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Milton Barnes papers, C0065, Special Collections and Archives, George Mason University Libraries.
Mrs. Kathryn Barnes, and her sons James A. Barnes and C. Cortlandt Barnes donated the Milton Barnes Papers to George Mason University in 1975. Mrs. Barnes is the widow of a direct descendant of Milton and Rhoda Barnes.
Processed and transcribed by Daniel Shumate and Robert Hawkes of George Mason University. EAD markup completed by Eron Ackerman and Jordan Patty in April 2009. Updated by Greta Kuriger in July 2011.
Milton Barnes was a recently married lawyer in Cambridge, Ohio, when the Civil War began. He served first as a captain, commanding G Company of the 62nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment. This unit participated in the first Federal invasion of the Shenandoah Valley in the spring of 1862. When the 62nd Ohio was transferred to the Rappahannock in mid-1862, Captain Barnes was discharged on medical grounds and returned briefly to Cambridge, Ohio.
Later in 1862 he obtained an appointment as lieutenant colonel of the 97th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment and served as its deputy commander and often-acting commander until mustered out in June 1865. Lieutenant Colonel Barnes fought with the 97th Ohio in major engagements in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Georgia until wounded at Kennesaw Mountain, Georgia, in June 1864. He returned to the field in time to take part in the defense of Tennessee against the Confederate re-invasion and was again wounded at Nashville, Tennessee in December 1864. The remainder of his and the 97th Ohio's service was on provost duty at Huntsville, Alabama, and in the East Tennessee mountains on guard against a last possible threat from the failing Confederates in Virginia.
His war letters include first-hand accounts of several battles, notably Stones River (Murfreesboro) and Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga, as well as, details of ordinary life on campaign and in camp. The occasional gaps in the correspondence were mostly the result of several campaigning which left no time for writing. His wife's letters include political news and comments as well as family matters.
After the war, Barnes resumed law practice in Cambridge. In 1867 he was brevetted Colonel in the Volunteer Force, AUS, to date from March 13, 1865 for "gallant and meritorious service" in the war. He was elected Secretary of State for Ohio for two terms (1877-1881) and later served for a year (1891-1892) as special Treasury Agent for Alaska. A lengthy account of his arrival and duties at St. George Island in the Bering Sea is included in the collection.
This collection contains two hundred items, mostly correspondence between Milton and Rhoda Barnes during the Civil War. The remainder of the collection consists of documents concerning Milton Barnes as Secretary of State, Rhoda Barnes, and photographs of both.
Organized by date.
Special Collections and Archives also holds the Alexander Haight Civil War collection.
West Academy - ALS, 4 pages
Camp Goddard, Ohio - ALS, 1 page
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Camp Kelley, Ohio - ALS, 3 pages
Winchester, Virginia - ALS, 4 pages
Strasburg, Virginia - ALS, 4 pages
Woodstock, Virginia - ALS, 4 pages
New Market, Virginia - ALS, 3 pages
New Market, Virginia - ALS, 4 pages
New Market, Virginia - ALS, 4 pages
Harrisonburg, Virginia - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Covington, Kentucky - ALS, 1 page
Covington, Kentucky - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Covington, Kentucky - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 6 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Louisville, Kentucky - ALS, 4 pages
Louisville, Kentucky - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Louisville, Kentucky - ALS, 3 pages
ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Danville, Kentucky - ALS, 6 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
ALS, 8 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
ALS, 3 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
ALS, 4 pages
Silver Springs, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 6 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 5 pages
Murfeesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 12 pages (enclosed in letter dated January 10)
Murfeesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
ALS, 3 pages
Columbus, Ohio - ALS, 8 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
ALS, 2 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Murfreesboro, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Pelham, Tennessee - ALS, 6 pages
Pelham, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Hickory, Pennsylvania - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 6 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 8 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 6 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Chattanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 6 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 6 pages
Knoxville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Knoxville, Tennessee - ALS, 8 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Charlestown, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Charlestown, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Charlestown, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Kingston, Georgia - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cincinnati, Ohio - ALS, 3 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cincinnati, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cincinnati, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cincinnati, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cincinnati, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Barnesville, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Barnesville, Ohio - ALS, 8 pages
Franklin, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Pulaski, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Pulaski, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 8 pages
ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 2 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 2 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
ALS, 2 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 6 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 8 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Huntsville, Alabama - ALS, 4 pages
ALS, 4 pages
Bull's Gap, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Blue Springs, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 8 pages
Blue Springs, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Blue Springs, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 6 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 8 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 3 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 2 pages
Nashville, Tennessee - ALS, 4 pages
Telegram, handwritten, 1 page
Cambridge, Ohio - ALS, 4 pages
Chatanooga, Tennessee - ALS, 1 page
St. George's Island, Behring Sea - ALS, 9 pages
ALS, 4 pages
Steubenville, Ohio - report card for the quarter from November 1, 1852 - January 15, 1853
New Concord, Ohio - graduation commencement program
Official commission form signed by Ohio Governor David Tod and Adjudant General of Ohio, Charles W. Hill
Signed by Milton Barnes; report indicates 1 person enlisted (and 1 "disposable") between March 10th - 20th
Columbus, Ohio - short note indicating that armies arrived safely
Anonymous, 1 page
Columbus, Ohio - Reception date is December 8, 1879
Columbus, Ohio - Dinner date is December 12, 1879
Columbus, Ohio - Reception and Dress Hop date is December 12, 1879 at 8:30 PM
Cambridge, Ohio
Recipient unidentified, 2 pages
Typescript not arranged chronologically
Typescript not arranged chronologically
Typescript not arranged chronologically