Little, Isaac (1834-1907) Papers, 1862-1900

Held by The Filson Historical Society

Creator:  Little, Isaac, 1834-1907

Title:  Papers, 1862-1900

Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Curator of Special Collections.

Size of Collection:  .66 cu. ft.

Location Number:  Mss. A L778

Scope and Content Note

The collection, comprising approximately 140 letters, consists primarily of correspondence from Sgt. Isaac Little, 84^th Indiana Inf. Regt., to his second wife, Sally Coats Little, during the Civil War.  Little was stationed primarily in Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia, seeing action in the Battles of Chattanooga, Chickamauga and Lookout Mountain, as well as the Tullahoma, Tenn., and Atlanta Campaigns.  In addition to descriptions of battles and battlefields, the letters include detailed accounts of acts of confiscation, destruction, and pillage committed by Union and Confederate forces, as well as numerous entrepreneurial methods of supplementing his army pay and other aspects of daily military life..  Additional post-war materials include letters concerning the settlement of a Little relative’s estate, an application for a military pension and an invitation to an 1892 reunion of the 84^th Regiment. To read a detailed inventory of the Little Papers, please click here to view a PDF.

Approximately 50 photographs of Isaac Little’s descendants are contained in the Little – Bockhofer – Canaday Family Photograph Collection, 013PC3, in the Filson’s Photographic Collection.

Some of the folders in this collection have been digitized. See PDF scans linked in the folder list below.

 

Biographical Note

Isaac Little was born March 4, 1834, in Randolph Co., Indiana, the oldest child of David and Nancy Little.  In 1855 he married Nancy Ann Coffin, with whom he had three daughters.  Nancy died in 1859 and in 1862 he married Sally Coats.  Together they had six children, the eldest of whom, Alistus, is frequently mentioned in the letters.  Sally died in 1872.  Isaac married Elizabeth Millet in 1874.  They had no children together.  In August 1862 Isaac enlisted as a private in Company H, 84^th Indiana Volunteer Infantry Regiment,.  After the regiment was mustered in at Richmond, Ind., he was stationed in northern Kentucky across the Ohio River from Cincinnati.  He spent the winter of 1862-63 in eastern Kentucky, southeastern Ohio, and western Virginia. In February 1863 he was promoted to corporal.  He saw action in several skirmishes and battles in Tennessee, from Nashville to Chattanooga.  He participated in several engagements in the Atlanta Campaign in the summer and fall of 1864.  He was promoted to sergeant in March 1865 and was mustered out June 14, 1865.  After the war, he returned to Randolph County and resumed farming.  He died April 18, 1907, at the age of 73, at Cox’s Mill, Wayne Co., Ind., where his son, Alistus, was the miller.

Folder List

Box 1

Folder 1:  Correspondence, Aug.-Sept. 1862, 21 items

Folder 2:  Correspondence, Oct. 1862, 21 items

Folder 3:  Correspondence, Nov. 1862, 19 items (includes 5 pp. photocopies)

Folder 4:  Correspondence, Dec. 1862, 22 items

Folder 5:  Correspondence, Jan.-Feb. 1863, 31 items (click to view PDF)

Folder 6:  Correspondence, March 1863, 21 items (includes 2 pp. photocopies) (click to view PDF)

Folder 7:  Correspondence, April-June 1863, 27 items (click to view PDF)

Folder 8:  Correspondence, July-Sept. 1863, 30 items

Folder 9:  Correspondence, Oct. 1863-Jan. 1864, 23 items

Folder 10:  Correspondence, April-July 1864, 26 items (includes 2 pp. photocopies)

Folder 11:  Correspondence, Aug.-Dec. 1864, 27 items (click to view PDF)

Folder 12:  Correspondence, Jan.-March 1865, 23 items

Folder 13:  Correspondence, April-June 1865, 18 items

Folder 14:  Correspondence, 1880-1900, undated printed documents, 9 items

 

Subject Headings

Atlanta (Ga.) – Description and travel.

Atlanta (Ga.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Atlanta Campaign, 1864.

Black Brigade of Cincinnati.

Broadsides – United States.

Chattanooga (Tenn.), Battle of, 1863.

Chickamauga (Ga.), Battle of, 1863.

Cincinnati (Ohio) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Claims against decedent’s estates – Indiana.

Confederate States of America – History, Military – Desertions.

Copperhead movement.

Dallas (Ga.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Desertion – Military – United States.

Entrepreneurship – United States.

Fort Mitchell (Ky.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Franklin (Tenn.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Franklin, Battle of, Franklin, Tenn., 1864.

Georgia – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Granger, Gordon, 1822-1876.

Guyandotte (W.Va.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Indiana – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Kentucky – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 – Assassination.

Lookout Mountain, (Tenn.), Battle of, 1863.

Military discipline – United States.

Military pensions – United States.

Military railroads – United States.

Morgan, John Hunt, 1825-1864.

Morton, Oliver P. (Oliver Perry), 1823-1877.

Nashville, Battle of, Nashville, Tenn., 1864.

Nashville (Tenn.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Presidents–United States – Election –1864.

Quakers – Indiana.

Railroad accidents – United States.

Richmond, (Ind.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Rosecrans, William S. (William Starke), 1819-1898.

Society of Friends – Indiana.

Sutlers – United States

Tennessee – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

Thompson’s Station, Battle of, Thompson’s Station, Tenn., 1863.

Traitors – United States.

Tullahoma (Tenn.) – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – African Americans.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Communications.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Confiscations and contributions.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Desertions.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Destruction and pillage.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Equipment and supplies.

United States – History –Civil War, 1861-1865 – Health aspects.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Hospitals.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Participation, African American.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Prisoners and prisons.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Underground movements.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Transportation.

United States – History – Civil War, 1861-1865 – Veterans – Indiana.

United States. Army – African American troops.

United States. Army – Barracks and quarters.

United States. Army – Communications systems.

United States. Army – Firearms.

United States. Army – Leaves and furloughs.

United States. Army – Military life.

United States. Army – Pay, allowances, etc.

United States. Army – Promotions.

United States. Army – Religious life.

United States. Army – Supplies and stores.

United States. Army – Transportation.

United States. Army – Uniforms.

United States. Army. Indiana Infantry Regiment, 84^th, 1862-1865.

United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 40^th, 1861-1864.

United States. Army. 2^nd Brigade, 3^rd Division, Army of Kentucky.

Virginia – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.

West Virginia – History – Civil War, 1861-1865.