Summary Information
Patchin Family Papers and Photographs
1861-1866
WVM Mss 1386
2.2 linear ft. of papers (three archival boxes and three flat boxes), 0.1 linear ft. of photographs (1 folder), and 0.1 linear ft. of paper prints (1 folder).
Wisconsin Veterans Museum (Map)
Correspondence, military papers, and photographs pertaining to Augustus and James Patchin, father and son from Wyocena, Wisconsin who served with Wisconsin regiments during the Civil War. Augustus enlisted in 1861 with Company D, 10th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and served until being wounded and captured at the Battle of Chickamauga (Georgia) in 1863. He spent several months as a prisoner of war at Libby Prison (Virginia) before being released and mustered out of service in December 1864. Augustus's son, James, first enlisted with Company B, 40th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and then reenlisted with Company I, 47th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Most of the correspondence is letters written by Augustus and James home to their family while they were serving in the war. The letters from Augustus generally discuss military life, his thoughts on military service, the health of the men of his company, and descriptions of southern landscape. He frequently asks for letters and supplies from home, mentions his desire to return home from the war soon, and continues to dictate how to perform daily tasks on the farm. Augustus mentions participating in the Battle of Perryville (Kentucky) and the Battle of Stones River (Tennessee) in two letters (October 12 and 16, 1862 and January 7, 1863), and mentions the putrid smell still at the battlefield of Stones River nearly two months later. The letters also include his thoughts on Copperheads, his disgust over the management of the Army, and his feeling that he is doing his duty by serving in the war. Letters written by Augustus from Libby Prison are significantly shorter in length, with one letter stating he was only allowed to write six lines (February 7, 1864). They mention that he is healing from his wound, ask for supplies to be sent, and that he hopes to be released soon as part of a prisoner exchange. Correspondence written by James includes comments about drill and training, casualties among his fellow soldiers, and his thoughts on military life. One letter (April 17, 1865) describes how two soldiers from Illinois were court marshaled for celebrating the death of Lincoln. Another letter (July 8, 1865) mentions that he felt the Black residents of Tennessee were more intelligent and harder workers than the white residents, and that "a man that curses the Negro does not know as much as he ought to about things in general." Letters written to Augustus, before James enlisted, center around the health of the family, ask for farming advice, and mention his own desire to serve in the war. The collection also includes letters written to Augustus from his wife, Margaret, and from his niece, Mary McDougall. Letters from Margaret discuss life on the farm in Augustus's absence and the general health of the family. She frequently states that she longs for his return, and writes about the stress placed on her from running the farm and caring for the children. One letter (April 16, 1863) mentions that she was upset at being called a war widow by neighbors and hopes that he will return soon. Letters from Mary update Augustus on the family, neighbors, and wish him a safe return home soon. She also frequently mentions the need for the war to end so the soldiers can arrest the Copperheads in Wisconsin. Other correspondence include a few letters written by other relatives, neighbors, and fellow soldiers. One interesting letter was written to James from his cousin Clarence Burnett. The letter states that Burnett witnessed Confederate prisoners being transported to Camp Randall in Madison, Wisconsin. He also mentions seeing three cars of wounded soldiers returning to Wisconsin after the Battle of Shiloh, and a cannon captured by the 14th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment during the same battle. Additional manuscripts include a pass from performing duty issued to James, pay vouchers issued to Margaret from the Volunteer Aid Fund, and a religious talisman carried by Augustus. Photographs include two copy prints of images of Augustus. One image is of him standing in full uniform and the other was taken sometime after his service. Transcriptions of the letters were done by Wisconsin Veterans Museum staff and have been included in the collection.
English
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.wvm-mss01386 ↑ Bookmark this ↑
Biography/History
Augustus Patchin was born in 1818 in Ohio. Census records indicate that he married his wife, Margaret, and moved to Wyocena, Wisconsin sometime before 1850 and worked as a farmer. In 1861 Augustus enlisted with Company D, 10th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment and was promoted to sergeant. He was wounded and taken prisoner at the Battle of Chickamauga in 1863 and spent time in Libby Prison (Virginia) and Camp Oglethorpe (Georgia) before his release sometime in 1864. Augustus mustered out of service in December 1864 and returned to Wyocena where he continued to work as a farmer. He died in 1902 and is buried in Wyocena cemetery. Augustus had five sons; James, Albert, Orlo, John, and Herbert. His youngest son, Herbert, was born after he enlisted.
