- Written by
- Stagenwalt, John, American, 1843 - 1885
- Received by
- Sheaffer, John, American, born 1802
- Subject of
- United States Army, American, founded 1775
- Date
- March 19, 1869
- Medium
- ink on wove paper
- Dimensions
- H x W (a (open)): 7 7/8 × 9 13/16 in. (20 × 25 cm)
- H x W (a (closed)): 7 7/8 × 4 15/16 in. (20 × 12.5 cm)
- H x W (b): 3 1/16 × 5 7/16 in. (7.8 × 13.8 cm)
- Description
- A letter (a) with envelope (b) written by John Stagenwalt, a 1st U.S. Infantry soldier stationed at New Orleans during its occupation by the Union Army. Written in brown ink on one sheet of wove paper folded to form four pages, the letter is addressed to John B. Sheaffer, of Bareville, Leacock Township, Pennsylvania, with the salutation [My Dear Father]. At top right is [Greenville Barracks / March the 19, A.D., 1869 / New Orleans, La]. In the letter, Stagenwalt asks why Sheaffer doesn't write, tells him that he'll be going to Fort Leavenworth for a bit, and discusses what he'll do after his duty is up in June. The last page of the letter has Stagenwalt's return address and along the bottom the note [Written By / Michael J W Hawk / Co. K]. The envelope (b) features a red three cents George Washington stamp on the front, is postmarked March 20, addressed to Mr. John Sheaffer, and has no markings on the reverse.
- Transcription Center Status
- Transcription Available
- Place made
- New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, United States, North and Central America
- Place used
- Bareville, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America
- Classification
- Slavery and Freedom Objects
- Documents and Manuscripts
- Type
- envelopes
- letters (correspondence)
- Topic
- Correspondence
- Families
- Military
- Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2021.16.22.2ab
- Restrictions & Rights
- Public domain
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




