Augustus Martensen Papers, 1822-1923

John Hay Library , Special Collections
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Tel: 401-863-2146
email: hay@brown.edu

Published in 2013

Collection Overview

Title:	Augustus Martensen Papers
Date range:	1822-1923
Creator:	Martensen, Carl Friedrich Augustus von, 1822-1863
Extent:	0.25 Linear feet
Abstract:	The Martensen Papers are comprised of letters and documents; including fifty-five Civil War letters in German by Martensen and letters received by Martensen and members of Martensen's family.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library , Special Collections
Collection number:	Ms.Martensen

Scope & content

The Papers of Augustus Martensen consist of approximately 107 items from the period 1822-1923. The collection includes fifty-five Civil War letters in German by Martensen, primarily to his wife Rosine and their children, and to his siblings in Germany, as well as letters received by Martensen and various family members from friends, relations, and fellow soldiers.

Martensen's letters present details of a Union soldier's life, describing hardships endured by soldiers and officers, the attitudes of Southern civilians, the use of Negro slaves by the Union army, the poor quality of army supplies, and the attitudes of Union soldiers, along with troop movements and battles. The majority of the documents relate particularly to Augustus Martensen's military career in Schleswig-Holstein and the United States. However, a number also document Rosine Martensen's efforts to obtain a widow's pension (as well as dependents' pensions on behalf of her children), and her efforts to maintain the family property, after his death.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Atwater, Dorence, 1845-1910
• Augur, Christopher Columbus, 1821-1898
• Coon, Marcus
• Martensen, Carl Friedrich Augustus von, 1822-1863
• Patrick, Marsena Rudolph, 1811-1888

Geographical Names

• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--African Americans
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Maps
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Personal narratives
• United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 1st (1861)
• United States. Army. New York Cavalry Regiment, 2nd (1861-1865)

Subject Topics

• German Americans
• Germans---United States
• Moravians--Connecticut
• Schleswig-Holstein War, 1848-1850
• United States-–History-–Civil War, 1861-1865-–German Americans

Occupations

• Soldiers

Document Types

• Deeds
• documents
• Letters (Correspondence)
• Receipts (Financial records)

Subject Topics

• Military

Arrangement

The Martensen collection is divided into six sections:

• Series 1. Civil War letters by Augustus Martensen
• Series 2. Civil War letters (fragments)
• Series 3. Letters received by Augustus Martensen
• Series 4. Other letters
• Series 5. Documents
• Series 6. Miscellaneous items

Items within Civil War letters by Augustus Martensen are ordered chronologically. Civil War letters (fragments) are ordered by accession number. Letters received by Augustus Martensen are ordered chronologically. Other letters are ordered by accession number. Documents and Miscellaneous items are ordered chronologically.

Biographical note

Augustus Martensen (given name Carl Friedrich Augustus von Martensen), was born in Kiel, an independent town in the Schleswig-Holstein region of northern Germany, in 1822. At 26, he joined the Army of Schleswig-Holstein where he served in the artillery brigades during the First War of Schleswig (1848 to 1851). It appears that he emigrated to the United States at some point after Schleswig-Holstein was returned to Danish control by the Treaty of London in 1852. By 1855, Martensen was living in Litchfield County, Connecticut. There he met and married Rosine Seiz, the young widow of Johann Peter Schering, another German American émigré who had served in the Army of the United States from 1847-1848 during the Mexican War. Schering died in August of 1854; Rosine married Martensen the following March, and two months later the Martensens claimed the bounty land allotted to Schering as a U.S. veteran under an Act of Congress in 1850.

Augustus and Rosine had three children:

• Augusta, born September 19, 1856
• Carl Friedrich, born August 9, 1858
• Rosa, born October 23, 1860

When the Civil War erupted after the firing on Fort Sumter in April 1861, Martensen immediately joined the First Regiment of Connecticut Volunteers as a Private under Capt. Marcus Coons. The Regiment was soon reconfigured, and Martensen was honorably mustered out as his unit was joined to the New York Cavalry Volunteers in July 1861. He served under Coons in the New York Cavalry Volunteers, rising from Private to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant Colonel in Second Regiment of New York Cavalry before he was killed in action on June 17, 1863, likely on the way to Gettysburg.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested..
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Augustus Martensen Papers, Ms. Martensen, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library , Special Collections Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Tel: 401-863-2146 email: hay@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	The Martensen Papers were a gift of Wallace Darnley in 1968.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Jennifer Long
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2013-03-14

Additional Information

Other information:

Brown University Library catalog record for this collection: Augustus Martensen Papers

Inventory

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