The Tale of Tartar the War Horse (Part II)

Today's post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher and is the continuation of last week's post. On April 9, 1863, President Lincoln met Tartar.  On that day the President reviewed I Corps (commanded by Maj. Gen. John Reynolds) of the Army of the Potomac and freed slaves serving in the army on a plain two … Continue reading The Tale of Tartar the War Horse (Part II)

The Tale of Tartar the War Horse

Today's post is the first part of a two-part story told to us by Dr. Greg Bradsher. Look for part two next week! In early July 1857, Captain John W. Phelps, commanding officer of Battery B, 4th Regiment of Artillery, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, was acquiring horses for his battery for its planned expedition to … Continue reading The Tale of Tartar the War Horse

“The Numbers Don’t Add Up” — Lessons to be Learned by Archivists and Researchers

Today's post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher. In reviewing some text that we plan on adding to the International Research Portal for Records Related to Nazi-Era Cultural Property in conjunction with albums containing photographs depicting looted art work, Robin Waldman had a comment after she looked at the following: [Colonel Robert Storey, an American prosecutor at … Continue reading “The Numbers Don’t Add Up” — Lessons to be Learned by Archivists and Researchers

General Haupt’s Economic Legacy

Today's guest blogger is Mark C. Mollan, a reference archivist specializing in records of the U.S. Navy and Maritime agencies at Archives I. When Herman Haupt reluctantly left the war on September 14, 1863 (150 years ago this week), he was not technically in the Army. Although addressed as General, Haupt rarely wore the full … Continue reading General Haupt’s Economic Legacy

The Price of the Past

Today's blogger is Emily Hauser, a summer 2013 intern in the Archives I Reference Section who worked with Army records. While writing descriptions of records of the Adjutant General’s Office (Record Group 94), I came across some very interesting documents created by the War Department concerning various budgets from 1920 in Washington, D.C.  One of the charts … Continue reading The Price of the Past

Cuban Missile Crisis, Revisited

Today's post is written by Michael Rhodes, an archives technician in the Archives' National Declassification Center.  Fifty years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, we are still piecing together the actions of his administration. From the Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (Record Group 330), a report – probably one … Continue reading Cuban Missile Crisis, Revisited

The War of 1812: Privateers, Plunder, & Profiteering

Today's post is written by archivist Shane Bell of the National Archives at Atlanta. The so-called golden age of piracy ended in the early 18th century, decades before the first shot of the American Revolution.  During what is often referred to as the Second War for Independence, however, the last significant era of this practice, legally … Continue reading The War of 1812: Privateers, Plunder, & Profiteering

Service Flag Adorns an AWOL Letter

Today's post is written by Chelsey MacBride-Gill, a College Park volunteer. While processing the records of the American Expeditionary Forces (10th Division HQ), I came across an unusual letter from a concerned citizen Thomas Hartman, dated October 12, 1918.  Most of the papers in the folder simply stated that a soldier was absent without leave (AWOL) … Continue reading Service Flag Adorns an AWOL Letter

What’s in a name? The story behind the series title “Ciano Papers: Rose Garden”

Today's post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher. The National Archives of the United Kingdom has many interesting record series titles.  One of my favorites is “Mussolini's personal files (the ‘Handbag’ files).”  This series consists of the papers that Mussolini was carrying in two handbags when he was captured in April 1945.  Likewise, the National … Continue reading What’s in a name? The story behind the series title “Ciano Papers: Rose Garden”

The Marines and Japanese Souvenirs on Guadalcanal August-October 1942

Today’s post is written by Dr. Greg Bradsher. On the morning of August 7, 1942, the Marines landed on Guadalcanal, relatively near an airfield that the Japanese had begun constructing, and the relatively small number of Japanese on the island melted into the jungle.  The following day the Marines began collecting Japanese souvenirs near the airfield. … Continue reading The Marines and Japanese Souvenirs on Guadalcanal August-October 1942