The collection consists mostly of letters written by Artemas Wheeler to his wife, Helen Kendall Wheeler, during the Civil War. Additionally, there are also three diaries, two kept during the war in 1863 and 1864 and one used by an unknown woman in 1867. There are also letters Wheeler wrote to his mother while he was prospecting in California before the war. Some of the Civil War letters are quite dry, speaking of his health, asking of his wife's health, or commenting on the weather. But Wheeler also provides very detailed descriptions of troop movements and battles in other letters. Artemas Wheeler was mustered on September 1, 1862 in Brattleboro, Vermont and was first stationed in Arlington, Va. on General Lee's former property. Later, he served north of the Potomac, guarding the canal and watching for Confederate raids. Both this service and his communications and relationship with his wife are documented in the letters and diaries in the collection. A detailed overview of both Wheeler's movements, concerns and opinions as related to his wife through their correspondence is available in the finding aid. Of the three diaries, the 1863 diary contains the most detailed information about Artemas Wheeler's Civil War experience. It records the weather and letters he sent and received, and also provides specific details on troop movements, miles marched, and other similar topics. It is a very complete diary with frequent and substantive entries. The 1864 diary is blank till the middle of February, and basically ends on April 10, though there is a report of who was killed, wounded, missing, and where the bullets hit each casualty recorded on October 19. The 1867 diary was kept by a woman, with a husband named Edwin, and her connection to Artemas is unclear. This diary speaks mostly of cooking, sewing chores, visits, the weather, and goods bought and sold. The pre-war letters contain interesting descriptions of how Californian gold mining was conducted in the mid-nineteenth century. These were mostly written by Artemas' brother, Albert Wheeler. One was written from Walla Walla, Washington Territory, but mostly they are from California. There are also other miscellaneous letters including one from Helen Wheeler's brother to Artemas Wheeler, after Helen died in 1869, and one to Helen from her sister, Sarah, in 1862. There is also an 1851 letter from Artemas Wheeler to his mother written from San Francisco, the year he had left Vermont; and another one written in 1856 where he speaks of having tried to make a living in Oregon, an area he didn't like.
