SCOUT

This June 23, 1880, document by John Bell Brownlow, is a copy penned by Brownlow himself of an affidavit filed at the pension office in Washington, D.C., concerning his disability claim for hemorrhoids resulting from events during and after the Civil War.

John D. Messinger wrote this letter to his friend E. Smith Woodworth from Pulaski, Tennessee on November 20, 1864. In it, Messinger discusses Lincoln's victory in the recent presidential election and Confederate troop movements in Tennessee. He also expresses his hope that the Union will soon win the war so that he can return home.

A travel pass issued by John E. McDermot of the 108th Illinois Infantry at Union headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee on May 2, 1865. It allowed J. T. Willis, his wife, and their four children to pass through Union lines for a period of 30 days without facing arrest.

This collection consists of a letter and a poem written by John Edward Thompson of the 20th Illinois Infantry. The letter, written on March 17, 1862 to a friend while Thompson was stationed in Savannah, Tennessee, discusses Thompson's thoughts on surviving the war and on arriving in Savannah. The poem, entitled Good Night: Who Wouldn't be a Soldier and written before the Battle of Shiloh, was published in the Advocate in 1887.

John Forsyth wrote these two letters to his wife, Martha (Swanger) Forsyth, while serving with Company G of the 97th Ohio Infantry. The first is dated September 12, 1863 from Bridgeport, Alabama amidst the Chickamauga Campaign and the second is dated May 27, 1864 from Chattanooga, Tennessee.

In this diary, John Ibaugh writes primarily of his movements between Philadelphia and Washington D.C. during the closing months of the Civil War. He also describes his service at the Battle of Nashville, the Battle of Chattanooga, and the Union Army's final march in Washington, D.C.

The diary housed in this collection documents John M. Hollis's Civil War service, including his enlistment and training and his unit's marches through Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky. Of particular interest are the descriptions of fierce battles at Murfreesboro, Tennessee and Perryville, Kentucky.

Two letters in which John McNickle Laird Jr. of the Ohio 124th Infantry Regiment (U.S.) writes to his mother, Julia Laird, from a camp near Knoxville, Tennessee and from Marietta, Georgia.

In this letter to Master Sergeant Curtis Judd (postmarked in Clarksville, Tennessee) Lathrop discusses how much he dislikes war. He talks about how he would rather be a Chief Operator than out in the field fighting.

In this letter from Lieutenant Colonel John Scott, he claims Colonel Nelson G. Williams of the 3rd Iowa Regiment incorrectly and maliciously reported Second Lieutenant Benton A. Mathews, Second Lieutenant Ole A. Anderson, and Lieutenant Colonel Mathew M. Trumbull of Company D as well as Captain Emilius I. Weiser of Company I as deserters. Scott calls for an investigation so that these men, who had been wounded and served valiantly, might have their records corrected.

Letters written by Dr. John Shrady (in a very clear hand) to his wife, Jeannie (Sammis) Shrady, while serving as a surgeon with the 2nd Tennessee Infantry Division during the Civil War. Of particular interest are the letters from July 29, 1863 (which tells of a "Rebel massacre" near Myandotte'sville, Virginia some time in the past) and September 28, 1864 (which discusses difficulties with mustering out and getting paid, and mentions W. G. Brownlow in passing).

This brief letter by Union Soldier John W. Bishop was written to his friend Samuel Murphy of Franklin, Ohio on November 27, 1864. Bishop relates the difficulty of being in the enemy's homeland. He was stationed in Tullahoma, Tennessee at the writing of his letter.

This collection houses a letter that John Cleland wrote to his sister, Mary J. Jennie Cleland, in Defiance County, Ohio from Knoxville, Tennessee on December 14, 1863. In it, he discusses his regiment's participation in the Battle of Knoxville, including the losses they suffered.

This collection consists of one original letter and one reprinted letter written by John W. Fox during the American Civil War which discuss his life in the army and his religious faith.

While encamped in the Cumberland Ford area of Knox County, Tenn., John W. Hammer serving in the 16th Ohio Infantry Company K writes to a friend named Annie. In this letter dated June 4, 1862, he describes the fortifications that are in place to protect them from the Confederates. His company moves toward the Confederate camps and skirmishes occur.

John G. Whipple created these transcripts from originals housed in MS.1161 in 1998. Included are two speeches entitled The Atlanta Campaign prepared for the members of the 19th Battery Association (as the editor notes, it is unclear which of the two speeches Watkins actually gave) and several war-time letters that Watkins wrote to his fiancee, Sarah Probert, between 1862 and 1865. The transcriptions include notes made by the editor.

This collection consists primarily of two undated, fragmentary letters that John Watkins wrote during the Civil War. One is written on United States Sanitary Commission letterhead. These two items are accompanied by a poem entitled "The Union," which Watkins apparently authored.

This collection consists primarily of letters that John Watkins, then serving with the 19th Ohio Light Artillery, wrote to his fiancee, Sarah Probert, and other family members. In them, he discusses his experiences in the Civil War, including his unit's participation in the East Tennessee Campaign and the Battle of Fort Sanders. Also included are family diaries, photographs, and account books.