Major Sets
War of the Rebellion:
compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate
Armies
This U.S. government publication is the best source for primary
research on Civil War troop information.
Ref E 464.U6 1985, Index for 129 print volumes
OR use the Army
Official Records, CD-rom version, Ref E 470.A749 1995
Southern
Historical Society Papers
The papers contained in these 52 vols. were published by Southerners
concerned that the War of the Rebellion might be one-sided.
E483.7 .S76 1977
American slave : a composite autobiography
The index is key to the use of this multivolume set which though
arranged by state allows one to find topical entries.
Index volume, Ref E 441.A58
Medical and
Surgical History of the Civil War
Facsimile of the 1870 publication by the United States Surgeon General
of the Army.
E 621.U59, 12 vols plus 3 vol index
Papers of Jefferson Davis
Covers the years 1808 - 1865.
E 467.1.D2596
Records
of the Assistant Commissioner for the State of South Carolina, Bureau
of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1870
These reels of microfilm are just a sample of the records from the
Freedmen's Bureau. They contain letters received by the Bureau,
and reports of conditions involving freed slaves in South Carolina
just after the war.
Microfilm E 185.93.S7 U5
Registers and letters received by the Commissioner of the Bureau
of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 1865-1972
Microfilm E185.2.U55 1968
Freewill Baptist Material
Freewill Baptists were abolitionists. Some of their materials held
in the Library or Special Collections published around the time of
the Civil War may contain information relating to their beliefs and
activities concerning slavery and it abolition.
The Morning Star
(1826-1911)
The Morning Star was the most important Freewill newspaper.
These are located in the Library's microfilmed newspaper collection
but Special Collections has print copies as well.
Freewill Baptist Quarterly (1853-1904)
Contains essays, sermons, and writings on issues such as slavery.
Special Collections BAPTIST BX 6370 .F6
Minutes of the General Conference of the Freewill Baptist Connection,
(1827-1917)
The official pronouncements from the 1st - 36th Conference
containing the position of the Freewill Baptist on slavery and other
issues.
Located in Special Collections
Bates-related Special Collections Material
Uriah
and Anne Balkam Letters
Eight letters between Annie and Uriah Balkam. Three of these were written
during the war. Uriah Balkam served as a Chaplain with the Maine 16th
volunteers.
Hanford
Civil War Letters
The collection consists of 37 letters written between 1862-1865 to
both Mr. and Mrs. Levi Hanford of Hobart, Delaware County, N.Y. Most
of the letters were written by 4 of their nephews while they were
serving in the Civil War as part of the 144th New York Volunteer Infantry.
The letters discuss various aspects of camp life such as living conditions,
weather, illness among the recruits, religious services, drills and
going out on picket. They also write about family concerns as well
as their feelings concerning the war and the politics and issues surrounding
it.
Wentworth
Adams family papers
The collection contains orginal and copies of letters of several
members of the Wentworth Adams family, including: Edwin Oberlin
Wentworth, an itinerant printer and Civil War soldier, to his
wife Caroline (Warren) Wentworth and to his father Robert Wentworth
of Buxton, Maine.
Oren
B. Cheney Papers
The College was originally established in 1855 as the Maine State
Seminary. It was incorporated as Bates College in 1863 with Cheney
as its first president. This collection contains one diary, which
has been transcribed, and some correspondence which document in part
his efforts to raise money during the Civil War
Searching for Primary Sources in the Online
Catalog
Besides just doing keyword searches, you might try
to browse under the subject:
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865
and then add additional words such as:
Personal Narratives or
Sources
You can also LIMIT
United States History Civil War, 1861-1865
by entering the following words in "words in the subject" category
such as:
-- diaries
-- sources
or "words in the title"
-- letters
Other productive subject headings: African
American History, 1863-1877
Any of these searches can be repeated in Maine Info Net and NExpress.
Historic
Newspapers
Besides the New
York Times, we have these microfilmed newspapers which cover the
period:
Lewiston Evening Journal, 1861-
Maine Farmer, 1833-1900
Morning Star, 1826-1911 (see above)
National Intelligencer (DC), 1800-1870
New York Tribune, 1841-1896
Richmond Dispatch, 1855-1875
Historic Periodicals
Nineteenth Century in Print: Periodicals
Nineteenth century journals online thanks to Library of Congress.
We own these on microfilm:
Douglass' Monthly, 1858-1863
Freedman (American Tract Society), 1864-1869
Freedman's Advocate (National Freedman's Relief Association), 1864-1865
Freedman's Journal (American Tract Soc.), 1865-1866
Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society. Annual Report and Proceedings,
1833-1856
National Freedman (National Freedman's Relief Assocation), 1865-1866
National Anti-Slavery Standard, 1840-1870
Multi-Database
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