Beschreibung:

Lot of more than 120 letters, including 100 war-date letters and a 30-day soldier's diary from January 1865. Accompanied by a family photo album with pictures of multiple generations of the Cory family but most notably two ca 1861 photographs of the primary correspondents in this archive, Nelson S. Cory and Laura Williams Cory. Also accompanied by a match tin with matches inside belonging to Civil War soldier Nelson Cory; a ca 1860s candle lantern; a 19th century wooden “Battle Rattle” used for various alarm purposes; and a series of 19 photographs ca 1904 depicting a Cory family member performing various stretches and calisthenics. The correspondence in this outstanding collection consists overwhelmingly of letters written to and from Nelson Sabin Cory (1839-1921) and his sweetheart, then wife, Laura Williams Cory (1843-1881). Both Nelson and Laura were raised in rural Northeast Ohio, near present-day Youngstown. There are approximately 100 letters in this collection written between them during the Civil War and its immediate aftermath. The dates of their correspondence, May 22, 1861, through November 6, 1862, and September 22, 1864, through June 23, 1865, roughly coincide with Nelson's two terms of service in the Union Army. Almost all letters come with their original envelopes. Laura and Nelson are both well-written individuals. While Laura’s circumstances prior to the war are unknown, Nelson was listed in the 1860 census as a 20-year old teacher. It is not surprising then that he was able to write so thoughtfully about his experience during the war. Many of their letters meet or exceed four pages in length. Nelson's Civil War-era letters contain little in the way of specific battle descriptions, however, his letters are rich with description of his daily activities and surroundings, as well as with his observations about the local people and regions of the country in which he served. Nelson served in a number of unique capacities during the war including as a civilian teamster transporting supplies to Union forces and as a Judge Advocate, and his reflections upon these positions as well as remarks upon John Hunt Morgan, slaves, the institution of slavery, and the Southern people provide some of the most thought-provoking content in this archive. Laura's letters are filled with descriptions of her daily activities, the latest antics of their daughter Bertie, longings for her husband and worry for his safety, and news of their extended family and town friends. Laura is fortunate in that both her family and Nelson's family are nearby, providing needed support and companionship for her. Taken together, the correspondence between Nelson and Laura presents a wonderfully full, detailed, and extended window into the experiences of a Union soldier at war and his wife on the home front. Nelson Cory first enlisted on April 27, 1861, as a Private in the "C" Company OH 19th Infantry, part of the Army of Occupation of West Virginia which was enrolled in response to President Lincoln's call for 75,000 troops for three months service. Nelson’s Company headed to Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, where it remained until May 27. Using his nickname for her, Nelson initially writes to Laura in Greensburg, Trumbull County, Ohio, on May 22, 1861: “Now Lolly remember I’m lonely lonesome even among thousands all around me & am longing for some good kind [illegible] friend like you Lolly to sit down and talk talk [sic] to but I know that cannot be & I must content myself with writing. So won’t you just as soon as you get this sit down & write me a good long & loving letter, write as I told you last – write anything and everything you can think of …. I remain your loving friend Nell.” So begins the correspondence between these two friends, whose letters become a conversation, often written as if seated by one another and sharing in person their joys, fears, and struggles. As Nelson heads off to war, he is confident in his purpose. He writes to Laura on J