Norman Carr papers

Collection

Identifier: D.197

Staff Only

Biographical/Historical note

Norman B. Carr (ca.1842-1931) served for the Union in the Civil War as chief quartermaster on the naval gunboat U.S.S. Paw Paw during the years 1864-1865. The Paw Paw patrolled the waters of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers during the war as part of what was known as the "tinclad navy," vessels made up of converted steamboats that were able to navigate the shallow waters of these rivers. Often overlooked by historians, these vessels were integral in helping to win the war for the Union on the western front.

At 22 years of age, Norman Carr left his family in Union Springs, NY and enlisted in the navy on August 12, 1864, opting to serve with the tinclad navy as opposed to the larger and more celebrated ironclad ships of the Atlantic, where his older brother George was stationed at the time. His family lived on Cayuga Lake in Upstate New York, where his father worked as a lake captain carrying coal and other commodities. From the time Norman enlisted in the navy until his discharge on June 28, 1865, he and his family corresponded quite frequently, each letter giving updated accounts of the details of their daily lives.

Although Civil War letters are common, letters written from the western campaign are generally scarcer than those from where the main concentration of conflict took place. Norman Carr's experiences during the war were not as combative as that of others, but he still understood the ugliness and suffering of the war at a time when the Confederacy was beginning to crumble in defeat. His letters provide literate, newsy accounts of life on the Paw Paw and the Mississippi River, where he encountered Rebel soldiers, ragged prisoners, a smallpox outbreak, and a river collision. They also show his reaction to the news of President Lincoln's assassination.

Times were also not easy for the Carr family back home in Union Springs, as the letters indicate. They provide a bleak picture of life in a small Upstate community, where there was much suffering from disease, starvation, and death. Despite such conditions, life went on with frequent dances, parties, and religious gatherings. These letters offer a glimpse of what was most important to Upstate New Yorkers and their families during this trying time in history.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of two boxes. Box 1 contains original autograph correspondence between Norman Carr and his family and friends, separated into letters written by Norman Carr and letters written to him. Typed transcriptions were made only for letters dated 1864-1865, the years when Norman Carr served on the Paw Paw, as these are the most historically significant letters in the collection. Box 1 also contains historical and printed materials relating to the U.S.S. Paw Paw, data on its commanding officers, and its role in the western campaign of the Civil War. Box 2 is a large flat box containing a framed photograph of the Paw Paw with Norman Carr on deck, as well as miscellaneous ephemera and memorabilia items relating to Carr and his service in the war. Photocopies have been made for all items in Box 2, as well as for all original Norman Carr correspondence in Box 1, to aid in the handling and viewing of these items.

Creator

Carr, Norman B., approximately 1842-1931 (Person)

Dates

Creation: circa 1842-1931

Language of Materials

English

Extent

2 box(es)

Access

The Norman Carr Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Norman Carr Papers were donated to the University of Rochester by Edward T. Hanley, Jr., of Canandaigua, New York, in March 1985. The collection also includes typed transcriptions of the letters provided by Mr. Hanley. This gift came to the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections through the good offices of Professors George J. Grella (English) and Richard W. Kaeuper (History).

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Norman B. Carr Papers, D.197, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester