Author: Johanna Wickman

Caring for Historic Photographs: A Guide to Preserving Your 19th Century Images

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

Caring for Historic Photographs: A Guide to Preserving Your 19th Century Images

Historic photographs are among the most valuable objects in a family archive or Civil War collection. A photograph may be the only surviving likeness of an ancestor, soldier, or historical figure, and the information written on its back can sometimes be just as valuable as the image itself. Yet photographs from the 19th century are surprisingly fragile. The photographic image, the paper or metal it is attached to, the cardboard mount, and even the original case or album can all deteriorate over time.

Fortunately, preserving historic photographs does not necessarily require a museum. A few basic precautions—proper handling, appropriate storage, a stable environment, and protection from light—can greatly extend the life of these irreplaceable objects.

Understand What You Have

One of the first steps in caring for an old photograph is understanding what kind of photograph you have. Different photographic processes have different preservation needs. The 19th century saw an extraordinary variety of photographic processes. Daguerreotypes and ambrotypes were housed in protective cases, while tintypes placed the image directly onto a thin sheet of lacquered iron. Paper photographs eventually became common, including the carte-de-visite (CDV) and cabinet card.

Cartes-de-visite were particularly popular from the late 1850s through the 1870s. Measuring approximately 2½ by 4 inches, these small photographs were mounted on cardstock and were frequently produced in multiple copies for family and friends. Cabinet cards, which became increasingly popular during the 1870s, were larger, generally measuring approximately 4¼ by 6½ inches. Both formats became important forms of family and social history before inexpensive amateur photography made snapshots commonplace.

Tintypes are especially common in Civil War-era collections. Despite their name, tintypes were not actually made from tin. The photographic image was created on a thin sheet of lacquered iron. They were produced in a variety of sizes, from tiny “gem” photographs to much larger plates. Their metal support makes them somewhat different from paper photographs, but it does not make them indestructible. Bent edges, scratches, corrosion, and damage to the photographic surface can all threaten the image.

Knowing the photographic process can help you decide how to handle and store the item.

Handle Historic Photographs Carefully

Perhaps the simplest preservation measure is also one of the most important: handle historic photographs as little as possible. Before handling photographs, make sure your hands are clean and dry. Oils and perspiration from your fingers can transfer to photographic surfaces and cause damage over time. When possible, hold photographs by their edges and avoid touching the image itself. Support the entire photograph rather than allowing it to bend or flex.

Photographs should also never be dragged across one another. This is particularly important with tintypes because their metal edges can scratch neighboring photographs. Keeping individual photographs separated in protective enclosures greatly reduces this risk.

Be especially careful with cased photographs such as daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, and some tintypes. If an early photograph is housed in its original case, do not attempt to remove the photograph from the case simply to put it into another enclosure. The case is part of the object’s history and may provide important physical protection.

Keep Photographs Away From Heat, Moisture, and Light

The environment in which photographs are stored can have a greater effect on their survival than almost anything else. The National Archives recommends keeping family papers and photographs in a cool, stable environment. Temperatures should remain below 75°F, while relative humidity should remain below 65 percent. At the same time, extremely dry conditions should be avoided because relative humidity below approximately 15 percent can make materials brittle.

For most collectors, the practical lesson is simple: don’t store historic photographs in an attic, basement, garage, or other location subject to extreme temperature or humidity changes.

Avoid places where water leaks or flooding could occur. Photographs should be stored off the floor and away from pipes, windows, and known sources of moisture. Food and water should also be kept away from collections because they can attract insects and rodents.

Light is another major threat. Historic photographic materials can fade or deteriorate when exposed to light for long periods. If you display an important photograph, keep it out of direct sunlight and away from fluorescent lighting. UV-filtering glazing can provide additional protection when framing photographs.

In other words, that beautiful antique photograph probably shouldn’t spend years sitting in a sunny window.

Choose the Right Storage Materials

The materials touching a photograph matter. Ordinary paper, cardboard, adhesives, and plastics can release chemicals that contribute to deterioration. The National Archives recommends storage containers made from acid-free, lignin-free, or appropriately buffered materials and notes that photographic storage materials should pass the Photographic Activity Test (PAT). Containers should also be appropriately sized so that photographs do not bend, fold, or shift around inside them.

Archival paper and certain stable plastics, including polyester and polyethylene, are commonly used for photographic storage. Polyester provides a clear, sturdy enclosure for individual photographs, while polyethylene is a more flexible alternative. Acid-free paper enclosures are also useful and have the advantage of allowing the material to breathe rather than trapping moisture.

For a collection of CDVs and cabinet cards, individual archival sleeves or envelopes can protect each photograph from dust, fingerprints, and abrasion. The protected photographs can then be organized in appropriately sized archival boxes.

When writing identification information, write on the enclosure rather than directly on the photograph whenever possible. An archival pencil or appropriate archival marker can be used on suitable card stock or envelopes.

Special Care for Tintypes

Caring for historic photographs, tintype in sleeve
Loose tintypes can be abrasive to other photographic materials. If stored in sleeves (or binder sleeves as pictured) you can back them with archival cardstock and write any relevant information on the cardstock (collection number, name, regiment, price paid, etc.). This keeps them organized without damaging each other. Photo from Archival Methods: https://www.archivalmethods.com/blog/tintypes-archival-preservation/?srsltid=AfmBOop9hWudPeDyvM_pT0TgYeM2OBWyJHC9iBUkGZq7aO5lrJpAuGXz

Tintypes deserve particular attention because they are so common in 19th-century collections and Civil War photography. Because the image is on a thin metal plate, tintypes can have sharp or bent edges that may damage other photographs. Individual archival polyethylene envelopes are an effective way to keep them separated. Acid-free card stock can also provide additional support for thin or vulnerable tintypes. (

If a tintype is housed in an original 19th-century album or case, resist the temptation to dismantle it. Instead, consider digitizing the image while preserving the original album or case as an artifact.

Tintypes can also contain remarkable amounts of detail despite their small size. Creating a high-resolution digital copy allows you to enlarge the photograph, share it with relatives, or use the digital version for research without repeatedly handling the original. If there is writing or a photographer’s imprint on the back, digitize that side as well.

Don’t Forget the Back of the Photograph

For historians and genealogists, the back of a photograph can be as important as the front. A photographer’s studio imprint can identify where the photograph was taken. A handwritten name can identify the sitter. A date, address, military unit, or family note can provide clues that help connect the photograph to other records.

For this reason, always digitize both sides of a historic photograph when possible. The information on the reverse should not be overlooked simply because the photographic image is on the front. Archival Methods specifically recommends scanning the backs of CDVs, cabinet cards, and tintypes when information is present.

This is particularly important for Civil War photographs. A seemingly ordinary photograph may contain an identifying notation such as a soldier’s name or regiment that transforms an unidentified portrait into a documented historical artifact.

Digitize Before You Handle and Share

Digitization is one of the best ways to reduce unnecessary handling. Creating a good digital copy means that family members, researchers, and friends can view and share the image without repeatedly handling the original. It also gives you a backup should the physical photograph ever be damaged or lost.

Scan photographs at a sufficiently high resolution to capture the detail present in the original. Small CDVs and tintypes can contain considerably more detail than is apparent when viewing them in their original size. High-resolution scanning allows those details to be enlarged and examined.

If you do not have a scanner, a carefully made digital photograph taken with a phone or camera can still be useful. The important thing is to create a faithful record while the original is still in good condition.

Be Careful With Old Albums

Historic photograph albums present a special preservation challenge. Nineteenth-century albums may contain CDVs, cabinet cards, tintypes, and other photographs that were inserted into specially designed pages. Although it may be tempting to remove the photographs and reorganize them, doing so can destroy evidence about their original arrangement and relationships.

Whenever possible, preserve the album as an object. Digitize the pages and photographs, but avoid attempting to flatten, repair, or disassemble a fragile album yourself. Archival Methods recommends protecting historic albums with archival materials and, where appropriate, using buffered tissue between pages.

The same principle applies to old scrapbooks: don’t attempt a restoration project simply because something looks old or damaged. Stabilization and preservation are often safer than trying to make an object look new again.

Display With Care

Of course, historic photographs are meant to be enjoyed. Preservation does not mean hiding everything in a box forever.

If you want to display a particularly important photograph, use archival matting and framing materials. An 8-ply archival mat can provide more space between the photograph and the glazing than a standard 4-ply mat. This is especially useful for cabinet cards and tintypes because the photographic surface may have some depth or curvature.

Use UV-filtering glazing and keep framed photographs away from direct sunlight. Even with protective glazing, permanent display should be approached cautiously. Consider rotating photographs periodically rather than leaving an original on display for years.

Preserve the Photograph—and the Story

A 19th-century photograph is more than an old picture. It can be a piece of family history, military history, local history, or social history.

The best preservation strategy is therefore a combination of proper storage, careful handling, environmental control, and documentation. Identify the people pictured whenever possible. Record photographer information, dates, locations, inscriptions, and family stories associated with the image. Digitize both sides. Then protect the original using appropriate archival materials.

For collectors of Civil War photographs, these precautions are especially important. A tintype of an unidentified soldier, a CDV bearing a photographer’s imprint, or a cabinet card with a handwritten name may represent a piece of history that cannot be replaced.

You don’t need a museum vault to become the caretaker of that history. Keeping photographs cool, dry, protected from light, safely enclosed, and carefully documented can help ensure that the faces captured by 19th-century photographers remain available for generations to come.

Sources and Further Reading

RG 94 Spotlight: 49th Indiana Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 49th Indiana Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 49th Indiana Infantry: From the Mountains of Kentucky to the Gulf Coast

Regimental flag of the 49th Indiana Infantry. Flag in the collection of the Indiana War Memorial Commission.
Regimental flag of the 49th Indiana Infantry. Flag in the collection of the Indiana War Memorial Commission. Photo: https://www.49thindiana.com/about

When the Civil War erupted in 1861, Indiana answered President Abraham Lincoln’s call for volunteers with remarkable enthusiasm. Among the regiments raised was the 49th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, organized at Jeffersonville and mustered into Federal service on November 21, 1861, under the command of Colonel John W. Ray. During nearly four years of service, the regiment marched thousands of miles through Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and finally back to Kentucky. Its soldiers endured disease, difficult marches, mountain campaigning, major battles, lengthy sieges, and occupation duty before finally returning home in September 1865. Although the regiment lost relatively few men in combat compared to some units, disease proved to be a relentless enemy, claiming nearly five times as many lives as Confederate bullets.

