Finding Aid for the James Hopkins Larkin Civil War clipping 2017.130.w.r
Wendy Gonaver
Center for American War Letters Archives
4/4/2019
Leatherby Libraries
Chapman University
Orange, CA 92866
speccoll@chapman.edu
Contributing Institution:
Center for American War Letters Archives
Title: James Hopkins Larkin Civil War clipping
source:
Casey, Catherine
Identifier/Call Number: 2017.130.w.r
Physical Description:
.01 Linear feet
(1 folder)
Date: 1861
Abstract: This collection contains one clipping of a letter from James Hopkins Larkin to his sons during the Civil War.
Language of Material:
English
.
Container: Civil War 2
Container: 11
This collection is open for research.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Catherine Casey.
Pvt. James Hopkins Larkin (1809 - 1862) was probably born in Chesterfield, NH and lived in Andover, MA and Mount Tabor, VT.
After a letter to his sons about their desire to enlist in the United States Army was published in a newspaper in 1861, Larkin
joined Company G of the Seventh Vermont Volunteer Infantry the following year. The 7th VVI was a three-years' regiment that
served in the western theater, primarily in Louisiana and Florida. Pvt. Larkin died of dysentery on October 15, 1862. He is
buried in Chalmette National Cemetery in Louisiana.
Pvt. Larkin's sons, 2LT. Charles H. Larkin (1843 - 1898) and Sgt. James W. (Warren) Larkin (1839 - 1880), first joined Company
E of the First Vermont Volunteer Infantry in May of 1861. The 1st VVI was a three-months' regiment serving in the eastern
theater, primarily near Fort Monroe in Virginia. Both men mustered out on August 15, 1861, then re-joined Company G of the
7th VVI alongside their father. They served until March of 1866. James W. Larkin married Nancy M. Peabody in February of 1867.
He is buried in East Putney Cemetery in Windham County, VT. Charles H.Larkin married Elva M. Goold in 1883. He is buried in
Simonsville Cemetery in Windsor County, VT.
[Item title / description; Box "n" / Folder "n"], James Hopkins Larkin Civil War correspondence (2017.130.w.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.
This collection contains one clipping of a letter from James Hopkins Larkin to his sons during the Civil War. Larkin wrote
to his sons, Charles H. and James W. (Warren), on April 28, 1861. His letter was transcribed and printed in a newspaper shortly
thereafter with the headline, "A Patriotic Father." The newspaper is not identified, and the clipping is glued to a piece
of cardboard upon which is written some biographical marginalia.
Larkin commends his sons' desire to enlist in the United States Army, but warns them to think carefully about hardships they
might face. He even considers joining them, which he did the following year. "If you should come face to face with the enemy,"
he concludes, "don't get shot in the back but face them to the last."
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
Larkin, James Hopkins, Private, 1809-1862
Casey, Catherine