Title: David L. Jones Letters

Date/Date Range :   1865

Extent: 0.3 linear feet

Abstract:

The David L. Jones Letters, 1865, consists primarily of letters between Private Jones (19th Pennsylvania Cavalry) and his wife Anna. He details his hardships, adventures, and views of the war, while Anna responds with letters about the homefront, explaining the hardtimes of having to take care of the couple's five children on her own during a time of poverty. The majority of Private Jones's letters were written from Nashville, TN; Anna's were written from Alleghany City, PA.

Call number: MS-2685

Repository: University of Tennessee Special Collections Library, Knoxville, TN

Aquisition Information:

Collection was purchased by Special Collections in December 2005

Access Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Copyright:

The copyright interests in this collection remain with the creator. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library.

Preferred Citation:

[Identification of Item], David L. Jones Letters, MS-2685. University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Special Collections Library.

Collection consists of three folders. Material is divided into three series: Dated Letters between David and Anna Jones; Undated Letters between David and Anna Jones; and Other Letters.

David L. Jones of Alleghany City, PA, was a member of the 19th Pennsylvania Cavalry Unit during the Civil War. He and his wife Anna had five children--James, Andrew, Thomas, Sharon, and Anna May.

The 19th Pennsylvania Cavalry (180th Volunteers) was organized at Philadelphia in the summer of 1863. The unit served throughout Mississippi, Tennessee, and Louisiana, and was involved in the Battles of Nashville and Franklin in late 1864. The men were mustered out in New Orleans on May 14, 1866.

The David L. Jones Letters, 1865, consists primarily of letters between Private Jones (19th Pennsylvania Cavalry) and his wife Anna. He details his hardships, adventures, and views of the war, while Anna responds with letters about the homefront, explaining the hardtimes of having to take care of the couple's five children on her own during a time of poverty. The majority of Private Jones's letters were written from Nashville, TN; Anna's were written from Alleghany City, PA.

The David L. Jones Letters have been separated into three itemized series. Series I, Items 1 through 31, contains dated letters between Private Jones and his wife Anna. In the letter dated March 18th, David passes through Ft. Negley, retracing the batteground where Hood had been. On April 17th, Anna mourns the death of President Lincoln, but she rejoices over the capture of Jefferson Davis on May 16th.

The second series, Series II, Items 32 through 40, contains undated letters between Jones and his wife. In Item 32, David writes about visting a community where the people were celebrating the Emancipation Procalamtion.

The third and final series contains two letters, Items 41 and 42 that were written by people other than the Joneses.

• Jones, David L.
• Jones, Anna.
• Pennsylvania--History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives.
• Nashville (Tenn.) -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
• United States. Army. Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment, 19th (1863-1866).