Learning Soldiering in Kentucky

The regiment’s first months were spent learning the routines of military life in Kentucky. After leaving Indiana in December 1861, the 49th established camps near Bardstown before moving toward Cumberland Ford, where Union forces sought to secure the strategic Cumberland Gap region. The harsh winter weather quickly became one of the regiment’s greatest adversaries.

One of the best surviving accounts from this early period comes from Captain John Alexander Ritter of Company G, whose wartime correspondence provides a vivid glimpse into camp life. Writing to his wife Margaret on February 16, 1862, Ritter described moving camp after a heavy snowfall:

“The snow fell about 4 inches deep night before last. We shook the snow off of our tents as best we could… At our new camp we had to scrape off the snow. We went up on the side of the mountain, got a lot cedar brush and put over the ground which looked very well.”

The simple description reminds readers that campaigning involved far more than fighting. Soldiers spent countless hours building camps, gathering firewood, constructing shelters, and trying to remain warm and healthy in miserable weather.

Witnessing the Cost of War

Stationed near the Tennessee border, the 49th Indiana quickly encountered refugees and Union sympathizers fleeing Confederate-controlled territory. Ritter’s letter conveys both his outrage and his belief that the conflict had become a struggle over justice as much as military victory.

He wrote:

“If there is a just God, the day of vengeance is not far ahead.”

Describing stories he had heard from loyal Tennesseans, Ritter continued:

“The tenth part has never been told… Men have been hung… Women have been shamefully treated. When oh when shall these things cease? My prayer is for my country that I love.”

Whether every story was accurate or reflected wartime rumor, Ritter’s words reveal how Union soldiers interpreted the conflict. Many increasingly viewed the war not merely as a campaign to preserve the Union but as a moral struggle against rebellion and violence.

The Cumberland Gap Campaign

Throughout the spring and summer of 1862, the regiment participated in operations surrounding Cumberland Gap, one of the most strategically important mountain passes in the Appalachians. Union control of the Gap promised easier movement between Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia. Although major battles were relatively few during this campaign, the soldiers faced exhausting marches across rugged terrain. Poor roads, steep mountains, shortages of supplies, and constant exposure proved nearly as dangerous as Confederate fire. Disease spread rapidly through the camps, becoming the regiment’s deadliest foe during its service in eastern Kentucky.

Into the Mississippi Valley

Late in 1862, the 49th Indiana was transferred west to participate in operations along the Mississippi River. The regiment joined Major General William T. Sherman’s Yazoo Expedition and fought in the unsuccessful assault at Chickasaw Bayou in December. Only weeks later, however, Union fortunes improved dramatically. In January 1863, the regiment helped capture Fort Hindman during the Battle of Arkansas Post, an important Confederate stronghold that had threatened Union river traffic. The victory boosted morale and prepared the army for the larger campaign that would soon determine control of the Mississippi River.

The Vicksburg Campaign

Monument to Indiana 49th, 54th and 69th Infantry Regiments at Vicksburg, Mississippi.
Monument to Indiana 49th, 54th and 69th Infantry Regiments at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Photo: https://da.mdah.ms.gov/series/573/detail/2550

The defining chapter of the 49th Indiana’s wartime service came during General Ulysses S. Grant’s Vicksburg Campaign in the spring and summer of 1863. The regiment crossed the Mississippi River with Grant’s army and fought in several of the campaign’s decisive engagements, including Port Gibson, Champion Hill, and Big Black River Bridge. These victories steadily forced Confederate Lieutenant General John C. Pemberton’s army back into the defenses of Vicksburg.

The 49th then participated in both of Grant’s costly assaults on May 19 and May 22 before settling into the long siege. For nearly seven weeks the soldiers dug trenches, exchanged fire with Confederate defenders, and endured the oppressive Mississippi heat until the city finally surrendered on July 4, 1863. The fall of Vicksburg split the Confederacy in two and secured Union control of the Mississippi River, making it one of the Civil War’s greatest strategic victories.

Service Along the Gulf Coast

Following the victory at Vicksburg, the regiment transferred to Louisiana, where it spent months performing occupation and expeditionary duty. During the Western Louisiana or “Teche” Campaign, the men conducted marches across difficult terrain before moving to Texas late in 1863. The soldiers spent several months stationed on Matagorda Island and near Indianola, helping secure the Gulf Coast against Confederate activity. In 1864 they returned to Louisiana to participate in the Red River Campaign, including fighting at Graham’s Plantation before withdrawing with Union forces after the campaign failed to achieve its objectives.

Veteran Service and Final Muster Out

Many members of the regiment reenlisted as veteran volunteers during 1864, earning a furlough home before returning to active service. Rather than participating in Sherman’s march through Georgia, the 49th spent its final months performing garrison duty in Kentucky, protecting transportation routes and maintaining order until the war officially ended. The regiment remained on duty for several months after Confederate armies surrendered before finally mustering out at Louisville on September 13, 1865. By that point, its soldiers had served almost four full years across much of the Western Theater.

Remembering the 49th Indiana

The service record of the 49th Indiana reflects the experience of many Western Theater regiments. While famous battles such as Vicksburg occupy an important place in its history, much of the regiment’s service consisted of long marches, camp life, occupation duty, and simply surviving the hardships of military service.

Captain John Ritter’s letters help preserve the human side of that experience. His observations about snowy camps, weary soldiers, and the suffering he believed civilians endured remind us that the Civil War was lived one day at a time by ordinary men trying to fulfill extraordinary duties.

The regiment paid a heavy price for that service. During the war, 1 officer and 40 enlisted men were killed or mortally wounded in combat, while 3 officers and 192 enlisted men died from disease, for a total loss of 236 men. Their sacrifice serves as a reminder that illness often proved as deadly as the battlefield itself, particularly in the armies operating across the South’s harsh climate and difficult campaigning conditions.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 580 digital scans of the 49th Indiana Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of over 550 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include a Regimental Descriptive book, Morning Report book, and Regimental Order books. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “49th Indiana Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 49th Indiana Infantry.

 

RG 94 Spotlight: 99th Ohio Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 99th Ohio Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry: From Stones River to Chattanooga and Beyond

John E. Cummins of the 50th, 99th, and 185th Ohio Infantry regiments in Union uniform next to a horse

John E. Cummins of the 50th, 99th, and 185th Ohio Infantry regiments in Union uniform next to a horse. Unknown date and location. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/3588

The men of the 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry entered the Civil War as part of the great wave of Ohio soldiers who answered President Abraham Lincoln’s call for volunteers in 1862. Organized at Camp Lima, Ohio, the regiment mustered into service in August 1862 and became part of the Army of the Cumberland, serving primarily in the Western Theater. Like many volunteer regiments, the 99th Ohio was composed largely of men from small communities who left behind families, farms, and occupations for an uncertain future. Their letters and wartime accounts reveal not only the hardships of campaigning but also the friendships, humor, and determination that sustained them through some of the fiercest fighting of the war.

Among those soldiers was Park Henry Fryer of Company B, who enlisted in August 1862. Fryer’s letters to his younger brother Samuel provide a remarkable glimpse into the life of an ordinary soldier. His correspondence captures the contrast between the lighter moments of army life and the harsh realities of combat that awaited the regiment.

Baptism of Fire at Stones River

The 99th Ohio’s first major engagement came during the Battle of Stones River, fought near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863. The regiment served in Colonel Samuel Beatty’s brigade of General Horatio Van Cleve’s division. Although the battle had raged for several days, the regiment faced its greatest trial on January 2, when Confederate General John C. Breckinridge launched a powerful assault against the Federal left.

During the battle, Confederate General Robert Hansen of Kentucky was killed. Morrow described the scene in one of his letters: “Hanson was a short but very fat man; he weighed nearly 300 pounds and mounted upon his splendid white horse, he became a conspicuous mark for the shots of our men and particularly the Kentuckians of our army who blazed away in grand style until old fatty rolled from his horse about as gracefully as a hogshead of whiskey would tumble downstairs.”

Chaplain James M. Morrow of the 99th Ohio later described the movement toward Stones River and the growing realization among the soldiers that they were approaching a major battle. “All day the booming guns seemed to tell of hot work ahead,” he wrote, describing the march toward Murfreesboro. The men saw the signs of war along the road—burning buildings, dead horses, and wounded soldiers carried toward the rear—before they ever entered the fight themselves.

On January 2, Breckinridge’s Confederate troops advanced in overwhelming numbers against the Federal position. Morrow recalled that the Confederate attack was not a disorderly rush but a disciplined assault: “It must be admitted that they came, not as a mob, but in good order. They marched in splendid military style and advanced as coolly and gracefully as if on dress parade.”

The 99th Ohio held its position as long as possible, but the force against them was too great. Morrow explained that retreat became necessary, writing that “it would have been a little less than murder to have not done so.” The regiment withdrew under intense fire, suffering heavy casualties. Lieutenant Colonel John E. Cummins reported that the regiment entered the fight with 12 officers and 369 enlisted men and lost 88 men killed, wounded, or missing.

During the retreat, several acts of courage became part of the regiment’s history. Captain William C. Scott of Company A was struck by a rifle ball that shattered his thigh. Unable to carry his sword while wounded, Scott placed himself over it so that Confederate soldiers would not capture it. Later, when the weapon was recovered and returned to him, Morrow recalled that Scott smiled and exclaimed, “Good, the Rebels did not get it.”

Flag of the 99th Ohio Infantry
The tattered flag of the 99th Ohio Infantry. https://dan-masters-civil-war.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-wonderful-conflict-of-arms.html

Perhaps the most famous moment from the battle involved the regiment’s colors and Color Sergeant Moore E. Thorne. After the 99th Ohio reformed following the retreat, another officer asked Thorne which regiment he belonged to. When Thorne answered “The 99th Ohio,” the officer invited him to join his own unit. Thorne refused, declaring:

“No, damned if I will. I will wave this flag over the 99th Ohio or I will wave it nowhere. Men of the 99th Ohio, rally around your own flag and follow me.”

According to Morrow, Thorne then led the men forward “with the coolness of Ney and the courage of Murat.” The battered colors became a symbol of the regiment’s determination throughout the remainder of the war.

Reflecting on the battle afterward, Morrow wrote that Stones River was “a wonderful conflict of arms,” describing the fighting as “an ocean of fire swept by a tempest of lead and iron.” The 99th Ohio had experienced the terrible reality of Civil War combat, but it had also established its reputation for courage under fire.

