Letter written by Union soldier John Stagenwalt recounting New Orleans Massacre

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

A letterwritten by John Stagenwalt, a 1st U.S. Infantry soldier stationed at New Orleans during its occupation by the Union Army. Written in brown ink on both sides of a single sheet of wove paper with a torn edge, the letter is addressed to John Sheaffer, of Bareville, Leacock Township, Pennsylvania, with the salutation [Dear Father]. At top left is [Jackson Barracks, La] and at top right is [August 21st 1866]. In the letter, Stagenwalt recounts the New Orleans Massacre writing "I have just returned to Jackson Barricks from the city of New Orleans. . . . Our regiment was there 2 weeks on the account of the late riot which took place in that city. . . . The Negros wanted to vote and the white citizens of that place would not let them, and thus commenced the riot. They fought very hard.

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