Research Arsenal

04/10/2026

Happy National Siblings Day! And as you may have guessed from our What's it Wednesday post earlier this week, these three gentlemen are brothers--the two in front being twin brothers. The Ellsworth brothers all enlisted in the 12th New Hampshire Infantry (as can be seen from their hat insignia).

Older brother Samuel enlisted at the age of 42, and his younger twin brothers Bartlett and John Calvin were 39 when they enlisted in August of 1862.

About the brothers:
Samuel Ellsworth, at age 42, enlisted on 7 Aug 1862, and was mustered in on 15 Sept as a private. Captured at Chancellorsville on 5/3/63, he was paroled twelve days later. He was transferred to the 5th Company, 1st Battalion, Invalid Corps (later the Veteran Reserve Corps) on 15 Jan '64, and to Co. D, 1st V.R.C. He deserted in Albany, NY on 15 Oct 1864, and returned to his wife and children in Wentworth. He died in Plymouth, NH on 22 Aug 1895, aged 75.

Bartlett Ellsworth, age 39, enlisted on 26 Aug 1862, and was mustered in on 24 Sept, a private. He would die of typhoid fever near Falmouth, Virginia on 22 Dec 1862. He is buried in the Fredericksburg National Cemetery. His widow, Nancy M (Batchelder), filed for, and received a pension. They had four children.

John Calvin Ellsworth, age 39, enlisted on 30 Aug 1862, and was mustered in as a private on the 15th of Sept. Listed as missing following the Battle of Chancellorsville on 3 May '63, he would later return to his unit. He received a disability discharge on 7 Sept 1864, in Concord. He was married and would live the remainder of his life in Wentworth, dying there on 9 Oct 1881.

Information from: Charles W Canney Camp #5, SUVCW https://cwcanneycamp5.weebly.com/blog/the-brothers-ellsworth

Tagged photo: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/2402

04/09/2026

The Research Arsenal is proud to be digitizing and adding historical records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our online database so that researchers and historians can access material that previously required a trip to Washington D.C. The 17th Michigan Infantry is one of the many regiments that has been added to our database.

We are is digitizing records of Civil War regiments held at the National Archives to our database. The 17th Michigan Infantry is now available.

04/08/2026

For our What's it Wednesday this week, what can you tell from this photo through the figures themselves and what they are wearing?

Post your answers below and check back Friday for more information!

04/07/2026

Charles Hobbs was born in 1844 to Moody Hobbs and Elizabeth P. (Spofford) Hobbs of Pelham, New Hampshire. Moody Hobbs served as a state senator in New Hampshire in 1863. Charles Hobbs enlisted on August 18, 1862 and was mustered in as a corporal on September 20, 1862.

The first letter in our Research Arsenal collection was written by Charles Hobbs on October 12, 1862 from Camp Chase, Virginia. He wrote to a friend named Louisa Richardson and recounted his travel from New Hampshire to Virginia.

“Here we are encamped on the sacred soil of ‘Old Virginia’ and are enjoying ourselves as well as can be expected in such a miserable place. We had a splendid time coming on till we left Philadelphia and from there we didn’t have so splendid a time. Our ride from Norwich to Jersey City on the steamboat was splendid but some of the rides in the freight cars rather annihilated the pleasant feelings about the boat ride. We took the steamboat the first night after leaving Nashua and got to Philadelphia the second night and had a splendid time there and got to Washington the third night and had a splendid time there sleeping on the ground among the hogs — or not exactly among, but they were all round us. Slept as sound there, however, as I ever did at home.”

Charles Hobbs was born in 1844 to Moody Hobbs and Elizabeth P. (Spofford) Hobbs of Pelham, New Hampshire. Moody Hobbs served as a state senator in New

04/03/2026

Does anybody know exactly where the 119th PA fought at Chancellorsville in May of 1863?

04/03/2026

Need research help!

Another Archival day! Yay! We came across this note in the 210th PA infantry clothing ledger that said the individual at the top of the page might be related to President Eisenhower! Anyone out there who can run this down?