Recovery and Soldier Life Away From the Battlefield

Following Stones River, many wounded soldiers from the regiment were sent to hospitals for recovery. Park Fryer spent time at Hospital No. 2 in New Albany, Indiana, where his letters reveal a very different side of military service. Rather than describing battle, Fryer wrote of friendships, religious meetings, and the daily routines of a convalescent soldier.

In April 1863, Fryer wrote happily to his brother that he was “well and hearty and enjoying myself hugely.” He attended church services regularly and described the religious revival taking place among the soldiers and civilians of New Albany. He even joked about the comforts of hospital life, writing, “soldiering ain’t so bad after all.”

Fryer also described the camaraderie among wounded soldiers. He mentioned fellow soldiers recovering from their wounds, including Franklin Hickock of the 15th Indiana Infantry, and explained that they were spending their days together while regaining their strength. His letter shows that even during illness and recovery, soldiers formed friendships that helped them endure separation from home.

By July 1863, Fryer was preparing to return to his regiment. He reflected on the difference between celebrating Independence Day at home and celebrating it as a soldier. The previous year, he remembered being with friends and family; now he joined a military celebration in New Albany complete with marching, speeches, music, and a large dinner.

Yet beneath the humor was an awareness of the hardships ahead. Fryer wrote that easy times would not last forever, saying, “There is hardships coming but here is what is prepared for it in any shake for as long as he can stand it.”

Chickamauga and the Fight for Chattanooga

After returning to active service, Fryer and the 99th Ohio participated in the Chickamauga Campaign in September 1863. The battle resulted in a major Confederate victory, forcing the Army of the Cumberland to withdraw into Chattanooga. The 99th Ohio fought during the engagement and suffered significant losses: five men, including two officers, were killed; twenty-eight were wounded; and twenty-four were captured.

Writing from the rifle pits outside Chattanooga in October 1863, Sergeant Fryer described the difficult conditions following the battle. The men endured cold rain and inadequate shelter while strengthening their defensive positions. “It has been raining here for the last 4 days and is not through yet which makes it very disagreeable for us as we have nothing but our small tents,” he wrote.

His description of army life was blunt:

“When a man wants nice comfortable times, let him be in the army when it rains for two or three days right ahead and then he can give some idea what a soldier’s life is.”

Despite the hardships, Fryer remained proud of his regiment. He assured his brother that the 99th Ohio would continue to stand by its colors:

“As for standing up to the old colors, you need not be alarmed though they had like to of shot ours all away. Allen County ought to furnish us with another and we will warrant it to come out on the right side every time.”

The regiment became part of the 4th Army Corps and remained with the Army of the Cumberland through the campaigns of 1864. During the Atlanta Campaign, the 99th Ohio fought at places such as Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, and Kennesaw Mountain. It was during this campaign that Park Henry Fryer received the wounds that led to his death in a Chattanooga hospital on July 3, 1864.

Legacy of the 99th Ohio Infantry

The history of the 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry reflects the experiences of thousands of Civil War regiments: young men who left home believing they were serving a cause greater than themselves, endured battles and hardships beyond imagination, and formed bonds that lasted a lifetime.

From the desperate fighting at Stones River to the struggle for Chattanooga and the campaigns that followed, the soldiers of the 99th Ohio repeatedly demonstrated courage and determination. The words of men like Park Henry Fryer and Chaplain James Morrow preserve not only the record of battles but also the human story behind them—the fear, humor, faith, and loyalty that defined the Civil War soldier’s experience.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 238 digital scans of the 99th Ohio Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of just over 200 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include a Regimental Descriptive & Morning Report book and a Letter & Order book. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “99th Ohio Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 99th Ohio Infantry.

National Park Service – Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System: 99th Ohio Infantry
https://www.nps.gov/civilwar/search-battle-units-detail.htm?battleUnitCode=UOH0099RI

Ohio Civil War – 99th Ohio Volunteer Infantry
https://www.ohiocivilwar.com/cw99.html

Research Arsenal – 99th Ohio Infantry Letters of Park Henry Fryer
https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/207024

Dan Masters’ Civil War Blog – “A Wonderful Conflict of Arms: Skedaddling with the 99th Ohio at Stones River”
https://dan-masters-civil-war.blogspot.com/2021/12/a-wonderful-conflict-of-arms.html

 

RG 94 Spotlight: 21st Illinois Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 21st Illinois Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 21st Illinois Infantry: From Grant’s First Command to Victory in the Western Theater

21st Illinois Infantry band
This is an image of the 21st Illinois Infantry band taken on an unknown date and location. Courtesy: https://dan-masters-civil-war.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-desperate-day-before-us-21st.html

When the Civil War erupted in the spring of 1861, thousands of Illinois men answered President Abraham Lincoln’s call for volunteers. Among them was the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry, a regiment that would earn an enviable reputation for discipline and courage while serving in nearly every major campaign of the Western Theater. During four years of war, the regiment marched from the rugged hills of southeastern Missouri to the streets of Atlanta, fought in some of the conflict’s bloodiest battles, and finished its service occupying Texas after the Confederacy’s collapse.

Perhaps no aspect of the regiment’s history is more notable than its connection to Ulysses S. Grant, who took command of the 21st Illinois before becoming one of the Union’s greatest generals. Yet the regiment’s true story is found in the letters of the ordinary soldiers who endured disease, exhausting marches, fierce combat, and years away from home while remaining committed to preserving the Union.

A Regiment Takes Shape

Captain J.A. Rawlins of the 21st Illinois Infantry
Captain John Aaron Rawlins. Pivotal in the rallying of volunteers and in recruitment of the 45th Illinois Infantry. Transferred to command of the 21st Illinois Infantry and subsequently requested by Ulysses S. Grant to serve as his Aide De Camp reporting to Grant September 14th, 1861. By May 1862, Rawlins was promoted to Major and again to Lieutenant Colonel on September 1st. on August 11th 1863, Rawlins was promoted to Brigadier General and served as Grant’s Chief of Staff until brevet to Major General April 9th, 1865. Later served as Secretary of War under Grant dying of consumption in office in 1869. The city of Rawlins, Wyoming is named after Captain Rawlins, as he camped on the townsite during a railroad survey in 1867. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/69065

The 21st Illinois Infantry was organized at Mattoon and mustered into Federal service on June 13, 1861, for a three-year enlistment. Like many volunteer regiments raised during the war’s opening months, the men came from farming communities and small towns throughout central Illinois. Enthusiasm for enlistment was abundant, but military discipline was another matter entirely.

When Captain Ulysses S. Grant resigned from the regular army in 1854, few would have predicted his future prominence. Re-entering military service in 1861, he was appointed colonel of the 21st Illinois on June 15. He later recalled finding a regiment that possessed courage but little order. Rather than attempting to win popularity, Grant immediately imposed strict discipline, drilling the men relentlessly and insisting upon obedience.

The transformation was dramatic. The same regiment that had once been considered unruly soon developed into one of the dependable infantry organizations of the Western armies. Grant’s brief tenure with the 21st Illinois proved equally significant for his own career. Within weeks he received promotion to brigadier general, beginning the remarkable rise that would eventually carry him to command all Union armies.

Although Grant departed early in the regiment’s service, the standards he established remained throughout the war.

Learning the Hard Lessons of War in Missouri

The regiment’s first campaigns took place in southeastern Missouri, where Confederate forces threatened Union control of the region. Rather than immediately participating in grand battles, the men learned soldiering through long marches, difficult weather, and scattered engagements against Confederate forces.

Winter campaigning tested the volunteers as much as enemy fire. While stationed at Camp Ironton in January 1862, Private Stephen Perry Freeman of Company H found himself too ill to accompany his regiment on an expedition against Confederate troops near Greenville. Writing home to Lydia Waller, he described both his disappointment and the hardships facing his comrades:

“The regiment nearly all left here today on a march of 20 days—all that was able to go—and I was one reported not able to stand the trip. But it is the first time I have ever failed since I left home.”

Freeman understood exactly what the regiment faced. Missouri’s winter offered little comfort to soldiers living in tents:

“The weather here is very bad. It snowed here today all day. The snow is six or seven inches deep and very muddy also. The Boys is going to have a very hard tramp of it this time.”

His letter also reveals another reality of Civil War service—loneliness. With the regiment gone, camp suddenly became quiet:

“Times here tonight appears very dull. It puts me in mind of old times when I was a boy and my Mother would go away and leave me to take care of the house.”

Like thousands of Union soldiers, Freeman longed for letters from family and friends almost as much as he longed for home itself. The regiment continued operations throughout Missouri, participating in the campaign that secured southeastern Missouri and helped open the Mississippi Valley to later Union advances.

Into the Heart of the Western Theater

During 1862 the 21st Illinois became part of the expanding Union offensive through the Western Theater. The regiment participated in operations against New Madrid, the advance on Corinth, and the hard-fought Battle of Perryville in Kentucky.

Letters written by Lieutenant Charles Howe vividly describe the exhausting rhythm of campaigning. His correspondence reflects the constant marches, uncertain supplies, and ever-present possibility of battle that defined life in the Army of the Cumberland. Rather than experiencing continuous combat, soldiers often spent weeks marching before suddenly finding themselves under fire with little warning. The regiment’s greatest trial of 1862 came at the Battle of Stones River near Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Fighting erupted on December 31, and the 21st Illinois was heavily engaged during one of the war’s bloodiest battles.

Among those who never returned home was Stephen Perry Freeman. Less than a year after writing hopefully from Camp Ironton, he was killed during the battle on December 30, 1862. His younger brother, Harmon, continued serving with the regiment until he was captured and later died in Confederate captivity at Danville, Virginia, in February 1864. Their story illustrates the tremendous sacrifices made by families throughout Illinois as the war dragged on.

Veterans Forged by Battle

By 1863 the 21st Illinois was no longer a regiment of inexperienced volunteers. Years of campaigning had transformed the survivors into seasoned veterans. They fought at Chickamauga, one of the Civil War’s fiercest battles, where Union forces suffered a costly defeat before later recovering during the Chattanooga Campaign.

The regiment’s discipline, first instilled by Grant, proved invaluable during these desperate engagements. Veterans who had survived Missouri, Corinth, Perryville, and Stones River understood how to maintain formation under fire and support one another amid the confusion of battle. The hardships of continual campaigning strengthened the bonds between the soldiers. Those relationships became one of the defining characteristics of Civil War regiments, where shared danger often created friendships lasting a lifetime. Many members of the 21st Illinois reenlisted as Veteran Volunteers, demonstrating their commitment despite years of hardship and loss.

Marching with Sherman to Atlanta

The regiment entered perhaps its most famous campaign in the spring of 1864 as part of General William T. Sherman’s advance toward Atlanta. For more than four months, the soldiers marched almost daily while fighting a series of engagements across northern Georgia.

