Dennis H. Arnold and Mary E. Arnold Correspondence
Scope and Contents
The Dennis H. Arnold and Mary E. Arnold Correspondence, 1862-1863, comprise Civil War era letters between Corporal Dennis H. Arnold in Hilton Head, South Carolina and Mary E. Arnold, his wife, in Rockland, Rhode Island. Corporal Arnold’s letters primarily discuss his arrival in Hilton Head, soldiers' generally unfavorable reactions to General Hunter’s emancipation proclamation, efforts to create an African American regiment, a siege train going to Savannah, illness at camp, and food. Mary Arnold’s letters primarily focus on concerns regarding money, illnesses in town, desires to help in the War effort, town happenings, movements of enlisted family in Richmond, Virginia, and her unfavorable feelings on the formation of African American regiments. Notably, her letter on September 14, 1862 details a scene of men being inspected and “ransacked” for enlistment in the War. There is one letter from Corporal Arnold to his brother discussing his time in a hospital in Washington, D.C.
Dates
- Creation: 1862-1863
Creator
- Arnold, Dennis H., 1819-1892 (Person)
- Arnold, Mary E., 1826-1883 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright status for collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Biographical / Historical
Corporal Dennis H. Arnold (1819-1892) and Mary E. Arnold were from Rockland, Rhode Island, a small town that is now submerged under the Scituate Reservoir. Arnold enlisted as a Private on January 9, 1862 in the Union Army and was officially mustered in as a Corporal on February 14, 1862. As a Corporal, he was sent to Hilton Head, South Carolina in March of 1862 under the command of General David Hunter (1802-1886).
General David Hunter (1802-1886) was a soldier and abolitionist during the Civil War known for his political connections to President Abraham Lincoln which aided in his appointment to Brigadier General of volunteers in 1861. After an injury at the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861, he was transferred to command the Department of the South and sent to Hilton Head, South Carolina.
In March 1862, preparations were made by troops in Hilton Head to retake Fort Pulaski and trains full of artillery and soldiers were readied. On April 10, 1862, Union troops opened fire and forced a surrender of Fort Pulaski. General Hunter, during this time, issued General Order No. 7 and 11 that emancipated all enslaved persons at Fort Pulaski, Cockspur Island, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. At this time, he also worked to enlist Black soldiers, forming the 1st South Carolina Volunteers Regiment of African American soldiers. Met with much controversy and backlash at General Hunter’s actions, President Lincoln issued Proclamation 90 to revoke the General’s orders on May 20, 1862.
During his time in Hilton Head, Corporal Arnold fell ill, complaining of issues with eyesight in one letter, and was subsequently discharged on September 28, 1862. In March of 1863, he spent some time in a hospital in Washington, D.C. He returned to home to Mary Arnold in Rockland, Rhode Island. Corporal Arnold filed for federal pension on June 17, 1865.
Mary Arnold was on the homefront in Rockland, Rhode Island, during the War and organized a society to provide relief to sick and wounded soldiers.
Extent
0.25 Cubic Feet (1 legal folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
- Title
- A Guide to the Dennis H. Arnold and Mary E. Arnold Correspondence, 1862-1863
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Grace Thomsen
- Date
- September 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Notre Dame Rare Books & Special Collections Repository