George D. Patten papers, 1864-1876

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Summary

Creators:
Patten, George D. (George Downing), 1847-1902
Abstract:
American Civil War letters of Union soldiers George D. Patten and his brother William P. Patten, both serving with the Iowa Infantry.
Extent:
1.2 Linear Feet (1 box)
Language:
Materials are in English.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. George D. Patten papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection includes the Civil War letters of George D. Patten and William B. Patten to their mother Sarah S. Patten and sister Hannah, and a pocket diary of William B. Patten, 1864. There are letters from Sarah S. Patten to her sons, a photograph album, and miscellaneous envelopes from the Civil War era. The letters from George D. Patten to his mother are posted from various places in Iowa, Louisiana, and Virginia, between January 1864 and December 1865, and cover the Red River Campaign, including the advance from Franklin to Alexandria, Battle of Sabine Cross Roads (or Battle of Mansfield), Pleasant Hill, Cane River Crossing, and Alexandria; encampment in Morganza, expedition from Morganza to the Atchafalaya, and Fort Madisonville; and Sheridan's Shenandoah campaigns including the Battle of Winchester, September 1864.

Biographical / historical:

George Downing Patten was a native of Newport, Iowa. In January 1864, he joined Company "K" of the 28th Iowa Infantry. He took part in Major General Nathaniel P. Banks' Red River Campaign and Major General Philip Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Campaign and was honorably discharged in December 1865. In 1885, he moved to Pasadena, California, and in 1894, became head of the lumber firm of Patten & Davies, vice-president of the Pasadena Savings, Trust and Safe Deposit Company, director of the First National Bank, president of Pasadena City Council, and Mayor from 1898 to 1900. William B. Patten, George's younger brother, served with the 47th Iowa Infantry Regiment in Helena, Arkansas. He was engaged in various odd jobs around the regiment's camp, such as an assistance to bakers and sutlers, procurement, and clerical work. The company was mustered out in September 1864.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Thornton H. Hamlin, Jr. and Richard P. Hamlin, June 1999. Gift of Thornton H. Hamlin, Jr., September 2004.
Processing information:

Processed by Olga Tsapina in December 1999. The 2004 addendum was processsed by Brooke M. Black in July 2022, and in November 2024, she created a finding aid.

Arrangement:

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]. George D. Patten 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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