LibGuides: Civil War Resources in Archives and Special Collections: Digital Collections

About Archives and Special Collections

The mission of Archives and Special Collections is to collect, preserve, and provide access to archival and printed materials that support the research and instructional needs of students, faculty, national and international scholars, and the general public.

Archives and Special Collections
Bracken Library, Room 210
Muncie, IN 47304
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Digital Collections

Ball State University Libraries partnered with the Muncie Public Library Local History & Geneology Center, the Henry County Historical Society, and the Dan Quayle Center and United States Vice Presidential Museum to build a digital repository of unique U.S. Civil War materials from East Central Indiana. This project was supported by funds from a Library Services and Technology Act digitization grant. As material is digitized, it will become available as part of the Digital Media Repository and accessible through this Web site.

The collections from Ball State University Libraries include:

Frank A. Bracken Civil War Collection
The Frank A. Bracken Civil War Collection provides online access to U.S. Civil War related research papers, maps, photographs, plaques, weapons, uniforms, and other artifacts from circa 1860-2000 collected by Frank A. Bracken.
J.W. Brant Civil War Diary
Includes extractions from a diary written by J.W. Brant while serving in the Army from August 6, 1862 through November 30, 1863.
Delaware County Civil War Records
Includes records maintained by Delaware County from 1861 to 1890 related to the awarding of bounties to area solderies who enlisted in the Union army. Among the bounty records are applications, certificates, checks, transfers and confirmations. Also among the documents are mustering lists and other documents produced by the regiments.
Cassady-Nelson Family Papers
Includes correspondence of Derastus Nelson to his parents and sister, as well as his diaries for 1861 - 62 and 1864, and a soldier's inspirational pamphlet entitled "A Rainy Day in Camp." The letters are presented along with transcripts.
G.W.H. Kemper Papers
Includes correspondence between G. William Harrison Kemper and his wife Hattie while he was serving as a surgeon in the Civil War. Kemper served in the 7th Indiana Volunteers and later as an assistant surgeon in the 17th Indiana Volunteers.
Sarah E. McVicker Letters
Includes correspondence sent to Sarah E. McVicker (later Johnson) by soldiers from Delaware County, Indiana during and after the Civil War. The soldiers who corresponded with McVicker were members of the 130th and 84th Indiana Infantry units.
Philander Smith Papers
Includes government forms and personal correspondence to and from Philander Smith. Smith was born in 1835, married Sarah Allee, and lived in Greenfield, Indiana. He enlisted as a sergeant on 25 August 1861, in Co. B of the 8th Indiana Volunteer Infantry.