Union Navy Manuscript Resources.

compiled by Terry Foenander.

Because of the high literacy rate amongst the soldiers and sailors who fought in the Civil War, we are left with a vast legacy in the way of personal letters, diaries, journals, reminiscences, and even photographs and personal sketches of the servicemen and women. Much of these personal remembrances are now held by libraries, archives, historical societies and other repositories, mainly in the United States, but also in some overseas countries (there were many foreign born Civil War personnel who eventually returned to their homelands, or even migrated to other nations to settle.)

Many of these documents or photographs can be copied at a nominal fee, and on application to the specific source, details can be obtained about the procedure.

It is the intention of this author to include details of as many manuscripts and their sources on this page, relating to the Union Navy, which will hopefully assist others in their search for genealogical or historical information relating to that specific area of research.

The following list is arranged alphabetically by name of the manuscript author, followed, where available, by rank, date range of the holdings, description of the items, and a reference number to the notes at the end of the list, which will specify where the items are held at, and other relevant information. Where possible I have tried to include collection name and reference number. Where items are held at more than one source for a single person, they will be listed separately under the single name. Researchers are urged to contact the appropriate repository for further details.

This list is still under construction, and further details will be added regularly.

Washington A. Bartlett (Colonel, Naval Brigade) 1863. [1]

John S. Chuencey (Captain) 1864. [1]

Charles H. Christopher (Engineer, USS Great Western) 1864. [1]

J.H. Clendaniel (Captain) 1864. [1]

A. Connor (Captain) 1864. [1]

Joseph P. Conthony (Lieutenant) 1863. [1]

Peter H. Cooper (1 volume) 1864-1870. [1]

Joseph C. Coyle (Acting Master) 1863. 2 items. [1]

Thomas T. Craven (Rear Admiral) 1857-1880. 3 items. [1]

John A. Dahlgren (Rear Admiral) 1847-1866. 5 items. [1]

William Dolan, USMC, May 6, 1861-October 31, 1864. Diary aboard USS San Jacinto. [5]

Thomas Doughty (Chief Engineer) 1864. [1]

Theodore B. Dubois (Acting Lieutenant) 1865. 25 items. [1]

Samuel DuPont (Admiral) 1840, 1863. 2 items. [1]

Albert C. Engard (Chief Engineer) 1 volume 1863-1899 including journal of the blockade. [1]

Thomas M. Farrell (Acting Master) 1864. [1]

William Faxon (Chief Clerk, Navy Department) 1863-1866. [1]

John C. Febiger (Lieutenant Commander) 1862. [1]

Walter E.H. Fentress (Acting Master) 1863. [1]

Andrew H. Foote (Rear Admiral) 1848-1863. 5 items. [1]

William C. Foster, Jr. 1864. [1]

Gustavus Vasa Fox (Lieutenant and Assistant Secretary of the Navy) 1860-1864. 4 items. [1]

Jefferson A. French (Lieutenant Commander) 1863. [1]

George W. Frost. USS Fort Donelson. [6]

Thomas Gibson (Acting Master) 1864. [1]

Simson P. Gillette (Lieutenant) 1865. [1]

P.P. Gilmartin (Surgeon) 1864. [1]

Henry A. Glassford (Lieutenant) 1864. [1]

Louis M. Goldsborough (Rear Admiral) 1845-1867. 4 items. [1]

Jason Goudy (Lieutenant) 1863. [1]

Joseph F. Green (Rear Admiral) 1862. [1]

Thomas B. Gregory (Acting Lieutenant) 1864. 2 items. [1]

Matt K. Haines (Acting Ensign) 1864. [1]

James E. Henneberry. Journal and other items, while serving aboard USS Essex. [5]

James F. Holmes (Acting Ensign) 1863. [1]

Joseph Hull (Commodore) 1863-1880. [1]

Jeremiah Irwin (Commodore) 1863. [1]

John Judson 1862. [1]

Louis Ashfield Kimberley, USS Hartford. [5]

David J. King (Acting Master's Mate) 1865. Journal. [1]

James W. King (Chief Engineer) 1864. [1]

James Laning (Lieutenant). Letters, orders, notes and other items while serving in the Mississippi Squadron. [5]

E. Larner (Commander) 1864. [1]

J.P. Laughlin (Master) 1863. [1]

William A. Loffert (Inspector of Ordnance) 1863. [1]

John S. McMillin (Captain, Union steamer Silver Wave) [2]

John B. Montgomery (Commodore) 1863. [1]

George U. Morris. East & West Gulf Blockading Squadron. Manuscripts while serving aboard USS Port Royal and USS Cumberland. [4]

E. McLeod Murphy (Lieutenant) 1863. [1]

A.F. O'Neil (Lieutenant) 1863. [1]

J.B. Packer (Surgeon) 1863. [1]

William A. Parker (Commander) 1864, 1865. 2 items. [1]

Hiram Paulding (Read Admiral) 1858-1866. 3 items. [1]

John Pearce (Lieutenant) 1863. [1]

A.M. Pennock (Fleet Captain) 1863. 2 items. [1]

Alfred Phelps, Jr. (Acting Master) 1864. [1]

David Dixon Porter (Admiral) 1846-1886. 3 volumes and 27 items including logs. [1]

Charles W. Pratt (Acting Master) 1864. [1]

George Henry Preble (Admiral) 1864. [1]

Frederick E. Prince (Captain and Chief Engineer) 1863. [1]

Frank M. Ramsay (Lieutenant Commander) 1863. [1]

Thomas J. Reed (Second Engineer) 1864. [1]

Frederick G. Sampson (Ensign) 1863. [1]

Louis L. Scord 1862. [1]

John Scott (Lieutenant) 1863. [1]

Christopher A. Secor (Navy Yard) 1863. [1]

W.B. Shillito (Ensign) 1863. [1]

Jonah Slocum (Assistant Engineer) 1863. [1]

William F. Spicer (Commander) 1864. [1]

Isaac M. Talmadge (Captain) 1863. [1]

James Taylor (Master) 1864. [1]

Daniel P. Upton (Captain) 1861-1863. 94 items including logs. [1]

John S. Watson 1864. [1]

John Worden [3]

Sources:

[1] Franklin D. Roosevelt Library, 259 Albany Post Road, Hyde Park, NY 12538. Payments accepted by check, money order or VISA and Master Card. Remittances should be made payable to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library. All orders must be prepaid and a mailing address provided for shipping. On credit card orders, provide the name of the card, the card number and expiration date, and a daytime phone number. You will be sent the yellow copy of the credit card slip as your receipt. Document photocopies may be ordered by mail, fax (914-229-0872), telephone (9-4-229-8114), or e-mail (library@roosevelt.nara.gov).

[2] University Library, University Park, Los Angeles, California 90089-0182.

[3] Abraham Lincoln Museum, Lincoln Memorial University, Cumberland Gap Parkway, Harrogate, Tennessee 37752.

[4] Berea College, Hutchins Library, Historical Collections, Berea, Kentucky 40404.

[5] Chicago Historical Society, Clark Street at North Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60614.

[6] Fondren Library, Rice University, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251.

April, 2000.