Hanford Civil War letters, 1862-1865

Abstract

The collection consists of 38 letters written between 1862 and 1865, most to Levi and Elizabeth Hanford of Hobart, Delaware County, N.Y. by four of their nephews: James Oscar Hanford, Horace S. Hanford, Chauncey D. Hanford and Crandal B. Hanford. These men served in the 144th New York Volunteer Infantry, a Delaware County Regiment during the Civil War. The Regiment, which was organized into 10 companies, drilled at Camp Delaware located near Delhi, New York. It was sworn into Federal service on September 27, 1862 and mustered out at Elmira in July of 1865. There are also a few letters written to their son Charles or by Nancie Hanford, Chauncey Hanford’s wife, and Raymond S. Champlin who appears to be a family friend. The collection also includes two copies of The New South, a newspaper published out of Port Royal, South Carolina (dated April 9 and July 23, 1864) and a copy of The Palmetto Herald, another newspaper published out of Port Royal, South Carolina (dated April 7, 1864).