Research Arsenal

03/06/2026

This week we asked you to identify the item issued to a soldier of the 58th Pennsylvania Infantry on January 9, 1864 that cost 15 cents. The item was a set of chevrons! At the bottom of the clothing ledger, you will see that Corporal Harrison Houseweart was issued two sets of chevrons.

Harrison was killed in action on September 29, 1864. Also included are his obituary and his last letter home to his mother.

03/05/2026

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 37th Wisconsin Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

Organized late in the war, the 37th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment entered Federal service in 1864 and quickly found itself thrown into some of the most punishing campaigns of the conflict. Often remembered as part of the hard-fighting formations before Petersburg, the regiment’s story is best understood not through statistics alone, but through the voices of the men themselves—men who wrote home from hospitals, from muddy trenches, and from battle lines lit by “a glowing red and angry” sun.

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so

03/04/2026

For our What's it Wednesday this week, a soldier of the 58th Pennsylvania Infantry was issued a set of something on January 9, 1864 at the cost of 15 cents. What do you think he was issued? Post your guesses below and check back Friday for the answer!

Hint: There is a clue in the photo!

03/02/2026

Francis West was born in 1825 in Charlestown, New Hampshire. He moved to Wisconsin in 1845 and served in the Wisconsin State Senate representing Green County in 1854 and 1855. In August, 1862, he was commissioned as lieutenant colonel of the 31st Wisconsin Infantry. During his service he wrote many letters home to his wife, Emma Moore (Rittenhouse) West.

The journey of the 31st Wisconsin Infantry to Kentucky began on a tragic note, as Francis West wrote in a letter dated March 4, 1863.

“We left Racine Sunday morning and arrived Cairo on Tuesday morning all right except the loss of one man’s leg who was run over by the cars. His name is [Joshua] Davis and he belongs to Capt. [Robert B.] Stephenson’s Co. Davis on Dr. Roster’s farm. His leg was amputated and he was left at Centralia.”

Once at Columbus, the 31st Wisconsin Infantry received repeated reports about rebel forces in the vicinity, but very few of them panned out.

“Night before last it was reported that a large force were attacking Hickman twenty miles from here. I was ordered to have my men ready with ammunition and rations to start on a moment’s notice for the scene of action. I got them ready and have held them so since, but have had no orders to leave. I think it all a false alarm.”

Francis West also voiced irritation with the colonel of regiment, Isaac E. Messmore, who he described in a letter written April 5, 1863.

“I am very unpleasantly situated in this regiment owing the peculiarities of our Colonel [Isaac E. Messmore] but I have stood it so far and am in hopes I can continue to stand it. He has the ambition of a Napoleon with ten times the jealousy that Old Dr. Fisher ever had, together with the most sordid avarice. He is perfectly unscrupulous as to means used to further his interests and entirely devoid of all feeling as to the rights or feelings of others. You can judge by this that I have a hard row to hoe. This, however, is all private matter but I cannot help, my dear one, of apprising you of all my troubles.”

Tension between the two men would continue for some time.

Francis West was born in 1825 in Charlestown, New Hampshire. He moved to Wisconsin in 1845 and served in the Wisconsin State Senate representing Green County

02/27/2026

This week for our What's it Wednesday we asked you to identify an item using the 1865 Quartermaster Manual's description. The answer was the Army Dirt Cart. Here is the description again, and it is pictured in the photo as well.

"SILLS, 6 feet, 6 inches long, 2-3/4 inches thick, 2-1/2 inches wide at front end; back end, 2-3/4 inches; at centre [center], 3- 1/2 inches wide; centre [center] of Axle set 4- 1/2 inches back of centre [center] of Sill; 5 Studs on each side, including Head Stud.

STUDS, at shoulder, 2-1/8 inches wide by 1-1/2 inches thick; 3/4-inch tenon mortised through Sills, tapered at top to 1-1/2 inches square; length of Head Stud, from shoulder to top, 18-1/2 inches; 3-1/4 inches wide at Sill, tapered to 2-1/4 inches at top.

FOUR BARS in Body, 3-1/4 inches wide, 1- 1/2 inches thick, 3-1/4-inch tenon mortised into Sills.

