Brown, John Mason (1837-1890) Papers, 1862-1864
Held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: John Mason Brown, 1837-1890
Title: Papers, 1862-1864
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.
Size of Collection: 0.66 cubic feet
Locator Number: Mss./B878c/1-18
Scope and Content Note
Col. Brown was the commanding officer of the 45 th Kentucky infantry regiment and the 2 nd and 4 th Brigade, 1 st Division, District of Kentucky, 1862-1864. The collection contains official military communications, orders, registers, and reports directed to and issued by him and various staff officers, primarily in 1864. The correspondence consists of descriptions of recruiting activities in Kentucky, encounters with Confederate guerrilla and cavalry units and requests for payment of expenses and for leaves and furloughs. The registers include periodic lists of personnel readiness and military ordnance and supplies in units under Brown’s command. Printed orders include results of numerous courts martial and instructions regarding rebel deserters and refugees.
Biographical Note
John Mason Brown was born in Frankfort, Ky., 26 April 1837, the son of Mason and Mary (Yoder) Brown. He graduated from Yale College in 1856. He returned to Frankfort where he taught school and studied law. In April, 1860, he opened a law practice in St. Louis, Mo. He spent several months in 1861 and 1862 traveling in the Northwestern United States and British America. Upon his return from a trip to the Montana Territory in October, 1862, he was commissioned Major of the Kentucky10 th cavalry regiment. He was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the 45 th Kentucky Mounted Rifles regiment in December, 1863. He was subsequently appointed commander of the 4 th Brigade, 1 st Division, District of Kentucky in April, 1864 and the 2 nd Brigade in July, 1864. He left the service in December, 1864 and resumed his law practice in Frankfort. He eventually opened a law firm in Louisville in 1873 and later was a founder of the Filson Club. He married Mary O. Preston, eldest daughter of Gen. William Preston, 25 November 1869. They had 4 children. He eventually settled in Louisville, Ky., where he remained in practice until his death on 29 January 1890 at the age of 52.
Folder List
Folder 1: Correspondence, 29 May 1862 – 30 April 1864
Folder 2: Correspondence, 1 May – 10 May 1864
Folder 3: Correspondence, 11 May – 31 May 1864
Folder 4: Correspondence, June 1864
Folder 5: Correspondence, July – August 1864
Folder 6: Correspondence, September – November 1864
Folder 7: Correspondence, undated (ca. 1864)
Folder 8: Official monthly reports, 2 nd Brigade, 1 st Division, District of Ky., May – September 1864
Folder 9: Official reports of company, regiment strength and absentees of 4 th Brigade, 30 April – 11 August 1864
Folder 10: Military expense claims and receipts, July – October 1862, May 1864
Folder 11: General orders, May 1863 – November 1864
Folder 12: Legal charges, depositions, furlough certificates, March – November 1864
Folder13: Ordnance and supplies reports, January – November 1864
Folder 14: Instructions for Officers of the Adjutant General’s Department, 1862
Folder 15 : Lloyd’s official map of the state of Kentucky compiled from actual surveys and official documents, Lloyd, James T., New York, 1863 (available online at http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g3950.rr002250 )
Oversize
Folder 16: Monthly reports of 2 nd Brigade, 1 st Division, District of Ky., April – June 1864
Folder 17: Monthly reports of 2 nd Brigade, 1 st Division, District of Ky., July – November 1864Folder 18: Regiment reports, lists of absentees, detached members and recruits, roll of POW, medical supply requisition, 1862, 1864, & undated
Subject Headings
Burbridge, Stephen Gano, 1831-1894
Camp Nelson (Ky.)
Courts-martial and courts of inquiry – United States
Cynthiana (Ky.) – History
Jessee, George M., 1830-1896
Kentucky – History – Civil War, 1861-1865
May, Andrew Jackson, 1829-1903
Military offenses – United States
Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864
Presidents – United States – Election – 1864
Thomas, Lorenzo, 1804-1875
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – African Americans
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Desertions
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Prisoners and prisons
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Registers
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Supplies
United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Underground movements
United States. Army – Appropriations and expenditures
United States. Army – Equipment
United States. Army – Handbooks, manuals, etc.
United States. Army – Leaves and furloughs
United States. Army – Officers’ handbooks
United States. Army – Recruiting, enlistment, etc.
United States. Army. Kentucky Infantry Regiment, 14th (1861-1865)
United States. Army. Kentucky Infantry Regiment, 45th (1863-1865)
United States. Army. Kentucky Infantry Regiment, 47th (1863-1865)
United States. Army. Kentucky Infantry Regiment, 49th (1863-1864)
United States. Army. Kentucky Infantry Regiment, 30th (1864-1865)