Private George W. Thompson of Company H wrote home shortly after Atlanta fell, providing one of the best firsthand accounts of the regiment’s experience. Reflecting on more than three years together, he wrote:

“All the soldiers that belong to our company seems as brothers to me for we have been together so long that I hate to part with one of them.”

That simple observation captures the remarkable camaraderie that developed among veteran soldiers after years of shared danger.

Thompson also expressed the fierce patriotism that motivated many Union volunteers. Rejecting Northern opponents of the war, he declared:

“I am not a butternut nor a copperhead. I am for the Union and the Constitution… and I will take my musket and go on the battlefield and fight the rebels until the sun ceases to rise before I will give up our country.”

His words reflected the determination of veterans who believed the enormous sacrifices already made demanded complete victory. Rather than offering only patriotic sentiment, Thompson carefully described Sherman’s movements during the final operations against Atlanta. He explained how Union forces abandoned their original lines, marched south to cut Confederate railroads, and systematically destroyed vital transportation routes:

“We have taken Atlanta without getting many men killed… we struck the railroad 16 miles below Atlanta and destroyed 30 miles of the railroad.”

His account continued with the fighting around Jonesboro, where Confederate General John Bell Hood attempted to save his remaining rail connections:

“We formed a line of battle and then fighting began. It lasted till after night when they fell back… we followed them up until we heard that Atlanta was evacuated.”

The capture of Atlanta became one of the Union’s greatest strategic victories, boosting Northern morale and helping secure Abraham Lincoln’s reelection. After months of continuous campaigning, Thompson admitted how exhausted the regiment had become:

“We have been on the campaign so long that we are all worn out so we will have to rest for one month before we will be able to march again.”

Even victorious soldiers paid a tremendous physical price for Sherman’s relentless offensive.

Final Victories and the War’s End

The fall of Atlanta did not end the regiment’s service. The 21st Illinois continued campaigning during the Franklin-Nashville Campaign, helping destroy Hood’s Army of Tennessee in late 1864. The victories at Franklin and Nashville effectively eliminated the Confederacy’s last major offensive force in the Western Theater. After Confederate resistance collapsed in 1865, the regiment was sent to Texas for occupation duty. Like many veteran organizations, its final months consisted not of dramatic battles but of maintaining order as the nation slowly transitioned from war to peace. The 21st Illinois was finally mustered out in December 1865 after more than four years of service.

A Lasting Legacy

The history of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry mirrors the larger story of the Union Army in the West. Organized during the first rush of enthusiasm in 1861, the regiment matured under the demanding leadership of Ulysses S. Grant before proving itself in campaigns stretching from Missouri to Georgia.

Its soldiers endured disease, brutal marches, bitter winter camps, and some of the war’s hardest fighting. Many never returned home, including Stephen Freeman, whose quiet letter from Camp Ironton speaks poignantly of homesickness and uncertainty only months before his death. Others, like George Thompson, survived long enough to witness Atlanta’s capture and express confidence that the Union would ultimately prevail.

Their letters remind us that regimental histories are more than lists of battles and casualty figures. They are stories of ordinary citizens who became soldiers, formed lifelong friendships, sacrificed for causes they believed in, and helped preserve the United States during its greatest national crisis.

When Ulysses S. Grant first assumed command of the 21st Illinois, he inherited a regiment that required discipline and direction. By the war’s end, it had become a veteran organization whose record reflected the determination, endurance, and courage of the citizen-soldiers who served within its ranks.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 1,263 digital scans of the 21st Illinois Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of just nearly 1,250 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Order books, and Morning Reports. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “21st Illinois Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 21st Illinois Infantry.

Civil War Index. 21st Illinois Infantry.
https://civilwarindex.com/armyil/21st_il_infantry.html

Dan Masters’ Civil War Chronicles. The Desperate Day Before Us: The 21st Illinois at Chickamauga. https://dan-masters-civil-war.blogspot.com/2021/06/the-desperate-day-before-us-21st.html

Illinois GenWeb. 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry History.
https://illinoisgenweb.org/civilwar/history/021.html

National Park Service. Charles Howe Letter Transcriptions.
https://www.nps.gov/stri/learn/historyculture/upload/Howe_Charles_letter_Transcription_508.pdf

Research Arsenal. 1862 STEPHEN PERRY FREEMAN TO LYDIA JANE WALLER. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/14657

Research Arsenal. 1864 GEORGE W. THOMPSON TO LYDIA JANE WALLER. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/63663

Spared & Shared. 21st Illinois Infantry Collection.
https://sparedshared23.com/category/21st-illinois-infantry/

 

RG 94 Spotlight: 30th Indiana Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 30th Indiana Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 30th Indiana Infantry: A Regiment’s Journey Through the Western Theater

U.S. Flag carried by the 30th Indiana Infantry.
U.S. Flag carried by the 30th Indiana Infantry. By The National tribune – The National tribune, June 7, 1900, page 6, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=183041534

The 30th Indiana Volunteer Infantry served with distinction throughout nearly the entire Civil War, participating in many of the Western Theater’s most significant campaigns. Organized in the fall of 1861, the regiment marched from the hills of Kentucky to the fields of Tennessee, through Georgia with General William T. Sherman, and ultimately into the Carolinas before the Confederacy surrendered in 1865. Their service took them through some of the war’s bloodiest battles, including Shiloh, Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, and the March to the Sea.

While official reports record troop movements and casualty figures, the true story of the 30th Indiana is best understood through the words of its soldiers. The surviving letter of Corporal Jesse L. Adams and the wartime journal of Private Thomas Hogarth offer remarkable glimpses into the everyday realities of military service—from the excitement of early campaigns to the loneliness and pain of recovering from a battlefield wound.

Organizing for War

The 30th Indiana Infantry was organized at Fort Wayne and mustered into Federal service on September 20, 1861. Commanded by Colonel Sion Bass, a lawyer and politician who had been born in Kentucky but remained steadfastly loyal to the Union, the regiment was composed of companies recruited from northeastern Indiana communities. Like thousands of other volunteers, many of its members had little military experience before answering President Abraham Lincoln’s call for troops.

Following a period of instruction at Camp Allen and Camp Wood, the regiment moved south into Kentucky as part of Major General Don Carlos Buell’s Army of the Ohio. The soldiers expected an adventure, but they soon discovered that campaigning involved far more marching than fighting. Long days on muddy roads, rough camps, unpredictable weather, and limited supplies quickly replaced the patriotic excitement that had accompanied their enlistment.

Into Kentucky

One of the regiment’s earliest firsthand accounts comes from Corporal Jesse L. Adams of Company D. Writing from Bowling Green, Kentucky, on February 24, 1862, Adams described the regiment’s advance after Confederate forces abandoned one of their strongest defensive positions in Kentucky.

“We left Camp Wood the 14th and got in Bowling Green the 25th of February. This is a wonderful place now, I tell you. The Rebels was well fortified here. It is a beautiful place. There is a considerable of a town here.”

His observations reflected the excitement many Union soldiers felt as they occupied territory that Confederates had only recently evacuated. The capture of Bowling Green represented another important step toward Nashville and the deeper South.

Adams also explained how quickly the regiment expected to move onward.

“We are encamped on the Big Barren River. We shan’t stop here long. We shall go on to Nashville soon as we can cross the river.”

Yet beneath the optimism was an honest assessment of military life. Like many volunteers, Adams had already learned that soldiering was far different from the patriotic image many civilians imagined at home.

“I think it looks a great deal better than I do for we look pretty raunchy here and we feel so too, I tell you. A soldier’s life is a dog’s life as near as you can come at it. You had better let soldier’s life alone… If you come down here once, you won’t want to leave home again very soon.”

His words remain one of the most candid descriptions of a volunteer soldier’s early experience. Endless marches, poor sleeping conditions, exposure to the elements, and uncertain meals were becoming routine for the men of the 30th Indiana.

Baptism of Fire at Shiloh

Only weeks after Adams wrote his letter, the regiment marched rapidly toward Pittsburg Landing after Confederate forces surprised General Ulysses S. Grant’s army on April 6, 1862. The 30th Indiana entered the Battle of Shiloh on the second day of fighting as Buell’s reinforcements joined the Union counterattack.

The regiment fought courageously in repeated assaults near Shiloh Church, suffering heavy casualties. Colonel Sion Bass received a mortal wound while leading his men and died several days later. Corporal Jesse Adams was also mortally wounded during the fighting. Transported to the City General Hospital in St. Louis, he died on April 21, 1862, at only nineteen years of age.

Reading his earlier letter after knowing his fate gives special meaning to the closing words he wrote to his friend:

“This from a friend as long as life remains.”

Neither Adams nor the recipient of his letter could have imagined that it would become one of the final surviving records of his life.

The War Continues

Although Shiloh proved devastating, the regiment’s service had only begun. Throughout 1862 and 1863 the 30th Indiana continued campaigning with the Army of the Ohio and later the Army of the Cumberland. The regiment fought during the Kentucky Campaign, participated in the Battle of Perryville, and endured the brutal fighting at Stones River near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

The soldiers who survived those campaigns pressed on through the Chickamauga Campaign in 1863. Like many Union regiments in the Western Theater, the 30th Indiana experienced both victory and defeat, often marching hundreds of miles between battles. Following the Union victory at Chattanooga, the regiment joined General William T. Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign before participating in the March to the Sea and the Carolinas Campaign during the final months of the war.

These campaigns demanded remarkable endurance. More soldiers often suffered from disease, exposure, and exhaustion than from enemy bullets. The regiment’s history was therefore shaped not only by battles but also by the physical hardships that accompanied years of campaigning.

Thomas Hogarth’s Story

Thomas Hogarth 30th Indiana Infantry
Portrait of Captain Thomas Hogarth, 30th Indiana Infantry. Wounded in the shoulder at the Battle of Stones River December 31, 1862, he made a recovery and returned to his regiment. After the war he worked for the railroad. Image: https://friendsofallencounty.org/military/images/weldon/Hogarth.jpg

One of the most remarkable surviving records from the regiment belongs to Private Thomas Hogarth of Company H. Unlike Adams’ letter, Hogarth’s diary follows the difficult months after he was wounded during the Battle of Stones River on December 31, 1862.

His journal opens on New Year’s Day 1863, not with dramatic descriptions of combat but with the painful reality of its aftermath.

“This morning my shoulder feels quite bad… I get an ambulance and am on my way toward Nashville… I get out and walk and get left behind and go into the 4 Division Hospital and have my arm dressed up.”

