Introduction | Agency History | Scope and Content | Series Description | Inventory

Introduction

The Charles Saeltzer Collection of papers related to the 10th Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Cavalry, consists of .25 linear feet of material, primarily official forms and reports, dating from 1863 through 1865.

The material was donated to the Center for Archival Collections through the cooperation of Mrs. Elsa Waggoner of Defiance, Ohio on November 11, 1997. No restrictions exist on the use of this collection. Duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and research. The register was completed by Andy Smith, a student in the History Program at BGSU, and revised by Marilyn Levinson, Curator of Manuscripts in September 2000.

Biographical Sketch/Agency History

The Charles Saeltzer Collection holds the records of the 10th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. The records of this collection come from the personal records of Charles Saeltzer, Quartermaster for Company "K" of the 10th Ohio Volunteer Regiment. Saeltzer came to America from Bavaria in the late 1850s or early 1860s to, probably, Mansfield, Ohio. Saeltzer was mustered into service January 15, 1863 as a Commanding Sergeant in Co."L" of the 10th O.V.C. On March 1, 1863, he was appointed Sergeant Co."L." of the O.V.C. Saeltzer was then promoted to 2nd Lieutenant Co."C" on December 17, 1863. Finally, Saeltzer was promoted to 1st Lieutenant Co."K" on July 25, 1864. Following the war, Saeltzer remained in Cleveland as bookkeeper and raised a rather large family.

The 10th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Regiment was mustered into service on January 15, 1863 at Camp Cleveland, Ohio by C.O. Howard, Captain 18th Infantry, U.S.A. Mustering Officer. Its first assignment was to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to engage in picket and scout duty, until the Army of the Cumberland opened its campaign against General Bragg. Additionally, this regiment was actively involved in Sherman's historic march to the sea as a part of J. Kilpatrick's movements. This regiment was mustered out of service on July 24, 1865 at Lexington, North Carolina.

The battles in which this regiment participated in were numerous and crucial to the success of the northern armies during the Civil War. These battles included, but are not limited to, Chickamauga, Cosby Creek, Tunnel Hill, the Siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Sweetwater, Bear Creek Station, Waynesboro, Aiken, Monroe Cross Roads, and Averysboro.

Scope and Content

The Charles Saeltzer Collection consists of 1 box of 49 folders filled with the records of the 10th Ohio Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. The source of these records are the official orders, circulars, and correspondence collected by Charles Saeltzer, Quartermaster for Company "K" of the 10th O.V.C. The papers cover the time periods late 1863 through 1865. Given the fact that the main source for this collection was the Quartermaster, naturally most of the records found in this collection pertain to the logistical functions of this position. Specifically, the papers in this collection focus on information regarding the administration of supplies, stores, and logistics of the 10th O.V.C.

The official documents of this collection include circulars, correspondence, financial documentation, general orders, special orders, stores and supplies, and the records of troops/units. Additionally, a miscellaneous section is also included that entail a miscellaneous compilation of random notes, parts of orders, other unknown information, as well as a humorous letter written by Saeltzer to an unidentified person regarding an ambiguous social encounter in the form of a military report, with vaguely lewd overtones.

The circulars included in the collection illustrate the impetus to reform of the organization practices of requisition and logistical supply, as well as the danger posed to the horses in the regiment, and information regarding an investigation of soldier insubordination.

Correspondence in the collection includes information on the process of promotion, transfer, and appointment of soldiers in the army. Moreover, it illustrates the needs of the regiment with respect to logistical supply, including ordnance, horses, clothing, and other equipment.

The financial documents are also a valuable source to the researcher. It is in these documents that official indication of the economic means available to realization of logistical sufficiency can be found. Records are kept of expenditures, indemnity bonds, charges on muster and pay roll, and vouchers. All of these indicate the economic resources available to such a regiment.

The general orders in this collection also center on the logistical situation of the regiment. Specifically, these orders do much to illustrate the persistent need for better organization in terms of record-keeping. Moreover, these orders are a good source for identifying the procedures used for daily drill by the regiment.

The special orders in this collection are orders delegated to Saeltzer with a specific action in mind. These orders focus on the promotion, appointment, and transfer of individual soldiers, and the initiation of an investigation into various events. This section of the collection is pertinent to the identification of the process by which troops are transferred, appointed, and promoted to positions as well as efforts to maintain the integrity of the unit.

The stores and supplies included in this collection are extremely useful to the identification of the clothing, ordnance, and other stores necessary to the sustenance of the regiment. Specifically, a record can be found of clothing, ordnance, ammunition, and horses available to the unit.

The records of troops in the unit are a good genealogical source and illustrate a rather complete record of the troops that were a part of the regiment. Moreover, they also provide an excellent corresponding source to follow the movement of troops in and out of the unit as indicated by the transfer, promotion, etc. records of the other sections of the collection.

The miscellaneous section of this collection contains a number of things that could be deemed useful by the researcher. However, due to their brevity, an accurate depiction of the subject and relation to the rest of the collection requires extensive study. Moreover, the humorous letter found here is an interesting doorway into the bawdy humor that may have been prevalent among the regimental soldiers during the Civil War.

Series Description

10TH REGIMENT, OHIO VOLUNTEER CAVALRY PAPERS

OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

CIRCULARS
Jan. 11, 1864-Jun. 28, 1865; (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Includes materials on investigation requests into charges filed by Charles Smith against John D. Parrish, the withdrawal of these charges, transmittal of charges, requests for better organization of requisition procedures, orders enforcing strict care for horses, orders commissioning horse guards, and letter from Brigadier General J. Kilpatrick praising efforts of regiment.

