Inventory of the Emmanuel Peter Papers , 1861-1865 #Mss. Acc. 2001.1

Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary

Special Collections
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia 23187-8794
USA
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Email: spcoll@wm.edu
URL: http://swem.wm.edu/scrc/

Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Bradley Glasebrook

Administrative Information

Restrictions on Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Publication Rights/Restrictions on Use

Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred Citation

Emmanuel Peter Papers, Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 2001.

Alternative Form

Transcripts of the letters are available.

Biographical/Historical Information

Emmanuel Peter and his brother Franklin Peter served in the 49th Pennsylvania Volunteers. Franklin Peter was mortally wounded June 1, 1864. Emmanuel was wounded slightly and returned to service.

Scope and Content Information

Letters from Civil War camps near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C. and in Virginia (Fairfax, Chickahominy, Warwick County, Harrison's Landing, Berryville, Belle Plain, White Oak Church, Rappahannock River, Brandy Station, Petersburg [Weldon Railroad, Fort Hell, i.e., Fort Sedgwick, Fort Wadsworth], Harper's Ferry, Winchester, Middletown, and Richmond) and Maryland (Hagerstown and Fort Gaines) to his family.

Letters to father Jacob Peter as well as to other family members from Emmanuel Peter but includes letters of his brother Franklin Peter, also serving in the 49th Pennsylvania Volunteers. Includes letters of Orlando Bingman concerning the death of Franklin Peter.

Subjects include camp life and the Third Battle of Winchester as well as skirmishes near Rappahannock Station and Petersburg.

Arrangement

Organization

Collection is divided into series by dates. The last series are transcripts.

Arrangement

Collection is arranged chronologically.

Index Terms

Persons

Bingman, Orlando
Peter, Emmanuel
Peter, Franklin
Peter, Jacob

Subjects

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Camp life.
United States. Army. Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, 49th.
Winchester (Va.), 3rd Battle of, 1864.

Contents List

Letters, September 5, 1861-May 16, 1862.

Folder 1

9 items.

Folder 1
Emmanuel Peter, Harrisburg, [Pennsylvania], 5 September, 1861.
Folder 1
Emmanuel Peter, 26 September 1861.

Washington City [D.C.]
Folder 1
Emanuel and Franklin Peter, Fairfax County, Virginia, 31 September 1861.
Folder 1
Emmanuel Peter, 9 December 1861.
Folder 1
Emmanuel Peter, 4 February 1862.
Folder 1
Emmanuel Peter, Chickahominy, 29? March 1862.
Folder 1
Emmanuel Peter, Warwick County nr. [Worktown?], 14 April 1862.
Folder 1
Emmanuel Peter, 16 May 1862.

Battle of 5 May. Franklin's illness.

Letters, July 17, 1862-November 9, 1863.

Folder 2

10 items.

Folder 2
To Reuben Klose, 17 July 1862.
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter to Christian Gross, Camp nr. Harrison's Landing, 3 August 1862.
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter, 8 October 1862.

Needs boots and shirts. No blankets. Cold at night.
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter, Camp nr. Bell Plains, 8 December 1862.
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter, Camp 49 in the woods, 21 January 1863.

Bears drawing of soldier and flag.
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter, Camp White Oak Church, 23 February 1863.

Franklin is on provoguard duty. "This thing of killing people I would not mind quitting for a while as we have been engadged [sic] in it for allmost [sic] two years."
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter, Camp on Bank of Rappahannock River, 30 April 1863.

Yesterday morning's fight.
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter To Matilda (Sarah M. Peter), 15 November 1863.

Battle 7 November Rappahannock Station.
Folder 2
Emmanuel Peter, 19 November 1863.

Letters, 21 November 1863 - August 9, 1864.

Folder 3

Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter, 21 November 1863.

Battle nr. Rappahannock Station.
Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter To Matilda (Sarah M. Peter), Camp nr. Brandy Station, 4 December 1863.

Fight on other side of Rapidan.
Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter, 11 December 1863.
Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter To Amanda, Camp nr. Brandy Station, 17 February 1864.
Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter, 21 April 1864.
Folder 3
From Orlando Bingman, 25 June 1864.

Wounding of Franklin and Emmanuel. Death of Franklin. Franklin wounded June 1. Died June 8.
Folder 3
From Orlando Bingman, 24 July 1864.

Franklin's pay.
Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter, Camp nr. Fort Gaines, Maryland, 24 July 1864.

Wounded in ear and was at hospital in Baltimore.
Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter, Camp near Forte [sic] Gaines, 26 July 1864.
Folder 3
Emmanuel Peter, Camp near Harper's Ferry, 9 August 1864.

$1.00 for my brother James Willson.

Letters, August 24, 1864-December 17, 1864.

Folder 4

8 items.

Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, Camp nr. Harper's Ferry, Virginia, 27 August 1864.

Fighting here last Sunday and everyday since. 49th not involved. Comments on Lincoln.
Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, On picket duty near Berryville, 18 September 1864.
Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, Camp at Winchester, 7 October 1864.

Describes battle on 19th September (Third Battle of Winchester).
Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, Winchester, Virginia, 26 October 1864.

Fight on October 19, 1864. New flag for bravery at Winchester. Accused others of being copperheads
Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, Camp nr. Middletown, Virginia, 6 November 1864.
Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, 3 December 1864.

On move from Winchester to Washington to Fortress Monroe (on board boat in Chesapeake Bay).
Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, Camp near Forte [sic] Wadsworth. To sister Amanda, 6 December 1864.
Folder 4
Emmanuel Peter, Nr. Fort Hell [Fort Sedgwick], Virginia, 17 December 1864.

Letters, December 28, 1864-June 3, 1865.

Folder 5

9 items.

Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, Nr. Fort Wadsworth, 28 December 1864.

News of Sherman's success. "I could show you the bones of soldiers that were killed and never was buried and I can tell you it looks pretty hard." Tell me news of Snyder County. Lists members of his immediate family.
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, 14 January 1865.

Sends 13 photographs including his Colonel who was killed in the Battle of the Wilderness.
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, Camp at Weldon Railroad, 2 February 1865.
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, Weldon Railroad, 19 February 1865.
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, 5 March 1865.
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, 17 March 1865.

Cartes-de-visite.
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, 6 May 1865.

Marched 130 miles in 4 days and we fought 2 hard battles at close of war. Brother Edward paying for a substitute is cowardly.
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, 21 May 1865.

[Richmond].
Folder 5
Emmanuel Peter, nr. Washington City, 3 June 1865.