Manuscript Division William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection

William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS83434

Scope and Content Note

The William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection spans the years 1773-1987 with the bulk of material dating from the Civil War period, 1861-1865. The collection consists of correspondence, pay vouchers, orders, muster rolls, enlistment and discharge papers, receipts, contracts, affidavits, tax records, miscellaneous military documents, and printed matter. Most items document African Americans in military service, especially the United States Corps d'Afrique and the United States Colored Troops, which were organized during the Civil War. Also included are many documents concerned with slavery and various Civil War documents that mention African Americans. Revolutionary War items are primarily pay vouchers to Connecticut blacks who served in the Continental Army. Printed matter includes nineteenth century speeches and writings on slavery, government orders, broadsides, and twentieth-century booklets and journal articles for scholars or collectors.

Dates

Creation: 1773-1987
Creation: Majority of material found within 1861-1865

Language of Materials

Collection material in English

Access and Restrictions

The collection is open to research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these items for research use.

Copyright Status

The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of the William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S.C.).

Extent

500 items
5 containers
4 oversize
3.6 linear feet

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Additional Description

Abstract

Correspondence, pay vouchers, orders, muster rolls, enlistment and discharge papers, receipts, contracts, affidavits, tax records, miscellaneous military documents, and printed material documenting African Americans in military service, with the bulk concerning the Civil War service of the United States Corps d'Afrique (organized in 1863 and renamed United States Colored Troops in 1864).

Arrangement of the Papers

The collection has been kept in the numerical order established by Gladstone. The order is not topical or chronological. Oversize materials have been removed and placed in separate containers, though their original numeric order has been retained.

Catalog Record

https://lccn.loc.gov/mm96083434

Acquisition Information

The William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection was purchased by the Library of Congress from Gladstone in 1995. Textual material was transferred to the Manuscript Division from the Prints and Photographs Division which retained the remainder of the collection.

Online Content

The William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection is available on the Library of Congress website at https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.mss/collmss.ms000062. To promote preservation of the originals, researchers are required to consult the online edition as available. A transcription dataset from the William A. Gladstone Afro-American Military Collection is available online at https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gdc/gdcdatasets.2021387727.