Grand Army of the Republic Encampment Records, 1895

Held by The Filson Historical Society 

Creator:  Grand Army of the Republic 

Title:  Encampment Records, 1895 

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

Size of Collection:  11 cubic feet 

Location Number:  Mss. BC G751 

Scope and Content Note 

The correspondence, bills, receipts, ledgers, minute books, letter books, and scrapbooks from the various committees involved in organizing the 1895 Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic in Louisville. The Encampment was held in September of 1895 and attracted over 100,000 veterans and their families to the city. 

Biographical Note 

The Grand Army of the Republic was composed of Union veterans of the Civil War. At their 1894 Encampment in Pittsburgh a delegation from Louisville convinced the organization to hold their next Encampment in the city of Louisville. This was to be the first time that the Union veterans were to meet south of the Ohio river. The delegation from Louisville was composed of a mixture of Union and Confederate veterans and the 1895 Encampment became a gesture of the unity of the nation. 

The city of Louisville started organizing the Encampment in December of 1894 with a meeting at the Galt House. A committee of 100 was chosen and the sub-committees were chosen from these 100 people. The sub-committees were often divided into committees by precinct and soon over a thousand people were working to organize the Encampment. The size of the Encampment was so large that New Albany and Jeffersonville, Indiana were enlisted to help house the visitors. 

The Encampment was held from the 9th to the 13th of September, 1895. It attracted over 150,000 visitors to the city. The city held several parades during that week as well as a fireworks display along the river and a barbecue to help entertain the visitors. Hotels were filled on both sides of the river and school buildings were used as free quarters for visiting post of the G.A.R. A river boat was used as the headquarters of the Naval veterans. Campfires and Dog Watches were held every night with speakers from all over the nation entertaining the veterans. 

Folder List 

 Box 1 (Record Center Box) 

1) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

2) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

3) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

4) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

5) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

6) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

7) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

8) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

9) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

10) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

11) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

12) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

13) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

14) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

15) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

16) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

17) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

18) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

19) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

20) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

21) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

22) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

23) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

24) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

25) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

26) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

27) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

28) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

29) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

30) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

31) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

 

Box 2 (Record Center Box) 

32) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

33) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

34) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

35) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

36) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

37) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

38) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

39) Accommodation Committee – Correspondence. 

40) Accommodation Committee – Letterbook. 

41) Accommodation Committee – Letterbook. 

42) Accommodation Committee – Misc. Books. 

43) Accommodation Committee – Minute Book. 

44) Accommodation Committee – Index to Free Quarters (Oversized and wrapped). 

45) Accommodation Committee – Index to Free Quarters (Oversized and wrapped). 

46) Accommodation Committee – Ledger of private homes with rooms to rent (Oversized 

and wrapped). 

47) Accommodation Committee – Ledger of all Quarters, both free and to rent (Oversized 

and wrapped). 

48) Amusement Committee – Fireworks books. 

49) Amusement Committee – Correspondence. 

50) Amusement Committee – Correspondence. 

51) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

52) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

53) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

54) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

55) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

56) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

57) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

58) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

59) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

60) Badges Committee – Correspondence. 

61) Badges Committee – Letterbook of T.J. Batman. 

 

Box 3 (Record Center Box) 

62) Decorations and Illuminations Committee – Correspondence. 

63) Decorations and Illuminations Committee – Correspondence. 

64) Decorations and Illuminations Committee – Correspondence. 

65) Decorations and Illuminations Committee – Correspondence. 

66) Decorations and Illuminations Committee – Minute Book. 

67) Decorations and Illuminations Committee – Letterbook. 

Box 3 (Record Center Box) – continued 

68) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

69) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

70) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

71) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

72) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

73) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

74) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

75) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

76) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

77) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

78) Director General J.H. Millikin – Correspondence. 

79) Director General J.H. Millikin – Letterbook. 

80) Director General J.H. Millikin – Letterbook. 

81) Executive Council – Minute Book. 

82) Board of Managers – Minute Book. 

83) President Thomas H. Sherley – Letterbook. 

 

Box 4 (Record Center Box) 

84) General Secretary William Cornwall Jr. – Letterbook. 

85) Finance Committee – Correspondence. 

86) Finance Committee – Correspondence. 

87) Finance Committee – Correspondence. 

88) Finance Committee – Correspondence. 

89) Finance Committee – Correspondence. 

90) Finance Committee – Correspondence. 

91) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

92) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

93) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

94) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

95) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

96) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

97) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

98) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

99) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

100) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

101) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

102) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

103) Finance Committee – Bills and receipts. 

104) Finance Committee – Ledger of mattress expenses. 

105) Finance Committee – Treasurer’s report. 

106) Finance Committee – Ledger of subscribers. 

107) Finance Committee – Index of subscribers. 

108) Finance Committee – Subscribers by category (i.e. distillers, bakers, etc..). 

109) Finance Committee – Cash book. 

110) Finance Committee – Cash Book. 