CORRESPONDENCE
Mar. 17, 1864-Dec. 15, 1865; (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Includes letter from Governor of State of Ohio promoting Saeltzer, letter enforcing cavalry volunteers, inquiry as to number of available horses for duty, requests for officers to duty and transfer, coordination of arms transfers, claims of backpay, and letter demanding respect for O.V.C.

FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS-ABSTRACT OF EXPENDITURES TO VOUCHERS
Arranged alphabetically
Includes records of expenditures, debit receipts, statement of charges on muster and pay roll, vouchers.

GENERAL ORDERS
Jul. 9, 1864; May 28, 1865
Arranged chronologically
Includes orders for better organization of ranks, inventory, fiscal, and descriptive statements and orders pertaining to daily drill, procedures, practice, and changes to these elements.

SPECIAL ORDERS
Mar. 18, 1864-Jul. 19, 1865; (scattered)
Arranged chronologically
Includes recalls to duty of soldiers on recruiting assignments, orders for investigation into deaths of three horses, orders for transmittal, promotion, and appointment of troops, orders for bugle calls, orders for investigation into the absence of Saeltzer from camp, results of this investigation, court martial of soldier.

STORES AND SUPPLIES-ABSTRACTS TO STATEMENTS
Arranged alphabetically first, then chronologically
Includes abstracts, certificate of quartermaster stores, monthly, semi-monthly, and quarterly returns of clothing, camp, and garrison equipment, inspection of ordnance and ordnance stores, invoices of stores, receipt for issues, records from ordnance office, statements.

RECORD OF TROOPS/UNITS-LISTS TO SOLDIER'S RECORD'S
Arranged alphabetically.
Includes lists, muster documents, and soldier's records.

MISCELLANEOUS
n.d.
Includes fragmentary parts of notes, orders, and unknown information.

LITERARY DOCUMENTS

HUMOROUS LETTER
Mar. 4, 1863
Letter written by Saeltzer to unknown recipient concerning an ambiguous social encounter in the form of a military report, with vaguely lewd overtones.

Inventory

Box 1

Folder

1. Circulars, Jan. 11, 1864-Jul. 10,1864
2. Circulars, Dec. 17, 1864
3. Circulars, Mar. 22, 1865
4. Circulars, Jun. 27-8, 1865
5. Correspondence, Mar. 17-8, 1864
6. Correspondence, Jul. 27 and 30, 1864
7. Correspondence, Apr. 28, 1865
8. Correspondence, Jun. 8, 1865
9. Correspondence, Dec. 15, 1865
10. Correspondence, n.d.
11. Financial Documents (Abstracts of Expenditures), 1st,2nd Quarter 1865
12. Financial Documents (Form 26, Debit Receipts),Mar. 17, 1864
13. Financial Documents (Indemnity Board),n.d.
14. Financial Documents (Charges on Muster and Pay Rolls),Jun. 2, 1865;3rd. Quarter
15. Financial Documents (Vouchers), Jun. 28, 1865
16. General Orders, Jul. 9, 1864
17. General Orders, May 28, 1865
18. Special Orders, Mar. 18 and 28, 1864
19. Special Orders, May 6, 1864
20. Special Orders, Aug. 2 and 14, 1864
21. Special Orders, Sep. 9, 18, 19, 1864
22. Special Orders, Oct. 30, 1864
23. Special Orders, Nov. 4, 11, 1864
24. Special Orders, Mar. 14, 1865
25. Special Orders, Apr. 4, 9, 27, 1865
26. Special Orders, May 15, 18, 22, 25, 1865
27. Special Orders, Jun. 17 and 24, 1865
28. Special Orders, Jul. 17, 1865
29. Special Orders, Jul. 17 and 19, 1865
30. Stores and Supplies (Abstracts), May 31, 1865;June 30,1865
31. Stores and Supplies (Certificate of Qtrmaster Stores), Jul. 5, 1865;Aug. 2, 1865
32. Stores and Supplies (Monthly Return of Clothing, Camp, and Garrison Equipment), Feb.-Jul. 1865
33. Stores and Supplies (List of Stores), Feb. 15-Jul. 24, 1865
34. Stores and Supplies (Monthly Inspection Report of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores), Apr.-May, 1865
35. Stores and Supplies (Monthly Return of Qtrmaster Stores), May-Jul. 1865
36. Stores and Supplies (Semi-Monthly Inspection Report of Ordnance Stores), Jun. 15-Jul. 15, 1865
37. Stores and Supplies (Quarterly Return of Ordnance and Ordnance Stores), Mar. 31-Aug. 3, 1865
38. Stores and Supplies (Inventory and Inspection Report of Ordnance Stores), Jun. 11, 1865
39. Stores and Supplies (Invoice of Stores), Feb.-Jul. 22, 1865
40. Stores and Supplies (Receipt Roll of Clothing), Feb.-Apr. 1865
41. Stores and Supplies (Receipt for Issues), Apr. 25-Aug. 1, 1865
42. Stores and Supplies (Records from Ordnance Office), Mar.10-Jan. 29, 1865
43. Stores and Supplies (Records from Qtrmaster General's Off.), Jul.17; Aug.4;Nov.20, 1865
44. Stores and Supplies (Statements), Feb.-Aug. 2, 1865
45. Records of Troops/Units (Lists), May 12-Jun. 1865
46. Records of Troops/Units (Muster Documents), Feb. 28-Jun. 20, 1865
47. Records of Troops/Units (Soldier's Records), Jun. 9,1863-Mar. 23,1865
48. Miscellaneous fragments, n.d.
49. Humorous Letter, Mar. 4, 1863

Manuscripts by Subject | Civil War Collections