Primarily correspondence (129 letters) of Illinois farmer and Civil War soldier Carlos W. Colby, written between 1862 and 1865, to his sisters, brother, brother-in-law, and niece, plus a dozen Civil War letters written by Colby’s future brother-in-law James Rowe. Also includes Colby’s reminiscences of his boyhood and his service in the 97th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment, some family correspondence, genealogical material and a few photos.

Letters home, 1862-1863, by Charles W. Gallentine of the 7th Illinois Cavalry, from Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill., Jacinto and Corinth, Miss., Memphis and LaGrange, Tenn., and Lawrence Co., Ala., regarding camp life, skirmishes, men killed and wounded, Southern guerillas, northern Copperheads and the draft, Southern plantations and slave attitudes, Union and Confederate prisoners, etc.

Correspondence of Edward W. Curtis of Massachusetts, a private in the 88th Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. Also includes clippings relating to battles, the life of Federal soldiers, and hospital listings near Nashville, Tennessee.

Nineteen letters from Otis Mason, a sergeant in the Civil War to his Illinois wife, Francema Otis. Twelve letters from various friends and family, and a wedding invitation are also included.

Fifty-five letters and fragments of letters from George Deal, Ohio Union soldier in the Civil War, to his wife Sarah Cole Deal. Also, photographs of Sarah and George Deal, photocopies of army service records, three Confederate bills, and a few genealogical notes made by Deal's grandson.

Collection of 49 letters primarily to Chicago merchant and businessman Harlow Niles Higinbotham from friends, family, and associates during the Civil War.

Correspondence of brothers Henry Patterson and James Patterson, both privates in the 19th Regiment, Iowa Infantry, Company I, during the Civil War. Also includes muster rolls for Henry and his brother James as well as James’ death certificate.

Civil War letters of John C. Fleming, 1862-1865, Chicago enlistee in the Chicago Board of Trade Battery, Horse Artillery, Illinois Volunteers; small collection of Fleming family mementos and letters, 1863-1906, bulk 1900-1906.

Correspondence from Pvt. Beach of the 55th Illinois Infantry, Company G, to his mother describing everyday camp life in La Grange and Memphis, Tenn., Washington, D.C., and Big Shanty [now Kennesaw], Ga.

Twelve letters of John J. Russell of Sterling, Illinois, documenting his service as a sergeant and 2nd lieutenant in Company B of the 13th Illinois Infantry in Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama. Russell writes to his brother, Charles, and sister, Julia, from Rolla, Franklin, and Heetsville, Mo., Vicksburg, Miss., Cairo, Ill., and Bridgeport and Madison Station, Ala. One letter (Dec. 6, 1861) is written on stationery containing a printed vignette portrait of McClellan.

Correspondence from Sgt. Hanlin of the 89th Indiana Infantry, Company E, to his parents and siblings describing camp life and combat during his travels through Indiana, Tennessee, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, and Alabama.

First Lieutenant in the 11th Illinois Cavalry, Company G, who later served as major and aide-de-camp to General James Birdseye McPherson. Includes letters home to family from Brimfield, Peoria County, Illinois, from Camp Benton Barracks, St. Louis, Tennessee, and Louisiana, 1862-1864.

Mainly correspondence of Cameron, Missouri resident Oliver Perry Newberry, 1860-1867, primarily relating to his Civil War service in the Union army; and cabinet, carte-de-visite and a few tintype photographs of Newberry family and friends dating primarily from the 1880's.

Twenty-two letters of Richard Realf to Laura B. Merritt and her sister Marian Merritt Cramer of Chicago, written while in active service in the Illinois Eighty-eighth Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War, 1864-1865. Also, two poems of Realf’s and a poem written by Marian Cramer.

Correspondence from Pvt. Bennett of the 72nd Indiana Mounted Infantry, Company D, written to his father, mother and sisters during his travels through Tennessee and Kentucky.

Letters from Theodore Watson to his brother John in Hillsboro, Illinois, during the early months of the Civil War. Correspondence describes his life as a three-month enlistee in the Illinois 3rd Company (later the Illinois 9th Regiment) stationed at Camp Defiance to defend Cairo, Illinois.

Personal papers and documents related to Sergeant William H. Munroe of the Chicago Mercantile Battery and his father, Henry H. Munroe. Correspondence, discharge papers, and two broadsides related to the war are included along with family obituaries, certificates of professional appointment, letters of reference, a last will and testament, and a patent for rheumatism treatment.

Union soldier who served in Company F, Illinois 84th Volunteer Infantry. Seven letters, dated between Oct. 7, 1862 and Dec. 26, 1863, from Foster to his uncle and possibly his father ("Dear Sir"), describing military life as Foster moves from Louisville, Kentucky to Camp Silver Springs, Tenn., to the hospital in Quincy, Ill., and back to Whiteside Station, Tenn., 20 miles outside of Chattanooga.