Judson L. Austin Papers, 1862-1865

Summary

Creator:

Austin, Judson L.

Abstract:

Resident of Chesire, Allegan County, Mich., who served in Company B, 19th Michigan Infantry, during the Civil War. Extensive and detailed letters, chiefly to his wife, describing his military experiences, including the battle of Thompson's Station, where his regiment surrendered, the siege of Atlanta, and Sherman's campaigns in Georgia and South and North Carolina.

Extent:

2 microfilms

Language:

English.

Call Number:

004; mf357c,mf358c

Authors:

Finding aid prepared by: Sheon Montgomery

Background

Scope and Content:

The collection consists of approximately 300 letters written by Austin, chiefly to his young wife, Sarah. Austin's letters are rich in details about his military experiences, particularly in the areas of war maneuvers and events, officers and doctors, rebels and the South, and descriptions of camp life, as well as comments about the homefront and advice to Sarah and other family members at home. The letters are arranged chronologically. The collection also includes a full set of transcripts and a detailed index of topics prepared by Professor David J. Holquist of Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Mich.) in 1990.

Biographical / Historical:

Judson L. Austin was born in 1836. A resident of Cheshire, Allegan Co., Michigan, Austin enlisted in Company B of the Nineteenth Michigan Infantry on August 13, 1862 at Allegan and mustered in September 5, 1862. Austin married Sarah E. Colburn, also of Allegan County, Michigan.

The Nineteenth Michigan participated in the action with Bragg's cavalry forces at Spring Hill, Thompson's Station, Tennessee, on March 5, 1863, during which Austin was with his older brother, Pack, who died on the battlefield. Most of the regiment was captured and marched south to Libby Prison. Although the regiment was exchanged May 25, 1863, Austin was released early along with other sick and wounded prisoners, and by April 2, 1863 he was at the U.S. General Hospital in Annapolis, Maryland. He received a furlough about April 30, 1863, which he spent visiting his family in Michigan.

Austin returned to the regiment when it reorganized in early June 1863 at Camp Chase, Ohio. The Nineteenth Michigan was stationed in Tennessee from June 1863-May 1864. The regiment then participated in the Atlanta Campaign and Occupation, May-November 1864; the March to the Sea, November-December 1864; and the Campaign of the Carolinas, January-April 1865; making their final march to Washington, D.C., in April-May 1865. The Nineteenth Michigan marched in the Grand Review on May 24, 1865. Austin was mustered out May 26, 1865 at McDougall Hospital, New York Harbor.

After his discharge, Austin returned to Allegan County, Michigan, where he resumed farming in Trowbridge Township. He and Sarah had three children, George A. (probably born in early 1863), Benjamin B. and Frederick P. Austin.

Acquisition Information:

The original papers and partial transcripts were acquired in 1972 and 1981 from Nina L. Ness (Donor no. 4567 ). The complete transcripts and indexing were acquired in 1990 from David J. Holquist (Donor no. 7591 ).

Related

Additional Descriptive Data:

Partial Index to Judson L. Austin Correspondence

Each letter has been assigned a number code based on the folder number, followed by the number of the letter's chronological order within the folder, e.g., the 4th (fourth) letter in Folder 15 is #15-4.

