American Historical Ephemera and Early Photography, including The Larry Ness Collection of Native American Photography

An archive comprising 10 letters, including 4 authored by Sidney Humphrey Hayden (1813-1890), spanning 2 October 1864 - 3 March 1865, written from Alexandria, VA at the US Military Railroad station (3) and Harper's Ferry, VA (1). His son, Albert "Bert" Hayden (1844-1918) authors the other 6 letters in the archive, each of which are written from what appears to be the same railroad station in Alexandria, where he was employed, spanning 21 February 1865 - 11 April 1865.

Most letters in the archive bears a cancel stamp from the US Military Railroad, which was created after the federal government captured and occupied the Orange & Alexandria Railroad depot in 1861. It acted as the main Union Army supply depot during the first half of the Civil War.

Sidney and Bert's letters, most written to (Sidney's) wife and (Bert's) mother, Florilla E. Miller (1814-1868), contain many details about the goings-on at the railroad station, thoughts on politics, and war updates.

The archive's earliest letter is authored by Sidney, dated 2 October 1864, and addressed to "Sidney," likely his youngest son, Sidney Hayden (1857-1907). He offers a trove of details about the depot and soldiers traveling nearby. He describes the stockade surrounding the railroad depot and offices, purposed to protect the building and their inhabitants from Confederate soldiers. He seems disturbed by the idea of being "shut up in such a pen," therefore he and an acquaintance rent a room in a private house a short distance away to sleep in.

He then describes the young African Americans that pass by the office den every day with pails of water and baskets they carry on their heads "without touching them with their hands. They seem to stick to the wool."

He also describes the way both black and white soldiers are outfitted, each with a knapsack, blanket, canteen, and "a big ugly gun and bayonet on their shoulder." many of them look rough even with blue clothes and brass buttons."

Hayden's observations continue, as he describes the mule teams that pull wagons for the soldiers as they travel: "Then again we see long lines of army waggons [sic] [indecipherable] with about 6 mules drawing it, and a n----- riding one of the hind mules and and driving the others with but a single line...Soldiers and mules have to do most of the hard work in the army."

We get a glimpse into Hayden and his family's politics as he uses a reference to a satirical political pamphlet produced by Copperheads depicting Abraham Lincoln as Abraham Africanus I, a character who makes a pact with the devil to secure monarchical rule over the United States, in another letter to his wife. The letter is dated 9 November, the day after the presidential election. He writes, "Well the 8th has past [sic] and this morning the streets of our city are full of rumors as to the results. The general opinion is that the dynasty of A.A. - (Abrahamus Africanus) is to be perpetuated. If it be the will of heaven, we must submit..."

In his only letter written from Harper's Ferry, 3 March 1865, Sidney writes of having visited the "the termination of our Road," and of a trip to see Sheridan's headquarters at Winchester, "before he [Sheridan] started on his late raid." He was taken to the headquarters by an ambulance and military guard, as "The whole of that [indecipherable] is so infested with garillas [sic] that it was thought unsafe to send an ambulance alone." When he reached Winchester, he found a Masonic Lodge, and was invited to address its members as a Mason himself. Reviewing his trip, he writes, "I should not fancy a life on the borders. It is rough, and during wars Neither would I like to be stationed here."

In Harper's Ferry, Sidney writes of a military execution of a "young man shot for desertion. I did not go out to see it, for I am sick of the thought of blood shed."

Albert Hayden's first letter featured in this archive is addressed to "Sid," likely his youngest brother, Sidney Hayden (1857-1907), dated 21 February 1865. He reports that the "long bridge between here [Alexandria, VA] and the little town over the river where Mr. Lincoln abides, broke down last Saturday evening and let an engine and tow [sic] cars 'drop' into the river."

In a letter to his mother dated 4 April 1865, Bert reports felicitations over the capture of Richmond, with astonishment at the way some white folks were interacting with Black people. "There were great times here and in Washington over the capture of Richmond; and some of the people made cursed fooles [sic] of themselves, for over on the steps of the Metropoliton [sic] hotel in Washington they would stand and hug some great black beastly n------; but every one to their likeing [sic]."

In his next letter to his mother, dated 2 days later on 6 April, Bert notes that he "was over to see the illumination a few nights ago, and I never saw such crowds of n------ as there were in the streets." In this racist remark, he refers to the illumination of the capital city to celebrate the news of the fall of Richmond and Robert E. Lee's surrender. The public buildings along with participating businesses and homes were lit up in a unified display of elation.

Bert's remaining letters include a few scattered details about soldiers, including the unloading of wounded soldiers at the wharves, including a soldier who "had boath [sic] arms and legs shot off."

Sidney Humphrey Hayden was a prominent Mason, businessman, and family man, who was remembered in an obituary in the Athens, Pennsylvania Daily News as "one of the most conspicuous figures in Northern Pennsylvania." His surviving sons are listed in the article, including Bert, who is a "freight agent of this division of the Lehigh Valley road..." Sidney served as a master mason at the Rural Amity Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons, being very involved in the affairs of the lodge, attending encampments, contributing to masonic publications, and even producing his own work in 1866, George Washington and his Masonic Compeers.