Descriptive Summary | |
Repository: | Georgia Historical Society |
Creator: | Olmstead, Charles Hart, 1837-1926. |
Title: | Charles Hart Olmstead papers |
Dates: | 1861-1921 |
Extent: | 0.45 cubic feet (5 folders, 1 volume) |
Identification: | MS 0599 |
Charles Hart Olmstead (1837-1926) was born in Savannah, the son of Jonathan Olmstead (1798-1854) and Eliza (Hart) Olmstead (1802-1881). He was educated in private schools in Savannah and at the Georgia Military Institute, Marietta, Ga., where he graduated in 1856. At the outbreak of the Civil War he, as Adjutant of the 1st Ga. Vol. Regt., was ordered to seize Fort Pulaski in January, 1861. He was Colonel in command of the Fort on its surrender to Federal forces in April 1862. He was taken prisoner, sent first to Governors Island, N.Y. then to Johnsons Island, Ohio. He was exchanged in Vicksburg, Miss., and again served with Confederate forces in and around Charleston, S.C. and Savannah. He assumed command of the 3rd Military District of S.C., but was soon ordered to take command of the 1st Ga. vol. Regt, which joined the Army of Tennessee for the remainder of the War. In addition to his "Memoirs" and articles on the Civil War, Olmstead wrote a book and articles on Savannah history.
This collection contains Charles Olmstead's memoirs, which detail his military career, five articles, and correspondence. Most of the collection pertains to his Civil War experiences, including the surrender of Fort Pulaski, being a prisoner of war, and raising the U.S. flag on Tybee Lighthouse in November, 1861. The collection also includes an article written by Olmstead about life in Savannah in the 1840s.
Original of Olmstead's commission as Major, May 27, 1861, in Charles H. Olmstead papers, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina.
Custodial History
Unknown.
Preferred Citation
[item identification], Charles Hart Olmstead papers, MS 599, Georgia Historical Society, Savannah, Georgia.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Susan Olmstead, 1955 (Item 1); Florence Olmstead, 1953, 1954, 1960 (Items 3-5); Alexander A. Lawrence, 1962 (Item 8). Deposit by Lindsey P. Henderon, Jr., 1962 (Item 6). Exchange, Stuart Miller, 1959 (Item 9).
Collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Georgia Historical Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Division of Library and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Georgia Historical Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Olmstead's "Memoirs" published as Collections of the Georgia Historical Society: Memoirs of Charles H. Olmstead, v.14 (1964)."Savannah in the 40s" published in The Georgia Historical Quarterly, v.1, no.3 (September, 1917) 243-252."Fort Pulaski" published in The Georgia Historical Quarterly, v.1, no.2 (June 1917) 98-105.
Volume | |||||||||||||
1 | Memoirs ( 401.0 p. ) | ||||||||||||
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1 | 2 | "Savannah in the '40s" ( 17.0 p. ) | |||||||||||
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2 | 3 | "Fort Pulaski" ( 15.0 p. ) | |||||||||||
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3 | 4 | "Defense of Battery Wagner" ( 32.0 p. ) | |||||||||||
Typed copy of pages 18-32 filed with it. | |||||||||||||
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4 | 5 | "Return from a Federal Prison" ( 11.0 p. ) | |||||||||||
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5 | 6 | "Rear Guard Service in Tennessee" ( 12.0 p. ) | |||||||||||
Typed copy filed with it. | |||||||||||||