This collection contains letters written by Thomas Morris Burns, of Richmond, Ohio, a private in Company G, 52nd Ohio Infantry during the American Civil War. Most of the letters were written to Burns' father, Thomas Burns, with several others written to his sisters Amanda (Harriet Amanda) and Lib, and one to brother John W. Burns. The letters commence just days after Burns' enlistment at Camp Dennison, Ohio. Burns provides details of the regiment's camp life, food and clothing rations, drilling, and picketing, and foraging, while describing weather conditions and surroundings. He also discusses personal matters, describing his health and relaying news of mutual acquaintances, including battle casualties, captives, discharges, and deserters. He shares and dispels war rumors and requests food, clothing, and other goods from home. Among the military engagements described by Burns are the Battle of Perryville (where he claimed he had seen a woman serving as a major in a cavalry unit)(Oct. 16, 1872), the defense of an ammunition train against Confederate attack near the Battle of Stones River (Jan. 10, 1863); the Battle of Chickamauga (Sept. 28, 1863); skirmishing at Tunnel Hill (May 23, 1864) and Dallas (June 2, 1864), Georgia; Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (July 9, 1864); Battle of Peachtree Creek (July 20 and July 23, 1864). Other notable points of discussion in Burns' letters include the frequency of accidental fires in camp (Feb. 21, 1863); Nashville's Ackland house (Feb. 21 and June 7, 1863); description of a three-cornered fortification (May 14, 1863); the killing of a sutler with the 86th Illinois (May 14, 1863); the reprieve of a deserter slated for execution (June 24, 1863); the celebration of Independence Day in camp (July 11, 1863); the John Hunt Morgan raid (June-Aug. 1863); snakes and scorpions in camp (Sept. 9, 1863); the presence and capture of a woman doctor serving with the brigade (Mar. 17; Apr. 23; and Sept. 16, 1864); trading between the lines (July 9, 1864); a description of Atlanta's devastation and marching prisoners of war through the city (Sept. 6, 1864); the 1864 presidential campaign and election (Sept. 16 and Nov. 11, 1864); the death of John McCarel (Sept. 21, 1864); preparations for the March to the Sea (Nov. 5, 1864); Union prisoners taking a Confederate oath of allegiance (Dec. 16, 1864). He also makes frequent mention of commander Daniel McCook; Copperheads; the effect of the draft at home; friends in the 40th Ohio Infantry; and packages of provisions from home. One letter (Feb. 3, 1865) is written on U. S. Christian Commission stationery; another (Mar. 12, 1865) on Chatham Artillery stationery; several others are written on stationery bearing patriotic illustrations. The collection also contains several empty envelopes and two letter fragments that could not be matched with the letters in the collection. (Note: Burns omitted the year when dating many of his letters, but because he provided locations and days of the week, the years of the letters can be determined with confidence.)

Also among the letters is a single letter to Burns' father from John B. McCarel, also of Company G, 52nd Ohio Infantry, written from Nashville on June 20, 1863. Burns writes of Ohio Copperheads and "butternuts," threatening retribution for their disloyalty, then describes the Union camp and fortifications at Nashville.

Also found in the collection are two reproduced photographs: one, a studio portrait of Thomas Morris Burns, Harold Burns, and Herbert Bentz Burns; the other, a group of veterans of Company G, 52nd Ohio at an 1896 reunion in Smithfield, Ohio.