This collection consists of transcriptions of 43 letters from William Randolph Hackley to his wife, Matilda, and family in Illinois written from November 22, 1863 to April 20, 1866. During this time, he worked as a local special agent and cotton agent with the United States Department of the Treasury in West Tennessee and Mississippi. The correspondence describes Hackley's efforts to make money to send home to his family, the low salary paid to treasury employees, the corrupt nature of the Treasury Department, and the cynicism of government workers. The letters also demonstrate Hackley's homesickness and love for his family. Also included are several drafts of an article written about Hackley and his letters, "The Letters of William Beverly Randolph Hackley: Treasury Agent in West Tennessee, 1863-1866," edited by Walter J. Fraser, Jr. and Pat P. Clark from circa 1971.