Camp life	(Comments on food,sickness,interpersonal relations, discipline, and the layout of camps): 1-1; 1-3; 1-4; 1-5; 1-8; 1-10; 1-12; 1-13; 2-1; 2-2; 2-3; 2-5; 2-6; 2-7; 2-8; 2-9; 2-10; 3-1; 3-2; 3-3; 3-5; 3-6; 3-8; 3-9; 3-10; 3-11; 3-12; 3-13; 3-14; 3-15; 3-16; 3-17; 3-18; 3-19; 3-21; 3-22; 3-23; 3-25; 3-27; 3-28; 3-29; 4-1; 4-2; 4-3; 4-4; 4-5; 4-6; 4-7; 4-8; 4-9; 4-10; 4-13; 4-14; 4-16; 5-14; 5-18; 5-19; 5-25; 6-1; 6-3; 6-4; 6-5; 6-7; 6-9; 6-10; 6-11; 6-12; 6-13; 6-14; 6-15; 6-16; 6-17; 6-18; 6-19; 6-20; 6-21; 6-22; 6-23; 6-25; 6-26; 6-27; 6-28; 7-1; 7-3; 7-5; 7-7; 7-9; 7-10; 7-11; 7-13; 7-15; 7-16; 7-18; 7-19; 8-1; 8-2; 8-3; 8-4; 8-5; 8-6; 8-8; 8-9; 8-10; 8-11; 8-12; 8-14; 8-17; 9-2; 9-3; 9-4; 9-5; 9-7; 9-8; 9-11; 9-12; 10-1; 10-2; 10-3; 10-6; 10-9; 10-10; 10-11; 10-12; 10-13; 10-14; 10-15; 10-17; 10-19; 10-20; 11-1; 11-2; 11-3; 11-4; 11-6; 11-13; 11-14; 11-15; 11-16; 12-4; 12-5; 12-8; 12-10; 12-12; 12-15; 13-2; 13-4; 13-5; 13-6; 13-8; 13-11; 13-16; 13-17; 13-18; 14-2; 14-3; 14-4; 14-6; 14-7; 14-8; 14-9; 14-11; 14-13; 14-15; 14-17; 14-19; 14-20; 15-1; 15-2; 15-4; 15-6; 15-9; 15-20; 15-21; 15-22; 15-29
Death	(Comments and observations on death): 1-4; 1-9; 1-13; 2-10; 3-20; 3-23; 3-25; 3-27; 4-7; 4-13; 4-15; 5-24; 6-16; 7-7; 7-10; 9-4; 9-6; 9-13; 10-8; 11-5; 11-7; 12-1; 12-2; 12-4; 12-5; 13-7; 13-8; 13-9; 13-11; 13-14; 13-15; 13-17; 14-10; 15-14; 15-22
Deserters	3-2; 3-18; 3-22; 4-12; 4-13; 4-16; 6-8; 6-18; 15-3; 15-10; 15-19
Equipment and Pay	(Comments on amount and regularity of pay and condition and supply of equipment such as uniforms, tents, blankets, guns and ammunition): 2-6; 2-9; 3-19; 3-22; 4-1; 4-2; 4-5; 4-12; 4-15; 6-13; 6-2; 8-9; 8-12; 12-4; 12-5; 12-10; 12-12; 13-4; 13-5; 13-18; 14-6; 14-7; 14-12; 14-13; 14-16; 14-17; 14-18; 14-20; 15-12; 15-17
Homefront	(General comments on events at home, expressions of homesickness, advise on events, references to people at home and to soldiers from home, comments on the draft, and the public attitude toward the war): 1-2; 1-6; 1-7; 1-9; 1-12; 2-3; 2-5; 2-6; 2-11; 3-10; 3-15; 3-17; 3-25; 4-12; 4-14; 4-17; 5-9; 5-10; 5-11; 5-16; 5-20; 5-23; 5-26; 6-1; 6-2; 6-3; 6-7; 6-12; 6-14; 6-19; 6-20; 6-24; 6-25; 6-26; 6-27; 6-28; 7-2; 7-4; 7-7; 7-8; 7-9; 7-13; 7-16; 8-1; 8-3; 8-6; 8-7; 8-8; 8-11; 8-12; 8-13; 8-15; 8-16; 8-18; 9-5; 9-7; 9-8; 9-10; 9-11; 9-12; 9-13; 10-4; 10-5; 10-6; 10-7; 10-8; 10-9; 10-11; 10-12; 10-13; 10-16; 10-17; 10-18; 10-19; 10-20; 11-2; 11-5; 11-7; 11-11; 11-12; 11-14; 11-15; 12-2; 12-6; 12-7; 12-10; 12-11; 12-13; 12-14; 12-15; 12-18; 13-1; 13-6; 13-9; 13-11; 13-12; 13-13; 13-15; 13-16; 13-17; 13-18; 14-2; 14-3; 14-4; 14-5; 14-6; 14-7; 14-8; 14-9; 14-10; 14-12; 14-13; 14-15; 14-16; 14-18; 14-19; 14-20; 15-1; 15-2; 15-3; 15-4; 15-5; 15-6; 15-7; 15-9; 15-11; 15-12; 15-13; 15-14; 15-15; 15-16; 15-17; 15-18; 15-19; 15-21; 15-22; 15-23
