Description
This collection chiefly contains detailed letters written by Lieutenant Joseph W. Collingwood (1821-1862) of the 18th Infantry
regiment of Massachusetts to his wife in 1861-1862 during
the American Civil War and covering various aspects of the campaigns, battles, and camp life. The collection also includes
records of Company B, 3rd Regiment of Light Infantry of Massachusetts Volunteer Militia
and some papers of the Collingwood family.
Background
Joseph W. Collingwood (1821-1862), second son of William and Eleanor Harlow Collingwood, was born
in 1821 in Nantucket, Massachusetts. Shortly afterwards the family moved to Plymouth. In
1840-1850s, Joseph W. Collingwood owned a fish market and occasionally went out
with a fishing fleet to New Foundland. In September 1848, he became engaged to Rebecca
W. Richardson, a teacher of the Boston Female Asylum. A short marriage notice in The
England Washingtonian, the organ of Sons of Temperance, reported that the couple was
married at the Female Orphan Asylum, Boston, on October 12, by the Rev. F. D.
Huntington.
Extent
333 items in 5 boxes and 1 folder
Restrictions
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.
Availability
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services
Department. For more information, contact Reader Services.