By Camilla Stegall, MS student in Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Civil War Metadata Assistant at Ohio University Libraries during the spring 2023 semester.
These past few months I’ve had the amazing opportunity to work remotely as the Civil War Metadata Assistant with the Civil War Correspondence Digital Archive at the Mahn Center for Archives and Special Collections. This temporary position was funded by a LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) Metadata Mini-grant offered by the State Library of Ohio in conjunction with the Ohio Digital Network.
These letters, from soldiers, surgeons, and their families, reflect the breadth of the Ohioan Civil War experience. In this post, I’ll give an overview of the metadata project, some of my favorite letters and stories that I came across, and how you can navigate the collection.
Metadata?
First, you might be thinking, what is metadata? In a common explanation, metadata is data about data. For a letter, this metadata includes who wrote it, who received it, when it was written, where it was written, and (where this project comes in) who/what it is about. All this information is included in the “Object Description” underneath all the items in the Civil War Correspondence collections. There are also terms called “Subject-LCSH” and “Named subject-LCSH.” This refers to “Library of Congress Subject Headings” which are used to identify subjects in a resource, in this case the letters.
You can search by these terms in the search box in the collection. Or, if you’ve read one letter and are now interested in reading all the letters in the collection about the Battle of Chickamauga (Chickamauga, Battle of, Ga., 1863), or agriculture in Ohio (Agriculture — Ohio), or even a person, such as Charles Henry Grosvenor, namesake of Grosvenor Hall, (Grosvenor, Charles Henry, 1833-1917), all you have to do is click that heading and all those letters will appear.
This project not only identified all the subjects in these letters, but particularly noted the history of African Americans, women, and politics hidden inside these letters.
Black Camp Workers – Maria and Joe
Dr. William Parker Johnson was a surgeon from Athens who served in the 18th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment. Most of the letters in his collection are to his wife, Julia, and sometimes to his daughter, Adela (affectionately called Addie). In his September 9, 1862, letter to Julia, he mentions that there are now Black workers in the camp and he refers to them as “Contraband.” “Contraband,” in this sense, was a term used during the Civil War to refer to enslaved persons seeking freedom who went to the Union lines to attain freedom. In 1863, Julia came to visit Johnson and befriended some of the workers. After returning home, she sent them gifts. In Johnson’s June 6, 1863, letter recounting their reactions to the gifts, we learn some of their names, including Maria and Joe. Maria worked as a cook and often made bread for Johnson. Joe kept Johnson’s horse alive during the Siege of Chattanooga by pulling grass from the fence posts. Julia asked Johnson to see if Joe would come back to Ohio to work for them. Joe was “very much pleased.” He shared in Johnson’s anxiety about returning home as their leave of absence was delayed. It is uncertain if Joe did come back to Ohio to work for the Johnsons. To see all the letters about Maria and Joe, search Maria (cook) and Joe (aide).
Other letters about the African-American experience in these collections can be found by searching or clicking these links: African Americans; United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865 — African Americans ; African American women;
Politics: Soldiers views on 1863 Ohio Governor Candidate Clement Vallandigham
The focus on political history allows for insight into soldiers’ political views. The Civil War had its supporters and its opponents. Well-known opponents of the war were the Peace Democrats, known as “Copperheads.” They did not support the war effort nor emancipation and even encouraged desertion. “Copperhead,” in reference to the snake, was initially used by Ohio Republicans to attack these anti-war Democrats. However, by the 1863 Gubernatorial election, the Peace Democrats used it to describe themselves and wore copper badges. While this was a minority movement, it had strength in “Butternut” (Midwesterners with Southern ties) sections of the Midwest, including in southern Ohio. Clement Vallandigham, a Copperhead, was a prominent politician from Ohio. He ran for governor of Ohio in 1863 against John Brough, who represented the Union Party, a mixture of Republicans and pro-war Democrats. Both Dr. Johnson and Joseph Aplin Martin were in Chattanooga, Tennessee, during the 1863 Gubernatorial election. Here are their views on Vallandigham.
Johnson wrote to his wife, Julia, on October 11 “…I do think that the election of Vallandigham would be a great calamity far more discouraging than the loss of a great battle. I can not however think there is any doubts of the triumphant election of Brough. I think the soldiers vote will be almost unanimous for him.”
Martin, in this letter to his mother, Eleanor, on October 16 confirms Johnsons belief:
we had our Election Tuesday old Vallandigham got just one vote in our Regt and that man could neither read nor write he belongs to Co G some of the boys asked him if there had been a jack Ass put up on the Democratic Ticket if he would have voted for him he said he would but I guess that the Soldiers vote was not needed to Elect Brough there was a Telegram Received last night Stating that Brough received thirty thousand Majority among the Citizens the poor Miserable followers of Val will now have to Sneak into their holes & they had better stay there if ever we get home for me we hate them worse than we do the ones that are out in front of us Armed and ready to fight us.
As might be expected from reading these letters, John Brough won the 1863 Ohio Gubernatorial election by a landslide. Coincidentally, Brough has Ohio University ties – he studied at OHIO and had a dorm building named after him.
