Civil War Manuscripts ProjectAlphabetical Name list M - N |
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McKaye, James Morrison Steele
(1842-1894) Letter to Robert Dale Owen in Washington, DC,
asking War Department aid for "Capt. Carpenter of
the Jessie Scouts. He is a man of many adventures and
escapes, beginning at an early day in Kansas, continuing
with John Brown at Harpers Ferry -- and since with
Fremont and others." Owen was a social reformer and
author and "Steele" McKaye was a New York
dramatist, actor and inventor. |
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Receipt for volunteer’s bounty payment of
$10.00 from the Connecticut Paymaster General’s
office. McKenzie enlisted and was mustered-in 22 May 1861
and was discharged on 21 May 1864. Company B was referred
to in this document as "Brooker’s (Captain
Albert F. Brooker of Torrington) siege battery B, Reserve
Artillery." The Museum of The Connecticut
Historical Society owns McKenzie’s artillery jacket. |
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Diary (November 1862-August 1863) kept by
McNaughton; one letter sent to him from friend, Charlie
House, Company B, 16th Connecticut Infantry, dated 1862
September 10; and four letters from friend John J. Gavin,
Company B, 5th Connecticut Infantry, 1861 October 2-March
2. Both Gavin and House were also from Glastonbury. Two
of Gavin’s letters are on 17th Massachusetts
Infantry, Camp Andrew, illustrated letterhead. McNaughton, a married manufacturer,
enlisted 8 September 1862 and was mustered-in on 11
November 1862. He was mustered-out of his nine-months
unit on 26 August 1863. |
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Maxham, G. V. Letter, 3 pp., to Stephen (surname unknown).
This New Haven pastor bids his young friends just off to
war a fond farewell and assures them of his love,
thoughts and prayers. Maxham asks that they measure the
"little finger -- right hand" so that he might
send them a plain gold ring to remind them of his love
and to encourage the continuance of "good
habits." |
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Typescript, 8 pp., "Reminiscences of the
Civil War," written around the turn of the century.
Mayer enlisted and was mustered into the 11th Connecticut
Infantry on 10 March 1862. He was promoted to Surgeon of
the 16th Connecticut Infantry on 9 January 1863. He was
captured with his regiment at Plymouth, NC, on 20 April
1864, was paroled 10 May 1864 and was mustered-out on 24
June 1865. |
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Letters to his daughter, Susan Messenger
(1847-1880), from St. Helena, SC, and Jacksonville, FL.
Messenger enlisted and was mustered-in on 30 October
1863, a substitute for Oscar Sackett of Greenwich. He was
captured on 16 May 1864 at Drewry’s Bluff, VA, and
died in Andersonville on 25 September 1864. These three
letters are very difficult to read due to
Messenger’s spelling and handwriting. Topics include
Union losses in the battle of Olustee, FL, (20 February
1864) and the burned buildings in the once fine city of
Jacksonville; states that African Americans in South
Carolina raise sweet potatoes and peanuts to sell to the
soldiers. He writes, "I am well and in joy my self
well a solgers life is not a farmers giv my lov to the
children tell them to go to the Sabbath scool -- and larn
all they can of the Bibal.... You tell mother [Martha
Barnes Messenger] to git som on to do choers...."
From Jacksonville Messenger writes, "...started from
St Elena we left on the 5 of Febuary for Florady we
landed on the 8 at Jackson city on the St. Jons river....
got whiped bad our loss is varey grat.... Emma [another
daughter] I was glad to hear from you to and the rest.
You said that you went to school I am glad you do I want
you to try to be god children." The Messenger
Family in the Colony of Connecticut (West Hartford,
Conn.: T. B. Simonds, printer, 1963) contains other
interesting details of the military life (including his photograph) and death as
well as the family of Horace H. Messenger. |
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Scrapbook, compiled by Louis Frank Middlebrook
(1866-1937) between 1897-1906, contains two letters
written by his father; collection also contains J. R.
Middlebrook’s letters to his wife "Fifi"
or "Fanny" (Frances Adelia Brinsmade
Middlebrook, b.1834) while in service, 1862-1865.
Middlebrook, a farmer, enlisted on 12 August 1862 and was
mustered-in a Private on 28 August 1862. He was promoted
to Corporal on 30 January 1864 and to Second Lieutenant
on 29 June 1865 (not mustered). By mid-1864 Middlebrook
had transferred to the regimental band. He was
mustered-out on 19 July 1865. Letter of May 10, 1863
describes the battle of Chancellorsville, "Gen
Howard was in command of the Corps & Gen. Devins in
command of the Division & Gen McLean of our
Brigade....we were obliged to run & if we had
remained 5 minutes longer we would have been killed or
taken prisoners.... Capt. Lacey of the 17th C. V. Co. D
has also resigned & goes home tomorrow after having
escaped unharmed in the last & first battle the 17th
has ever been, scarcely a week has rolled over his head
before he resigns & goes back to Conn, what must we
think of such things. The boys do not feel very nice
about it I can assure you..." On July 9, 1863,
Middlebrook writes about the first day of fighting at the
battle of Gettysburg and having only ten men left the
morning of July 2nd, "when we got there they poured
it into us being the Color Co & the wonder is we did
not all fall --" Middlebrook began taking care of
the wounded at the hospital of the 11th Corps in a large
barn, "200 on the first floor where I am & under
the Barn as many more & lots of them in Tents around
outside there are some 80 men in the Barn with legs &
arms off..." And on 13 July 1863 he writes that he
has not been out of sight of the barn since 1 July 1863.
