Autobiography of William Wallace Hammond, 1937, March 12.

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Autobiography of William Wallace Hammond, 1937, March 12.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/501192153

Typescript of William Wallace Hammond's autobiography, covering the years from 1837-1869. Begins with a brief account of his childhood and the death of his parents, and includes some references to his great-uncle Luther Very and guardian Walter Watson. Hammond briefly recounts his travels through New York and New Jersey in 1854, and his subsequent Army enlistment, which was enacted in exchange for cab fare. He writes extensively about the monotony of Army life during his time with Company I under Captain Delvua Davidson, as well as his desire to leave the Army and eventual discharge following Watson's intervention. Hammond describes his encounter with a Canadian fur trapper named John Cacota, who paid for Hammond's passage from Sioux City to St. Louis. He then writes of joining the Army teamsters bound for Utah, and how, upon losing his uniform and not having enough money for a new one, he left government employ and was commissioned by William Childs to drive an ox-team to Salt Lake City. Hammond briefly describes the sights seen along this journey, including Independence Rock. He describes in detail his nomadic life after leaving George W. Cohery's company, including his time making shinges at Parley's Canyon; farming at Little Cottonwood, Grafton, Cedar City, Parowan, and Springdale; teaching school at Kanarra; and building a schoolhouse near Sevier River under Jens Nielson in the 1860s. The autobiography ends with Hammond's marriage to Ruth Smith and the birth of their daughter. Included in the autobiography are references to General William S. Harney's treaty with the Sioux while Hammond was at Fort Pierre in 1855 and the arrival of General Sidney Johnston while the teamsters were near Ham Fork and Black Fork.

Bound typescript, 25 pages.

Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens

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SNAC Resource ID: 7620364

Related Entities

There are 5 Entities related to this resource.

Harney, William S. (William Selby), 1800-1889

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w66m3bnp (person)

American army officer. From the description of Autograph letter signed : Fort Bridger, Wyoming, to William W. Belknap, 1875 Sept. 7. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270499364 From the description of Autograph letter signed : St. Louis, Missouri, to an unidentified general, 1873 Sept. 9. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270503849 ...

Nielson, Jens, 1820-1906

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6pn9dkk (person)

United States. Army

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6km312r (corporateBody)

The United States Army is the largest branch of the United States Armed Forces and performs land-based military operations. It is one of the seven uniformed services of the United States and is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution, Article 2, Section 2, Clause 1 and United States Code, Title 10, Subtitle B, Chapter 301, Section 3001. As the largest and senior branch of the U.S. military, the modern U.S. Army has its roots in the Continental Army, which wa...

Hammond, William Wallace.

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6p84kqr (person)

William Wallace Hammond was born in New York on May 5, 1837. Following the death of his parents, Hammond spent much of 1854 traveling through New York and New Jersey before joining the Army in 1855. Following training at Governor's Island, he was sent to Carlisle Barrack, Pennsylvania, to join the 2nd Regiment, Company I under Captain Delvua Davidson. The Comapany traveld to Fort Pierre and then Fort Randall, where Hammond was discharged in 1856 with the aid of his guardian Walter Watson. Hammon...

Johnston, Albert Sidney, 1803-1862

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6cf9rjd (person)

Native of Kentucky; educated privately and at Transylvania University; graduate of West Point; served in the Black Hawk War; commanded the Army of Texas during the late 1830's; served in the Mexican War with the 1st Texas Rifle Volunteers; commissioned paymaster in the United States Army and later commanded the Department of Texas; resigned to join the Confederate Army in 1861 and commanded the Western Department from 1861 through the Battle of Shiloh, April 1862, where he was mortally wounded. ...