Downs family correspondence (Ms.79.8)

In addition to covering the three major theaters of operation during the Civil War, the Downs letters also deal with such topics as camp life, battles and campaigns, family matters, Confederate soldiers and deserters, the Southern countryside, and Union military leadership. Many letters are accompanied by their original envelopes, including some with patriotic covers. Additional envelopes can be found together in a packet in Box 4. Also included in the collection are a photograph, a cloth fragment, and an advertisement card.