If you would like to read more about the Copperheads, Clement Vallandigham, or the 1863 election search Copperhead movement; Vallandigham, Clement L. (Clement Laird), 1820-1871 ; Brough, John, 1811-1865; Governors — Election ; Ohio — Politics and government — 1861-1865
Women on the Home Front
Studying women on the Civil War home front can be challenging. Correspondence collections often contain mostly (or only) letters from the men. It was easier for women at home to keep their letters safe as opposed to men on the move and in battle. (A tragic example of this is a blood-stained poem written by William McKnight which was found when he was killed at the Battle of Cynthiana in 1864.) We can learn about some of the activities of women at home through their loved ones’ letters. Some of these reflect the impact of the war; others show how normal aspects of life continued.
Julia Johnson, wife of Dr. Johnson, went to a war meeting on the Ohio University College Green. Sarah Elizabeth McDonald, wife of William McDonald, attended a wool pulling. Their 2-year-old daughter, Martha McDonald, was still upset she was punished for biting her sister, Mary Jane.
Some letters from women survived, especially those sent to other family members at home. The August 25, 1864, letter from Alice J. Martin to her Aunt Eleanor Kelly after the death of her cousin, Joseph Aplin Martin, reflects the devastating effects the war had on women.
I received your letter containing the sad news of Cousin Aplin’s death I expected to hear that he was wounded but did’nt [sic] think of him being dead. Oh how hard it was to think that in a few days he would have been at home. I think it is worse than if he had been killed on the battle field for that is what we expect when they go away how sad it is to think of him dying away from home [paper torn] strangers with no mother or [paper torn] friends to nurse and wait on him but such is war. Oh how many homes have been made desolate by this cruel war and I fear many many more will be made so before it close. . . Father went out to [paper torn-but most likely Indiana] in harvest he was gone about [paper torn] weeks he brought Samuels wife and two little girls home with him. I suppose they will stay with us until Samuel comes back if ever he does. we are all at home now which makes a pretty large family of women especially. I dont know what we will do if things keeps on getting higher they will be out of the reach of common people it looks pretty dark looking just now but we will hope for better soon.
Women lost their beloved sons, husbands, fathers, brothers, friends, and cousins. Women whose husbands went to war often kept their farms running or, like Samuel S. Martin’s wife, Sarah (called Sallie), moved in with family until their husbands returned.
You can search or click: Wives — Ohio ; Mothers of soldiers — Ohio ; United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865 — Women ; Rural women ; Widows ; Families of military personnel — Ohio; Children of military personnel — Ohio to find more letters about/from women. Try searching without “– Ohio” to find more letters – ex: Families of military personnel
For more information about women’s lives on the Midwestern home front see: Union Heartland: The Midwestern Home Front during the Civil War
Other interesting things and headings
During the Civil War soldiers spent a lot of time…waiting. There are numerous stories of interactions between Confederate and Union troops on guard duty. In his October 29, 1863, letter Martin recounts that trading newspapers with the Confederates was so common that a Union soldier used it as a means of escape:
I will tell you of a trick one of the Yankees played on them a few days ago he [paper torn] out Scouting and came on the Rebel before he knew it he was in a bad fix but he told them that he came over to see if they could change papers they told him of course they would he then said he would go back and get one but when he got back to our own lines he was safe and he knew it so he did not go back.
To find letters that talked about the general aspects of life in the army search: United States. Army — Military life ; United States. Army — Guard duty ; Military camps ; or a specific camp: Camp Dennison (Ohio) . Letters that describe soldiers interactions with civilians can be found here: United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865 — Social aspects
Dr. Josiah L. Brown was a prisoner at Libby Prison (Libby Prison), a Confederate prison for Union officers in Richmond, Virginia. He wrote multiple short letters to his wife, Mary, and their daughters, including this one. For more about prisoners see: United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865 — Prisoners and prisons
Many letters refer to John Hunt Morgan’s Ohio Raid in 1863 (Morgan’s Ohio raid, 1863 ; Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864). Samaria McKnight had a front row seat when Morgan stayed in her house. Her husband, William, was not pleased:
But one thing sertain [sic] if I had thought you were going to accomodate [sic] Rebs in my House I would have been there to accomodate [sic] him to a dose of lead the infamous thieving hounds of h—l. It makes my Blood boil to think that they were mean enough to impose their dirty Pictures on a poor defenceless [sic] helpless Family and what hurts me the worst is that for all we were goten [sic] up expresty [sic] for the Protection of our Homes we were absent and our homes disgraced and Country overund [sic] and destruction spread far and wide. Well its all come right I hope yet I should have been there had I been permitted to come but its al [sic] for the better I hope.
This is just a glimpse into the variety of stories contained in the Civil War Correspondence Digital Archive. There are a couple more types of headings that might be helpful for your research. You can search by particular Regiment, example: United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 56th (1861-1866) ; a search for United States — History — Civil War, 1861-1865 — Health aspects brings up disease, wounds, and hospitals; and searching a location, like Nashville (Tenn.) , as a subject will give you letters that discuss that place.
Again, much thanks to the State Library of Ohio for the Metadata Mini-Grant that enabled this project to happen. All items from the Civil War Correspondence collection will be available in the Ohio Digital Network and the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA).
I hope this overview helps you to navigate the subject access in the Civil War Correspondence Digital Archive and to find information for your research!