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Preferred Citation:

William H. Allen Letter to J. Frederick Pierson, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Acc. 2014.132 was received by Special Collections in August 2014.

Processing Information:

Accessioned and minimally described by Steven Bookman, University Archives Specialist, in October 2014.

Biographical Information:

William H. Allen enlisted at 38 as a Colonel in New York, New York in May 1861 and was cashiered in September 1861 for disobeying orders and burning property in violation of orders.

Scope and Contents

Letter written from Camp Hamilton (or Fort Monroe) by Col. William H. Allen, 1st New York Infantry, to Captain J. Frederick Pierson regarding the arrest of a husband and wife on suspicion of treason. The following is a transcription of the letter: "You will at once proceed to the residence of Mr. Mussey residing within these lines & search his house and arrest himself and wife or any others whom you may have just cause to suspect of conveying information to the enemy".

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Fort Monroe (Va.)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
• Letters (correspondence)
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Destruction and pillage