Letter from a wife to her husband (both identities are unknown) during wartime. She references the possible entry of France into the war to help the Confederate cause.
Cabinet card of Confederate veteran James (Jim) Maupin. The son of Robert B. Maupin and Nancy Wood Maupin, James sided with the Confederate cause during the war while his brother, Robert C. Maupin, fought for the Union.
CSA Gen. G. W. Gordon, imprisoned at Ft. Warren, Mass., writes to his cousin Andrew at Johnson's Island Prison. He considers the war over and "our cause is a failure." The general recognizes Andrew's devotion to the cause and advises him to return...
A handwritten essay on the subject, "Those who died in a lost cause," by Daniel Hoge Bruce. The essay was submitted to E. E. Biddle at the T. C. Seminary. During the Civil War, Bruce served as a captain in Co. A, 51st Va. Inf., Regt., CSA. See...
Letter from Arthur H. Harris to his brother George Carroll Harris in Nashville. He writes of the pervading excitement that has surrounded the 1860 presidential election in his area. Though he is glad the contest is over, he acknowledges the death...
This nine-page letter written from Arthur H. Harris in Monroe, Louisiana, to his brother George Carroll Harris in Nashville is a conscious political treatise. The author is advocating and justifiying the secession of Louisiana at the upcoming...
Five-page letter written from John S. Brien in Nashville, Tennessee, to R. M. C[ornin], Esq. in Cincinnati, Ohio. The author expresses his views on secession, the Union, and Southern Rights as well as his hope for compromise. Says Brien, " I...
Letter from Robert Rutledge expressing concern for his sick son, correcting an earlier assertion that a member of his company was killed, and describing plans to buy land in Texas. He asks his wife to buy needed provisions without concern for...
Civil Wars; War; Slaves; Agriculture; Political issues; Cities & towns
Excerpts from the Robert H. Cartmell Diaries. They contain full commentaries on the nature of his farm operation, the weather, and the fluctuations of the cotton market. They contain thoughtful comments on politics and candidates for office and...
Correspondence; Cities & towns; Campaigns & battles; Troop movements; Surrenders; Military retreats; Generals; Civil Wars; War
A three-page letter dated February 28, 1862, from John S. Brien to John C. Crittenden. Brien rejoices that Buell's troops "occupied the city and country without the necessity of shedding one drop of blood." He argues that property rights must be...
Correspondence; Fathers; Mothers; Campaigns & battles; Civil Wars; War
Letter from Mary Guthrie Latta to her husband, Samuel R. Latta, dated August 19, 1861. Although she has hoped that Samuel Latta's unit would be ordered into retreat in Tennessee, they have instead been ordered to New Madrid, Missouri.
The official certificate of death for William Jennings Bryan. Bryan died in Dayton, Tennessee, on July 26, 1925. The stated cause of death was sudden opoplexy [sic]. The certificate gives the date, location, time and cause of death....
Program to D. W. Griffith's film "Birth of a Nation" featuring a cast list; plot summary and technical facts concerning the film; photos of Griffith and the cast; stills from the film's scenes, including battles, celebrations, and the surrender at...
Equestrian statue of Nathan Bedford Forrest in Forrest Park, Memphis, Tennessee. Four unidentified individuals also appear in the image, as do the surrounding landscaping and hardscaping.
Two documents detailing the parole and oath of allegiance taken by Thomas P. Reed. The document gives a physical description of Reed and is signed by Provost Marshal A. G. Brady.
Two pages of testimony by Lavinia Goodell, a black woman whose husband was killed duruing the 1866 race riots in Memphis (Tenn.). The testimony was presented to a U. S. congressional committee appointed to investigate the cause of the riots.
Schools; Rural schools; Public schools; Educational facilities
Side view of Bells Consolidated Rosenwald School in Crockett County. The prim-looking white schoolhouse has multiple windows and is set in a withered cornfield.
Schools; Rural schools; Public schools; Educational facilities
Two entrances flanked by windows are visible in this front view of Mt. Zion Hebrew Colored School. Two white men wearing straw hats are standing in the front yard. In the distance are cattle and trees.
Letter by Jacob J. Burnett on Federal stationery with the following quote: "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto -'In god is our trust,' " taken from fourth stanza of the Star-Spangled Banner. Above the quote is a...
