This collection contains five items relating to Everett and Warren Hutchins, two brothers who served in Massachusetts military units during the American Civil War. The collection includes cartes-de-visite of Everett (Company F, 33rd Massachusetts Infantry) and Warren (7th Independent Battery, Massachusetts Light Artillery), with Warren appearing in full uniform.

Also included are two letters from Everett, addressed to his sister. In a letter written January 3, 1864 at Lookout Valley, Tennessee, Everett discusses winter quarters, the regiment's recent march to Knoxville and back, and various family members. In the second letter, written on April 3, [1864], Everett discusses at length brother Warren's term of military service, expressing the opinion that Warren will have to serve out his three-year enlistment regardless of when his battery's term of enlistment ends.

Warren Hutchins' diary for 1863 is also included in the collection. Commencing on January 1, apparently from the area of Nansemond County, Virginia, Warren writes of weather conditions, battery target practice and goods received from home. In brief, daily entries, he makes frequent mention of drill, inspection, police and picket duty. He writes of the battery firing salutes in honor of generals Corcoran, "Heys" [Hays?], and Halleck. Occasionally, he mentions war news and rumors, including the Battle of Murfreesboro, the destruction of the Monitor, the capture of the Indianola, draft riots, and Hooker's Chancellorsville defeat. At the end of January, Warren describes an unidentified battle [probably at Deserted House, Virginia] and another battle in mid-April, probably at Blackwater. A lengthy entry for May 1, 1863 describes another unidentified battle, followed by a description of the Carrsville Expedition in mid-May. The next entry, for May 26, seems to describe the return of the 6th Massachusetts Militia (9 months' service) to Boston. The trip is described, as is the welcoming ceremony, and the governor's address to the regiment is paraphrased at length. Diary entries commence again with June 5, 1863 and recount the 7th's daily movement on the Virginia Peninsula until it was ordered back to Washington D.C. on July 20. Warren writes of the battery's arrival in New York on August 19 in response to the draft riots and describes the battery's placement in the city. With the exception of an entry for September 25, the remainder of the diary is blank.