Civil War Manuscripts Project

Alphabetical Name list M - N

 
     
 

A-B || C || D || E-F || G-H || I-J || K-L || M-N || O-P || Q-R || S-T || U-V || W-X || Y-Z
Index of Names || Index of Regiments || Index by Residence
 
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M
 
 

McKaye, James Morrison Steele (1842-1894)
New York City
Civilian, Male
1863 January 20
1 Item

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.
Location: MS Tracy Collection

 
   
 

McKenzie, James (1842?-)
Private
Derby
First Connecticut Heavy Artilley, Company B
1863 August 19
1 Item

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.
Location: MS Civil War Box I, Folder 4 Heavy Artillery

 
   
 

McNaughton, Robert (1834?-)
Private
Glastonbury
Twenty-Fifth Connecticut Infantry, Company G
1861-1863
6 Items

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.
Detailed Examination
Location: MS 69438

 
   
 

Maxham, G. V.
New Haven
Civilian, Male
1861 October 29-30
1 Item

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."
Location: MS Civil War Box II, Folder 2

 
   
 

Mayer, Nathan
Hartford
Eleventh Connecticut Infantry , Assistant Surgeon
Sixteenth Connecticut Infantry , Surgeon
Undated
1 Item

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.
Detailed Examination
Location: MS 75541

 
   
 

Messenger, Horace Henry (1819-1864)
Private
Greenwich
Seventh Connecticut Infantry, Company I
1863-1864
3 Items

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.
Location: MS 93413, Box I, Folder B

 
   
 

Middlebrook, James Robert (1832-1908)
Second Lieutenant
Trumbull
Seventeenth Connecticut Infantry, Company D
1862-1906
1 Box

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 --"
Location: MS 73139 Box

 
   
 

Miner, Charles Henry (b.1827)
New London
Civilian, Male
1860-1911
1 Volume

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.
Location: MS 85567

 
   
 

Miscellaneous Letters
1863-1867
Six Items

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.
Location: MS

 
   
 

Monteith, James
New York City
Civilian, Male
1864 February 10
1 Item

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.
Location: MS Tracy Collection

 
   
 

Morris, George P.
New York City
Civilian, Male
1862 September 1
1 Item

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. . ."
Location: MS Tracy Collection

 
   
 

Morris, John Emery (1843-1911)
Corporal
Hartford
Twenty-Second Connecticut Infantry, Company B
1858-1872
135 Items

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.
Detailed Examination
Location: MS

 
   
 

Morris, John Emery (1843-1911)
Corporal
Hartford
Twenty-Second Connecticut Infantry, Company B
1862 September 3-1863 November 16
70 Items

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.
Location: MS 74033

 
     
 
N
 
 

Neptune Fire Engine No. 2
Hartford
1861-1864
1 Volume

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.
Location: MS 76485

 
   
 

New York Engineers
Fiftieth Regiment, Company F
1865 June 12
2 items

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.
Location: MS Civil War Box I, Folder 15

 
   
 

Northend, Charles (1814-1895)
New Britain
Civilian, Male
1863 September 26
1 Item

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.
Location: MS Tracy Collection

 
   
 

Norton, John A.
Hartford
Civilian, Male
1861 May 1
1 Item

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.
Location: MS 65047

 
   
 

Norton, S. H.
Plantsville
Civilian, Male
1863 February 21
1 Item

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."
Location: MS 72622

 
   
 

Norton, Thomas L. (b.1842)
Private
Salisbury/Lakeville
Seventh Connecticut Infantry, Company G
1913
1 Item

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.
Location: MS

 
   
 

Norton, William L. (1842?-)
Corporal
Manchester
Tenth Connecticut Infantry, Company B
1884 September 2
2 Items

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.
Location: MS 88894

 
 
 

Noyes, William Curtis (1805-1864)
New York City
Civilian, Male
1863 March 19
1 Item

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.
Location: MS Tracy Collection