Inventory of the 14th Colored Infantry Regiment, United States Army, Sutler's Ledger, 1864-1866

Collection Number 4823-z

unc seal
Manuscripts Department, Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Collection Information
block Descriptive Summary
block Administrative Information
block Online Catalog Headings
block Historical Note
block Collection Overview
plus Detailed Description of the Collection
Contact Information:
Manuscripts Department
CB#3926, Wilson Library
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27514-8890
Phone: 919/962-1345
Fax: 919/962-3594
Email: mss@email.unc.edu
URL: http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/
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Descriptive Summary

Repository
Southern Historical Collection
Creator
United States. Army. Colored Infantry Regiment, 14th (1863-1866).
Title
14th Colored Infantry Regiment, United States Army, Sutler's Ledger, 1864-1866
Call Number
4823-z
Language of Materials
Materials in English
Extent
Items: 2
Abstract
The 14th Infantry Regiment of United States Colored Troops was organized at Gallatin, Tenn., in 1863. The regiment marched to the relief of Dalton, Ga.; was at the siege of Decatur, Ala.; fought in the battle of Nashville; and served at Chattanooga and in the District of Eastern Tennessee before being mustered out at Greenville in March 1866. Its commanding officers were Brevet Brigadier Generals Thomas J. Morgan (1839-1902) and Henry Clarke Corbin (1842-1909).
This account book was kept by Cornelius Ferris, sutler of the 14th Regiment of the United States Colored Troops Infantry between September 1864 and April 1866, ending shortly after the regiment was mustered out. The 369-page ledger begins with an alphabetical list of people who had accounts with him and their military ranks. The rest of the book is organized into lists under each person's name of items purchased, cost, and date purchased. Also shown is the date and amount the customer paid to balance the account. Several people listed at the end of the book worked for Ferris as cooks; the amount they earned appears along with the record of their purchases. There is also a "mess account." The ledger lists such purchases as cans of peaches and other fruit, items of clothing, writing paper, spelling books, guns, and circus tickets. On the last page is a three-item list of "books borrowed." Also included is an enclosed sheet with calculations.

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Administrative Information

Restrictions to Access
No restrictions.
Alternate Form of Material
Microfilm copy (filmed June 2005) available.
Reel 1: Entire collection
Acquisitions Information
Purchased from Carmen D. Valentino, dealer in Rare Books and Manuscripts, Philadelphia, Pa., in August 1996 (Acc. 96122).
Processing Information
Processed by: Meg Phillips, October 1996
Encoded by: Nancy Kaiser, May 2005
Funding from the Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc., supported the encoding of this finding aid and microfilming of this collection.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], in the United States. Army. Colored Infantry Regiment, 14th. Sutler's Ledger #4823-z, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Copyright Notice
Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
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Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Account books--United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
Ferris, Cornelius, fl. 1861-1865.
Sutlers--United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
United States. Army. Colored Infantry Regiment, 14th (1863-1866).
United States. Army--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Supplies and stores.
United States. Army--Military life--History.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Participation, African American.
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Historical Note

The 14th Infantry Regiment of United States Colored Troops was organized at Gallatin, Tenn., in 1863. The regiment marched to the relief of Dalton, Ga.; was at the siege of Decatur, Ala.; fought in the battle of Nashville; and served at Chattanooga and in the District of Eastern Tennessee before being mustered out at Greenville in March 1866. Its commanding officers were Brevet Brigadier Generals Thomas J. Morgan (1839-1902) and Henry Clarke Corbin (1842-1909).

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Collection Overview

This account book was kept by Cornelius Ferris, sutler of the 14th Regiment of the United States Colored Troops Infantry (14th Colored Infantry Regiment) between September 1864 and April 1866, ending shortly after the regiment was mustered out. The 369-page ledger begins with an alphabetical list of people who had accounts with him and their military ranks. The rest of the book is organized into lists under each person's name of items purchased, cost, and date. Also shown for each is the date and amount the customer paid to balance the account. Several people listed at the end of the book worked for Ferris as cooks; the amount they earned appears along with the record of their purchases. There is a "mess account" on pages 189 through 191. The ledger lists such purchases as cans of peaches and other fruit, items of clothing, writing paper, spelling books, guns, and circus tickets. On the last page is a three-item list of "books borrowed." Also included is an enclosed sheet with calculations.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

Sutler's ledger, September 1864-April 1866.
2 items.
Folder 1
Ledger
Folder 2
Enclosure

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