- Castle Thunder was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, Va., used to house prisoners during the Civil War. Three handwritten pages of lyrics entitled "Castle Thunder song," undated, written by an unnamed prisoner at Castle Thunder, circa 1863. Lyrics describe life and conditions in the prison., Castle Thunder was a former tobacco warehouse in Richmond, Va., used to house prisoners during the Civil War.
- The diaries of Charles Willoughby Dayton (1846-1910) date from 1863 to 1865 and contain entries about the weather and war news. He writes negatively about African Americans, African American soldiers, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Abraham Lincoln. He also mentions the New York Draft Riots and his fear of being killed by the mobs. Other events and topics noted by Dayton include the marriage of Tom Thumb, the death of Edwin Booth's wife, Mary Booth (ne Devlin), the New York Sanitary Fair of 1864, and the campaign leading up to the presidential election of 1864 (Dayton was a supporter of George McClellan, and makes many entries concerning the campaign and his fears that Lincoln will be re-elected). The Charles Willoughby Dayton papers were donated to the New-York Historical Society by William Charles Willoughby Dayton Denby III, and the diaries were digitized thanks to his generosity.
- The 304 Civil War Posters in this collection consist predominantly of recruiting posters, as well as advertisements for public meetings, auctions and social functions pertaining to the Civil War. This collection includes posters from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine. Within the collection are posters for artillery, cavalry and infantry divisions of the United States Army, as well as state National Guard regiments and local regiments such as the Camden Zouaves, West Jersey Rifles and the Mozart Regiment. Many of these posters were used in targeted recruitment campaigns, calling upon African-Americans, Irish-Americans and German-Americans to enlist in the Union Army (a number of the posters are written in German). Many of the recruitment posters encourage men to avoid the draft and proactively sign up with a regiment, advertising high bounties, complimentary uniforms and pensions for the families of those who enlist. The posters use patriotic iconography featuring Lady Liberty, George Washington and Union soldiers, in addition to eagles, cavalrymen, liberty caps and American flags.
- 66 autograph letters, signed, between James B. Collins and his brother Joseph T. Collins, their parents John W. and Mary Anne Collins, and a handful of friends and relatives, all dated between February 4, 1862 and July 9, 1863. The bulk of the letters from the front are written by James B. Collins. Also includes a manuscript copy of lyrics to a song entitled "Song of the Louisiana Lowlands." James B. and Joseph T. Collins of New York City enlisted in the U.S. Navy in August of 1862. They were first assigned to the U.S.S. Monticello, and then transferred to the U.S.S. Commodore Barney. Before being assigned to the Barney, among other experiences they witnessed the destruction of the ironclad U.S.S. Monitor off Cape Hatteras on December 31, 1862. Joseph Collins was killed on the Barney during the Battle of Suffolk on April 14, 1863; James survived the battle but lost an arm in the same explosion that killed his brother. James B. Collins was honorably discharged on July 16, 1863 and returned to New York. He became an Internal Revenue officer for the First District of New York City in 1872.
- This is the first edition of the "Prison Times." The handwritten newspaper includes original articles, advertisements, announcements, barracks directory, Christian Association directory, notices of clubs, etc., by prisoners at the Fort Delaware Federal prison camp on Pea Patch Island in the Delaware River. The paper's editors and proprietors include William H. Bennett, Aborn Harris, John W. Hibbs, and George S. Thomas., William H. Bennett, Aborn Harris, John W. Hibbs, and George S. Thomas fought for the Confederate Army. Bennet had the rank of captain before his inprisonment. Harris was mustered in as a sergeant in company H of the 3rd Florida Infantry Regiment. He eventually rose to the rank of third lieutenant. Hibbs was mustered in as a third lieutenant in company D of the 13th Virginia Infantry Regiment. He eventually rose to the rank of captain. George S. Thomas was mustered in as a captain in company C of the 64th Georgia Infantry Regiment. He never rose ranks.
- This collection contains 111 images of drawings and text, depicting both important events and everyday scenes from the Civil War. The pencil, pen-and-ink, crayon and wash drawings range in size from 5 x 5 inches to 19 x 12 inches., The drawings were made by 'special artists' employed by Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, and used as a basis for the wood engravings that illustrated it. Many of the artists were professionals such as John Francis Edward Hillen and E. B. Bensell. Others were soldiers and others in the field who submitted their drawings for publication. The sketches were made from the earliest days of the war, in April 1861, when troops were being moved to defend Washington D.C., to February 1865, when the U.S. flag was raised over Fort Sumter after being recaptured by Union troops. Some works date from April and May 1865, when Lincoln's body was lying in state after his assassination. The sketches were able to capture action that photographs were not able to convey at the time, and provide immediacy lacking in the other mediums. This collection of drawings from the New-York Historical Society's Museum Department was acquired through the James B. Wilbur Fund from the collection of John T. Kavanaugh, Rutherford, N.J., in 1945.
- The four-volume diary of George Templeton Strong (1820-1875) is a detailed chronicle of the activities, interests, and relationships that characterized its author’s life. Beginning in 1835, and continued consistently into 1875, its thousands of individual entries contain descriptions of all facets of Strong’s experience, typically beginning with the weather and going on to discuss matters such as his legal work, family life, health, social ties, politics, and the arts. The diary documents upper class life in mid-nineteenth century New York City and provides reflections on the lives and attitudes of his peers. The reporting of personal activities is supplemented by Strong’s reactions to current events, most notably those related to the American Civil War. Digitization of the diary was made possible by a grant from the Peck Stacpoole Foundation.