Finally, on 12 July 1865, shortly before his muster-out,
Middlebrook writes from Hilton Head, SC, "Make up
you[r] mind to travel some when we get Home. I think of
going to that place long to be remembered -- Gettysburg
--" |
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Miner, Charles Henry (b.1827) Commonplace book also containing also Miner family coat of arms, biographical records and genealogical charts. The book contains three pages of Miner's thoughts on the Civil War, its causes and England's treatment of the Union, probably written between November 1861 and March 1862. In November 1861 [?] He writes, "Last Tuesday the great naval expedition against the Southerners left Hampton Roads. . . their particular destiny is as yet unknown." In the Spring of 1861 Miner was City Clerk of New London and Clerk of the Police Court, from which latter position he resigned in the Fall of 1862. Miner was also in the dry goods business and writes of his trade during the war. Also contains a letter from Francis T. Miller. |
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Miscellaneous Letters Letters: 1) Letter from D. B. Strahan,
Ottumwa, Iowa, to George Dresser, 20 April 1865 (4 pp.),
discusses news of the current state of political affairs
and the assassination of President Lincoln. 2) Letter
from Mary E. McCoy, New Haven, to Clara P. Smith,
Madison, 8 April 1863 (3 pp.), discusses mutual friends
on the battlefield whom she respects and pities and whom
she believes are fighting "for our liberty."
McCoy also notes the recent State elections. 3) Letter
from Howell W. St. John, West Granby, to William W.
Jones, New Canaan, 25 January 1867 (4 pp.), introduces
Jones to Henry T. Blake of Bridgeport. Jones apparently
had a legal problem with his military discharge papers.
Corporal Jones served with Companies A and B, 13th
Connecticut Infantry, 1861-1865. 4) Letter from John
Turner Wait (b.1811), Norwich, to Alexander Hamilton
Hawley (1804-1887), 1 October 1864 (4 pp.), regarding the
reelection of Lincoln and Wait's own course as a
Presidential elector. 5) Letter from Samuel H. Parsons,
Middletown, to J. H. Trumbull, Hartford [?], 10 October
1864, regarding The Connecticut Historical Society's
acceptance of the sword of Com. McDonough. 6) Letter from
William Alfred Buckingham to Rev. Atwood [?], 11 December
1863, regarding a Chaplain's vacancy in the 16th
Connecticut Infantry. |
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Monteith, James Letter, 1 p., from the Principal of
"Grammar School 17," to an unknown party which
recommends Wilson Berryman, a former pupil of the School
and also a graduate of the "Free Academy,"
probably for a military commission or position. |
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Morris, George P. Letter, 1 p., from the "Home Journal
Office," to General Aaron Ward introducing Colonel
John B. Montgomery, who has "a patriotic and worthy
proposition to make to the 'War Committee' of our
district. . ." |
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Letters sent to Morris from: William Day of
Philadelphia, PA, and Princeton, NJ, who served with the
Pennsylvania Militia for three months during the summer
of 1863 in the "Merchants’ Regiment," and
with the Sanitary Commission in the summer of 1864;
cousin Richard Bliss, Jr. of Springfield, MA, Brunswick,
ME, and Cincinnatti, OH, who served for a time with the
46th Massachusetts Infantry; John K. Goldsmith of
Newburgh, NY; George Coit, a Captain in the 10th
Connecticut Infantry, Company D; D. Wells of Goshen, NY;
Henry Farnum, of Mount Hope, PA; A. M. Hills of Hartford;
and his mother Harriet B. Morris in St. Louis, MO. A. M.
Hills writes on 3 May 1863 that he had heard good news
from General Hooker that day, "but, you know Sunday
news is not always reliable." Richard Bliss, Jr.,
with the 46th Massachusetts Infantry, writes on 12 May
1863, "its hotter’n seven concentrated essences
of Jamaca Ginger so hot -- words fail -- hot hotter
hottentotest -- there I feel relieved." John Morris, an unmarried clerk,
enlisted on 25 August 1862 and was mustered-in on 20
September 1862. He was mustered-out with his nine-months
unit on 7 July 1863. See also following entry.
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Letters from Miners Hill, Falls Church,
Arlington Heights, Hunter’s Chapel, Suffolk,
Nansemond River, West Point, and Yorktown, VA and from
Hartford, CT, Keeseville, NY, Warren, OH and St. Louis,
MO. Collection also includes hand-drawn maps, pen and ink
sketches and notes on the movements of the 22nd
Connecticut Infantry, a nine-months unit. Also included
are six letters to Morris concerning his Bontecou
genealogy, 1881-1886. Morris was a talented amateur
artist and photographer; the Graphics Department of The
Connecticut Historical Society contains some of his
photographs and his sketchbook. Letters of Civil War
interest run from 3 September 1862 to 21 June 1863. See
previous entry for Morris’s record of service. |
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Neptune Fire Engine No. 2 Record book containing a list of officers and
roll of members, listing their name, age and residence.
