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Letter, Near Vicksburg, (Vicksburg surrenders, sending pay), July 6, 1863

 File — Box: 1, Folder: 26

Scope and Content of the Collection

From the Collection:

Fifty-five letters and fragments of letters from George Deal to his wife Sarah Cole Deal, written for apparently illiterate Deal by several individuals.

Written from Camp Dennison, Ohio, Lake Providence, La., Memphis, Tenn., Vicksburg, Miss., and Atlanta, Ga., the letters briefly describe camp life, the scenery as his regiment moves south, his health and his concerns about army pay and his family's welfare. He frequently sent home advice to his wife on how to feed herself and her children while struggling to pay for lodging. The letters show the low level of literacy among those Deal depended on to write for him. Some lettersheets contain printed vignettes and many are accompanied by envelopes. Also, portrait photographs of Sarah and George Deal, photocopies of army service records requested in 1975 by Deal's grandson, James L. Young in 1975, three Confederate bills and few genealogical notes regarding the Young family. See the information file for letter transcriptions, available in Special Collections.

Dates

  • Creation: July 6, 1863

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The George Deal Papers are open for research in the Special Collections Reading Room; 5 folders at a time maximum (Priority II).

Repository Details

Part of the The Newberry Library - Modern Manuscripts and Archives Repository

Contact:
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Chicago Illinois 60610 United States
312-255-3512