Processed by
Kathryn M. Wilmot
May 2006
Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
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VOLUME OF |
1 box |
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COLLECTION |
1862–1929 |
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PROVENANCE: |
Thomas D. Besing, Evansville, IN, 13 March 2006 |
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RESTRICTIONS: |
None |
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COPYRIGHT: |
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REPRODUCTION |
Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society. |
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ALTERNATE |
None |
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RELATED |
80th Indiana Volunteers collections: SC2725 (Isum Gwin Diary); SC2097 (Lewis Brooks) |
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ACCESSION |
2006.0192 |
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NOTES: |
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Son of Charles Epperson and Elizabeth Smith, James S. Epperson was born in Warren County, Kentucky on 4 February 1830. Charles was previously married to Sarah Harris, with whom he had seven children, including Albert Epperson. James’s correspondence is addressed to his nephew Uriah C. Epperson, Albert’s son.
In 1853 James Epperson married Caroline Boren (b. 1 May 1831) and by 1860 they were living in or near Fort Branch, Gibson County, Indiana. Caroline died on 27 July 1861. During the Civil War, James enlisted as a 1st Lieutenant into F Company of the 80th Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He received a promotion to Captain in July 1864, and mustered out on 22 June 1865.
After the war, James apparently married Esther Mauck and then Ellen Skinner Shannon, producing a total of five children between his three marriages. He died on 20 May 1904 in Princeton, Indiana.
Sources:
Information in the collection.
“Roots Web.” Website search for “James Epperson.” Available from http://www.rootsweb.com. Cited 15 May 2006.
“HeritageQuest Online.” Search for “Epperson.” 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Indiana, Gibson County, Johnson Township. Series M653, Roll 260, Page 920. Cited 15 May 2006.
“Civil War Research Database.” Database search for “Epperson”. Available from http://www.civilwardata.com. Cited 15 May 2006.
The collection consists principally of letters written by James S. Epperson to his nephew Uriah C. Epperson while James served in the Civil War. Contained in Folders 1 and 2, these letters discuss camp conditions, sickness, supplies, marches, thoughts on soldiers shirking their duties, and relations with residents of the areas Company F passes through.
James describes the battles that the 80th Indiana participated in, including the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky; the Battle of Resaca, Georgia; and operations in Wilmington, North Carolina. His letter of 17 May 1864 detailing the Battle of Resaca provides a list of those soldiers in Company F killed and wounded in the battle. James’s letter of 25 February 1865 from Wilmington, North Carolina mentions the poor condition of Union soldiers held as prisoners of war.
Other than the letters from James Epperson, Folders 1 and 2 also contain letters written by James H. Boren, Samuel N. Carter, and W. H. Carroll. There are three letters by James H. Boren, serving in the 80th Indiana with James Epperson. Married to Sarah Elizabeth Epperson, Boren was also from Gibson County, Indiana. There is one letter from S. N. Carter, serving in the 60th Indiana, Company B, regarding his trip to Matagorda Bay, Texas. In addition, there is a typed transcript of a letter from W. H. Carroll to his father. The “W” in Carroll’s name may be a typewritten error and likely refers to Henry H. Carroll who served in the 42nd Indiana. The relationship of James H. Boren, Samuel N. Carter, and Henry H. Carroll to James S. Epperson requires further research.
Folder 3 contains two discharge certificates, one for John Brumfield of the 80th Indiana and one for Henry H. Carroll. Folder 4 contains a copy of the popular Civil War drill instruction manual entitled United States Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics: An Official Text Book (also known as “Hardee’s Tactics”). Folder 5 consists of a leather-bound volume of minutes from the Annual Reunion of Company F, 80th Indiana Volunteers. This annual meeting began in 1885 and the minutes continue through 1929 (the reunion is later referred to as the Annual Bean Dinner). The book contains a history of the regiment, and a roster of soldiers who served in Company F and when they died. A blue notebook containing addresses is in this folder as well. Folder 6 contains genealogical information and family history for the Kimball, Carter, and Burton families written by Sarah J. Carter in 1908.
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CONTENTS |
CONTAINER |
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Correspondence, Oct. 1862–Aug. 1863 |
Folder 1 |
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Correspondence, Oct. 1863–Apr. 1865; n.d. |
Folder 2 |
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Discharge certificates, 1863–4 |
Folder 3 |
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“United States Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics…Text Book,” C.O. Perrine, Publisher, Indianapolis, Ind. ca. 1862 |
Folder 4 |
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Record of Co. F., 80th Indiana Volunteers, ca. 1885–1929 |
Folder 5 |
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Family History, 1908 |
Folder 6 |
For additional information on this collection, including a list of subject headings that may lead you to related materials:
1. Go to the Indiana Historical Society's online catalog: http://opac.indianahistory.org/
2. Click on the "Basic Search" icon.
3. Select "Call Number" from the "Search In:" box.
4. Search for the collection by its basic call number (in this case, M 0872).
5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.