MIDDLE PIECE, 2-3/4 inches deep by 2 inches thick; notched flush with top of Bars, and secured by one 5/16-inch rivet in each Bar.

SHAFTS OF ASH, length 9 feet, 4 inches, 2-3/4 inches thick, 2-3/4 inches wide at Clevis; at end of Sill, 3-3/4 inches wide; at centre [center] of Traveler, 2-3/4 inches wide; at end of Shafts, 2 inches; Back Bar on Shafts, 3-1/4 inches wide by 1-1/2 inches thick, mortised in Shaft by 3/4-inch tenon; Front Bar, 3-1/4 inches wide by 2 inches thick, notched in Shafts 3/8 of an inch. Shafts extend front of Sill 6 feet 1 inch; Sill extends front of Head Stud 9 inches, with Keystaff Mortised 3-1/2 inches long, 5/8 inch wide, 2-3/4 inches from front of Sill."

Photo: Wheelwright Shop Washington D.C., April 1865: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/67238/115

02/26/2026

February marks the anniversary of the capture of Fort Henry (February 6, 1862) and Fort Donelson (February 13-16, 1862) by General Grant in Tennessee. These Union victories not only allowed the Union army to expand greatly into Tennessee, but also pushed Ulysses S. Grant into the national spotlight and earned him the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant.

Aaron Colliver, a private in Company G, 2nd Iowa Infantry, wrote home to his father on February 18, 1862, about his participation in the battle to take Fort Donelson. The “Thomas” he mentions being wounded was his brother.

“I take this my first opportunity of informing you that I am in Fort Donelson. You will hear from us before you receive this but you will want to hear from me. On the tenth we left St. Louis for this place and landed four miles down the river. On the morning of the fourteenth, we marched up within about a quarter of a mile of their breastworks where we lay in the snow all night. We were shelled some but no one [was] hurt. On the fifteenth, after the forces on the right—that is, up the river, had tried to force their works and failed, in the evening they called on the left. We—the 2nd Iowa—being on the extreme left, were formed in line of battle to charge their works at the point of the bayonet. The left wing of the regiment was to lead the way; the right to follow (Co. G is in the left).

We charged up such a hill as can’t be found in Iowa. Father, you have seen many such [scenes] but I have never [seen] such a sight. May God grant that mortal man may never see such again. This hill is about four hundred yards long and has had a heavy growth of timber on it which has been felled. Through this mass of brush and logs we forced our way at a front movement while the balls came like hail. This movement was kept up until we climbed over their earthworks without a gun being fired, when we opened fire on the retreating rebels [in the 30th Tennessee] with considerable effect. We were reinforced after engaging the enemy for some time. We fought for about three hours when night came on when we fell back to the breastworks and lay on our arms for the night. The next morning, after considerable sparring about, they surrendered the fort with all their implements of war and some twenty thousand prisoners.

As we ascended that infernal hill, three of Co. G fell dead and several wounded. Thomas’s gun was shot from his hands about the time he was attempting to climb the breastworks. He fell and about that time he received a slight wound in the shoulder. I escaped entirely. There was six killed dead on the field and twenty-four wounded in Co G. [1st Sergeant] P[hilip] Q. Stoner lost his right arm, S[amuel] Fouts his leg, J[ohn] Pirtle and several others are dangerously wounded. Sergt. [John] Dunn, Wm. Drake, James [M.] Duckworth, [Andrew J.] Patterson, J[oseph Z.] Neidy, [Joseph N.] Rhodes fell on the field and are buried in one grave.”

Both Aaron and Thomas survived the war.

Letter: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/127508

Photo of General Ulysses S. Grant: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/1958

02/25/2026

For our What's it Wednesday this week we're still having some fun with the 1865 Quatermaster Manual, read the description of the item below and see if you can identify it. Post your guesses below and check back Friday for the answer!

"SILLS, 6 feet, 6 inches long, 2-3/4 inches thick, 2-1/2 inches wide at front end; back end, 2-3/4 inches; at centre [center], 3- 1/2 inches wide; centre [center] of Axle set 4- 1/2 inches back of centre [center] of Sill; 5 Studs on each side, including Head Stud.