04/03/2026

The Angry Archivist returns after watching an unboxing video of a 1909 time capsule with the Governor of Colorado.

The Angry Archivist hasn't had too much to be angry about lately, but a recent Colorado unboxing video of a time capsule changed all that. In the past I've

04/02/2026

We wish to apologize for any confusion from our post yesterday on April 1st about creative ways to make your collection of historic documents more exciting through origami. Our "Inept Archivist" has been let go. Please do not make origami art from your collections.

04/01/2026

Civil War collectors are often surrounded by lots of old documents. And let's face it--that is BORING. Just old flat paper that just sits there. Sits there in filing cabinets or archival boxes where you can't even see it. And if you can see them, they are always framed flat. Where's the fun in that? How can you liven up your collection of old paper?

How about origami? It's a fun traditional papercraft that turns boring flat pieces of paper into beautiful works of art. Just like this stunning crane made from some old letter written by some guy named Grant or something. What was once a boring piece of paper is now a lovely work of art to feature in your living room or office.

Follow us for more archive tips!

03/31/2026

Gustavus Gould was born in 1843 to Joseph Gould and Lucinda (Sanders) Gould of Montpelier, Vermont. He enlisted in Company E of the 17th Vermont Infantry on February 24, 1864. The regiment finished organizing in late April, 1864 and was assigned to the 9th Corps of the Army of the Potomac.

Gustavus Gould’s letters in our Research Arsenal collection begin on a serious note. On December 18, 1864 Gustavus Gould wrote home to his father from the Guard House at City Point, Virginia.

“I take this opportunity to write a few lines to you to let you know where I am. I am here in the guard house. They have sent me here as a deserter. I don’t see how they can make out desertion against me for you know that I was arrested before my furlough was out and was right there at home.”

While there aren’t any more details about how he ended up being arrested for desertion while on furlough, evidently he was able to clear things up relatively quickly because his next letter was written from Fort Davis, Virginia, in January, 1865, where he had returned to his regiment. After writing about small occurrences to his brother, Jerome, Gustavus Gould then addressed his parents.

“I suppose you and father have worried yourselves a great deal about me and I don’t wonder at it for I had a hard road to travel but never mind that. Trouble is all over with now so I hope you won’t worry anymore for I am alright now and I shall come home again sometime. Perhaps the time will not be long before I shall be there.”

Gustavus Gould was born in 1843 to Joseph Gould and Lucinda (Sanders) Gould of Montpelier, Vermont. He enlisted in Company E of the 17th Vermont Infantry on

03/27/2026

This week for our What's it Wednesday, we asked you to identify the weapons in this photo. They are:
Knife: Bowie
Pistol: C**t pocket ('49)
Pistol: Mass. Arms Co. Adams patent
Pistol: Pepperbox
Shotgun: Double-barreled

This photograph shows Sergeant Andrew Chandler of the 44th Mississippi Infantry Regiment, Co. F., and Silas Chandler, family slave. When Andrew enlisted, Silas was forced to join him for his service. Andrew was wounded at Chickamauga and doctors wished to amputate his leg. Silas argued against the amputation and was able to bring Andrew home where local doctors were able to save his leg. However, because of the injury, Andrew was out of the service.

Andrew's younger brother, Benjamin enlisted in the 9th Mississippi Cavalry in 1864, and once again, Silas was brough along in the service. Briefly attached to Jefferson Davis' es**rt, eventually Benjamin and Silas surrendered in Washington, GA to the Union Army in May of 1865.

You can read an excellent article on Silas and the Chandler brothers by Ron Coddington here: https://archive.nytimes.com/opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/a-slaves-service-in-the-confederate-army/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

To see the fully tagged photo: https://app.researcharsenal.com/imageSingleView/3361

03/26/2026

Can you believe it's been a year since the Angry Archivist first appeared on our blog?!? I haven't had many things to rant about lately, but that is a good thing! Keep taking good care of those collections! 😊

Tracing Civil War history by damaging historic documents with ballpoint pen and acidic tape causes irreversible damage to archival materials.