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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC02161.085 |
| From Archive Folder | Collection of Orville S. Dewey |
| Title | Orville S. Dewey to Mary "Mollie" McLean about the irony of Independence Day in a divided country |
| Date | 5 July 1863 |
| Author | Dewey, Orville S. (1861-1902) |
| Recipient | McLean, Mary "Mollie" |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | He mentions the irony of celebrating Independence Day when they are no longer a unified country. They are having bad luck with officers and cannot afford to lose any more. He saw Henry Hale. |
| Subjects | Soldier's Letter Military History Civil War Union Forces Union Soldier's Letter Fourth of July Holidays and Celebrations |
| People | Dewey, Orville (fl. 1852-1901) |
| Place written | Camp Barry, Washington, D.C. |
| Theme | The American Civil War |
| Sub-collection | Papers and Images of the American Civil War |
| Additional Information | Nicknamed "Tom" by his family and coming from Buffalo, Dewey served in the army of the Potomac, primarily in Washington at an instructional camp. Many of the letters are addressed to his sister Mary "Mollie" McLean. Dewey stayed in the Army after the war and died of yellow fever in New Orleans during an epidemic only 5 months after re-enlisting in 1867. The collection includes mention of the Petersburg campaign (1864), and includes a carte de visite (unsigned) of Colonel J.P. Gould, who led the 54th Mass. (Colored) Regt., and of his commander William Brewster. Partial inventory available. Organization: 1) letters 1861-1862 Penninsula campaign, 2) letters 1863 (instructional camp, Pennsylvania), 3) letters 1864 Grant's Petersburg campaign, 4) postwar letters 1865, 1867, 1869 (including 5/26/1867 ALS from Texas mentioning Custer), 5) miscellaneous: 2 cartes de visite with 1/23/1861 ALS and 3/27/1864 ALS with lock of hair, 6) documents relating to his commissioning and re-enlistment, and the death of his brother-in-law William McLean, member of Custer's 5th Cavalry, 7) Dewey family papers, including deeds and some letters, 8) Dewey's diary for 1864, with small photos of commanders pasted into front pastedown. Includes 176 letters, 4 certificates, 1 telegram, 1 diary, 1 page of calculations, 37 envelopes, 3 carte de visites and 1 lock of hair. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |
| Civil War: Recipient Relationship | Sister |
| Civil War: Theater of War | Main Eastern Theater |
| Civil War: Unit | 27th New York Volunteer Battery |