1861 - 1863 CIVIL WAR ARCHIVE INCLUDING TWO [2] IMPORTANT HANDWRITTEN DIARIES OF THE CHICAGO MERCHANTILE LIGHT ARTILLERY INCLUDING THE SOLDIER'S VERY FIRST LETTER HOME AND SIGNED CDVs

A wonderful archive of historically significant with detailed civil war content: 1) Two detailed Civil War diaries; 2) Ransom's first war letter home; 3) superb signed Ransom Civil War cartes des viste,[cdv]; 4) Other photos: a tintype cdv, gem photo, and another hand colored cdv of his wife Louie (Lucy) Perham; 5) A book titled "Sacred Poems"; 6) Ransom's business card and property tag and lastly but of huge importance to genealogists; 7) Early name and address book of Dick Ransom mentioning many family members and Battery mates. Dick Ransom was from Chicago, Illinois; enlisted on 8/7/1862 as a private. On 8/29/1862 he mustered into Chicago Mercantile Light Artillery. He was discharged for disability on 3/24/1863. Specifics: Diary #1 1861, 2.5 x 3.5 inches, full year January 1st through December 31st 1861, 120 pages of which approx. 250 days with entries recorded, dark brown period ink, very legible. Great war content, and a number of remarks made in great excitement; Lincoln as President; death of Col. Ellsworth, and Steven Douglas. Battle excitement and the rout of the federal army at the first battle of Bull Run at Manassas. Diary #2 1862 : 3 x 5 inches, entries from Aug. 7th 1862 through Mar. 6th 1863. 29 pages, brown period ink, very legible. Cover reads " Dick Ransom mercantile Battery Chicago Artillary 100 Washington Street Chicago". Signed in ink in Dick Ransom's hand on first page; "Dick Ransom 100 Washington Street Chicago Ill." Also included: 3 wonderful cdv/tintype of Lucy Ransom. [Dick speaks of his proposal for marriage to Lucy in his 1861 diary.] First is a tintype/cdv format of Lucy backmark Chicago, dated Aug 19th, 1866 and signed on reverse in Dick's hand,in brown ink "Louie Perham 1866 Dick Ransom". Secondly, mounted Gem Albuman photo of Lucy on cdv mount, ca. 1865. Cdv is handcolored image of Lucy, dated Jan 23rd 1868. The address book includes all of Dick's friends and family and many of Mercantile Battery mates including Sinclair, Willard, Gunlock, and Medal of Honor winner James Dunne. 3 x 5 inches, many pages of entries, mouse chew on cover edges. The date of 1883 can be found on the fep. Brown ink inscriptions, this book is an important genealogy record and helps to identify all the people referred to in the diaries. Here are some snippets: " January 9th "my Birthday 19 years old born at South Woodstock Vermont""march 4th Abe Lincoln President of the United States"" Mar 19th " wrote a long letter to Lucy .. with a proposal for marrige which I am sure will be accepted..I am in great anxiety for an answer". (tintype of Lucy included) "rec'd an answer alright = O.K."" April 25th -Intense excitement about ... voluteers companies forming and drilling constantly all over the North"." May 2nd - douglas was received here by republicans and Democrates unanimously " May 3 - great war excitement for some time - volunteerism all over the country - great excitement". " May 5th - volunteers drilling in the streets "" May 8th - Lucy went for me to get a flag for the volunteers ."" May 9th - great war excitement companies guarding and driling". " May 24th - war message regarding the good and efficient commanders.." " may 25th - Scott and President Lincoln col. Ellsworth the Zouave huro of Chicago killed in Alexandrea yesterday for tearing down a secsession flag. " June 3rd - Stephen A Douglas died at the tremont house this A.m. at 48. The city draped very very heavily mourning. col. Ellesworth funeral yeaterday at Bryan hall". " May 4th - Douglas laid in state at Bryan Hall all day." " May 5th - Douglas still in Bryan Hall ". " May 5th - Douglas still lies in state at Bryan hall is to be burried at Cottage Grove tomorrow ". "May 7th- Douglas funeral stores all shut up largest funeral ever in Chicago ". " June 10th - War excitement continues usual small battles and skirmishes but no large ones some expected soon". " June 20th - war and rumors of war some great battles expected soon in vicinity of Washington Sucession.." " June 