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Civil War Collection

Collection, Ms B15

1861 – 1889
Fairfield Museum
This subject collection was created in 1986 by accumulating gifts from a number of donors, along with printed documents and Fairfield Town Records that were gathered by Historical Society staff or given by unknown donors. It has been added to over time as items were collected.
The collection consists of letters from soldiers to their families, muster and bounty receipts, and commemorative items relating the activities of and reactions to the Civil War. Letters and other military papers are organized into series alphabetically by soldier's name. The most complete series of letters (Series B) are from William W. Disoway of New York who was killed in battle October 13, 1863. In addition to letters to his family, William's papers include a letter sent by his Captain to his parents notifying them of his death; a resolution on his service from officers of his regiment; and letters of condolence to his family. Several of the items are accompanied by wrappers with notes presumably written by his mother, mourning the loss of her son. There are also pen and ink drawings of scenes from the war, including "William's tent," and copes of a card de visite William had made before his death. William also served as a judge advocate, as evidenced by copies of court-martial proceedings.

Other letter-writing soldiers include Walter Abbe of the 37th Regiment, New York Militia (Series A); Sergeant George Hale of Westport (Series D) and Corporal Allen Smith of Ridgefield (Series E) who served in the 17th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers; and Captain George Staff (Series F) of the 104th Regiment, New York Volunteers. The discharge certificate, 1863, of M.V.B. Bunham (later doctor of Greenfield Hill) from the 43rd Regiment, Massachusetts Volunteers, in in Series C. Two passes issued to Frederick Sturges in 1861 constitute Series G. Assorted correspondence and legal documents, including a parole, a discharge, and pension records are organized chronologically in Series H, along with photocopies of letters written by George E. Northrop to his parents in Southport between 1861-1863. Series L consists of the 1865 discharge papers of Frank Burr from Co. C, 2nd Regiment New York Artillery Volunteers. A leather-bound diary kept by Private Levi French of Co. D, 23rd Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers in 1863 while with Major General Nathaniel Banks' expedition, Commander of the Department of the Gulf, is Series M.

Fairfield Town Records related to the Civil War include correspondence to and from town selectmen, pay vouchers, draft notices, the appointment of an extra postmaster, muster receipts, and bounty receipts, 1862-1864. These documents are arranged in Series I. Series J encompasses reunion programs and songs honoring the 17th Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers, and a handwritten copy of John H. Glover's speech at the Fairfield reunion in 1883. The original is extremely fragile. Researchers are asked to use the photocopy.

Commemorative and published items not associated with a specific person are organized in Series K. Among these materials are commemorative envelopes; a newspaper from Mobile, Alabama, 1862, and the New York Herald issue announcing President Lincoln's assassination in 1865; and printed documents related to the draft. Of interest is a list of corps, evidently part of the Corps of Engineers, with hand-drawn and -colored symbols for the three divisions within each corps. The artist is anonymous.

Oversized items stored in the flat files include a Solders Memorial, 1st Regiment Connecticut Cavalry, 1864; muster list of the 2d Connecticut Light Battery, 1862; and an illustrated certificate of George C. Short's activities in the U.S. Navy.
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