Committee of Reception to the Crews of the Frigates "Cumberland" and "Congress" records
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Abstract
The collection consists of records relating to New York City's Committee of Reception to the Crews of the Frigates "Cumberland" and "Congress." The committee was organized to raise money to aid survivors of the ships that were destroyed in March 1862 by the Confederate ironclad "Virginia" at Hampton Roads, Virginia, during the Civil War.
Historical note
On March 8, 1862, the ironclad Confederate ship Virginia (formerly the USS Merrimack) attacked and destroyed the USS Cumberland and USS Congress at Hampton Roads, Virginia. Responding to the human casualties of this encounter, efforts were made in New York City to raise funds to contribute to the relief of crew members or surviving family. A Committee of Reception to the Crews of the Frigates "Cumberland" and "Congress" was formed to arrange an April 1862 reception at the Academy of Music in New York for officers and crew members. Money raised from tickets and donations were distributed for a time after the event. (See New York Times article "Honor to our brave tars," April 11, 1862.)
Arrangement
The collection is arranged by document type.
Scope and Contents
The collection primarily includes records concerning the determination of eligibility for claim payments. Records include lists of survivors and seamen lost from the Cumberland and Congress; certifications of claimants regarding their identity and service on the frigates; acknowledgements of funds received (often called "ovation funds"); and correspondence regarding the relief funds. Much of the correspondence comes from Stillman B. Allen, a lawyer from Boston, Mass. The collection also includes donor lists and bills related to the fundraising effort.
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Conditions Governing Access
Open to researchers without restriction.
Conditions Governing Use
The materials are in the public domain.
Preferred Citation
Identification of item, date (if known); Committee of Reception to the Crews of the Frigates "Cumberland" and "Congress" records, 1977.313, Box and Folder number; Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was donated by George H. Thompson in 1902.
About this Guide
Processing Information
The collection was processed in December 2011 by Larry Weimer. It was rehoused and the finding aid revised to the folder level in October 2023 by Dee Bowers.