25th - Great riot in Milwakee yesterday - Dutch Mob attacks..." " June 25 - all state banks in iowa Indiana and Eastern Missiouri counterfeits so plenty now". " June 30th - went out to Cottage Grove to see the camp" " July 8 - Telegraphs forbidden by the War department to transmit any war news of the intentions of the united states "." July 16 - the federal forces are beginning to move toward Richmond knowing where they will stop Gen. Scott don't tell everydody". " July 22 - At noon good news from the war high hopes night news the entire rout of the Federal army .. and retreat back to Washington". (referring to the first battle of Bull Run at Manassas ) " July 23 - News from war not encouraging - 600 killed ". " July 25- breacking accounts the battle and rout of the Union army though better than at first suspected ". " Sept. 25- think of joining T.E.G. Ransoms 11th regiment at Cairo had a letter from him wants me". (referring to Gen. Ransom). " Oct 6th - another letter from T.E. G. Ransom still urges me. " " Aug 7th 1862 I enlisted in the Mercantile Battery of the Artillary of the U.S. for three years unless sooner discharges"" Aug 9th I was sworn in by capt. christopher U.S. mustering officer of Chicago". " Mr Sutter pastor presented each of the young men who had enlisted with a teatament". " Aug 11th - picked up duds to go to camp tomorrow- at 9 o'clock". "Aug 12th- at 9 o'clock at our headquarters at corner of Lake and State streets at the ..Mercantile Association - marched to court house and examined by surgeon and then recieved our $ 60 ". " Aug 13th - arranged our camp as best we could not being organized . was on guard ... skirmishing ." " Aug 14th -rec'd news that we were accepted by the government and were to have a full battery ... powder smooth Bores . the Coffeemill ... orders to fill up the company to 156 men... some photographs taken ". " Aug 25 - we elected our officers and then were visited by Adjutant General Fuller...Cooley Wilson Swan Bickford ". " Aug 29 - The Battery was mustered into service by lt. Knox ". "Sept. 1st- went to town to get more photographs". " Sept 23 - lient Wilson had a sword to be presented him ". " Oct. 3- went to camp and found that the Guns and all accoutrements and ammunition had come". .. guns 2 ..from riffle james cannon 2 to 8 ditto rebel guns -one made in Memphis and one in orleans which had been captured". " Oct 4th Seargents knights and Whitney Thomas and Throop drew cuts for the 4 bronze guns -knight & Thomas got the U.S. & Throop 7 Whit the rebels.". " Oct 5- had a great deal of company to look at the guns .." the Mercantile Association presented Crego with a sword .. the accoutrements are being distributed and guns. today there was a sword Pistols presented to Capt. Cooley by the Mercantile Association." "Oct 15th " last evening the Asociation presented the Battery a splendid set of Colors. .. to ft. Wayne..after the horses for the Battery ". " Oct 26th - we drill about 4 hours daily with our horses and guns on the prarie and five blank cartriges to break in the horses - we are almost ready mow for the field and fight". We are now likely to get our Captain Cooley to resign and have Morgan in his place... we have no guard around the camp now (only on the horses, guns, ammunitionstores & officers tents and the boys go down town when they choose". " Dec. 25th - Vicksburg measels" "jan 2nd 1863. left Yazoo country- & Walnut Hills & c bluffs - Sherman's big retreat" . " Feb 14 - Arkansas Post- Sherman deserted - then back to Youngs Point". " Mar 6th Left Youngs Point for Hospital in Memphis on steame "City of Memphis". " April 1st 1863 - Mrs. Livermore brought me my discharge from the service- to Washington Hosptal Memphis.". " April 2 - left Memphis on Bostona -- homeward bound a free man". Remarkable archive.; Manuscript; 48mo - over 3" - 4" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, DICK RANSOM, ALS, CDV, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, DIARY, JOURNAL, DIARIES, JOURNALS, LOG, LOGS, KEEPSAKE, AMERICANA, Civil War, War Between the States, VICKSBURG, MANASSASS, BULL RUN, LINCOLN, ILLINOIS, MERCHANTILE ILLINOIS INFANTRY, Zouave