Title: Anna D. Berry Scrapbook of Harriet Dame, 1861-1862, 1893-1904
Creator: Berry, Anna D., 1845-1917
Dame, Harriet Patience, 1815-1900
Creator Role: Author
Accession / Call Number: 2019.030
Object ID: 2019.030
Date: 1861-1862, 1893-1904
Type of Material: textual record
Physical Description: 1 scrapbook ; 1 linear foot
Level of Description: Item
Language: English
Scope and Content: The Anna D. Berry Scrapbook of Harriet Dame provides a small, but detailed collection of letters from Harriet Dame to her friend Anna Berry in Concord, NH, while she served as a nurse with the 2nd New Hampshire Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. The letters provide an insight into the conditions of the camps, recent battles and skirmishes, and the health of the regiment, as well as of other regiments in or near their camp. Dating from July 7, 1861 to June 29, 1862, with a few partial undated letters, Dame writes of her daily activities including preparing food, tending to the sick, traveling conditions, visitors, and even local cats she started taking care of. While Dame discusses illnesses that have swept through the regiment on a number of occasions, she does not provide extensive details on medical treatment or injuries, rather stating that Berry could not dream of the horrors she has seen. Letters of note include one from July 21, 1861 in which Dame provides some description on the fighting she hears at the First Battle of Bull Run. A letter dated April 1, 1862 includes information on the contraband (escaped slaves) in their camp. Dorothea Dix is also mentioned in a couple of 1862 letters, primarily her coming and going from the camp Dame was stationed at. The letter dated May 19, 1862 contains a note from Dame that states she has decided to ignore Dix's orders and has left to find her regiment. A series of newspaper clippings is included in the scrapbook and date from 1893 to 1904. The clippings include brief biographies on Harriet Dame, announcements of awards, obituaries, and information on her funeral. Some of the newspaper articles have notes added to them by Anna Berry. An appendix is included at the end of the scrapbook, which provides information on people mentioned in the letters.
Subjects:
Nurses,
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865,
African Americans,
Bull Run, 1st Battle of, Va., 1861,
Correspondence,
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.),
Health,
Military camps,
Scrapbooks,
Slaves
Locations: Baltimore, MD
Beaufort, SC
Bladensburg, MD
Concord, NH
Washington, DC
Yorktown, VA
People:
Berry, Anna D., 1845-1917,
Dame, Harriet Patience, 1815-1900,
Dix, Dorothea Lynde, 1802-1887
Organizations:
United States. Army. New Hampshire Infantry Regiment, 2nd (1861-1865)
Terms of Use: For permission to reproduce or publish material from this collection, please contact the New Hampshire Historical Society. Researchers are responsible for following all copyright and intellectual property laws.
Credit Line: New Hampshire Historical Society purchase.
Restrictions: Available for research.
Finding Aid Link: RS60726_Berry_Anna_D_Scrapbook_of_Harriet_Dame_2019.030.pdf