STUDS, at shoulder, 2-1/8 inches wide by 1-1/2 inches thick; 3/4-inch tenon mortised through Sills, tapered at top to 1-1/2 inches square; length of Head Stud, from shoulder to top, 18-1/2 inches; 3-1/4 inches wide at Sill, tapered to 2-1/4 inches at top.

FOUR BARS in Body, 3-1/4 inches wide, 1- 1/2 inches thick, 3-1/4-inch tenon mortised into Sills.

MIDDLE PIECE, 2-3/4 inches deep by 2 inches thick; notched flush with top of Bars, and secured by one 5/16-inch rivet in each Bar.

SHAFTS OF ASH, length 9 feet, 4 inches, 2-3/4 inches thick, 2-3/4 inches wide at Clevis; at end of Sill, 3-3/4 inches wide; at centre [center] of Traveler, 2-3/4 inches wide; at end of Shafts, 2 inches; Back Bar on Shafts, 3-1/4 inches wide by 1-1/2 inches thick, mortised in Shaft by 3/4-inch tenon; Front Bar, 3-1/4 inches wide by 2 inches thick, notched in Shafts 3/8 of an inch. Shafts extend front of Sill 6 feet 1 inch; Sill extends front of Head Stud 9 inches, with Keystaff Mortised 3-1/2 inches long, 5/8 inch wide, 2-3/4 inches from front of Sill."

02/23/2026

Joseph Vaill was born in 1837 to Reverend Herman Landon Vaill and Flora (Gold) Vaill of Litchfield, Connecticut. Joseph’s brother, Theodore, severed in the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery and wrote the regimental history of it after the war. A group of 26 letters written by Theodore are also part of the Research Arsenal Collection.

Joseph Vaill served in the 8th Connecticut Infantry and later as clerk in the quartermaster’s office of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division of the 25th Corps.

Joseph’s letters in the Research Arsenal collection begin with him on board the steam ship “Admiral” which was captained by his cousin, Edward “Ned” Vaill. In a letter written on December 14, 1861, Joseph mentions writing from the stateroom of the “Admiral” which was currently transporting men from the 24th Massachusetts Infantry. It was not clear from the letter how Joseph Vaill ended up on the ship with his cousin, but he was evidently returning to his regiment.

On February 9, 1862, Joseph Vaill wrote to his father from Roanoke Island and gave a lengthy account of the recent battle there. Joseph began by recounting the bombardment of the Confederate fortifications on the island while he was on board the ship “Sentinel” with the rest of the 8th Connecticut Infantry.

“On Wednesday morning the 5th, we weighed anchor and brought up the rear of the fleet. We were on the Propeller “Sentinel” carrying 4 guns and being in the 3rd Brigade, were ordered to the rear as guard. The weather was fine but rather cool and it was thought that we would reach our destination by 4 P. M. and have warm work before sundown. But our boys were in good spirits and every man was ready to do his duty. At about 4 or 5 P. M. we dropped anchor in the rear of the fleet and about 10 miles from the island. The weather came on thick at evening with rain. The Sentinel and Chasseur were put back about a mile to guard the fleet in the rear and several small gunboats sent ahead to sound and reconnoiter.

The next morning we did not move but the small boats were in advance to lookout the ground. Friday morning the 7th orders were to move on and so we did—the gunboats in the advance. At about 10 A. M., we saw smoke several miles up the channel which we took to be from the enemy on shore. For an hour or so, firing commenced in earnest from our gunboats and was answered quite rapidly from a fort on shore and by rebel gunboats above the fort. The rebels had previously obstructed the channels by driving in spiles so that our gunboats could not go by the fort without passing directly under the fort. During the whole afternoon the firing was continual by our vessels and answered less rapidly as the day wore on. A dense cloud of black smoke told us that the fort was on fire.”

Read more through the link....

Joseph Vaill was born in 1837 to Reverend Herman Landon Vaill and Flora (Gold) Vaill of Litchfield, Connecticut. Joseph’s brother, Theodore, severed in the

02/19/2026

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 5th Minnesota Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

The 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment was organized at Fort Snelling, Minnesota, in spring 1862 in response to President Lincoln’s call for more troops during the American Civil War. It was the last of Minnesota’s early volunteer regiments to be assembled, and its men served with distinction in both frontier conflicts and major campaigns of the Western Theater.

