The Griswold family papers includes materials for both Roger W. and Joseph B. Griswold. The bulk of the collection consists of letters, diaries, and other materials of Joseph B. Griswold relating to his Civil War service. There is a diary concerning his year as a musician in which he notes the weather, the days when they played for dress parade and guard mounting, and an occasional serenade for someone such as General Pope. He comments on camp duties, food, a trip down the river, some hospital duties, saying, "This hospital business I detest ... wish I was back in the regiment," his own bout with dysentery; and his wanting to go home. "I'm sick of soldiering. Wish I was out ... but what's the good of wishing."
In the 4th Infantry, he wrote some thirty letters to his sister. He describes quarters, their moves from camp to camp from Huntsville, Ala. to San Antonio, Texas, and caring for the sick and wounded. There is much chit-chat about home folks and affairs; his occasional dinners out with Southern families in which there are young ladies, with perhaps a musical evening to follow; church services; and Christmas southern style.
The diary, which supplements these letters, also tells of social calls, dances, a fox hunt, card games, church services, rides into the country on his horse, drinking among the men, and horse racing in their camp in San Antonio in which his horse is entered. The drinking water is bad, and he is often sick with diarrhea. Mosquitoes bother both men and horses. He comments on food or the lack of it and on camp gardens. He thought some of setting up a medical practice in San Antonio, but instead returned to school.
The Griswold family were early settlers to Vermontville, Michigan. One family member, Roger W. Griswold, was proprietor of a farm and general store in Vermontville in the mid-nineteenth century. Another, Joseph B. Griswold (born 1842) attended Vermontville Academy and entered Michigan Agricultural College in 1858. He first entered the 2nd Michigan Cavalry, Regimental Band, as musician in September, 1861, but was discharged for disability in August, 1862.A fter recovering, he attended the University of Michigan Department of Medicine and Surgery from 1863-1864 (without receiving a degree) and then re-enlisted as an assistant surgeon with the Fourth Michigan Infantry, November, 1864. His duties were in the Post Hospital at Indianola, Texas, July 1865; in charge of convalescent camp at Victoria, Texas, September, 1865; and Medical Inspector of Central Division, Texas, March, 1866. He rose to the rank of Major and became Medical Inspector of the Department of San Antonio and had medical charge of the military prison there. He was mustered out in May, 1866 and entered Rush Medical College, graduating in February 1868. He practiced medicine in Minnesota for six years, then in 1874 moved to Grand Rapids.
