This collection contains correspondence of the Palmer L. and Sophronia M. Shaw Burrows family of Delaware County, New York. Largely written during the Civil War years, the correspondence contains letters from several Civil War veterans, including Palmer L. Burrows (144th New York Infantry), and his sons S. Worcester Burrows (27th New York Infantry and 1st New York Veteran Cavalry) and Linus P. Burrows (1st New York Veteran Cavalry); two brothers of Sophronia Burrows, Joseph P. Shaw (probably 4th New York Cavalry) and Frederick W. Shaw (11th Illinois Infantry); as well as George W. Webb and Charles Newman (both of the 144th New York Infantry).

The collection also contains a number of letters written by other extended family members and friends, including Sophronia M. Burrows; James F. Burrows; Delia Shaw Edgerton of Chicago, Illinois; N. A. Pierson of Brooklyn, California; Henry Putnam of Bridgeton, New Jersey; Anna Burrows Smith; and Charlotte Burrows Sumnner.

Apart from routine family news, the letters contain references to many of issues of the day: the letters written by soldiers relate to battles, recruiting, camp life, and troop movements; while those written by other family members relate to the war's progression, prisoners of war, African Americans, and victory receptions for Union military leaders. Other letters relate to agriculture and conditions in the West.

[NOTE: Surnames being absent on many of the letters, the identities and military units of several of the writers have been derived from careful research and examination of the letters themselves.]