The Research Arsenal is proud to have digitized and added 5th Minnesota Infantry National Archives files to our database for online access.

02/18/2026

For our What's it Wednesday this week, can you identify this item from the 1865 Quartermaster Manual? Post your guesses below and check back Friday for the answer!

"to be made of cocoa or box wood, and consist of 2 sizes, “C”and "B." The "C’s" to be about 14 1/2 inches long, and to weigh from 2 1/4 to 2 3/4 ounces each. The "B’s" about 16 1/2 inches long, and to weigh from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 ounces each."

Photo: Aquia Creek, Virginia. Captain J.W. Forsyth, the Provost Marshall https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/5101

02/16/2026

Frederick William Charles Heldman, (who was carried on rosters as Charles Heldman but signed his letters William Heldman) was an immigrant from Germany who served in Company A of the 17th Missouri Infantry. William Heldman was born in 1840 to Anton Karl Heldmann and Bertha (Falkmann) Heldmann. The family came to the United States in the 1840s. In 1851 William Heldman’s father died and his mother later remarried Eberhard Fuhr.

The 17th Missouri Infantry was also called the “Western Turner Rifles” and was made up of Union supporting German immigrants. William Heldman enlisted in the 17th Missouri Infantry in August, 1861. Previous to that he had served in the 3rd Missouri Infantry, a 90 day regiment formed in April, 1861.

In a letter written on August 13, 1861, William Heldman talked about his experience at the Battle of Carthage fought on July 5, 1861, and most of his company being taken prisoner.

“Sigel found Jackson on a large prairie where he found him with about 5,000 men but they were not very good armed. Sigel attacked one or two o’clock in the evening. We heard the cannons at Neosho and at three o’clock there came a man from Sigel and brought the orders for us to go back and we were all ready to go [when] there came about 1,500 secessionists from Arkansas and Texas commanded by General McCulloch.

We were all in the Court House where we had our place to stay. As soon as we seen them come, we knocked [out] all the windows and shut the doors, [and] got ready to shoot through the windows. The secessionists stopped and two men came up to the fence with a white handkerchief and asked our Captain to surrender and our Captain came in to us and told us. We told him we would sooner die. Our Captain told us we could not fight against so many and our Captain asked them if they would treat us just [if] we would surrender to them and they promised by their honor and so we give up. They kept us three days and then we had 85 miles to go without anything to eat. We got back to St. Louis and we have been here a good while waiting for our money and our discharge but I think we will soon get it.”

Soon after his return to St. Louis, William Heldman, along with many men of his regiment, joined the 17th Missouri Infantry.

Frederick William Charles Heldman, (who was carried on rosters as Charles Heldman but signed his letters William Heldman) was an immigrant from Germany who

02/13/2026

This week for our What's it Wednesday, we asked you:
"Which battle’s outcome helped Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant earn his famous nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant?"

The answer is: the Battle of Fort Donelson.

The Battle of Fort Donelson occurred in February 1862 during the American Civil War, bringing fierce fighting along the Cumberland River as Union forces under Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant closed in on the Confederate fort. On February 14, Union naval forces including ironclad gunboats traded “iron valentines” with Confederate river batteries in a deadly hour-and-a-half duel that damaged the ships and forced them to withdraw. Meanwhile, on land both sides grappled for advantage, with Confederates attempting a breakout on February 15 that briefly pushed Union troops back before confusion and miscommunication sent them retreating into their defenses. By February 16, surrounded and outnumbered, Confederate General Simon Buckner asked Grant for surrender terms. Grant replied that “no terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted,” and Buckner capitulated, marking one of the earliest major Union victories of the war.

The aftermath of the battle brought immediate relief efforts from civilians and organizations such as the U.S. Sanitary Commission, which provided medical supplies, food, and hospital transport for the wounded, and local women offered care and comfort to sick soldiers. The Union triumph at Fort Donelson not only earned Grant the enduring nickname “Unconditional Surrender” but also opened the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers as vital Federal supply routes, forced the Confederacy to abandon much of Kentucky and Tennessee, and set the stage for further Union advances deeper into the Southern heartland.

To learn more about the battle, visit: https://www.nps.gov/fodo/planyourvisit/thebattleforfortdonelson.htm