- Written by
- Stagenwalt, John, American, 1843 - 1885
- Received by
- Sheaffer, John, American, born 1802
- Subject of
- United States Army, American, founded 1775
- Date
- July 30, 1866
- Medium
- ink on wove paper
- Dimensions
- H x W (open): 9 13/16 × 15 1/2 in. (25 × 39.3 cm)
- H x W (closed): 9 13/16 × 7 13/16 in. (25 × 19.8 cm)
- Description
- A letter 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 lined wove paper folded to form four pages, the letter is addressed to John Sheaffer, of Bareville, Leacock Township, Pennsylvania, with the salutation [Dear Father]. At top right is [New Orleans July 30 1866]. In the letter, written on the same day as the New Orleans Massacre, Stagenwalt mentions the election writing "There is an ellection in New Orleans today. There is a great ecsitement prevails throughout camp about the result of the ellection." He signs off on the third page, "Your affectionate son." The last page has only some numerical markings in graphite.
- 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
- letters (correspondence)
- Topic
- American West
- Correspondence
- Families
- Military
- Politics
- Race relations
- Race riots
- Reconstruction, U.S. History, 1865-1877
- Violence
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2021.16.22.4
- Restrictions & Rights
- Public domain
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