 

Box 5 (Record Center Box) 

111) Finance Committee – Receipt book. 

112) Finance Committee – Receipt book. 

113) Finance Committee – Receipt book. 

114) Finance Committee – Receipt book. 

115) Finance Committee – Receipt book. 

116) Finance Committee – Receipt book. 

117) Finance Committee – Warrant Book. 

118) Finance Committee – Ledger of subscribers – local business and private subscribers. 

119) Finance Committee – Journal of expenses. 

120) Finance Committee – Ledger of expenses. 

121) Finance Committee – Express receipts and dray tickets. 

122) Finance Committee – Orders for postage stamps. 

123) Finance Committee – Contracts, etc. for the barbecue at Wilder Park. 

124) Halls and Campfires Committee – Correspondence. 

125) Halls and Campfires Committee – Correspondence. 

126) Halls and Campfires Committee – Correspondence. 

127) Halls and Campfires Committee – Correspondence. 

128) Halls and Campfires Committee – Correspondence. 

129) Halls and Campfires Committee – Correspondence. 

130) Halls and Campfires Committee – Correspondence. 

131) Halls and Campfires Committee – Letterbook of J.L. Chilton. 

132) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

133) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

134) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

135) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

136) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

137) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

138) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

139) Ladies Committee – Correspondence. 

140) Ladies Committee – Letterbook. 

141) Ladies Committee – Minute book. 

 

Box 6 (Record Center Box) 

142) Naval and Reunion Committee – Correspondence. 

144) Naval and Reunion Committee – Correspondence. 

145) Naval and Reunion Committee – Correspondence. 

146) Naval and Reunion Committee – Correspondence. 

147) Naval and Reunion Committee – Correspondence. 

148) Naval and Reunion Committee – Correspondence. 

149) Naval and Reunion Committee – Correspondence. 

149a) Naval and Reunion Committee – Minute book. 

150) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

151) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

152) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

153) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

154) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

155) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

156) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

157) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

158) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

159) Printing Committee – Newspaper, 17 May, 1895 Courier-Journal. 

160) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

161) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

162) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

163) Printing Committee – Newspaper, 18 May, 1895 Courier-Journal. 

164) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

165) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

166) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

167) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

168) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

169) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

170) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

171) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

172) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

 

Box 7 (Record Center Box) 

173) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

174) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

175) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

176) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

177) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

178) Printing Committee – Correspondence. 

179) Printing Committee – Official Souvenir Guide Book. 

180) Accommodations Committee – Contracts and correspondence. 

181) Accommodations Committee – Contracts to remove school desk. 

182) Amusement Committee – Fireworks contracts and correspondence. 

183) Citizens Committee – Applications for positions. 

184) Executive Committee – Articles of Incorporation. 

185) Badges Committee – Badges from Vermont. 

186) Badges Committee – Contracts for badges. 

187) Finance Committee – Bills. 

188) Finance Committee – Bills paid with cash. 

189) Press Committee – Bills. 

190) Finance Committee – Canceled checks. 

191) Conference of G.A.R. organizers held December 1894 in Louisville. 

192) Decoration and Illumination Committee – Contracts and correspondence. 

193) Finance Committee – Reports on subscribers. 

194) Halls and Campfires Committee – Contracts. 

195) Halls and Campfires Committee – Bills. 

196) Headquarters of General Council – Report on 1888 Encampment in Columbus, Ohio. 

197) Ladies Committee – Reports to Executive Committee. 

198) Little Sisters of the Poor. 

 

Box 8 (Record Center Box) 

199) Medical Department – Correspondence. 

200) Medical Department – Reports from the Wards. 

201) Medical Department – Correspondence. 

202) Director General – Reports. 

203) Minutes from November 1894 meeting. 

204) Misc. papers. 

205) Misc. papers. 

206) Old papers before the Cornwall administration. 

207) Orders for stamps and stationary. 

208) Orders for stamps and stationary. 

209) Parade and Review Committee – Correspondence. 

210) Payroll Information. 

211) Propositions for positions. 

212) Propositions for privledges, 

213) Receipts for money advanced by T.H. Sherley. 

214) Regrets to December 1895 Banquet. 

215) Reunion and Naval Veteran Committee – Reunion locations. 

216) Reunion and Naval Veteran Committee – Correspondence. 

217) Sheet Music – “The Veterans”. 

218) Sons of Veterans – Correspondence. 

219) Transportation Committee – Correspondence. 

220) Louisville Free Public Library Inventory of G.A.R. Records. 

221) Register of the G.A.R. Press Committee. 

222) Roster Memorandum Book. 

223) Scrapbook of newspaper articles about subscribers. 

Oversized and Wrapped 

224) Scrapbook of newspaper articles about the Louisville Encampment. 

225) Register of people attending the Encampment. 

226) Scrapbook of letters from dignitaries invited to attend the Encampment. 

227) Cover for book of Diagrams of Halls. This item was empty when received at the 

Filson Club.