Beschreibung:

77 items (64 war date), 1848-1886. Julian Bryant placed his belief in the equality of all Americans on the line during the Civil War and paid the ultimate price. His military career was not long, but from beginning to end, he accepted risk and responsibility and lived his principles. Born on Nov. 9, 1836, Bryant was an intellectual and abolitionist and a nephew of the famous poet William Cullen Bryant. As a young man, he settled with his family in the abolitionist hotbed of Princeton, Ill., where he began teaching art at the Bloomington Normal College. When the Civil War began, however, Bryant stepped into action, helping to recruit a brigade from among the teachers at the Normal College, which was attached as Co. E of the 33rd Illinois. In recognition of his leadership, Bryant was elected Second Lieutenant of his company, and in that position, he earned the notice of his superiors. Among his exploits during the fall 1861, he played the part of spy in Missouri, uncovering a secret Confederate recruiting post near Pilot Knob. When his regiment descended on the plantation to break up the operation, they armed 20 of the slaves and marched the Confederate culprits back to camp, an incident that has gone down on record as the first time union soldiers liberated and armed slaves. Throughout his time, Bryant never wavered in his belief that freedmen should be allowed to fight for their own liberation. Bryant was promoted to the staff of Charles Hovey (former President of the Normal School and Colonel of the 33rd Illinois) when Hovey was promoted to Brigadier General, and when the 1st Mississippi Infantry (African Descent) was organized early in 1863, he was given a commission as Major. Although treated primarily as laborers, the 1st Mississippi earned laurels when the still-green African Brigade was attacked at Milliken’s Bend by Brig. Gen. Henry E. McCulloch’s Texans. In vicious hand to hand fighting, they repelled the attackers and helped seal a possible Confederate escape route from Vicksburg. In Oct. 1863, Bryant was given oversight of the liberated slaves near Vicksburg, and loudly and clearly, he rose to their defense, complaining that the government was treating contrabands like brutes, not free men. In September 1864, Bryant was awarded with his final commission as Colonel of the 46th USCT, a notoriously undisciplined regiment that had been raised in May 1863 as the 1st Arkansas Infantry (African Descent). The 46th USCT served at Millikens Bend until November 1864, then at Vicksburg, Memphis, and New Orleans, until they were sent to Texas as the war wound down. Bryant drowned at Brazos Santiago, Tex., in May 14, 1865. The Bryant collection consists of receipts (some personal), morning reports, special orders, and numerous returns for rations and provisions used in the 46th USCT. The correspondence is scarce, but exceptional, reflecting Bryant’s keen interest in assisting freedmen in fighting for their freedom. The collection includes a draft of two letters, one from Bryant dated at Milliken’s Bend, Oct. 4, 1864, to Brig. Gen John P. Hawkins, attesting that he has done his duty faithfully, but asking to be relieved of outside affairs to concentrate on his regiment: I would respectfully ask how far I am expected to take cognizance of the management of affairs on the plantations around. Complaints are constantly coming in from employers and employees which cannot be attended to without expenditure of considerable time. Even more significant is a letter in return from Hawkins to Bryant, Oct. 1, 1864, regarding Bryant’s new command: I am surprised as this for I thought you well knew the condition of the Regiment to which you have recently been promoted. When I selected you from among many others, many of them your seniors by commission, to recommend for the position of Colonel of the 46th Regt. I wanted you to be with it to take command of it, the post did not present itself to my consideration. I wish you to command the Regiment