The next day’s entry reveals the severity of his injury.

“The doctor takes 4 pieces of bone from the wound that I received at the Battle of Murfreesboro on the 31st of December. Nothing much to eat… Shoulder hurts quite much indeed.”

Those few sentences vividly illustrate Civil War medicine. Surgeons often removed shattered bone fragments without the benefit of modern antibiotics, while hospital diets frequently consisted of little more than coffee, broth, and whatever supplies happened to be available.

Recovering Far From Home

Rather than returning immediately to duty, Hogarth began a lengthy journey through military hospitals in Nashville, Louisville, Covington, and finally Camp Dennison, Ohio. His diary chronicles not just medical treatment but the emotional challenges of being separated from his regiment.

Simple entries convey profound loneliness.

“Quite lonesome here.”

Letters from family became the highlight of his days. Even while recovering from his wound, Hogarth devoted much of his energy to maintaining correspondence.

“I have written about 25 letters since I have been wounded.”

He eagerly anticipated packages from home and faithfully recorded every visitor, letter, and newspaper he received. A box containing a clean shirt, newspapers, and stewed apples became an event worthy of recording in his diary.

Small moments of kindness also lifted his spirits. On February 22 he described an evening that briefly allowed the wounded soldiers to forget the hardships surrounding them.

“Last night there was five ladies came in to sing to the sick soldiers some songs and we enjoyed ourselves very much.”

The entry provides a touching reminder that civilian volunteers frequently visited hospitals to comfort wounded soldiers through music, conversation, and small gifts.

Waiting to Return

As winter progressed, Hogarth’s greatest frustration became waiting. Like many recovering soldiers, he desperately wanted to rejoin his comrades, but his physicians refused to release him until they believed he was fully healed.

On February 21 he summarized his situation in one simple sentence:

“The doctor will not let me go to my regiment until it heals up completely.”

That brief observation captures an aspect of Civil War service often overlooked. For every dramatic battlefield charge, there were weeks or months of recovery, uncertainty, and patience. Thousands of wounded soldiers struggled not only with pain but with the emotional burden of watching their regiments continue campaigning without them.

A Regiment That Endured

The surviving writings of Jesse Adams and Thomas Hogarth provide two very different windows into the experience of the 30th Indiana Infantry. Adams represents the eager young volunteer marching confidently into the war’s early campaigns, while Hogarth reveals the long, often lonely road faced by those who survived serious wounds.

Together, their words remind us that the history of a Civil War regiment cannot be measured solely by battles won or lost. It is also found in muddy camps, letters home, hospital wards, friendships maintained through correspondence, and the quiet determination to recover and continue serving.

By the time the war ended in 1865, the 30th Indiana had marched hundreds of miles and participated in many of the Union Army’s greatest campaigns in the Western Theater. Their sacrifices helped preserve the Union, while the personal writings of men like Jesse Adams and Thomas Hogarth continue to preserve the human story behind the official record.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 830 digital scans of the 30th Indiana Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of just over 800 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Order books, Letter books, Morning Reports, and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “30th Indiana Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 30th Indiana Infantry.

Independence Day Celebrations During the Civil War

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

Independence Day Celebrations During the Civil War

Fourth of July at Camp Hamilton illustration from Harper's Weekly
Fourth of July at Camp Hamilton illustration from Harper’s Weekly.

Independence Day has always been one of America’s most significant holidays, commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States. During the Civil War, however, Independence Day carried an even deeper meaning. As the nation struggled through its greatest internal conflict, Union soldiers, civilians, and political leaders looked to the ideals of 1776 for reassurance that the sacrifices being made would preserve the nation founded by the Declaration of Independence. Even in army camps, hospitals, and occupied cities, Americans found ways to celebrate the holiday with patriotic speeches, music, fireworks, and readings of the Declaration, reminding themselves what they were fighting to protect.

A Holiday That Meant More Than Ever

Before the Civil War, Independence Day was already one of the country’s largest public celebrations, complete with parades, speeches, militia drills, cannon salutes, and community gatherings. Once the war began, those traditions did not disappear—they simply moved into military camps and battlefields. Soldiers often celebrated with whatever resources they had available, creating ceremonies that mixed patriotism with much-needed recreation and fellowship.

For Union soldiers, the Fourth of July became an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to preserving the Union. Public readings of the Declaration of Independence were common, as were patriotic songs like The Star-Spangled Banner and The Red, White, and Blue. Chaplains offered prayers, commanding officers delivered speeches, and soldiers reflected on the nation’s founding principles while many of their comrades were fighting—or dying—only a few miles away.

The Fourth of July in Camp, 1861

Lt. Col. Ira Spaulding and the 50th New York Engineers in front of Petersburg, Virginia celebrating the Independence Day with a hearty meal.
Lt. Col. Ira Spaulding and the 50th New York Engineers in front of Petersburg, Virginia celebrating the Independence Day with a hearty meal. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/68136

One of the most detailed firsthand descriptions comes from Sergeant Adoniram Judson Clark of the 1st New Jersey Infantry. Writing about July 4, 1861, while his regiment was stationed in Virginia, Clark described a full day of ceremonies that closely resembled hometown Independence Day celebrations.

He wrote:

“Well, hurrah for the Fourth! Turned out a little before 4 o’clock… at 5.30 or 6 o’clock we had a flag raising on the color line… Col. Johnson had hold of the rope and at the word, it was run to the top amid a hearty ‘3 times 3’ and for the first time floated on the breeze on Virginia soil.”

Following the flag raising, the regiment assembled for a formal patriotic program that included prayer, speeches, singing, and the public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Clark recorded the day’s order of events in remarkable detail:

“First in order of exercises, was singing, 2nd—prayer by chaplain, 3rd—speech by General Runyon, 4th—Reading of Declaration of Independence… after which were broken for the quarters.”

Although military discipline remained in place and no one was allowed to leave camp, the soldiers still enjoyed a festive holiday meal. Clark recalled:

“Our bill of fare was boiled ham, roast beef, bread pudding, picked beets, bread & butter, & iced lemonade. And, ‘after the cloth was removed,’—cigars.”

The day’s celebrations continued well into the evening. Soldiers improvised entertainment by throwing old tin canteens at one another in a mock battle before officers finally intervened. Clark remembered:

“At night there was all sorts of fun… for an hour had a pitched battle & the way the tin canteens flew was a caution!… In the eve we had a ‘fancy’ parade… Fireworks were not as plenty but we had some show.”

His account reveals that even during the first months of the war, soldiers sought moments of normalcy and joy while remaining deeply conscious of the patriotic significance of the holiday.

Independence Day in a Military Hospital

By July 4, 1863, the war had become far bloodier, yet soldiers continued to celebrate wherever they found themselves. Charles William Hobbs of the 13th New Hampshire Infantry spent Independence Day recovering at Columbian Hospital in Washington, D.C., but even a hospital proved to be an unlikely place for celebration.

Hobbs described the festivities with humor:

“The 4th passed off here very well. We had speeches, singing &c. in the day and fireworks in the evening.”

Like many soldiers, however, the official entertainment was not quite enough. Hobbs continued:

“The soldiers not contented with the fireworks they had been through amused themselves by firing rockets and other kinds of fireworks at each other and on the whole we had quite a lively time.”

Despite the fun, his letter also reveals the homesickness many soldiers experienced. Reflecting on earlier celebrations before the hardships of war, he wrote:

“I thought of Island Pond and of some of those that were there a good many times on our Hospital 4th.”

His words capture both the festive atmosphere and the longing for home that accompanied many wartime holidays.

July 4, 1863: A Day That Changed the War

No Independence Day during the Civil War was more significant than July 4, 1863. While Americans celebrated across the North, two of the war’s greatest victories arrived almost simultaneously.

On July 3, General Robert E. Lee’s final assault at Gettysburg—known as Pickett’s Charge—had failed. By July 4, Lee began retreating back toward Virginia, ending his invasion of the North. That same day, after a lengthy siege, the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant, giving the Union complete control of the Mississippi River.

Many Americans immediately recognized the symbolic importance of these victories occurring on the nation’s birthday. Newspapers, politicians, and soldiers alike viewed the events as evidence that the principles of the Declaration of Independence would ultimately prevail. The victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg transformed July 4, 1863, into one of the most celebrated Independence Days in American history.

Celebrations in Occupied Vicksburg

The surrender of Vicksburg itself became part of the Fourth of July celebration. Union soldiers entered the city as citizens emerged from weeks of bombardment and life in caves dug into the surrounding hillsides. Patriotic music filled the streets, flags appeared throughout the city, and soldiers marked both military victory and national independence at the same time.

Although many residents remained bitter over the city’s surrender, Union troops celebrated with enthusiasm. The coincidence of Vicksburg’s surrender on Independence Day strengthened Northern morale and became a powerful symbol that the Union itself would survive the rebellion.

Remembering the Ideals of 1776

Throughout the Civil War, Independence Day served as more than a festive holiday. It reminded soldiers why they endured hardship, separation from family, and the dangers of battle. Reading the Declaration of Independence, raising the American flag, singing patriotic songs, and gathering with fellow soldiers reinforced the belief that they were preserving the nation established in 1776.

The firsthand letters of Adoniram Judson Clark and Charles William Hobbs show that even amid uncertainty, soldiers sought moments of celebration, fellowship, and hope. Whether enjoying a special meal in camp, watching fireworks over Washington, or witnessing one of the war’s greatest victories at Vicksburg, Americans found ways to honor Independence Day even in the darkest years of the nation’s history.

Their celebrations remind us that the Fourth of July has never simply commemorated the nation’s founding—it has also celebrated the enduring effort to preserve the ideals upon which the United States was built.

Bibliography

To learn more about how Independence Day was celebrated during the Civil War, visit the Research Arsenal and select “Photographs and Images” or “Letters and Diaries” and try searching for keywords such as “Independence Day,” “Fourth of July,” or even “fireworks” and see what you can find!

