Allen Shortledge Letter
Scope and Content
This collection contains a letter written by Captain Allen Shortledge of the First Delaware Infantry during the American Civil War. Writing to a friend, Shortledge advises that he enlisted and reviews news from Wilmington. Attached is two uncolored illustrations, the top is an engraved depiction of "Fortress Monroe, Old Point Comfort and Hygeia Hotel, Va”. and below is an engraving of a “Map of Fortress Monroe and Surroundings” publilshed by C. Born in Washington D.C.
Dates
- 1862
Language of Materials
The materials in this collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Biographical Note
Allen Shortledge (1820-1899) was born in 1820 in York, Pennsylvania. He married Mary Ann Plumy and had a daughter named Ruth. They lived in the New Garden Township of Chester County at least until 1852.
As the American Civil War loomed, Shortledge enlisted in the First Delaware Regiment in Wilmington, Delaware, April 1861 as a private. After regimental reorganization in August, he was promoted to captain of G company. The regiment was first assigned to Camp Hamilton near Fort Monroe, Virginia. After fighting with the regiment through several campaigns, Shortledge was wounded by gunfire during the Battle of Antietam in September 1862. In July 1863, he transferred to the Veterans Reserve Corps (Invalid Corps).
Following the war, he recieved a pension and stayed in veterans' homes throughout the late 1880s and 1890s. He and is buried in Rockwood, Tennessee.
External sources:
"Capt Allen Shortledge" entry, FindaGrave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10622870/allen-shortledge
Seville, William P. "History of the First Regiment, Delware Volunteers", page 51, Historical Society of Delaware, 1884 https://books.google.com/books?id=RlgVAAAAYAAJ&dq=capt+allen+shortledge&source=gbs_navlinks_s
"Chester County Tax Exonerations 1850-1865" entry, Chester County, Pennsylvania, https://www.chesco.org/DocumentCenter/View/12215/Tax-Exonerations-1850-1865-Q-Z?bidId=
"Allen Shortlidge in the U.S., National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938" entry, Ancestry.com, https://www-ancestrylibrary-com.ezproxy.lib.vt.edu/discoveryui-content/view/485537:1200
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
This collection contains a letter written by Captain Allen Shortledge of the First Delaware Infantry of Union Army during the American Civil War. He describes enlisting in Wilmington, Delaware, and his posting at Camp Hamilton, near Fort Monroe, Virginia. Attached to the letter is a page containing an engraved image of Fort Monroe and an engraved map of the Hampton Roads region of Virginia. Shortledge was born in York, Pennsylvania in 1820 and fought in the Civil War, achieving the rank of Captain. He was wounded at the Battle of Antietam in September of 1862, but survived the war.
Source of Acquisition
The collection was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in September 2019.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Allen Shortledge Letter by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Allen Shortledge Letter completed July 2021.
- Title
- Allen Shortledge Letter, 1862
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Miles Abernethy, Student Worker
- Date
- 2021 (CC0 1.0)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu