1860 - 1877
(bulk dates 1860 - 1863)
Manuscript Collection Number: 218
Accessioned:
Extent: 43 items
Content: Letters
Access: The collection is open for research.
Processed: 1990-1991 by Tim
Murray and Wendy Van Wyck
Special Collections, University of Delaware Library
Newark, Delaware 19717-5267
(302) 831-2229
This collection of Civil War correspondence consists of forty-three letters written primarily between 1860 and 1863. The majority of the letters were written by Edward A. Fulton to his mother, Mary Fulton, of Wilmington, Delaware. This correspondence began in 1860 when Fulton was travelling through Europe. Later, in 1862, Fulton enlisted in the Union Army and joined the 72nd Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He wrote to his mother from various camps in Virginia, describing battles fought near Harper's Ferry and Winchester. In his letter of May 1, 1862, Fulton mentioned that because of his background in engineering and typography, he was assigned to “travel around and become acquainted with the Location of Batteries and the roads to and from Them." Fulton became responsible for guiding reinforcement troops to the batteries in need of support. Also included are letters Fulton wrote in 1862 and 1863, when he spent over six months in a military hospital in Sharpsburg, Maryland, after injuring and almost losing his leg.
The collection contains nine letters written to Edward Fulton from his sister, Sarah Fulton, of Wilmington, Delaware. Also included are four letters from Sade Wright, Edward and Sarah Fulton's sister, to her mother, Mary Fulton. These letters date from the 1870s.
Folder -- Contents
All letters are from Edward A. Fulton to his mother, Mary
Fulton, unless otherwise noted.
F1 [1860] Aug 29 ALS 2 pp
Note: Paris, France
Sep 4 ALS 2 pp
Note: Leocle, Conton, Newchatel, Switzerland
Sep 9 ALS 3 pp
Note: Switzerland
1860 Sep 16 AL 2 pp
Note: Genoa, Italy
F2 1861 Jan 1 ALS 2 pp
Note: London
[1861]Feb 27 ALS 3 pp
Note: Washington, D.C. Written on stationery with a
"View of Washington City." With envelope. Fulton
describes President Buchanan's dedication to the
statue of Washington.
F3 1862 Jan 14 ALS 4 pp
Note: Camp observation. With envelope with Adamstown
postmark. Fulton describes the practice drills
with his regiment.
Feb 6 ALS 3 pp
Note: Camp observation. Fulton says they are "waiting
for the roads to get hard enough for artillery to
make an advance."
[1862 Feb] ALS 3 pp
Note: Camp in the woods. With envelope with Adamstown
postmark. Describes the advance toward
Winchester, "the Key of Manassas."
1862 Feb 22 ALS 4 pp
Note: Camp observation. With envelope. As his
regiment approaches Virginia, Fulton feels the war
will end "in the course of a week."
F4 Feb 23 ALS 4 pp
Note: Camp observation. With envelope with Adamstown
postmark.
Feb 28 ALS 3 pp
Note: Harper's Ferry, VA. To friend [Mr. Alfred
Walton.] With envelope. Describes the
preparation to "take Winchester."
Mar 9 AL 4 pp
Note: 12 miles from Winchester, VA. Camp in the woods.
With envelope with Adamstown postmark.
Mar 15 ALS 4 pp
Note: Harper's Ferry, VA. With envelope. Describes
the retreat of the enemy at Winchester.
F5 1862 Mar 23 ALS 3 pp
Note: Washington, D.C. With envelope.
May 1 ALS 3 pp
Note: Camp Winfield Scott near Yorktown. To friend
[Mr. Alfred Walton]. Describes the fighting and
lack of food at the camp. Fulton also mentions
that because of his background in engineering and
typography, he has been assigned to "travel around
and become acquainted with the Location of
Batteries and the roads to and from Them." Fulton
was responsible for guiding support troops to the
batteries.
May 9 ALS 3 pp
Note: 35 miles from Richmond. Camp near West Point.
With envelope. Describes the "taking of
Yorktown."
[1862]Jun 1 ALS 2 pp
Note: Camp Aberdeen, Hartford [sic] County, MD. With
envelope.
F6 1862 Jun 1 ALS 2 pp
Note: Brick. M. House. To Cousin from Mary R.
Chandler.
[1862]Oct 4 ALS 2 pp
Note: Near Sharpsburg, Md. Stone House Hospital. With
envelope. Fulton describes his injuries and near
amputation of his leg.
1862 Oct 14 ALS 2 pp
Note: Wilmington, Del. To Brother from Sarah Fulton.
With envelope.
Oct 18 ALS 3 pp
Note: Wilmington, Del. To Brother from Sarah Fulton.
With envelope.
F7 Nov 5 ALS 4 pp
Note: Camp observation. To Mr. Walton from John
Steptoe (cousin of Edward Fulton). With envelope.
Dec 11 ALS 4 pp
Note: Wilmington, Del. To Brother from Sarah Fulton.
With envelope.
Dec 18 ALS 3 pp
Note: Wilmington, Del. To Brother from Sarah Fulton.
With envelope. Includes a poem, "George
Washington An Acrostic."
Dec 23 ALS 4 pp
Note: Wilmington, Del. To Brother from Anna Fulton.
F8 1863 Feb 12 ALS 5 pp
Note: To Brother from Sarah Fulton. With envelope.
Includes a poem, "After the Battle."
Feb 26 ALS 3 pp
Note: Near Sharpsburg, Md. Antietam Genl. Hospital.
Fulton discusses his slow recovery and the
continued operations on his leg.
Mar 3 ALS 3pp
Note: Wilmington, Del. To Brother from Sarah Fulton.
With envelope. Sarah mentions that she has
attended a temperance meeting;" ... its object is
... to put an end to ... low places that disgrace
Delaware so much."
F9 Mar 20 ALS 2 pp
Note: To Brother from Sarah Fulton. Sarah mentions the
deadly outbreak of smallpox in Wilmington.
Mar 24 ALS 6 pp
Note: Antietam Genl. Hospital. With envelope. Fulton
discusses his trouble getting a discharge from
Washington.
Apr 4 and 5 ALS 4 pp
Note: Wilmington, Del. To Edward from Sarah Fulton.
With envelope. Sarah mentions Cannon, the new
governor, and the 4th Delaware regiment that is
still in Yorktown.
F10 1874 Jul 5 ALS 4 pp
Note: To mother (Mary Fulton) from daughter Sade. With
envelope.
Jul 13 ALS 4 pp
Note: To mother (Mary Fulton) from your daughter Sade.
1877 Apr 30 ALS 2 pp
Note: Office of the Washington Monument Society. To
Edward Fulton from Ino B. Blake, Secy. Concerns
the controversy about the strength and durability
of the Washington Monument.
F11 n.y. Dec 28 ALS 4 pp
Note: U.S. Steamer Keystone State off Charleston, S.C.
To Brotherlaw Sir from John Rudolph. With
envelope.
"the 26th" ALS 4 pp
Note: U.S. Steamer Keystone off Wilmington [P.C. In.?]
To Thomas from John Rudolph.
Thursday ALS 2 pp
Note: To mother (Mary Fulton) from Sade and George.
Thursday eve. ALS 4 pp
Note: To mother (Mary Fulton) from Sade. Includes a
short note to Grandmother from Joseph F. Wright.
F12 One envelope dated November 4 and addressed to Edward
A. Fulton in Sarah Fulton's hand.
"Now Gone From Us" (poem). [n.d.] AMS, 2 pp
Two Certificates from the "Improved Order of Red Men"
(Wilmington, Delaware) made out to James J. Wright. 2
pp
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