Clark, Adoniram Judson. Letter dated July 4, 1861. Research Arsenal Digital Collections. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/87315

Emerging Civil War. A Word About Independence Day in the Civil War. https://emergingcivilwar.com/2012/07/04/a-word-about-independence-day-in-the-civil-war/

Emerging Civil War. July 4, 1863: This Most Eventful Day to the American People. https://emergingcivilwar.com/2023/07/04/july-4-1863-this-most-eventful-day-to-the-american-people/

Hobbs, Charles William. Letter dated July 4, 1863. Research Arsenal Digital Collections. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/40966

Teaching American History. Peculiar Recognitions: Unexplainable Events on the Fourth of July. https://teachingamericanhistory.org/peculiar-recognitions-unexplainable-events-on-the-fourth-of-july/

Visit Vicksburg. Celebrating Independence Day. https://www.visitvicksburg.com/blog/celebrating-independence-day/

RG 94 Spotlight: 21st Michigan Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 21st Michigan Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 21st Michigan Infantry: From Perryville to Sherman’s March

A group of 21st Michigan Infantry soldiers pose in the field in the undated photo.
A group of 21st Michigan Infantry soldiers pose in the field in this undated photo. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/69595

When the 21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry was organized in the summer of 1862, few could have imagined the remarkable path the regiment would follow during the Civil War. Recruited primarily from western and northern Michigan counties and mustered into service on September 4, 1862, the regiment entered the war at a time when the Union desperately needed fresh troops. Over the next three years, the men of the 21st Michigan would participate in some of the war’s most significant campaigns, including Perryville, Stones River, Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign, and Sherman’s March to the Sea.

The regiment’s story is one of endurance. The men faced hard marching, heavy combat, disease, captivity, and the constant challenge of maintaining their ranks. Yet despite these hardships, the 21st Michigan earned a reputation as a dependable regiment that could be called upon for both combat and engineering duties whenever the Union Army needed them.

A Regiment Raised in Michigan

The 21st Michigan was recruited from a large area of the state, including Ionia, Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Grand Traverse, Mackinac, and many other counties. According to Michigan’s official wartime records, the regiment entered service with approximately 1,000 officers and men. Before departing for the front, the regiment was presented with a silk flag by the women of Ionia, a symbol of the community’s support and confidence in the volunteers who were leaving home for war.

The presentation of colors was an important moment in the life of any Civil War regiment. Michigan records note that the flag was carried throughout the regiment’s service and survived all of its campaigns. After the war, it was formally returned to the citizens who had presented it, serving as a tangible reminder of the sacrifices made by the regiment and the communities that supported it.

First Battles in Kentucky and Tennessee

The 21st Michigan entered active service quickly. The regiment was sent west and soon found itself engaged in the Kentucky Campaign. Its first major battle came at Perryville in October 1862, one of the largest battles fought in Kentucky. Although still inexperienced, the regiment performed well under fire and gained valuable battlefield experience.

The men later participated in the Battle of Stones River near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, where Union and Confederate forces fought one of the bloodiest engagements of the war. Like many regiments in the Army of the Cumberland, the 21st Michigan endured harsh winter conditions, long marches, and repeated combat operations that steadily reduced its numbers.

As casualties mounted from battle and disease, maintaining the regiment’s strength became increasingly difficult. Nevertheless, the regiment remained in active service and continued to accompany the Army of the Cumberland during some of its most important campaigns.

Chickamauga and the Capture of Colonel McCreery

Portrait of William B. McCreery, Colonel of the 21st Michigan Infantry later in life. McCreery escaped Libby Prison in Richmond, VA through a tunnel. After the war he had a successful career in banking and also served as Michigan's State Treasurer for three years.
Portrait of William B. McCreery, Colonel of the 21st Michigan Infantry later in life. McCreery escaped Libby Prison in Richmond, VA through a tunnel. After the war he had a successful career in banking and also served as Michigan’s State Treasurer for three years.

One of the regiment’s most difficult experiences came during the Battle of Chickamauga in September 1863. During the fighting, Colonel William B. McCreery was wounded and captured by Confederate forces. He was eventually transported to the notorious Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia, where many Union officers were held under harsh conditions.

Years later, McCreery described Libby Prison as “that prison-house of torture and slow death, familiarly known as the ‘Libby Prison.'” His account provides a vivid firsthand description of the suffering endured by Union prisoners. Conditions were crowded, food was scarce, and disease was common. Prisoners often depended upon supplies sent from home for survival.

McCreery’s story did not end in captivity. In February 1864, he participated in one of the most famous prison escapes of the Civil War. More than one hundred Union officers tunneled out of Libby Prison in a daring attempt to regain their freedom. Reflecting on his successful return to Union lines, McCreery later wrote:

“It was like passing from death unto life, and our hearts filled with gratitude.”

His escape became one of the most remarkable episodes associated with the 21st Michigan and demonstrated the determination that characterized many of the regiment’s officers and men.

More Than Infantry: Engineers at Chattanooga

Headquarters of the 21st Michigan Infantry. 1865 (?) based on other photographs this camp was in Chattanooga Tn around November 1864.
Headquarters of the 21st Michigan Infantry. Based on other photographs this camp was in Chattanooga TN around November 1864. https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/68091

Although organized as an infantry regiment, the 21st Michigan often performed engineering duties that proved vital to Union success. Following the Union victory at Chattanooga, the regiment helped rebuild essential infrastructure needed to support military operations in Tennessee and Georgia.

The soldiers worked as carpenters, laborers, and bridge builders. They assisted in constructing storehouses, repairing transportation routes, and improving supply lines. One of their most important contributions was helping create the Military Bridge across the Tennessee River. This bridge allowed Union forces to move men and supplies more efficiently and helped establish Chattanooga as a major logistical center.

These engineering assignments may not have carried the glory of battlefield charges, but they were essential to the Union war effort. Without reliable transportation and supply networks, armies could not remain in the field. The work of regiments like the 21st Michigan helped make future campaigns possible.

Sherman’s Campaigns

In 1864, the 21st Michigan returned to more active combat service during General William T. Sherman’s campaigns in Georgia. The regiment participated in operations leading to the capture of Atlanta and later joined Sherman during his famous March to the Sea.

The campaign represented a new style of warfare. Rather than simply defeating Confederate armies, Sherman sought to destroy the South’s ability to continue the war. Railroads, supply depots, and military resources were systematically targeted. Soldiers frequently conducted foraging expeditions to gather food and supplies from the countryside.

For the men of the 21st Michigan, these operations involved constant marching and hard labor. They moved through Georgia and later the Carolinas, helping to bring increasing pressure on the Confederacy during the final year of the war.

The Regiment’s Legacy

Like many Civil War units, the 21st Michigan suffered heavily from disease as well as combat. Hundreds of men who entered service in 1862 never returned home. Yet the regiment’s record illustrates the diverse responsibilities that Civil War soldiers often carried. They fought in major battles, guarded supply lines, built bridges, repaired infrastructure, and endured the hardships of military life over three long years of war.

The history of the 21st Michigan also reminds us that victory depended on more than battlefield heroics. The regiment’s engineering work at Chattanooga, its service during major campaigns, and the perseverance of men like Colonel McCreery all contributed to the Union cause.

When the war ended in 1865, the regiment returned home having participated in some of the most important operations of the Western Theater. Their battle-worn regimental flag, carried from Kentucky to Georgia and beyond, stood as a symbol of service, sacrifice, and endurance. Today, the story of the 21st Michigan Volunteer Infantry remains an important chapter in both Michigan history and the broader story of the Civil War.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 1,036 digital scans of the 21st Michigan Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of just over 1,000 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Order books, Letter books, Morning Reports, and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “21st Michigan Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 21st Michigan Infantry.

 

Juneteenth and the Civil War: The Long Road from Emancipation to Freedom

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

Juneteenth and the Civil War: The Long Road from Emancipation to Freedom

Unidentified African American soldier in uniform posed before a stylized backdrop featuring a canon, other weaponry, a tent, an ironclad gunboat, and an American flag at Benton Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri. He appears to hold a conversion musket with a fixed bayonet, possibly a prop.
Unidentified African American soldier in uniform posed before a stylized backdrop featuring a canon, other weaponry, a tent, an ironclad gunboat, and an American flag at Benton Barracks in St. Louis, Missouri. He appears to hold a conversion musket with a fixed bayonet, possibly a prop. Source: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/21508

Every year on June 19, Americans commemorate Juneteenth, a holiday that marks one of the most important milestones in the history of the Civil War and the abolition of slavery in the United States. While many people know Juneteenth as the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free, the story is deeply rooted in the Civil War itself. The holiday represents not only the end of slavery in Texas but also the culmination of years of military struggle, political change, and the efforts of hundreds of thousands of soldiers who fought to preserve the Union and destroy the institution of slavery.

Understanding Juneteenth requires looking back at the Civil War and the events that transformed the conflict from a war to preserve the Union into a war for freedom.

The Emancipation Proclamation Changes the War

Following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Federal Army began recruiting Black soldiers to serve in US Colored Troops regiments. One of the more famous of those regiments, the 54th MA Infantry, was portrayed in the film "Glory."
Following the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Federal Army began recruiting Black soldiers to serve in US Colored Troops regiments. One of the more famous of those regiments, the 54th MA Infantry, was portrayed in the film “Glory.” Source: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/35240

When the Civil War began in 1861, President Abraham Lincoln initially focused on preserving the Union. As the war continued, however, it became increasingly clear that slavery lay at the heart of the conflict. On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring that enslaved people in states actively rebelling against the United States “are, and henceforward shall be free.” Although the proclamation did not immediately free every enslaved person in the country, it fundamentally transformed the purpose of the war. It made emancipation a Union war aim and linked military victory with the destruction of slavery.

The proclamation also authorized the enlistment of Black men into the Union military. By the end of the war, nearly 200,000 Black soldiers and sailors had served in the Union armed forces. Their service strengthened the Union war effort while demonstrating the determination of African Americans to secure their own freedom. The participation of these troops helped ensure that emancipation would become a reality rather than simply a promise on paper.

Freedom Delayed in Texas

Although the Emancipation Proclamation was issued in 1863, its enforcement depended on the presence of Union military forces. In many areas of the Confederacy, enslavers continued to hold people in bondage as long as Confederate authorities remained in control. Texas, in particular, was geographically isolated and largely untouched by major Union military operations during much of the war.

As a result, thousands of enslaved people remained in bondage even after Lincoln’s proclamation. In fact, many enslavers from other Southern states moved to Texas during the war, bringing enslaved men, women, and children with them in hopes of avoiding Union armies and preserving slavery. Consequently, the enslaved population in Texas grew during the conflict, making the eventual arrival of Union forces even more significant.

The Confederacy officially collapsed in the spring of 1865. Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia in April, and Union victory was all but assured. Yet freedom still had not reached many enslaved Texans.

June 19, 1865: The Birth of Juneteenth

On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with federal troops. Upon his arrival, Granger issued General Order No. 3, announcing that all enslaved people in Texas were free. The order informed Texans that, in accordance with the proclamation of the President of the United States, “all slaves are free.” It further declared that the former relationship between enslavers and enslaved people would be replaced by that of employer and hired laborer.

