel W. Kingsley) and his father (name unknown) discuss his religious sentiments, farm and business conditions, and other family matters. They are written from Northampton and Cambridgeport, Massachusetts. Curtis' letters to his cousin, Seth, and aunt, Rachel Kingsley, while serving with the 88th Illinois Infantry in Nashville, Murfreesboro, and Salem in Tennessee, and Bridgeport in Alabama discuss the Battle of Murfreesboro and describe a plantation, life as a soldier and camp conditions, and the occupied South. There is also one letter to Edward W. Curtis from his friend, E. M. Dunham, and there are a few newspaper clippings discussing the battles near Nashville, hospitals in the area, and the meaning of letters to soldiers.
The letters are arranged chronologically.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the Newberry Library's public catalog. Researchers desiring additional materials on a particular topic should search the catalog using these headings.
Container List |
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| Box | Folder | Contents | |||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Northampton, Mass. To Father - 1855, July 18 | |||||||||
| Status of the farm business | |||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Cambridgeport, Mass. To Aunt - 1859, November 7 | |||||||||
| Family matters and sickness of friend Mr. Allen | |||||||||||
| 1 | 3 | Cambridgeport, Mass. To Aunt - 1860, January 23 | |||||||||
| Family and business matters | |||||||||||
| 1 | 4 | Unknown. To Mrs. Irene Curtis - 1860, March 1 | |||||||||
| Grandmother's illness and family matters | |||||||||||
| 1 | 5 | Cambridgeport, Mass. To Rachel W. Kingsley - 1860, August 6 | |||||||||
| Religious sentiments and family matters | |||||||||||
| 1 | 6 | Cambridgeport, Mass. - To Rachel W. Kingsley - 1860, August 23 | |||||||||
| Arrived in Cambridgeport from Springfield Mass., met with friends | |||||||||||
| 1 | 7 | Cambridgeport, Mass. - To Aunt and Cousins - 1860, November 8 | |||||||||
| Family matters | |||||||||||
| 1 | 8 | Nashville, Tenn. - To Aunt - 1862, November 16 | |||||||||
| Duties and life as a soldier, describes regiment, describes march and condition of land from Louisville to Nashville, speculates that his unit is marching toward Chattanooga | |||||||||||
| 1 | 9 | Nashville, Tenn. - To Friends - 1863, January 1-4 | |||||||||
| Jan. 1 - Describes daily life in occupied Nashville, speculates on what his company is facing in the Battle of Murfreesboro while he is left behind. Jan. 4 - Describes outcome of battle and casualties. | |||||||||||
| 1 | 10 | Nashville, Tenn. - To Aunt - 1863, February 6 | |||||||||
| Describes daily life, food, and outbreak of tuberculosis, movement of part of the army to Murfreesboro, includes clipping on importance of letters to soldiers | |||||||||||
| 1 | 11 | Nashville, Tenn. - To Aunt - 1863, February 12 | |||||||||
| Describes daily life, a general description of being on the battlefield, remembers last fall's march through KY, arrival of new troops, and problems in the rank with commanding officers. | |||||||||||
| 1 | 12 | Nashville, Tenn. - To Rachel W. Kingsley - 1863, March 27 | |||||||||
| Describes daily life, talks about the newspaper reporting of battles, includes clippings about a false account of rebels new the Charlotte Pike, an account on the action around Franklin and Nashville, a listing of hospitals in Nashville | |||||||||||
| 1 | 13 | Camp Shaeffer, Murfreesboro, Tenn. - 1863, April 10 | |||||||||
| To Cousin Elbridge - Describes the march from Nashville to Murfreesboro, the camp, the remains of the village Lavaergne, and a discussion with a wounded Ohio man | |||||||||||
| 1 | 14 | On "Grand Guard" Salem, Tenn. - To Rachel W. Kingsley - 1863, May 10 | |||||||||
| Description of five day "Grand Guard" march and descriptions of abandoned plantations | |||||||||||
| 1 | 15 | Camp Shaeffer, Murfreesboro, Tenn. - To Aunt - 1863, May 21 | |||||||||
| Waiting to march, rumor says to reinforce General Grant or to Tullahoma. Includes clipping on the Federal position, Rebel advance, Telegraphic News, and Herculean Task | |||||||||||
| 1 | 16 | Near Salem Tenn. - To Aunt - 1863, June 4 | |||||||||
| Readying for action near Shelbyville Pike near Murfreesboro | |||||||||||
| 1 | 17 | Bivouacked at Manchester - To Rachel W. Kingsley - 1863, June 28 | |||||||||
| Skirmishes in Tennessee, describes movement toward Confederate stronghold at Chattanooga | |||||||||||
| 1 | 18 | Cowan's Station on Nashville to Chattanooga Railroad - To Rachel W. Kingsley - 1863, July, 6 | |||||||||
| Delay in march, describes his weak health | |||||||||||
| 1 | 19 | Cowan's Station on Nashville to Chattanooga Railroad - To Aunt - 1863, July 18 | |||||||||
| March still delayed, still weak, talk of 53rd regiment coming home | |||||||||||
| 1 | 20 | Bridgeport, Tenn. - To Rachel W. Kingsley - 1863, August 10 | |||||||||
| Describes move from Cowan's Station to Bridgeport TN, talk of 92nd regiment coming home, describes movement of 4th regiment to Stevenson AL | |||||||||||
| 1 | 21 | Bridgeport, Tenn. - To Cousin Seth - 1863, August 17 | |||||||||
| Describes action on bridge in Bridgeport, tells he may go into Invalid's Corps | |||||||||||
| 1 | 22 | Convalescent Camp, Bridgeport, Tenn. - 1863, September 16 | |||||||||
| Joining the company in Rome, GA | |||||||||||
| 1 | 23 | Murfreesboro, Tenn. - Dunham, E.M. To Edward W. Curtis - 1865, March 1 | |||||||||
| Going to join Sherman's army, describes daily life, describes talking with a member of the 88th Illinois Infantry and its latest size and status | |||||||||||