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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC07006.05 |
| From Archive Folder | Collection of William Brunt, D company, 16th regiment, USCT, infantry |
| Title | William Brunt to Martha Weir regarding being appointed Captain of Company Division 16th Regiment U.S. Colored Infantry |
| Date | 2 December 1863 |
| Author | Brunt, William (fl. 1863-1865) |
| Recipient | Weir, Martha |
| Document Type | Correspondence |
| Content Description | Writes that his wife, Olive, has gone to Fort Donelson with two of his children. Has been appointed Captain of Company Division 16th Regiment U.S. Colored Infantry. Expresses his satisfaction at fighting alongside former slaves -- "iff it is glorious to enlist the oppressed it is certainly doubly so to be privelidged to lead them against their oppressors." Describes a school system he has instituted to give the black soldiers literacy skills so "they will be well prepared to appreciate the sweet boon of freedom" after the war. Plans to bring his wife to live with him in winter quarters. |
| Subjects | African American Troops African American History Civil War Military History Soldier's Letter Union Soldier's Letter Union Forces Women's History Marriage Children and Family Slavery Education Military Camp |
| People | Brunt, William (fl. 1863-1865) Weir, Martha (fl. 1863-1865) |
| Place written | Clarkesville, Tennessee |
| Theme | African Americans; The American Civil War |
| Sub-collection | Papers and Images of the American Civil War |
| Additional Information | William Brunt was, at the start of the correspondence, a soldier in the 83rd Regiment, Ft. Donelson, Tennessee. He was later made Captain of Company Division 16th Colored Infantry. Brunt's wife, Olive, and his two children virtually accompanied him to war, living in the nearby camps while Brunt was on the battlefield. William and Olive had lived in Kentucky prior to the war, but were disliked for their strong support of Union politics. By 1864, Olive was helping to run a contraband camp with Brunt, but by 1865 the two had divorced after Olive was unfaithful to William. Brunt retained custody of their two children and, despite the emotional strain which came from marriage of one and the death of the other, remained devoted as a soldier and anti-slavery advocate. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945 |
| Civil War: Theater of War | Main Western Theater |
| Civil War: Unit | 16th Colored Infantry, D company |
| Transcript | Show/hide |