The final page of the volume contains a "List of
members enlisted in Federal Army," consisting of
thirty-seven names, which records names, lengths of
service and occasionally notes whether the soldier was
subsequently killed (for example, William J. Loomis) or
discharged. |
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New York Engineers Certificate of death from the Army of the
Potomac dated 12 June 1865 for Hiram H. Dimich who died
12 May 1865 and incomplete and undated discharge
certificate for Corporal Elias W. Beach. Both men were
members of Company F. |
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Northend, Charles (1814-1895) Letter to an unknown party recommending Henry
A. Loveland for promotion. Apparently Loveland had been
in service for two years. Northend was a New Britain
educator. |
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Norton, John A. Letter to his sister "Lizzie"
[Elizabeth Norton?] which refers to an election parade
and Connecticut's first three-months regiment. Norton
discloses that he had wished to enlist in Rifle Company
A, 1st Connecticut Infantry, and, in fact, had done so,
but his father objected. "The Company was more than
full so I stayed at home but I did want to go, it was the
first company in the state. Geo. L. Burnham was Cap. But
he is now promoted to Leut. Col. and J. R. Hawley is now
Captain." Norton was working in a shop in Hartford
and noted the business had received an order from the
State for 1,000 overcoats and was therefore running the
tailor's shop night and day, seven days a week. Norton
also mentions Company C, 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery
(originally the 4th Connecticut Infantry), which he noted
was composed of cigar-makers from Suffield, and which he
had sold 400 yards of flannel. Finally, Norton notes
shaking hands with the men of the 6th Massachusetts
Infantry [the unit subsequently attacked by a mob in
Baltimore, MD] as they passed through Hartford at 2 AM;
there were reportedly 2,000 at the depot to greet this
unit as it passed through the city. |
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Norton, S. H. Letter, 4 pp., to A. P. Plant relating his
views on peace and war. Norton, a Democrat, advocates
peace and reconciliation as opposed to continued
fighting. "We are now standing amid the new made
graves of 200,000 northern men . . . the groans of the
wounded and dying fill the very atmosphere." Norton
is for the Union "as it was" and the
Constitution "as it is," upholding the
institution of slavery. He believes "National
bankruptcy stares us in the face," and found the
Republican party unpalatable, tinctured as he felt it was
with "Political Abolitionism." Norton writes,
"This union never could have been formed without
tolerating slavery, and I sincerely believe it never can
be restored without guaranteeing it." |
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Typescript, 17 pp., autobiography,
reminiscences and speeches. Norton, an unmarried farmer, enlisted on 29 August
1861 and was mustered-in on 7 September 1861. He was
discharged on 12 September 1864. Norton worked at the
Savings Bank in Lakeville and in 1870 became its
Treasurer. He married Susan Reid (d.1874) in 1866.
Collection contains: excerpt from 1910 Memorial Day
address regarding the bravery of Salisbury’s women;
excerpt from an address delivered at the dedication of
the monument to the 6th, 7th and 10th Connecticut
Infantry and the 1st Connecticut Light Battery in New
Haven regarding the service of General Joseph R. Hawley;
excerpt from an address made in 1894 regarding the
importance of prayer and church to those who waited at
home while loved ones were away at war. Norton also
writes of his army life. He recalls marching with the
Wide-Awakes and that he wished to join the 5th
Connecticut Infantry but was forbidden by his mother.
Company G was originally referred to as the
"Townsend Rifles." Norton also transcribes
excerpts from his war letters. In October 1861 he wrote,
"if I can kill one rebel before I am popped over, I
shall feel amply repaid for any sacrifice I have or shall
make. All that I can kill over one I shall consider clear
gain." He gives a brief account of a skirmish at
James Island, SC, on 10 June 1862 and of another
engagement which took place there on 16 June 1862. The
7th Connecticut served from 1862 to March 1864 in the
Department of the South, while their last six months of
service (March-September 1864) was as a part of the 10th
Corps, Army of the James. |
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One volume and one folder containing both
handwritten and typescript copy of "Extracts from
letters during the years 1861, ‘62, ‘63, &
‘64," by W. L. Norton, 2 September 1884, then
of Thomaston. Norton, unmarried, enlisted on 9 September 1861 and was
mustered-in on 30 September 1861. He was wounded in the
hand by a spent ball at Deep Bottom, VA, on 14 August
1864 and was discharged on 7 October 1864. |
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Noyes, William Curtis (1805-1864) Letter to Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton in
Washington, DC, recommending Lt. Col. A. J. H. Duganne,
"of the Ironsides Regiment, now at New
Orleans," and his capacity for raising a regiment of
African American troops in the Department of the Gulf.
Also see entry for A. J. H. Duganne. |
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McKenzie, James (1842?-)
McNaughton,
Robert (1834?-)