James Patchin was born in 1844 in Ohio. He moved with his family to Wyocena, Wisconsin sometime before the Civil War. James worked with his father on the family farm once he was old enough, and was tasked with its upkeep when Augustus enlisted in 1861. James himself enlisted in 1864, after his father had been taken prisoner. He served in Company B, 40th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment until his enlistment expired after 100 days. James then joined Company I, 47th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment in 1865 and served until mustering out in September of that year. He returned to Wyocena after the war and continued to help out on the farm. By 1880, James had married his wife, Eliza, and had moved to Viola, Minnesota to work as a farmer. He lived in the area until his death in 1927 and is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery. James was the father of five children; Charles, Edna, George, Lottie, and Eliza.
Margaret Patchin was born in 1818 in New York State. Census records indicate she moved to Ohio and married Augustus sometime before they moved to Wyocena in 1850. The couple remained in Wyocena their entire lives. Margaret last appears in census records for 1880. Augustus is listed in the 1900 census as a widower, placing her death sometime between 1880 and 1900.
Mary McDougall was born in 1837 in New York State. Census records show her living with the Burnett Family in Black Earth, Wisconsin in 1860. Infomration from the letters in the collection indicate that the Burnett Family were relatives to the Patchin family, making it likely that Mary was also related to the Burnetts. The letters also indicate she moved to Wyocena to help Margaret out around the house while Augustus was fighting in the war. She does not appear in any other census records, but information from the letters indicate she did move back to Black Earth in 1865 and continued to write the Patchin Family through 1866.
Scope and Content Note
The Patchin Family Collection is organized into four series: Augustus Patchin, James Patchin, Margaret Patchin, and Mary McDougall.
Augustus Patchin (1861-1864) is comprised almost entirely of letters written by Augusts to his family while he was serving in the Civil War. These letters are primarily written to the whole family, with Augustus writing small paragraphs to specific family members in the text of each letter. There are a few letters addressed to specific family members, such as his wife, Margaret, and his son, James. These letters have been arranged together with those written to his family as Augustus didn't change the tone of his letters in these cases and that they happen infrequently. Themes throughout the letters include his interest in the well-being of the family, answering questions about managing the farm, and instructing his young sons to behave and listen to their mother. He also inquires about his youngest son, Herbert, who was born after he enlisted. Augustus also provides support for his wife, who writes to him about the stress the war has placed on the family. The letters written by Augustus while he was a prisoner of war primarily indicate that he was being held at Libby Prison in Virginia. One letter (May 29, 1864) is addressed from Macon, Georgia, which could mean he was transferred to Camp Ogelthorpe. The camp was used to hold Union officers after prisoner exchanges broke down between the Union and Confederacy. The series also includes letters written to Augustus from the entire family. These letters are generally written by Margaret, James, and Mary (with some notes from his younger sons) and were written on the same piece of paper. The series also includes a prayer that was apparently carried by Augustus during the war.
James Patchin (1863-1865) is comprised mainly of letters written by James to his family while serving in the Civil War. The letters are generally written to specific people and have been arranged by name of recipient. Letters written in 1863 were to his father, Augustus, who was serving with the 10th Wisconsin. These letters primarily describe the family and also concern the running of the farm. James also expresses his frustration of dealing with his younger brothers and mentions the stress placed on the family in his absence. Despite this, James remains supportive of the war effort and mentions in several letters his desire to enlist. Additional letters written by James to Augustus during this time are located in the Augustus Patchin series. They were included with other letters written by family members. Letters written by James dated 1864 describe his training and service with the 40th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. The regiment was comprised of men who enlisted for a one-hundred day period. Just like Augustus, James relays instructions to the family on farm upkeep and also inquires about life at home. He also inquires about the release of his father from prison (July 14, 1864) and also talks to his mother about enlisting again instead of waiting to be drafted (August 29, 1864). Letters from 1865 pertain to his service with the 47th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. These letters include ones James wrote to his father after he returned home from being a POW, and also those written to other members of his family. James indicates in these letters his boredom with his service, his lack of respect for the commanding officers in his regiment, and his desire to return home soon. The collection also features a few letters written to James pertaining to the war. A. E. Blakesla and Clarence Burnett were cousins of James, and both wrote letters mainly about the welfare of their respective families. The Blakesla letter does mention hearing of Augustus being wounded and taken prisoner. The Burnett letter ends with a very interesting description of seeing prisoners of war and wounded soldiers being transported through Mazomanie, Wisconsin. The cannon he describes in his letter is featured in the gallery of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum. The letter from S. C. Gibb, a friend, mentions the draft ending and news of other friends who were serving in the war. The last letter written to James was from Robert H. Spencer, who served as captain of Company H, 10th Wisconsin Infantry Regiment. Spencer was captured during the Battle of Chickamauga
Margaret Patchin (1861-1864) is comprised mainly of letters she wrote to Augustus. The letters generally refer to life on the farm, and often relay her struggles of running the farm and disciplining the children. The letters provide insight into the stress placed on families while fathers were serving during the Civil War, as women had to maintain the family and were constantly worried about the safety of their husbands. Additional letters written to Augustus from Margaret are included in the Augustus Patchin series under "Letters from family." The letters written to James show similar concerns for his safety, but she does not relay the stress placed upon her as much as she does in the letters to Augustus. The letter from Rodintha Palmer, a relative, wishes Margaret well and hopes that her family will survive the war.
Mary McDougall (1863, 1865-1866) is made up of letters written by a cousin of the Patchin family who stayed on the farm while Augustus and James were serving in the war. Letters written to Augustus from James and Margaret indicate that Mary came to stay with the Patchin family in order to help Margaret around the house. The letters indicate that she was from Black Earth, Wisconsin and apparently arrived at the Patchin farm sometime in 1863. Mary wrote individual letters to Augustus during 1863 and also included some messages with letters written by the family. These letters can be found in the Augustus Patchin series under "Letters from Family." The letters written to Augustus inform him on the welfare of the family and the status of the farm; similar to those written by James and Margaret. She also includes, in several letters, her disgust over Copperheads and the need for continued support of the war effort. There is one letter written by Mary to James that was included with a letter to James written by Margaret (July 18, 1864). This letter is similar in context to the ones written to Augustus. The collection also includes letters written by Mary to the Patchin Family after she returned to Black Earth. Most of the letters are dated 1866 and show her connection to the family after living there. Mary also continues to indicate her political interest and asks her uncle his opinions on President Johnson and the nation as a whole. One letter (May 1, 1865) describes her journey back home and indicates that she helped the family out until Augustus regained his strength after his release from prison.
Note
The collection includes transcriptions of the correspondence that were completed by W.V.M. staff. Researchers should note that the transcriptions were done prior to the collection being arranged, and that some of the transcriptions do not match up with the organization of original letters.
Administrative/Restriction Information
Presented by Robert Spear, Wyocena, WI, 2006. Accession Number: Mss 2007.3.
Processed by Andrew J. Baraniak in 2011.
Contents List
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Series: Augustus Patchin
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Subseries: Correspondence
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Box
1
Folder
1-3
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To Family, 1861, 1864, undated
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Box
2
Folder
1-6
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To Family, oversized, 1862
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Box
2
Folder
7-8
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To Family, oversized, 1863
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Box
3
Folder
1-8
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To Family, oversized, 1863
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Box
4
Folder
1-2
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From Family, oversized, 1863
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Box
1
Folder
4
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From J. C. Bishop, undated
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Box
1
Folder
5
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From John Coopman, 1863
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Box
1
Folder
6
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From H. O. Thrall, 1863
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Box
5
Folder
1-2
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Transcriptions
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Box
1
Folder
7
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Envelopes
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Box
2
Folder
9
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Newspaper clippings, 1861-1862
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Box
1
Folder
8
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Religious talisman, 1863
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Color Ph
3
Folder
40
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Scanned copy photographs, undated
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PaPr
3
Folder
47
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Paper print copies
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Series: James Patchin
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Subseries: Correspondence
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Box
1
Folder
9-10
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To Augustus, 1863, 1865
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Box
1
Folder
11-12
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To Brothers, 1864-1865
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Box
4
Folder
3
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To Brothers, oversized, 1864
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Box
1
Folder
13-16
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To Margaret, 1864-1865
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Box
4
Folder
4
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To Margaret, oversized, 1864
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Box
1
Folder
17-20
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To Family, 1865
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Box
4
Folder
5
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To Family, oversized, 1864-1865
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Box
1
Folder
21
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To unknown, 1865, undated
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Box
1
Folder
22
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From A. E. Blakesla, 1864
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Box
1
Folder
23
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From Clarence Burnett, 1862
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Box
1
Folder
24
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From S. Gibbs, 1864
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Box
1
Folder
25
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From Robert Spear, 1864
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Box
5
Folder
3-4
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Transcriptions
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Box
1
Folder
26
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Duty pass, 1865
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Series: Margaret Patchin
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Subseries: Correspondence
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Box
1
Folder
27
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To Augustus, 1863
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Box
4
Folder
6
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To Augustus, oversized, 1863
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Box
1
Folder
28
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To James, 1864
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Box
1
Folder
29
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From Rodintha Palmer, 1864
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Box
6
Folder
1-2
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Transcriptions
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Box
1
Folder
30
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Pay Vouchers, 1861-1862
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Series: Mary McDougall
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Subseries: Correspondence
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Box
1
Folder
31
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To Augustus, 1863
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Box
1
Folder
32
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To Patchin Family, 1865-1866, undated
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Box
4
Folder
7
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To Patchin Family, oversized, 1866
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Box
6
Folder
3-4
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Transcriptions
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