Collection #:
SC 1350

PERRY V. SISSON
PAPERS, 1861–1864

Processed by:
Ellen Swain
22 June 1992
Updated 1 November 2004

Manuscript and Visual Collections Department
William Henry Smith Memorial Library
Indiana Historical Society
450 West Ohio Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269

www.indianahistory.org

Collection INFORMATION

VOLUME OF COLLECTION: 4 folders

COLLECTION DATES: 1861-1864

PROVENANCE: Mrs. Sylvester Ludington, Columbus, Indiana, May 1974

RESTRICTIONS: None

ALTERNATE FORMATS: None

RELATED HOLDINGS: See card catalogue under: United States History - Civil War, 1861-1865 and Indiana History - Civil War, 1861-1865

ACCESSION NUMBER: 1974.0602

Perry V. Sisson was born near Friendship, Allegany County, New York in 1838. At the age of twenty one, he moved to Rush County, Indiana to live with his uncle. Following the capture of Fort Sumter, Sisson enlisted in Company F Sixth Indiana regiment, a three month engagement, on April 25, 1861. After boot camp in Indianapolis, the Sixth traveled to West Virginia where it fought at Philippi, the first battle of the War. In July 1861, the regiment joined General Thomas A. Morris' Brigade and marched to Laurel Hill and the engagement with Garnett's rebel command at Carrick Ford. They returned to Indianapolis in late July and were discharged on August 2, 1861. Sisson re-enlisted and later became Sergeant of the Twenty Second Cavalry of New York. He died a war prisoner at Andersonville Prison on August 21, 1864 at the age of twenty six.

Source: Material from the Collection

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The first folder of the collection consists of Sisson's diary (1861), a small bound booklet of approximately one hundred seventy four pages, written during his enlistment in Company F Sixth Indiana regiment. Sisson's description of day to day happenings (creek bathing, card playing, etc.) as well as battles and marches provides interesting reading. His account also offers a glimpse of life on his uncle's Indiana farm. A photograph of Sisson in Union uniform is stored in visual collections. The second folder is comprised of two letters written by Sisson to his uncle Nelson Sisson (1812-1873), a farmer in Rush County, in 1861. In addition, transcripts of both letters and the diary are included. Biographical material written by a relative provides background information about Sisson and his family. Photocopies of the Twenty Second New York Cavalry muster roles and casualty sheets record Sisson's whereabouts and death.

FOLDER AND CONTENTS LISTING

FOLDER CONTENTS

1 Letters and Transcripts, 1861

2 Diary transcript, 1861

3 Biographical material; photocopies of Sisson's military records, 1864

4 Diary 1861

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: 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, SC 1350).

5. When you find the collection, go to the "Full Record" screen for a list of headings that can be searched for related materials.

Collection #: SC 1350