Clemens L. Clendenen Civil War correspondence 2023.004.wc.r

Andrew Harman

Center for American War Letters Archives

1/4/2023

Leatherby Libraries

Chapman University

Orange, CA 92866

speccoll@chapman.edu

URL: http://www1.chapman.edu/library/archives/

Contributing Institution: Center for American War Letters Archives

Title: Clemens L. Clendenen Civil War correspondence

Identifier/Call Number: 2023.004.wc.r

Physical Description: 0.01 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Date (inclusive): 1863 November 24 - 1864 April 9

Abstract: This collection contains three photocopied letters, and one transcription of one of the letters, from Clemens Laird Clendenen to his wife and aunt during the Civil War.

Condition Description: The photocopies are very faded and hard to read.

Language of Material: English .

Container: Civil War 8

Container: 12

Container: 1

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Alan Clendenen.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically.

Biographical / Historical

Private Clemens Laird Clendenen, USA (1831 - 5/1/1864) was born in Wayne, Ohio to Charlotte Hussey and James Clendenen. He married Louisa (Eliza) Shinn (1835 - 1917) on July 22, 1858 and they had two sons, Amos and Willard.

Clemens was drafted into the Union Army in June 1863 in Washington County, Ohio (draft registration records, ancestry.com) where he joined the 4th West Virginia Volunteer Cavalry and served until he was captured and imprisoned at Andersonville Prison, Camp Sumter, Georgia sometime before April 1864. He died of illness while imprisoned on May 1, 1864 and was interred at Andersonville National Cemetery in Sumter, GA (grave #835).

Existence and Location of Originals

Originals of these letters are located at the Huntington Library in San Marino, CA. (mssClendenen family; Clendenen family papers, 1855-1972)

Preferred Citation

[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], Clemens L. Clendenen Civil War correspondence (2023.004.wc.r), Center for American War Letters Archives, Chapman University, CA.

For the benefit of current and future researchers, please cite any additional information about sources consulted in this collection, including permanent URLs, item or folder descriptions, and box/folder locations.

Content Description

This collection contains three photocopied letters, and one transcription of one of the letters, from Pvt. Clemens L. Clendenen, USA to his wife Louisa and aunt (name unknown) during the Civil War. The last letter was written at Camp Anderson, Georgia in 1864, or Andersonville Prison, and discusses having been captured and being severely ill.

Conditions Governing Use

There are no restrictions on the use of this material except where previously copyrighted material is concerned. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all permissions.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Correspondence -- American Civil War

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865