The College's Special Collections last week received a gift of 150 letters and documents from Civil War officer William Butler of the 69th Regiment NYSNG Artillery, a division composed of Irish immigrants.
The documents, mostly letters home to Butler's family, date from 1859 to 1864.
They were donated to the College by Gioia Ottaviano, a longtime member of UCALL and a distant relative of Butler. She said she found them wrapped in a pillowcase in a relative's attic, along with Butler's sword.
Butler's letters give an excellent detailed account of the day-to-day affairs of military life: troop movement; guard and drill duty; repetitive concerns about pay; frequent requests for liquor, money and clothes; and the suspense of impending battle.
Butler, himself an Irish immigrant, joined the regiment in 1859. He fought mostly in Virginia, and suffered wounds in June 1864 that led to his death a few months later.
“This will be useful for students – especially in the History 100 class — who want to use primary source material for their research,” said Ellen Fladger, head of special collections.
Among the entries:
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April 13, 1863: “… we expect to be attacked tonight or early tomorrow by 25 or 30,000 men …our legions are in front of the Regiment most exposed but our men are confident of success.”
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April 19, 1863: “We are yet in suspense. There is a good deal of artillery and picket firing going on. Our pickets trying to keep their ground and the enemy trying to drive them back …”
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May 5, 1863: “… after three weeks watching, digging and fighting the rebels, had to withdraw losing many men …”
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May 8, 1863: “A flag of truce was recognized from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. last night for the purpose of burying the dead and bringing in the wounded.”