Hospital	(Comments on experiences in both Northern and Southern hospitals): 5-7; 5-8; 5-10; 5-11; 5-12; 15-24; 15-25; 15-26; 15-27; 15-28
In Combat	5-0b; 12-5; 12-9; 12-15; 12-16; 12-17; 13-1; 13-3; 13-4; 13-7; 13-8; 13-11; 13-12; 13-13; 13-14; 13-15; 13-17; 14-17; 14-18; 15-10; 15-14
Inter-Union Army Rivalry	14-1; 15-27
Lincoln, Abraham	(Comments on and references to Lincoln): 1-10; 2-9; 3-26; 6-8; 11-5; 11-14; 12-10; 14-6; 14-15; 15-20
Negroes in the Civil War	(Comments on and attitude toward both slaves and freed blacks as well as black soldiers): 1-8; 2-3; 3-12; 3-14; 3-17; 3-18; 3-20; 3-21; 3-24; 3-26; 4-4; 4-13; 6-17; 6-22; 7-6; 7-7; 7-10; 8-3; 8-4; 11-6; 11-13; 13-5; 13-9; 14-1; 14-15; 14-17; 15-16
New York City Draft Riots	(Comments and observations on the New York City Draft riots and on New York City): 6-8; 11-15; 15-27; 15-28
Officers and Doctors	(Expressed opinions of both officers and doctors, comments on their abilities and failings, good and bad characteristics, etc): 1-13; 2-1; 2-2; 2-9; 3-6; 3-7; 3-15; 3-17; 3-29; 4-1; 4-4; 4-6; 4-8; 4-9; 4-13; 5-21; 5-26; 6-1; 6-6; 6-9; 6-10; 6-17; 6-25; 7-7; 7-16; 8-4; 8-6; 9-1; 9-4; 9-5; 9-6; 9-12; 10-9; 11-8; 11-13; 11-17; 12-4; 12-5; 12-9; 13-9; 13-13; 13-14; 13-16; 14-1; 14-9; 15-1; 15-2; 15-4; 15-13; 15-19; 15-27
Politics and Elections	1-5; 4-13; 8-9; 11-12; 11-17; 12-10; 14-6; 14-15
Prisoner	(Personal recollections on being held captive by the Southern Army): 5-0b; 5-1; 5-2; 5-3; 5-4; 5-6; 8-11; 11-2; 11-13; 11-17; 14-5
Rebels, Contacts with	1-3; 1-5; 1-9; 1-10; 2-1; 2-3; 2-8; 2-11; 3-7; 3-12; 3-17; 3-20; 4-11; 4-12; 4-15; 5-15; 5-24; 6-2; 6-9; 6-26; 7-2; 7-5; 7-6; 7-9; 7-10; 7-11; 7-12; 7-13; 7-17; 7-19; 8-2; 8-4; 8-5; 8-8; 8-17; 9-1; 9-6; 10-2; 10-6; 10-8; 10-10; 10-18; 11-11; 11-14; 12-3; 12-4; 12-5; 12-9; 12-10; 12-12; 12-13; 12-15; 12-16; 12-17; 12-18; 13-1; 13-2; 13-3; 13-5; 13-6; 13-7; 13-8; 13-9; 13-11; 13-12; 13-13; 13-14; 13-15; 13-17; 13-18; 14-1; 14-5; 14-6; 14-7; 14-11; 14-16; 14-17; 14-18; 15-2; 15-9; 15-10; 15-14; 15-16; 15-21
Sex	(Comments on and the availability of sex, etc): 6-19; 6-26; 8-17; 8-18; 10-12; 10-20; 11-3; 11-13
