Blanchard, Benjamin Goodwin, 1836-1863. Blanchard-Gibson family papers, 1849-1925.
Title:
Blanchard-Gibson family papers, 1849-1925.
Collection comprised of three accessions organized into seven series. Series I - Letters of Benjamin Goodwin Blanchard, Jr., and correspondence relating to his death, 1857-1863 (bulk, 1862-1863). Blanchard, from Charlestown, enlisted in a nine-months regiment, and was sworn into company H, 5th Regiment, on Sept. 16, 1862. The regiment trained at Camp Lander in Wenham and sailed to New Bern, N.C. aboard the steamer Mississippi. The 5th Regiment participated in two expeditions, the Tarboro March and the Goldsboro Expedition and played a supporting role in the engagements at Kinston, Whitehall, and Goldsboro. Blanchard's letters home are full of humor and sarcasm, and contain a full account of camp life (including complaints about miserable conditions) and the activities of his company - camp food, guard duty, foraging, recreation (baseball and football). Blanchard succumbed to fever on May 23, 1863 in New Bern. Series II - Correspondence of Benjamin G. Blanchard, Sr., papers concerning the family plot at Mount Auburn Cemetery and estate, 1849-1897. Series III - Letters of Catherine Atkins Blanchard, 1869-1885. Most letters are to her daughter, Lizzie, concerning family matters. Several contain poetry. Series IV - Correspondence of Charles G. Gibson, 1880-1925. Most are to his wife, Lizzie. Series V - Letters of G. Gibson, 1866-1891 (bulk, 1872-1873). Mostly addressed to his son, Charles G. Gibson, and wife Jane. Series VI - Letter from "Patrick" to Lizzie, n.d. Poorly-written and in the form of a courtship letter, possibly in jest. Series VII - Catherine Atkins Blanchard, genealogical notes, newspaper clippings, letters, and poetry, copied (possibly by her daughter, Nellie Holmes) into Clayton's quarto diary for 1858. Poems appear to be dated ca. 1856-1877, with a poem by Nellie Holmes dated 1892. Most of the poems are dedicated to family members and friends, and some commemorate meetings, events, or holidays.
ArchivalResource:
2 boxes ; 26 cm.
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