John McNulty Clugston papers, 1861-1887, bulk 1861-1864

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Summary

Creators:
Clugston, John McNulty, 1842-1886
Abstract:
Collection consists of four diaries kept by John McNulty Clugston while serving with the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company G, during the Civil War from 1861 to 1864, one carte-de-visite portrait (presumably of Clugston), and a letter from Rutherford B. Hayes to Clugston's widow Alice V. Clugston, 1887 September 2.
Extent:
0.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. John McNulty Clugston papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists primarily of four diaries kept by John McNulty Clugston while serving with the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company G, during the Civil War from 1861 May 27 to 1864 July 9. The regiment was based in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, and participated in the Battle of Antietam. The diaries contain mostly brief entries regarding regimental actions and skirmishes, camps, scouting expeditions, drills, marches, duties, changes in command, furloughs, deaths, and prisoners and arms captured. Clugston also mentions the weather, food, clothing shortages, war news, court martials, and the arrival of mail. There are several entries discussing activities in Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. surrounding the Battle of Antietam in September 1862, including balloon ascensions by Thaddeus Lowe. Company G soldiers Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley are occasionally mentioned. In addition, the diaries contain lists of clothing issued or purchased, correspondents, regimental officers and company members, and pay received. The bulk of entries is in ink, with some in pencil.

Also present is one carte-de-visite of a young man, presumably John McNulty Clugston, seated in a chair; the penciled date of 1869 February is on the reverse.

In addition, the collection contains one autograph letter signed from Rutherford B. Hayes, Fremont, Ohio, to Alice V. Clugston, Topeka, Kansas, 1887 September 2, regarding a recent reunion of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He mentions the regiment's receipt of "the valuable diary of your late husband John M. Clugston, our comrade of Co. G.," presumably referring to the 1886 copy of Clugston's diaries now in the Civil War collections at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museum. Includes addressed envelope. (2 pages)

Biographical / historical:

John McNulty Clugston (1842-1886) was from Ashland County, Ohio and served in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company G, during the U.S. Civil War. Following the war, he relocated to Topeka, Kansas, where he worked in the insurance industry and purchased real estate. He married Alice Virginia Colcher in December 1879; the couple had one son, John McNulty Clugston Jr. Clugston died in Topeka at age 44.

Acquisition information:
Acquired from John McNulty Clugston Jr., August 1957.
Processing information:

The John McNulty Clugston papers were processed in 2022 by Melissa Haley as part of the American Presidential Papers Project. The items had been assembled physically and arranged by former Huntington Library staff; material was rehoused during reprocessing.

Arrangement:

Arranged by format; diaries are arranged chronologically.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. John McNulty Clugston papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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