| Quantity: | 1 box (0.25 cubic ft.) |
|---|---|
| Access: | Open to research |
| Acquisition: | Gift: Joan Johnson, Portland Oregon, January 2011 |
| Processed by: | Manuscripts and Special Collections, February 2011 |
Eli French, a bookseller in New York City, was born about 1801 in Vermont. He married Hannah R. with whom he had a number of children. Their eldest, William R. French, was born about 1836 in New York City. He became an army officer during the Civil War. Military service records indicate he mustered in as a captain of Company D of the 165th New York Infantry Regiment and mustered out of service with his company in September 1865.
This collection consists chiefly of documents related to the military service of William R. French during the Civil War and afterwards. A number of items relate to a fracas between black and white troops that occurred in Charleston, South Carolina, in July 1865. This incident resulted in the confinement of the 165th New York Volunteers at Fort Sumter, and the jailing of a number of officers of the 165th, including Capt. William R. French. As a result, Eli French sent a number of letters to various government and military officers seeking to have his son and fellow soldiers exonerated of all charges.
Later Eli French and others wrote a series of letters to Governor Reuben Fenton and other officials regarding the possibility of William R. French being promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. Many of these letters detail William R. French's military service during the Civil War.
The collection also includes a diary Eli French had kept while traveling in Europe from June through August 1844. It contains comments and anecdotes about the culture and society in the places he visited.
| Box | Folder | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Historical information (photocopies from various sources)
|
| 1 | 2 | Series of handwritten documents/letters (or copies thereof) regarding an incident involving black and white troops which occurred in Charleston, S.C., in July 1865 (after the Civil War). This incident resulted in the confinement of the 165th New York Volunteers at Fort Sumter, and the jailing of a number of officers of the 165th, including Capt. William R. French
|
| 1 | 3 | Series of handwritten letters (or copies thereof) to and from various persons relative to the promotion of Captain William R. French.
|
| 1 | 4 | Series of handwritten letters (or copies thereof) to and from various persons relative to the promotion of Captain William R. French:
|
| 1 | 5 | Journal (diary) compiled by Eli French, a New York City resident, of his travels in Europe, June-August 1844. |