Edwin W. Arnold Correspondence, 1862-1894.
(Book)

This collection is open under the rules and regulations of the Providence Public Library, Special Collections department.

This collection consists of letters written by Edwin W. Arnold to members of his family during the period of December 22, 1862 - November 1, 1865 during his service in the Union army. Arnold kept up regular correspondence with his family during this time often writing two or three letters a month. Most of the letters are written to Arnold's mother, several are addressed to his father, two to his younger brother George, and one to his cousin Mary Whipple. Each of the letters is signed "Boy Ned," which must have been Arnold's nickname within the family. The early letters, from December 22, 1862 to July 15, 1863, are written from or near the convalescent camp in Washington D.C. where Arnold was recovering from an illness. The content of these letters is mainly about family affairs, doctor's visits and daily life in the camp. Two letters of note contain references to President Lincoln. The letters dating July 31, 1863 - November 1, 1865 were written while Arnold was stationed in New Hampshire as a member of the Veteran Reserve Corps. Again, most of these letters are about family affairs, requests for things from home and Arnold's daily life as a soldier. Arnold mentions standing guard, provost duty, and dress parade among his responsibilities but did not go into great detail describing any of these things. Arnold served at a camp in West Lebanon, New Hampshire from August 1863 until January 1864. Many of the letters from this time describe the hard life of establishing a camp there, including sleeping in tents during wintry weather before the barracks had been built. In January 1864, Arnold was transferred to a camp in Concord, New Hampshire where he would serve the rest of his time in the military. The letter dated June 6, 1864 describes a notable incident involving "subs," or soldiers who were paid to serve as substitutes for conscripted soldiers. On this day, according to Arnold, 300 substitutes who were newly stationed at the camp violently attempted to escape. Arnold describes how the rest of the men had to capture and detain substitutes. Many of the letters of this period describe work which involved Arnold looking after conscripted and substitute soldiers. Another incidence of violence among Union soldiers is described in the letter dated August 1, 1964. In a letter dated October 13, 1965, Arnold describes to his father a controversial letter which the soldiers had presented to the commanding officers demanding to be discharged from service. The letter was met with disapproval by the commanding officers and the soldiers threatened to go over their heads and send it to Washington. Many of the letters toward the end of Arnold's time in Concord describe the frustration of having to remain in the army after the war's end and the anticipation of being mustered out.

The correspondence is arranged chronologically.

Researchers are requested to use the following citation format: [item title], Edwin W. Arnold Correspondence, Special Collections, Providence Public Library.

Providence Public Library owns the property rights to this collection.

See also: 007-02-01, C. Fiske Harris Collection on Civil War & Slavery, Manuscripts; 017-02, Arnold Family Papers; 022-02, Rhode Island Soldiers & Sailors Society records

Edwin Whipple Arnold (1844-1904) was born in Rhode Island on June 28, 1844 to his parents Russell G. Arnold and Sarah Phillips Arnold (maiden name Whipple). He had two older brothers, Frederick and Henry, and one younger brother George. The family resided at 113 Friendship Street in Providence, RI. During the Civil War, Arnold joined the 2nd Rhode Island Regiment of the Union Army on October 1, 1861. He served as a Private in Company D of that regiment until September 1862, when he took ill at U.S. General Hospital. He spent time recovering at a convalescent camp in Washington D.C. until July 1863. On July 16, 1863 he became a member of the Invalid Corps., or as it was later renamed, the Veteran Reserve Corps. He served as a Corporal in Company F of the 13th Regiment of the Veteran Reserve Corps. in West Lebanon and Concord, New Hampshire until November 1865. On November 13, 1865, he was mustered out of the Union Army. In August of 1865, while serving his time in New Hampshire, Arnold met and married Louisa Armand, a French-Canadian. There is no record of the couple having children. Arnold died in Providence, Rhode Island on September 22, 1904. He is buried with the rest of his family in Pocasset Cemetery in Cranston, RI.

Materials are in English.

https://www.provlib.org/wp-content/uploads/finding-aids/050-02-01-FA.pdf

The collection was processed by Tom Frawley in 2009; additions were made by Janaya Kizzie in 2011; finding aid revised by Kate Wells in 2018.

Acquisition and custodial history is unknown.