Creator: Culbertson, Samuel James (1837-1900)
Title: SAMUEL JAMES CULBERTSON PAPERS
Date range: 1862-1864
Size: 17 letters
Call number: D.512

Location:
Rare Books & Special Collections
Rush Rhees Library
Second Floor, Room 225
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627-0055

Language(s) of materials: English

Scope and Contents:

The collection contains letters written by Samuel James Culbertson* while he served in the Civil War. Except for two letters written to Culbertson by his brothers--Frank and Mike, letters 8a and 8b--the letters are addressed to his cousin, Sarah (Sallie) Rue Hannah Johnston of 246 Longworth St., Cincinnati, Ohio.

According to WIlliam Clarke's “The Descendants of John McNair 1690-1762 and Collateral Families," Culbertson enlisted in September 1862, joining Company B, 130th Regiment of New York Volunteers.  "He served in that company for a year and was then transferred to the First New York Dragoons as a captain. He was engaged in some thirteen or fourteen battles between that time and 1864 when he was mustered out of the army because of ill health. "

Samuel and Sallie would marry in 1866. One of their children, Margaret Belle Culbertson, married Hugh Robinson McNair in 1891. They were the grandparents of Helen Jean McNair Tobin, Margaret McNair Muessel, Hugh Robinson McNair, David Dufour McNair, Samuel Robinson McNair, James Theodore McNair Jr., William Walton Clarke III, and John McNair Clarke. 

The transcriptions for the letters are provided as pdfs, and were generously provided by David McNair; misspellings and grammatical errors have been preserved as they were written, but punctuation was added to indicate the start of sentences. To access the letters and envelopes, click on the image provided below,

*(4 Samuel James Culbertson 6, William Clarke’s “The Descendants of John McNair 1690-1762 and Collateral Families")

Source: Donated by David McNair (UR 1956) in November 2016. 

Preferred citation

(Name of item, if applicable), Samuel James Culbertson Papers, Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department, University of Rochester.

Contents:

Box 1

Letter 1: 1862-11-03 (Suffolk, Va.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 2: 1862-11-30 (Camp Suffolk, VA)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 3: 1863-01-23 (Camp Suffolk, VA)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 4:  1863-03-01 (Camp Suffolk, VA)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 5: 1863-06-07 (Camp Suffolk, VA)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 6: 1863-06-27  (Yorktown, Va.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 7: 1863-07-31 (Hdqrs Provost, Marshall, Warrentown, Va.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 8A:  1863-09-12
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

 


Letter 8B:   1863-09-14
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 9:  1863-10-25 (1st Dragoons, Manassas, Va.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 10:   1863-12-22 (Culpepper, Va.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 11:  1864-01-17 (Mitchell’s Station, Va.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 12:  1864-02-07 (Groveland, NY)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 13: 1864-03-28 (Mitchell’s Station, Va.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 14:  1864-08-26 (US Gen. Hosp., Annapolis, Md.)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 15:  1864-10-24  (Groveland, NY)
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through

Letter 16: 1864-12-19
Transcription (pdf)
Click on image to enlarge and page through