Indiana Historical Society - Manuscripts and Archives Department

MAGNUS BRUCKER
PAPERS, 1861-1868

Collection #
M 0324

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Collection information
Historical Sketch
Scope and Content Note
Box and Folder Listing
Cataloging Information

Processed by:
Eric Promroy
December, 1979

COLLECTION INFORMATION

VOLUME OF COLLECTION:

1 manuscript box (115 letters)

COLLECTION DATES:

1861-1868

PROVENANCE:

Purchased from Rudolph K. Haerle, Indianapolis, IN, 11 April 1979.

RESTRICTIONS:

none

ALTERNATE FORMATS:

none

OTHER FINDING AIDS:

none

RELATED HOLDINGS:

 

ACCESSION NUMBER:

1979.0410

NOTES:

none

 

HISTORICAL SKETCH

Magnus Brucker (1828-1874) was born in Haslich, in Kinzigthale, in Baden, Germany, studied medicine at the universities at Heidelberg and Strasburg, and as a result of his involvement with the revolutionaries in 1848, came to the United States and settled in Troy, Perry County, Indiana in 1849. He was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1860 and 1866 as a Republican. Brucker enlisted in the 23rd Indiana Volunteer Regiment in March 1862 and was commissioned as assistant surgeon. In September, he was promoted to the position of regimental surgeon, and stayed in that position until the expiration of his enlistment in March 1865. Among the 23rd's major actions written about by Brucker was the Battle of Shiloh (April 1862), the Siege of Vicksburg (spring and summer 1863) and the campaign through Georgia (summer and fall 1864).

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The collection consists primarily of letters written by Brucker to his wife during the war. There are also twelve letters written by Brucker from Indianapolis while he was serving in the state legislature in 1861 and 1867. Brucker wrote all of his letters in German.

The previous owner of the Brucker letters, Mr. Rudolf K. Haerle, compiled some supplementary material, which is included with the collection. Among this material are typed transcripts and translations of extracts from many of the letters; photostats of correspondence relating to the 23rd Indiana Regiment from the Indiana State Archives; biographical information about Brucker; and photostats of Brucker's military service records from the National Archives.

BOX AND FOLDER LISTING

BOX 1: 1861-1868

FOLDER

CONTENTS

1

22 January 1861; March--September 1862. 22 letters

2

October 1862--January 1863. 19 letters

3

February--July 1863. 20 letters

4

September 1863--June 1864. 22 letters

5

July 1864--January 1865. 20 letters

6

1867-1868. 12 letters

7

Typed extracts with translations of 35 Civil War letters.

8

Notes, biographical information and photostats of Magnus Brucker's war records in the National Archives.

9

Photostats of correspondence regarding the 23rd Regiment from the Indiana State Archives.

 

CATALOGING INFORMATION

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
  2. Click on the "Local Catalog" icon.
  3. Search for the collection by its call number, using the letter or letters designation and four digits (e.g., M 0715, SC 2234).
  4. When you find the collection, go to the "Holdings" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.

END