James William Eldridge Collection mssEG
Gina C Giang
The Huntington Library
March 2020
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Business Number: (626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
Note
Finding aid last updated on October 18, 2022 by Melissa Haley.
Contributing Institution:
The Huntington Library
Title: James William Eldridge collection
Creator:
Eldridge, James W. (James William), 1841-1909
Identifier/Call Number: mssEG
Physical Description:
104.16 Linear Feet
(82 boxes, 2 envelopes)
Date (inclusive): 1797-1902
Date (bulk): 1861-1865
Abstract: James William Eldridge served in 127th New York Infantry, Company A and 23rd United States Colored Infantry Regiment during
the American Civil War. This collection consists of Eldridge letters, manuscripts, documents, printed military forms, autographs,
ephemera, and photographs from 1797-1902.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
Conditions Governing Use
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]. James William Eldridge collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from William H. Murray, 1916.
Biographical / Historical
James William Eldridge served in 127th New York Infantry Regiment, Company A during the American Civil War from 1862-1864.
In September 1864 he joined the 23rd United States Colored Troops with the rank of Second Lieutenant and was promoted to First
Lieutenant in March 1865. After the war he began an extensive collection of letters, manuscripts, books, photographs, and
other materials relating to the major military and civilian figures of the war years.
Scope and Contents
The James William Eldridge collection consists of letters, manuscripts, documents, printed military forms, autographs, ephemera,
and approximately 4000 portraits and contemporary photographs from 1797-1902. The collection documents military history of
the Civil War, from both the Union and Confederate sides, concentrating on commanding officers, military and naval operations
and administration, the armed forces of South Carolina and Virginia, and the everyday life of the common soldiers (including
prisons and medical care). Also included are materials on civilian administration and politics during the war years, concentrating
on governors, mayors, and congressmen.
The bulk of the collection deals with the American Civil War, although there is some material on the antebellum and post-war
politics and military history, including the raid on Harpers Ferry and the post-war Navy.
The collection contains materials from US presidents James A. Garfield, Ulysses S. Grant, Benjamin Harrison, and Rutherford
B. Hayes; see container list for item details.
Processing Information
Processed by Huntington Library staff, circa mid-20th century. In 2020, Gina C Giang created a finding aid derived from a
legacy summary report and Maggie Hughes added the box list. In 2022, Melissa Haley enhanced description of the presidential
material present in the collection as part of the American Presidential Papers Project.
Arrangement
Organized in two series:
- Correspondence and documents
- Miscelleaneous materials
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Manuscripts, American -- Collectors and collecting
Confederate States of America -- History -- Sources
Harpers Ferry (W. Va.) -- History -- John Brown's Raid, 1859 -- Sources
South Carolina -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Sources
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Sources
United States -- History, Military -- To 1900 -- Sources
United States -- History, Naval -- To 1900 -- Sources
United States -- Politics and Government -- 19th century -- Sources
Virginia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Sources
Collections (object groupings) -- United States -- 19th century
Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 19th century
Manuscripts -- United States -- 19th century
Military records -- Confederate States of America
Military records -- United States -- 19th century
Garfield, James A. (James Abram), 1831-1881
Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885
Harrison, Benjamin, 1833-1901
Hayes, Rutherford B., 1822-1893
Confederate States of America. Army -- Military life
United States. Army -- Military life -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Correspondence and documents
Physical Description: 83.75 Linear Feet(67 boxes)
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically by the correspondent or author's last name.
Box 20
Ga - Gi
Scope and Contents
Includes James A. Garfield autograph letter signed to "My Dear Colonel", 1863 May 6.
Box 22
Grant - Gwy
Scope and Contents
Includes the following Ulysses S. Grant items: contemporary copy of letter to Simon Bolivar Buckner, 1862 February 16; autograph
letter signed to Charles Smith Hamilton, 1863 January 25; autograph letter signed to Henry Halleck, 1863 April 19; autograph
military pass signed, 1864 June 5; contemporary copy of testimonial for Giles Alexander Smith, 1867 January 13; contemporary
copy of letter to Andrew Johnson, 1868 January 24; contemporary copy of letter to William T. Sherman, 1868 June 2; contemporary
copy of letter to Frederick Augustus Pike, 1868 December 22 with autograph letter signed to James Wilson Grimes on reverse;
contemporary copy of his inaugural address, 1869; autograph letter signed to Orville Elias Babcock, approximately 1869-1873
July 1; also present are copies of Grant letters to John Clifford Pemberton, 1863 July 3, and to Robert Ould, 1864 November
12; and notes and letter drafts, some autograph, undated.
Box 25
Har - Haw
Scope and Contents
Includes Benjamin Harrison letter signed to William E. Doyle, 1882 May 1.
Box 26
Hay - Hig
Scope and Contents
Includes Rutherford B. Hayes autograph letter signed to E.L. Stanton, 1870 August 21.
Miscellaneous material
Physical Description: 20.41 Linear Feet(15 boxes, 2 envelopes)
Arrangement
Materials are grouped by topic or format.
Box 68
South Carolina Artillery
1863-1864
Box 69
South Carolina Calvary
1861-1865
Box 70
Virginia Artillery and Viriginia Calvary
1861-1865
Box 71
Virginia Infantry, 2nd - 34th Regiments
1861-1865
Box 72
Virginia Infantry, 38th - 60th Regiments
1861-1865
Box 73
General Civil War materials and Union materials
1843-1865
Box 74
Confederate States of America
1861-1896
Box 75
Letters to James William Eldridge
1891-1900
Box 76
Miscellanous material, including autographs and calling cards
Box 77
Envelopes with enclosed calling cards, etc.
Box 78
Envelopes with enclosed calling cards, etc.
Box 79
Ephemera and printed materials
Box 80
Ephemera and printed materials
Box 81
Ephemera and printed materials
Box 82
Views and Portraits, Confederate States of America
Volume 83
Henry Warner Slocum: Copybook of orders, instructions, reports, etc. directed to various commanders of the Army of Georgia
during the Civil War
1864-1865
Volume 84
G. Davidson: Letterbook of Republican State Central Committee of New York
1860
