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Dixie O'Connor collection

 Collection — Folder: S1024
Identifier: S1024

Scope and Contents

This collection includes a Civil War sutlers check found by Dixie O'Connor at the Wilson's Creek Battlefield near Republic, Missouri. The token was given to a soldier in the 22nd Indiana Volunteer Regiment and it was "good for 25 cent in goods." The collection includes the October 25, 1963 letter O'Connor sent with the sutlers check to the Indiana State Library. His letter describes how and where he found the token and offers his speculation about how it got there (the 22nd did not take part in the Wilson's Creek battle). He also mentions Camp Morton, a Civil War prison located in Indianapolis during the Civil War.

Dates

  • circa 1861-1862, 1963

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.

Historical Note

The 22nd Indiana Volunteer Regiment was organized at Madison, Indiana on July 15, 1861 and mustered in men at Indianapolis on August 15th. On August 17th, the regiment moved to St. Louis, Missouri. The 22nd marched on different locations throughout Missouri until moving on to the battle of Pea Ridge in Arkansas in March, 1862. Besides Pea Ridge, the regiment took part in several other major engagements, including the Battle of Stones River, Battle of Chickamauga, Battle of Chattanooga, and the Battle of Perryville where 50 percent of the men engaged in the fight were lost. The 22nd served till the end of the war, mustering out its soldiers in June, 1865.

Source:

Turner, Ann. Guide to Indiana Civil War Manuscripts. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Civil War Centennial Commission, 1965.

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During the Civil War, civilian merchants who sold food, tobacco, liquor and other items to the troops were called sutlers. By law, only one sutler was allowed per regiment and they would follow the troops from camp to camp. Instead of returning change to the soldiers, sutlers would supply their own "money" called sutlers checks. They were either metal tokens or carboard chits and they had the sutler's name, unit, and denomination value printed on the them.

Source:

Lord, Francis A. Civil War Sutlers and Their Wares. New York: Thomas Yoseloff, 1969.

Extent

0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged chronologically.

Custodial History

This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Dixie O'Connor on 1963/10/25.

Accruals

No further additions are expected.

Processing Information

Collection processing completed 2016/07/15 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2016/07/15 by Laura Eliason.
Title
Dixie O'Connor collection
Status
Completed
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository

Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671