For approximately 250,000 enslaved people in Texas, the announcement represented the long-awaited arrival of freedom. The moment was both joyous and life-changing. Families who had endured generations of bondage celebrated, prayed, gathered with loved ones, and began planning for new lives beyond slavery. Although significant challenges remained, June 19 became a symbol of liberation and hope.

The U.S. Army’s Role in Enforcing Freedom

An Army Soldier reads the Emancipation Proclamation to a group of formerly enslaved persons. This print accompanied a pamphlet published by Lucius Stebbins detailing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1864. Library of Congress
An Army Soldier reads the Emancipation Proclamation to a group of formerly enslaved persons. This print accompanied a pamphlet published by Lucius Stebbins detailing the Emancipation Proclamation in 1864. Library of Congress.

The connection between Juneteenth and the Civil War is inseparable from the role played by the United States Army. Freedom did not arrive in Texas simply because a proclamation had been issued two years earlier. It arrived because Union soldiers carried federal authority into the former Confederacy and enforced emancipation.

The Army became the instrument through which the promises of the Emancipation Proclamation were realized. Union troops occupied former Confederate territory, protected newly freed people, and ensured that federal law was recognized. The arrival of General Granger and his soldiers in Galveston demonstrated that the Union victory was not merely military—it was also a victory for emancipation. Without the presence of federal troops, many enslavers would have continued resisting the end of slavery for as long as possible. Juneteenth therefore stands as a reminder that military victory and freedom became closely intertwined during the final years of the Civil War.

From Local Celebration to National Holiday

Emancipation Day parade (Juneteenth) participants in Corpus Christi on June 19, 1913. Note the woman standing in the buggy behind the closest one. Courtesy DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University
Emancipation Day (Juneteenth) parade participants in Corpus Christi on June 19, 1913. Note the woman in patriotic attire standing in the buggy behind the closest one.
Courtesy DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University.

The first Juneteenth celebrations began almost immediately after June 19, 1865. Formerly enslaved communities in Texas gathered annually for prayer services, family reunions, educational events, and public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation. These celebrations preserved the memory of emancipation and helped pass the story from one generation to the next.

As African Americans migrated from Texas to other parts of the country, they carried Juneteenth traditions with them. Over time, the holiday spread beyond Texas and gained wider recognition. What began as a local observance eventually became a nationwide commemoration of freedom, resilience, and the long struggle for civil rights. In 2021, Juneteenth was officially recognized as a federal holiday in the United States, ensuring that the story of emancipation and its connection to the Civil War would be remembered by future generations.

Remembering the Legacy of Juneteenth

Juneteenth is often described as America’s second Independence Day because it commemorates the fulfillment of freedom for those who had been denied it for generations. Yet the holiday also serves as a reminder that emancipation was not a single event. Freedom arrived at different times in different places, often following the advance of Union armies during the Civil War.

The story of Juneteenth connects directly to some of the war’s most significant developments: Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, the service of Black soldiers, the defeat of the Confederacy, and the enforcement of federal authority across the South. It reminds us that the Civil War was not only a struggle to preserve the Union but also a transformative conflict that ended slavery and reshaped the nation. Every Juneteenth, Americans commemorate the moment when the promise of emancipation finally reached Texas, while also honoring the millions whose lives were forever changed by the war that made freedom possible.

Additional Reading and Bibliography

To look up USCT and the service of Black soldiers in the Civil War, visit the Research Arsenal Libraries page, select “View All” and then filter by “USCT Infantry,” “USCT Artillery,” or “USCT Cavalry.” You’ll find a variety of letters, records and even photographs.

National Archives Museum. “The Emancipation Proclamation and Juneteenth.” National Archives and Records Administration. Accessed June 15, 2026. https://visit.archives.gov/whats-on/explore-exhibits/emancipation-proclamation-and-juneteenth

National Museum of the United States Army. “Juneteenth and the U.S. Army.” Accessed June 15, 2026. https://www.thenmusa.org/articles/juneteenth-and-the-u-s-army/

National Museum of African American History and Culture. “The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth.” Smithsonian Institution. Accessed June 15, 2026. https://nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/historical-legacy-juneteenth

 

Understanding National Archives Records Group 94: A Treasure Trove for Civil War Research

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

What is Records Group 94?

Descriptive Roll 4th NJ Infantry for companies A-E. This image is taken from one of our scans of documents located in Records Group 94.
Descriptive Roll of the 4th New Jersey Infantry for companies A-E. This image is taken from one of our scans of documents located in Records Group 94.

Over the past year or so, the Research Arsenal has been digitizing regimental books from Records Group 94 at the National Archives and adding them to our searchable database. But for those who many not be familiar with Records Group 94 and its contents, we thought it might be wise to put a bit of a primer out on it.

Understanding National Archives Record Group 94: A Treasure Trove for Civil War Research

For anyone researching the American Civil War, few collections at the National Archives are as important as Record Group 94 (RG 94), the Records of the Adjutant General’s Office. This massive collection contains millions of pages of military records created and maintained by the U.S. Army between the Revolutionary War era and World War I. For Civil War historians, genealogists, and descendants of Union soldiers, RG 94 is one of the most valuable sources available because it preserves the administrative records that documented the service of volunteer soldiers and military units throughout the war.

The Adjutant General’s Office served as the Army’s central recordkeeping agency. It was responsible for maintaining personnel records, recording military orders, collecting reports from units in the field, compiling returns, and preserving information about officers and enlisted men. As a result, Record Group 94 contains an enormous range of documents relating to the Civil War and the soldiers who fought in it. Today, it remains one of the primary collections used by researchers seeking to reconstruct military service histories.

What Is Record Group 94?

Record Group 94 encompasses the records of the Adjutant General’s Office from the late eighteenth century through 1917. The collection includes correspondence, orders, muster rolls, returns, personnel records, registers, indexes, and numerous specialized record series created by the War Department. The National Archives estimates that the record group contains more than 137 million pages of textual records, making it one of the largest military collections in federal custody.

While the collection covers many periods of American military history, Civil War researchers most often use the portions relating to volunteer organizations raised by the states for federal service between 1861 and 1865. These records provide both individual soldier information and detailed records concerning entire regiments and companies.

Regimental Descriptive Books

One of the lesser-known but extraordinarily useful record series within RG 94 is the collection of Regimental Descriptive Books and Company Descriptive Books.

These books were maintained by regimental adjutants and contain personal information about soldiers when they entered service. Researchers can often find details not available in the CMSRs.

Information commonly recorded includes:

  • Age at enlistment
  • Place of birth
  • Occupation
  • Height
  • Eye color
  • Hair color
  • Complexion
  • Date and place of enlistment
  • Name of recruiting officer
  • Remarks concerning service, transfers, desertion, death, or reenlistment

These books effectively provide a physical and biographical snapshot of a soldier at the time he entered the army. Modern historical databases and demographic studies of Civil War soldiers have relied heavily on these records.

Muster Rolls and Muster-In/Muster-Out Books

Muster rolls form the backbone of Civil War military recordkeeping.

Every company periodically submitted rolls listing the soldiers assigned to the unit and noting their status. These records documented whether a soldier was present for duty, absent, hospitalized, on detached service, captured, wounded, or deceased.

Researchers can often trace a soldier’s wartime experience through consecutive muster rolls. They may reveal:

  • Dates of service
  • Temporary absences
  • Transfers
  • Medical issues
  • Promotions and reductions in rank
  • Deaths during service

Muster-in and muster-out rolls additionally record the formal entry and exit of soldiers from federal service. These records served as the primary source material later used to create the Compiled Military Service Records.

Returns and Morning Reports

Another important category consists of military returns and reports.

Regiments, posts, and departments regularly submitted returns that summarized their condition and strength. Morning reports recorded the daily status of soldiers in a company or regiment.

These records may reveal:

  • Number of men present for duty
  • Sick soldiers
  • Soldiers absent on leave
  • Prisoners of war
  • Casualty figures
  • Unit locations
  • Changes in command

For researchers interested in reconstructing a unit’s activities rather than focusing on a single soldier, returns and reports can provide a detailed picture of day-to-day military operations.

Letters, Orders, Registers, and Correspondence

RG 94 also contains extensive correspondence series created by the Adjutant General’s Office.

The collection includes:

  • Letters received
  • Letters sent
  • Registers of correspondence
  • Telegrams
  • Administrative reports
  • Orders and circulars

These records can be especially useful when researching officers, disciplinary matters, promotions, resignations, courts-martial, recruiting efforts, or unusual service situations. The accompanying registers and indexes frequently allow researchers to locate individual pieces of correspondence concerning specific soldiers or military units.

Why Record Group 94 Matters

Record Group 94 remains one of the most important collections for Civil War research because it bridges the gap between individual soldiers and the larger military organizations in which they served. The records document not only who served, but also where they served, how they served, and what happened to them during their military careers.

A researcher studying a Union soldier can often use RG 94 to reconstruct an entire military history—from enlistment and physical description, through battles, hospitalizations, and promotions, all the way to discharge. Likewise, researchers studying a regiment can use muster rolls, returns, and Record of Events books to trace the unit’s movements and activities throughout the war.

More than 160 years after the Civil War, the records preserved in Record Group 94 continue to serve as one of the foundational sources for understanding the experiences of Union soldiers and the administrative machinery that supported the Union Army.

How to Access These Sources

The Research Arsenal currently has over 122,000 pages of Records Group 94 material online. These include a variety of books such as Regimental Descriptive books, Morning Reports, Letter Books and more. An important thing to remember is that the amount of information available for each regiment can vary wildly. Some regiments may have a nearly complete record of service, while others may only have a few books available at the National Archives. Presumably, the missing volumes have been lost or were perhaps never donated to the National Archives to begin with. Using the Research Arsenal to access the records saves you a potentially costly trip to Washington D.C. and is currently the only online database with these records available.

Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and then select the regiment of your choice from the drop-down menus. If the regiment you are looking for is not listed, then it likely has not been digitized yet. If you’d like to sponsor a regiment you can do so via the link here: https://www.11thovc.com/shop-2

For More Information on Records Group 94:

National Archives. “Record Group 94: Records of the Adjutant General’s Office.” https://www.archives.gov/findingaid/stat/discovery/94

National Archives. “Records of the Adjutant General’s Office, 1780’s–1917 (Record Group 94).” https://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/094.html

National Archives. “Pre-1917 Army Records at the National Archives.” https://www.archives.gov/research/military/army/pre-ww1

National Archives. “Civil War Records: Basic Research Sources.” https://www.archives.gov/research/military/civil-war/resources

National Archives. “An Overview of Records at the National Archives Relating to Military Service.” https://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2002/fall/military-records-overview.html

National Bureau of Economic Research. “Union Army Data: Regimental Record.” https://www.nber.org/programs-projects/projects-and-centers/union-army-data/union-army-data-regimental-record

 

RG 94 Spotlight: The 89th Illinois Infantry

Posted on by Johanna Wickman

The 89th Illinois Infantry: The Railroad Regiment’s Hard Road from Stones River to Nashville

CB&Q locomotive No. 29, built in 1855
CB&Q locomotive No. 29, built in 1855. The 89th Illinois Infantry was largely recruited from Chicago-are railroad companies and earned the nickname the “Railroad Regiment.” Source: https://www.bnsf.com/news-media/railtalk/heritage/cb&q-history.html

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 89th Illinois Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

Among the many Illinois regiments that served in the Civil War, few compiled a combat record as extensive as the 89th Illinois Infantry. Known as the “Railroad Regiment” because it was organized with the support of Illinois railroad companies, the regiment entered Federal service in August 1862 and spent nearly its entire existence in the Western Theater. From Perryville and Stones River to Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, Franklin, and Nashville, the men of the 89th marched and fought across hundreds of miles of contested territory. Their story is one of endurance as much as battlefield heroism, and fortunately it survives through the letters of soldiers such as Charles C. Capron and William Harkness, whose firsthand accounts reveal what life was like inside one of the Army of the Cumberland’s hard-fighting regiments.

Organization of the Railroad Regiment

The 89th Illinois Infantry fully embraced their railroad background and their motto became "Clear the Track" which they even had sewn onto their regimental flag.
The 89th Illinois Infantry fully embraced their railroad background and their motto became “Clear the Track” which they even had sewn onto their regimental flag. Source: https://www.forestparkreview.com/2019/06/25/civil-war-volunteers-from-the-village-of-harlem-now-forest-park/

The 89th Illinois was organized at Chicago on August 27, 1862, under Colonel John Christopher and Lieutenant Colonel Charles T. Hotchkiss. It earned its nickname the “Railroad Regiment” because it was raised, funded, and heavily rostered by the executives and employees of the major Chicago-area railway companies–The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Chicago & North Western, and Illinois Central railroads. Many officers and enlisted men, such as Company C’s Lieutenant Joel Kinney, worked as station agents and rail operators before enlisting. The men famously stitched their motto, “Clear the Tracks,” onto their national flag.

Almost immediately after entering service, the regiment was sent to Kentucky and thrown into the campaign against Confederate General Braxton Bragg. The men had scarcely learned the routines of army life before finding themselves marching through Kentucky in pursuit of an elusive enemy. Like many new soldiers, they quickly discovered that war involved far more marching than fighting. Lieutenant William Harkness described the regiment’s early movements in a letter home, explaining that they had been “on the move all the time.” The regiment marched through Shelbyville, Frankfort, Lawrenceburg, Perryville, and Crab Orchard, often under difficult conditions and with little certainty about where the campaign would lead.

The campaign exposed the soldiers to the grim realities of war even before they entered major combat. Harkness remembered Perryville after the battle as a place overflowing with suffering. “Every house seemed to me to be filled with wounded men,” he wrote, estimating that thousands of wounded Union and Confederate soldiers remained in the town. He also described the constant struggle for food, noting that soldiers often left the ranks in search of chickens, potatoes, honey, and bread because army rations became monotonous after weeks of marching. Such observations reveal how quickly idealized notions of military glory gave way to the daily hardships of campaigning.

Battle of Stones River

The regiment’s true baptism of fire came at the Battle of Stones River at the end of 1862. Although only four months old, the 89th Illinois performed well enough that it quickly earned a reputation as a veteran organization. The cost was severe. The regiment suffered 142 casualties killed, wounded, and captured during the battle. Among the dead was Captain Henry S. Willett of Company H. Stones River demonstrated that the regiment could stand in battle, but it also introduced the men to the heavy losses that would become a recurring theme throughout their service.

For many recruits, the first experience under fire never faded from memory. One of the regiment’s most vivid chroniclers was Charles C. Capron, who enlisted in the 89th Illinois in 1863 at the age of seventeen. By joining an experienced regiment, Capron entered a unit that had already fought its way through Kentucky and Tennessee. Before his first battle at Chickamauga, he admitted his fear but also his determination to prove himself. Looking back, he recalled that on the morning of battle he took his place in the ranks “resolved to see what they done.” Those simple words capture the mindset of countless young Civil War soldiers who entered combat with equal measures of apprehension and curiosity.

The regiment continued to gain experience during the Tullahoma Campaign, including fighting at Liberty Gap, where Captain Herbert M. Blake of Company K was mortally wounded. Yet the greatest test of the regiment’s courage lay ahead at Chickamauga in September 1863. There, amid one of the bloodiest battles fought in the Western Theater, the 89th Illinois suffered devastating losses. Lieutenant Colonel Duncan J. Hall was killed, along with Captains Rice, Spink, and Whiting, Lieutenant Ellis, and many enlisted men. The regimental history later observed that Chickamauga seemed to place “the seal of its devotion” upon the regiment.

For Capron, Chickamauga was unforgettable. Years later he still remembered the terror and confusion of his first major engagement. The regiment lost 14 men killed, 88 wounded, and 30 missing. Veteran soldiers disappeared from the ranks, leaving painful gaps among comrades who had marched and campaigned together for months. The battle stripped away any lingering illusions about war and left survivors with memories that would remain vivid long after the conflict ended.

Following Chickamauga, the regiment participated in the Chattanooga Campaign. Under General August Willich’s brigade, the 89th Illinois joined the assault on Missionary Ridge. In one of the most dramatic attacks of the war, Union soldiers stormed the Confederate positions overlooking Chattanooga and drove the defenders from their works. The regiment paid for its success with additional casualties, including Lieutenant E. O. Young and Captain Henry L. Rowell. Yet Missionary Ridge helped reverse the Union’s fortunes in Tennessee and opened the door for future operations into Georgia.

Atlanta Campaign

The year 1864 proved to be the regiment’s most demanding period of service. The 89th Illinois marched south with General William T. Sherman’s army and participated in nearly every major engagement of the Atlanta Campaign. The regiment fought at Rocky Face Ridge, Resaca, Pickett’s Mill, Kennesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, Atlanta, Jonesboro, and numerous lesser actions. Casualties mounted steadily. Lieutenant Nathaniel Street and Captain William Harkness both lost their lives during the campaign.

Harkness’s surviving letters reveal a thoughtful and educated officer who viewed military service through both patriotic and religious lenses. Friends who knew him remembered him as a devoted Christian and respected leader. After his death near Atlanta in 1864, one comrade wrote to his family that “he was a brave man and a good soldier for his country.” The same writer added that Harkness appeared to be “full in the faith” and believed he was now reunited with his deceased child in heaven. Such letters remind modern readers that behind casualty statistics were families receiving heartbreaking news from distant battlefields.

The Atlanta Campaign inflicted some of the heaviest losses suffered by the regiment during the war. According to the regimental history, 211 men were killed, wounded, or captured during the operations around Atlanta. Yet even when not engaged in direct combat, the regiment found itself performing dangerous and essential work. Because of its railroad connections and experience, the “Railroad Regiment” was assigned important duties repairing rail lines damaged by Confederate raids. Maintaining Sherman’s supply network was crucial to the success of the campaign, and the regiment’s work helped keep the army moving forward.

After the fall of Atlanta, the 89th Illinois was sent back to Tennessee in time to participate in the final destruction of General John Bell Hood’s army. The regiment fought at Spring Hill, Franklin, and Nashville. At Nashville, Lieutenant P. G. Taite was killed when struck by a cannonball. The battle shattered Hood’s army and effectively ended major Confederate operations in Tennessee. The regiment then joined the pursuit of the retreating Confederates before settling into winter quarters.

The Toll of War

Captain Henry L. Rowell of of Co. C, 89th Illinois Infantry Regiment, in uniform with sword. Photograph shows identified soldier who was wounded at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, on November 25, 1863 and died from his wounds on December 3, 1863.
Captain Henry L. Rowell of of Co. C, 89th Illinois Infantry Regiment, in uniform with sword. Captain Rowell was wounded at the Battle of Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, on November 25, 1863 and later died from his wounds on December 3, 1863. Source: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/4304

By war’s end, the 89th Illinois had accumulated a remarkable combat record. The regiment had participated in nearly every major campaign fought by the Army of the Cumberland after 1862. It had endured losses at Stones River, Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, and Nashville. Out of 1,403 men who served on its rolls, only 381 remained to be mustered out with the regiment. The remainder had been killed, wounded, disabled, transferred, or otherwise lost to service. The casualty figures alone testify to the severity of the regiment’s experience.

For Charles Capron, survival brought little reward. When the regiment was mustered out in June 1865, he still had time remaining on his enlistment and was transferred to another unit. Writing home, he lamented, “The old boys has returned home and it is very lonesome here.” He feared that disease might prove more deadly than bullets, observing that “disease is some times worse than the bullet.” Tragically, his prediction proved correct. Having survived Chickamauga, Missionary Ridge, Atlanta, Franklin, and Nashville, Capron died of fever in Texas in August 1865.

Perhaps the most fitting tribute to the 89th Illinois came from Colonel Charles T. Hotchkiss, who reflected on the regiment’s wartime service after the conflict ended. “Our history is written on the head-boards of rudely-made graves from Stone River to Atlanta,” he said. Those words captured both the pride and the sacrifice of the Railroad Regiment. The men of the 89th Illinois helped secure Union victory across the Western Theater, but they paid dearly for that achievement. Their story survives not only in official records and battle reports, but also in the letters of ordinary soldiers who endured the marches, hardships, fears, and sacrifices that defined the Civil War soldier’s experience.

Sources

The Research Arsenal is proud to hold 723 digital scans of the 89th Illinois Infantry’s regimental history on its database. These consist of 708 pages of material from the National Archives Records Group 94 files. These include Regimental Descriptive books, Morning Reports, Morning Reports and Letter Books and more. Visit the Research Arsenal, click on “Search NARA Records” then select “RG94” and “89th Illinois Infantry” from the drop-down menus. In addition, the Research Arsenal contains photographs, letters, and other forms and documents relating to the 89th Illinois Infantry.

 

JOIN THE RESEARCH ARSENAL COMMUNITY TODAY.


join now