Guide to the John M. Sell Civil War Collection
Special Collections & Archives
University Library
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge, CA 91330-8326
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: John M. Sell Civil War Collection
Creator:
Sell, John M.
Identifier/Call Number: SC.JMS
Physical Description:
1.25 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1861-1865
Date (bulk): 1861-1863
Abstract: John M. Sell of Erie, Pennsylvania
enlisted in the 83rd Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers July 29, 1861. He was
commissioned First Lieutenant on August 27 and promoted to Captain on September 4 the
following year. Captain Sell was struck in the left leg by a solid shot at Gettysburg on
July 2, 1863, and died from effects of amputation the next day. The collection consists of
correspondence between Captain John Sell and his parents, brothers William and Charles, and
sister Sarah during his service in the American Civil War, 1861-1863. It also includes
family photographs, cartes de visites of military personnel, and a copy of A.M. Judson's
History of the Eighty-Third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers,
Erie, PA, B.F.H. Lynn, [1865].
Language of Material: English
Biographical Information:
John M. Sell of Erie, Pennsylvania enlisted in the 83rd Regiment of the Pennsylvania
Volunteers July 29, 1861. He was commissioned First Lieutenant on August 27 and promoted to
Captain on September 4 the following year. Captain Sell was struck in the left leg by a
solid shot at Gettysburg on July 2, 1863, and died from effects of amputation the next
day.
Scope and Contents
The
John M. Sell Civil War Collection consists primarily of
letters written by John Sell to his parents and brother William during his service in the
American Civil War. In these letters Sell describes his various locations, including
training at Camp Wright in Oakmont, Pennsylvania in June of 1861. He also wrote about the
83rd Regiment of the Pennsylvania Volunteers, with whom he was stationed at Camp Hall's Hill
by Washington D.C. in November and December 1861, and his regiment's movement to Yorktown in
April of 1862, the Potomac in March of 1863, and other locations. He tells of his
participation in the Battle at Gaine's Mill and the Battle of Antietam, lists the number of
deaths experienced in various firefights, comments on the health and morale of his regiment,
describes the actions and death of his superior officer Colonel McLane, and relates the
various weather conditions which he and his regiment encountered. The collection also
includes one letter written to his brother Charles, and correspondence between his sister,
Sarah, and William H. Edmont, who details Sell's injury on the battlefield at Gettysburg,
the amputation of his leg, and his subsequent death.
In
addition to correspondence, the collection includes family photographs, cartes de visite of
military personnel, a metal canteen, and a copy of A.M. Judson's
History of the Eighty-Third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers, Erie, PA, B.F.H.
Lynn, [1865].
Electronic Format:
Digital reproductions of items in this collection are available electronically as a part of
the
Civil War Narratives
project.
Conditions Governing Access:
The collection is open for research use.
Conditions Governing Use:
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
1990
Preferred Citation:
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style manual,
or see the
Citing Archival Materials
guide.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Documents
Photographs
Box 1, Folder 1
Pension Agency Of Alfred G. Mudge for Samuel Holmes
1863 April 7
Box 1, Folder 2
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1861 June 8
Box 1, Folder 3
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1861 November 3
Box 1, Folder 4
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1861 December 8
Box 1, Folder 5
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1862 June 6
Box 1, Folder 6
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1862 June 22
Box 1, Folder 7
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1862 July 11
Box 1, Folder 8
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1862 August 3
Box 1, Folder 9
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1862 October 5
Box 1, Folder 10
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1862 November 16
Box 1, Folder 11
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1862 December 7
Box 1, Folder 12
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1863 March 26
Box 1, Folder 13
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1863 April 26
Box 1, Folder 14
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1863 May 22
Box 1, Folder 15
Letter from John Sell to William Sell
1863 June 3
Box 1, Folder 16
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1861 October 6
Box 1, Folder 17
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1861 October 13
Box 1, Folder 18
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1861 October 29
Box 1, Folder 19
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1861 November 12
Box 1, Folder 20
Letter from John Sell to His Parents And William Sell
1861 December 3
Box 1, Folder 21
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1861 December 7
Box 1, Folder 22
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1861 December 22
Box 1, Folder 23
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1862 January 8
Box 1, Folder 24
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1862 January 19
Box 1, Folder 25
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1862 February 16
Box 1, Folder 26
Letter from John Sell to his Parents
1862 February 26
Box 1, Folder 27
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1862 April 17
Box 1, Folder 28
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1862 August 10
Box 1, Folder 29
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1862 May 31
Box 1, Folder 30
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1863 March 29
Box 1, Folder 31
Letter from John Sell to His Parents, with Porter's Divisional Song
1863 May 4
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
Porter's Division Song, "The Army of the Free"
Box 1, Folder 32
Letter from John Sell to His Parents
1863 June 22
Box 1, Folder 33
Letter from John Sell to Charles Sell
1862 February 23
Box 1, Folder 34
Letter from William H. Edmont to Sarah Sell
1863 August 13
Box 1, Folder 35
Letter from William H. Edmont to Sarah Sell
1863 September 5
Box 1, Folder 37
William. J. Sell, Booksellers [Business Card]
Box 1, Folder 38
A.M. Judson's History of the Eighty-Third Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteers.
Erie, PA, B.F.H. Lynn
1865
Box 1, Folder 39
Portfolio of Cartes De Visites
Portrait of Capt. D. Paul Jones
Portrait of Capt. H.L. Brown
Portrait of Capt. J.F. Morris
Portrait of Capt. John Graham
Portrait of Capt. Phineas P. Carpenter
Portrait of Col. John W. McLane
Portrait of Col. Strong Vincent
Portrait of Gen. Butterfield
Portrait of Gen. F. J. Porter
Portrait of Gen. George B. McClellan
Portrait of Gen. John H. Martindale
Portrait of Gen. Winfield Scott
Portrait of Lt. Wm E. Bates
Portrait of Lt. Col. H.S. Campbell
Box 1, Folder 40
Boxed Group of Daguerreotypes, Ambrotypes, Tintypes, Engraving, and Metal
Canteen
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Unknown Portrait
Canteen