The South	(General comments on the Southern secession and rebellion, war in general, also observations of the South and its people): 1-5; 1-7; 2-3; 3-8; 3-12; 3-18; 3-19; 3-21; 3-24; 4-6; 4-13; 4-16; 5-18; 6-1; 6-10; 6-17; 7-9; 7-10; 7-12; 7-19; 8-1; 8-2; 9-8; 9-10; 10-3; 10-6; 10-11; 10-13; 10-16; 11-1; 11-6; 11-9; 11-13; 11-15; 11-17; 12-1; 12-3; 12-5; 12-9; 13-7; 13-8; 13-9; 13-11; 13-14; 14-1; 14-2; 14-3; 14-5; 14-7; 14-15; 14-17; 14-19; 14-20; 15-2; 15-6; 15-10; 15-16; 15-19
Southern Prisoners	(Comments on the attitude toward and treatment of Southern Prisoners): 3-3; 3-5; 3-7; 4-1; 4-15; 6-1; 6-9; 6-10; 7-6; 7-10; 7-11; 7-13; 8-8; 10-6; 10-13; 11-8; 11-14; 12-5; 13-7; 14-5; 14-16; 15-17; 15-21
War Maneuvers	2-1; 2-9; 3-5; 3-14; 3-17; 3-18; 3-20; 3-26; 3-27; 3-28; 4-1; 4-3; 4-9; 4-11; 4-12; 4-13; 4-15; 4-17; 5-17; 5-18; 5-22; 5-25; 5-27; 6-4; 6-5; 6-9; 6-11; 6-14; 6-16; 6-23; 6-25; 7-5; 7-6; 7-10; 7-11; 7-12; 7-13; 7-17; 7-18; 7-19; 8-1; 8-4; 8-10; 9-1; 9-6; 10-1; 10-13; 10-19; 11-1; 11-4; 11-11; 11-15; 11-16; 11-17; 12-1; 12-2; 12-4; 12-5; 12-7; 12-8; 12-9; 12-12; 12-16; 12-17; 13-2; 13-3; 13-4; 13-5; 13-7; 13-8; 13-9; 13-10; 13-11; 13-13; 13-14; 13-15; 13-17; 13-18; 14-2; 14-3; 14-6; 14-7; 14-9; 14-11; 14-13; 14-14; 14-15; 14-16; 14-17; 14-18; 14-19; 15-2; 15-6; 15-8; 15-10; 15-11; 15-14; 15-16; 15-17; 15-19; 15-21; 15-23
War News & Events	2-11; 3-12; 3-17; 3-18; 3-20; 3-21; 3-22; 3-24; 3-26; 3-28; 4-1; 4-2; 4-3; 4-5; 4-9; 4-11; 4-12; 4-13; 4-14; 4-15; 4-17; 5-27; 6-1; 6-4; 6-7; 6-8; 6-14; 6-16; 6-20; 6-21; 6-23; 7-3; 7-5; 7-6; 7-9; 7-10; 7-11; 7-12; 7-13; 7-14; 7-16; 7-17; 7-18; 8-3; 8-6; 8-9; 8-11; 8-12; 8-13; 8-16; 9-1; 9-2; 9-6; 9-9; 9-10; 10-11 10-10; 10-12; 11-9; 11-10; 11-11; 11-15; 12-3; 12-5; 12-9; 12-10; 13-1; 13-8; 13-11; 13-14; 13-15; 13-16; 13-18; 14-1; 14-2; 14-3; 14-5; 14-6; 14-8; 14-15; 14-19; 15-1; 15-6; 15-8; 15-19; 15-20; 15-21; 15-23; 15-25

Alternative Form Available:

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Subjects

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Names:

United States. Army. Michigan Infantry Regiment, 19th (1862-1865). Company B.
Austin, Judson L.
Holquist, David J.
Ness, Nina L.

Places:

United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Kentucky -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Tennessee -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Maryland -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Ohio -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
Georgia -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
South Carolina -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.
North Carolina -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865.