The Duncan/Stoddard Letters Collection is comprized of a number of letters written by Uslema Duncan and other members of his family. The dates of said letters span a period from 1857 to 1864. The bulk of the correspondence deals with Uselma’s life as a member of the 71st N.Y. Volunteer Regiment during the early months of the Civil War; and with his death at the First Battle of Bull Run on September 21, 1861. Also included in the collection are newspaper clippings, telegrams, and general family correspondence.
DUNCAN/STODDARD LETTERS, 1857-1864 .25 Linear Feet Collection Number 13 The Duncan/Stoddard letters were donated to the Auraria Library Archives and Special Collections Department by Philip Becker in 1989. Mr. Becker, UCD's Benefits Officer, received the letters from his father-in-law, Mr. E. James Ferrara. The Letters were originally the property of the Stoddard family of New Brunswick, New Jersey. When the last direct descendent of the Stoddard family died, the letters were given to Mr. Ferrara in his capacity as a member of the New Brunswick Historical Society. The Duncan/Stoddard Letters collection was processed by F. H. Tapp during the Spring Semester 1991. Processing was accomplished under the direction of Rutherford R. Witthus, Head of Archives and Special Collections at the Auraria Library. Property rights are held by the Auraria Library, and the Archives and Special collections Department. Photocopies may be made for the purpose of scholarly research.
Citation: Duncan/Stoddard Letters, 1857-1864 Fd. # Auraria Library Archives and Special Collections Denver, Colorado
Uslema Duncan, as a young man in the late 1850’s was working as a dry goods clerk on the western frontier in the city of St. Louis, Missouri. When the Civil War broke out in early 1861 he returned to to his home in New Jersey, and eventually volunteered in the 71st New York Volunteer Regiment. During the early months of the war his regiment was stationed at the Washington Navy Yard. On September 21, 1861 his regiment was engaged in the first battle of Bull Run outside Washington, D.C. Uslema was killed during that battle. His body was never recovered.
Uselma had a younger brother, Kenneth, and a sister, Sarah. Sarah married William C. Stoddard and raise three children, Emilie, Willie, and Lizzie.
1857-58 Uselma Duncan is living and working in St. Louis, Missouri 1861 Duncan joins the 71st New York Volunteer Regiment of the Union army, and is killed in the First Battle of Bull Run 1864 Sarah Stoddard, Uselma Duncan's sister, is living with her family in New Brunswick, New Jersey
The Duncan/Stoddard letters span an eight year period from 1857 to 1864. The first three letters are from Uselma to his family in New Jersey describing his life and work in St. Louis, Missouri. The next nine letters, all written between April and July 1861, focus with Uslema’s service with the 71st New York Volunteer Regiment stationed at the Washington Navy Yard. These letters yield a valuable insight to the mood of tha nation on the eve to the Civil War’s first major battle. They also give an interesting picture of army life as experienced by the flood of volunteers who enlisted during the early months of the war.
The next group of ten letters and three telegrams, were written by, and to, various family members after Uselma was killed during the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861. This correspondence was mainly concerned with the family’s desire to recover Uselma’s body after the battle. Although his remains were never found, it was assumed that he had been interred in a mass grave along with other Union dead from that conflict.
The last six letters in the Duncan/Stoddard collection were written in the summer of 1864 from Sarah Stoddard, Uselma’s sister, to her daughter Emilie. While these letters are semmingly unrealted to Uselma, (or to the Civil War) they do give an interesting picture of everyday life in the north at that time.
Included with some of the correspondence are miscellaneous newspaper clippings, including a eulogy and casulaty list from the First Battle of Bull Run.
Box # 1 [1857] Correspondence from Duncan to his sister Sarah Fd 1 1858 Correspondence from Duncan to Sarah Fd 2 1858 Correspondence from Duncan to Sarah Fd 3 1861 Correspondence from Sarah to her daughter Emilie Fd 4 1861 Correspondence from Duncan to Sarah Fd 5 1861 Correspondence from Duncan to Sarah Fd 6 [1861] Correspondence from Duncan to Sarah Fd 7 1861 Correspondence from Duncan to Sarah Fd 8 [1861] Correspondence from Duncan to Sarah Fd 9 [1861] Correspondence from Duncan to his brother Kenneth Fd 10 1861 Correspondence from Duncan to Kenneth Fd 11 1981 Correspondence from Duncan to his mother (includes two newspaper clippings Fd 12 1861 Two telegrams from Lt. G. W. Curtis (71st New York) to William G. Stoddard; one telegram from Kenneth Duncan to William G. Stoddard; two news clippings regarding the Battle of Bull Run; one business card Fd 13 1861 Correspondence from D. X. Junkin the Duncan’s mother Fd 14 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 15 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 16 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 17 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 18 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 19 1861 Correspondence from Sarah to her mother Fd 20 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 21 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 22 1861 Correspondence from Kenneth to Sarah Fd 23 [1864] Correspondence from Sarah to Emilie; includes one newspaper clipping Fd 24 1864 Correspondence from Sarah to Emilie Fd 25 1864 Correspondence from Sarah to Emilie Fd 26 1864 Correspondence from Sarah to Emilie Fd 27 1864 Correspondence from Sarah to Emilie Fd 28 1864 Correspondence from Sarah to Emilie Fd 29