The David Ludlow Thompson Papers
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Abstract
The David Ludlow Thompson Papers consist primarily of letters Thompson sent to his mother, Keturah Sayre Thompson, and his friend, Elias A. Fairchild, relating his experiences in battle during the American Civil War, inquiring about friends and relations at home, and asking to be sent clothing, food, and reading materials. Housed with each letter is a transcript provided by the donor that has been photocopied onto archival quality paper. The reader is cautioned against editorial mistakes in the transcripts. The "original" transcripts (i.e. those not printed on archival quality paper) are housed in a binder in Box 2, along with a wooden spoon carved by Thompson while he was held as a prisoner of war. Portions of this collection relating to the Civil War have been digitized and are available to on-site researchers and to users affiliated with subscribing institutions via EBSCOhost.
Biographical Note
David Ludlow Thompson was born in Windham, Ohio on August 28, 1837 and was educated at the Flushing Institute in Flushing, Long Island, where he became a faculty member.
In August of 1862, he enlisted in the Ninth New York Volunteer Infantry, Company G (also known as Hawkins' Zouaves), and was later transferred to the Third New York Volunteer Infantry, Company B. During his war service, Thompson saw action in the Peninsular Campaign, the Battle of Antietam, and the siege of Charleston. He was taken as a prisoner of war by the Confederate troops after Antietam and was held at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia for 18 days before being exchanged. In 1863, he spent time in an army hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia.
David Ludlow Thompson was honorably discharged from military service on June 17, 1865 and died on March 31, 1926.
Arrangement
The David Ludlow Thompson papers are organized in the following six series:
Missing Title
- Series 1: Letters sent by David Ludlow Thompson to Keturah Sayre Thompson, 1863-1865
- Series 2: Letters sent by David Ludlow Thompson to Elias Fairchild, 1862-1865
- Series 3: Letters sent by David Ludlow Thompson addressed jointly to Keturah Sayre Thompson, Elias Fairchild, and other family members, 1863-1865
- Series 4: Other correspondence pertaining to David Ludlow Thompson, 1862-1865
- Series 5: Biographical and Geneaological Materials, 1961, undated
- Series 6: Wooden spoon made by David Ludlow Thompson, 1862
Scope and Content Note
The David Ludlow Thompson papers consist primarily of letters that Thompson wrote to his mother, Keturah Sayre Thompson, and his friend, Elias A. Fairchild, describing army life, relating his experiences in battle, inquiring about friends and relations at home, and asking to be sent clothing, food, and reading materials. His letters also include detailed descriptions of the weather, the inedible rations, the ill-fitting garments provided by the U.S. Sanitary Commission, his poor attempts to mend his clothing, his bout with scurvy, and having to share his quarters with rodents and insects. His advanced education is evident in his frequent references to the literary canon, using quotes from Milton, Chaucer, and Tennyson to illustrate different situations.
Most notably, the letters include a description of the Battle at Antietam and a letter sent to Elias A. Fairchild, declaring that David Ludlow Thompson had been declared a prisoner of war after Antietam.
Also included in the collection are photocopies of articles written by Thompson regarding his experiences during the American Civil War, biographical information, and a wooden spoon that Thompson carved while being held at Libby Prison in Richmond, Virginia.
Portions of this collection relating to the Civil War have been digitized and are available to on-site researchers and to users affiliated with subscribing institutions via EBSCOhost.
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Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as the David Ludlow Thompson Papers, The New-York Historical Society.