[Blog post by Amanda DeRosa, reference librarian and archivist]
For years, organization of the library’s archive was on a to-do list, perpetually being pushed to the bottom as other, more critical, tasks took priority. Over time, the library has acquired archival donations here and there–mostly old photographs of the town, yearbooks, and other miscellaneous items from the dark corners of old Wakefield attics. Last year, the library received an archival grant, which allowed me to start organizing the library’s archive in earnest.
A few months ago, while organizing the library’s archives, I came across a gallon Ziplock bag with a bunch of small, folded papers that looked like postcards. There was a sticky note inside the bag that read, “Donation.” Upon examining the contents, I saw that these papers were actually letters, their envelopes neatly cut open on one side. I also noticed the neat cursive handwriting and a date, which read “7/4/62.” Scanning the contents of the letter, some phrases jumped off the page, like: “the Colonel is dead” and “Major shot through the neck.” Certainly, these letters could not be from 1862, right? As I continued through the bag I realized they were– indeed from the 1860s.
The letters were written by a man named Isaac Edward Green of South Reading, who was writing to his family during his time enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War (1861-1864). Green was in the 2nd Company Massachusetts Sharpshooters, which was attached to the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. Green fought in the battles of Yorktown, Hanover Court House, Malvern Hill, Petersburg, Gettysburg, and Antietam. He survived the war and was mustered out October 17th, 1864. While a picture of Mr. Green remains elusive, his letters capture a soldier’s firsthand account of war–offering insights into his changing morale.
Apart from being great examples of local history, the timing of these letters–both when they were written and when they were discovered–is fortuitous, maybe even serendipitous, given the upcoming rededication of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (happening Saturday, May 31st). After stumbling upon this collection in February, we chose 30 letters that span Green’s enlistment to digitize and transcribe. You can now view the collection of letters in our online archive. There are over 100 letters in the entire collection, which we hope to digitize and transcribe as an ongoing project.
Originally dedicated in 1902, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Upper Common was dedicated to the memory of the men who fought and died in the Civil War. Last year, the monument underwent a complete restoration– including extensive repair and reconstruction. Saturday, May 31st is Rededication Day and the Town of Wakefield is hosting a series of historical events starting at 12:30pm (including a living history camp and a historical walking tour), followed by a rededication ceremony at 3:00pm. For a detailed list of events, click here.
