Bancroft-Bliss Families Papers, 1861-1865 | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

Scope and Contents:

The collection consists of photocopies of the personal and professional correspondence of Leitenant Colonel Alexander Bliss. The correspondence concerns the procurement, transportation, and distribution of supplies, as well as issues relating to promotions, pay, and rank. One letter discusses plans for President Lincoln's railway transportation to Gettysburg in November 1863. The collection also includes three letters to Elizabeth Davis Bliss Bancroft sent by friends.

Biographical/Historical Context:

Leiutenant Colonel Alexander Bliss (1827-1896) was assistant quartermaster general of the Union forces and a colonel of the United States Army during the Civil War. Bliss's father died before he was born, and in 1838 Bliss's mother, Elizabeth Davis Bliss (1803-1886), married prominent American historian George Bancroft (1800-1891).

Acquisition Source: These items are photocopies of original letters in the Bancroft-Bliss Family Papers at the Library of Congress.