Description:

Civil War
various, ca. 1862-1898
John J. Elwell Archive, Good Friend and Rumored Lover of Clara Barton
Archive

A small archive of documents and letters signed by or relating to Lieutenant Colonel John J. Elwell, Chief Quartermaster of the Department of the South. The group includes a Special Order and travel certificate from Hilton Head; an autograph letter signed by Major General Quincy Adams Gillmore and endorsed by Edwin Stanton regarding obtaining a pass for Elwell's wife; a shipping contract between Elwell and a ship's captain for Army supplies; and a group of service certificates of Revolutionary War soldiers requested by Elwell. All have flattened mail folds, with varying degrees of toning, soiling, and foxing. Some minor paper loss in places. All boldly signed. Overall very good. Please refer to the photographs for further condition information.

Includes:
1. Special Order No. 12. Hilton Head, SC; April 7, 1862. From Major General David Hunter and Assistant Adjutant General Charles G. Halpine, authorizing Second Lt. G. Metcalf of the 1st CT Battery to travel to Washington, D.C. to examine and report on the quality of shot and shell issued to the 1st CT. Attached is a travel certificate, dated April 15-19, recording the New York to D.C. roundtrip cost $48. The certificate was then receipted at Hilton Head by John J. Elwell, Assistant Quartermaster.

2. Quincy Adams Gillmore ALS. Folly Island; November 26 and 27, 1863. Gillmore writes that he wishes to grant permission for Lt. Col. Elwell's wife to come into the Department but that all passes have to be countersigned by the Secretary of War. On the verso, Edwin Stanton has endorsed the letter, "The present regulations of the War Department do not sanction this class of paper. Edwin M. Stanton Sec of War." Below his endorsement is another endorsement reading, "You will see by the above that the Secy of War refuses to countersign papers like the within. B. F. Wade."

3. Affreightment Signed by Elwell. Washington, D.C.; November 13, 1863. A shipping contract between Elwell and Captain John Taylor of the Brig. Matron of Newport, RI. Taylor was to be paid $25 per day to allow the transport of troops, men, animals, supplies, and other cargo from the U.S. Army Quartermaster. Docketed on verso.

4. Four certificates of service and a TLS from Adjutant General William S. Stryker. Trenton, NJ; April 5, 1898. A group of 7pp total, answering John J. Elwell's request for certificates of soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War. Included are four certificates: Samuel Elwell, David Elwell, Paul Reeves, and Thomas Reeves.

John Johnson Elwell (1820-1900) was a physician, attorney, and Union Army officer from Ohio. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Elwell was appointed quartermaster, equipping the 2nd Ohio Volunteer Cavalry of Cleveland, the 3d Ohio Volunteer Cavalry of Huron County, and the Sherman Brigade. He also served as an aide-de-camp to General Henry W. Benham at the Battle of Secessionville. At the assault of Fort Wagner on July 18, 1862, Elwell was promoted to lieutenant colonel and made chief quartermaster of the Department of the South. It was in this position, at Hilton Head, that he befriended Clara Barton. Although Elwell had a wife and family in Cincinnati, many believe that he and Barton struck up a romantic affair. We know little of the details of their relationship, other than that they were seen together horseback riding, picnicking, and dining. The pair had pet names for each other, and Clara kept his photo on her desk for the rest of her life. They also exchanged affectionate letters for many years. In one such letter, Elwell wrote, "My Darling, To see on my desk this morning the old familiar superscription of one I love; all the law allows (and a little more perhaps,) on the face of a letter, was a great pleasure."

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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