Collection Summary
David Homer Bates Papers
1837-1926
1837-1926
MSS61627
Bates, David Homer, b.
1843
2 microfilm
reels
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Telegrapher. Microfilm
of correspondence, diary, journal, facsimiles, photographs, newspaper
clippings, printed matter, and drafts and annotated proof sheets of Bates’s
writings. Includes eleven Abraham Lincoln manuscripts. Forms part of Alfred
Whital Stern collection of Lincolniana in the Rare Book and Special Collections
Division of the Library.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Bates, David Homer, 1843-1926.
Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919--Correspondence.
Davis, Jefferson Columbus, 1828-1879--Correspondence.
Eckert, Thomas Thompson, 1825-1910--Correspondence.
Ewell, Richard Stoddert, 1817-1872--Correspondence.
Kemper, James Lawson, 1823-1895--Correspondence.
Kirby-Smith, Edmund, 1824-1893--Correspondence.
Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870--Correspondence.
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865. Abraham Lincoln papers. 1861-1865.
Lincoln, Robert Todd, 1843-1926--Correspondence.
Organizations
United States. War Department.
Subjects
Military telegraph.
Places
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Military intelligence.
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
Occupations
Telegraphers.
Provenance
The microfilm of the papers of David Homer Bates, telegrapher,
consists of reproductions of originals purchased by the Library of Congress in
1962 and held by the Rare Book and Special Collections Division as part of its
Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana. The microfilm was produced in
1984.
Processing History
The collection was processed in 1962 and prepared for microfilming in
1984. The finding aid was revised in 2009.
Transfers
The originals are held by the Rare Book and Special Collections
Division as part of its Alfred Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of David Homer
Bates is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The microfilm copies of the papers of David Homer Bates are open to
research. Researchers are advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior
to visiting. Many collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed
to retrieve these items for research use.
Microfilm
A microfilm edition of these papers is available on two reels.
Consult reference staff in the Manuscript Division concerning availability for
purchase or interlibrary loan. To promote preservation of the originals,
researchers are required to consult the microfilm edition.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Reel number, David Homer Bates Papers in the Alfred
Whital Stern Collection of Lincolniana, Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress, Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1843, July 3
Born, Steubenville, Ohio
1861
1866
Cipher operator and manager of the War Department's telegraph
office
1867
Married Sallie J. Raphael Kenney
1907
Published
Lincoln in the Telegraph Office
. New York: Century
Co.
1926
Published
Lincoln Stories Told by Him in the Military Office in the
War Department during the Civil War
. New York: W. E. Rudge
1926, June l5
Died
Scope and Content Note
The microfilm of the papers of David Homer Bates (1843-1926) spans the
years 1837-1926 and consists of reproductions of collected items as well as the
personal papers of Bates that comprise part of the Alfred Whital Stern
Collection of Lincolniana in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division of
the Library. Included are a diary, correspondence, facsimiles, photographs,
newspaper clippings, printed matter, and drafts and annotated proof sheets of
some of Bates's writings. The papers are organized into the following series:
[
Civil War
File
](civilwar),
[
Correspondence
](corr),
[
Fascimiles
](fasc),
[
Miscellany
](misc),
and
[
Scrapbooks
](scrapbooks).
Notable among the collected items are eleven Abraham Lincoln
manuscripts and single letters of such Civil War commanders as Robert E. Lee,
James Lawson Kemper, Edmund Kirby-Smith, Richard Stoddert Ewell, and Jefferson
Columbus Davis.
Among the personal papers is a diary and daily journal kept by Bates
for the period November 1863 to June 1865, while he served as manager of the
War Department telegraph office in Washington, D.C. This volume is of
importance as a record of military intelligence activities in the Civil War and
is of further interest because of the manner in which the day-to-day narrative
reveals the significance of telegraphic communication in the area of military
science. Also included in the personal papers are letters of Andrew Carnegie,
Thomas Thompson Eckert, and Robert Todd Lincoln. There are also some retained
copies of letters written by Bates.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged in five series:
-
[
Civil War
File, 1861-1865
](civilwar)
-
[
Correspondence,
1864-1926
](corr)
-
[
Facsimiles,
1862-1865
](fasc)
-
[
Miscellany,
1837-1926
](misc)
-
[
Scrapbooks, 1907-1908
](scrapbooks)
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm84061627]
Container List
Available on microfilm. Shelf no. 18,925
Container
Reel
Contents
1
1
Civil War File,
1861-1865
1861-1865
Notes, letters, and endorsements of Abraham Lincoln, letters of
Civil War commanders, diary and daily journal of Bates, and miscellaneous
items
Arranged by type of material.
1
1
Abraham Lincoln items, including:
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to secretary
of war,
July 25, 1862
July 25, 1862
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to secretary
of war,
Aug. 7, 1862, with endorsement on letter from
Thomas H. Hick to S. Cameron,
Nov. 27, 1861
Aug. 7, 1862,
Nov. 27, 1861
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to _______ ,
Aug. 13, 1862
Aug. 13, 1862
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to secretary
of war,
Aug. 26, 1862
Aug. 26, 1862
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to _______ ,
Oct. 9, 1862 , with endorsement on
envelope
Oct. 9, 1862
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to secretary
of war,
Dec. 17, 1862
Dec. 17, 1862
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, endorsement
on letter from Alex. Williamson to president,
Nov. 13, 1863
Nov. 13, 1863
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to _______ ,
Sept. 20, 1864
Sept. 20, 1864
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to secretary
of war,
Oct. 31, 1864
Oct. 31, 1864
1
1
Lincoln, Mary Todd, to Mrs. C.
Sumwault,
Apr. 20, 1864 (original telegram in handwriting
of Abraham Lincoln)
Apr. 20, 1864
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham,
Feb. 1865 (signature only)
Feb. 1865
1
1
Civil War commanders' letters
(one each) of Franklin Buchanan, Jefferson C. Davis, Jubal A. Early, Richard S.
Ewell, James L. Kemper, E. Kirby-Smith, Robert E. Lee, Gideon J. Pillow, and
Richard Taylor
1
1
Diary and daily journal of
Bates,
1863-1865
1863-1865
1
1
Miscellaneous
1
1
Correspondence,
1864-1926
1864-1926
Letters sent and received, mostly the correspondence of Bates
with various individuals.
Arranged alphabetically by name of correspondent and thereunder
chronologically.
1
1
Bates, David Homer,
1865-1925, undated
1865-1925, undated
1
1
Carnegie, Andrew,
1868-1910
1868-1910
1
1
Eckert, Thomas T.,
1866-1910
1866-1910
1
1
Lincoln, Robert Todd,
1907-1910
1907-1910
1
1
Morse, Samuel Finley Breese,
1864-1906
1864-1906
1
1
General,
1868-1926
1868-1926
1
1
Facsimiles,
1862-1865
1862-1865
Reproductions of notes, letters, and other items of Abraham
Lincoln, Confederate cipher codes, and miscellaneous material.
Arranged by type of material.
1
1
Abraham Lincoln items, including:
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham to Colonel
Haupt,
Aug. 31, 1862
Aug. 31, 1862
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to Robert A.
Maxwell,
Sept. 23, 1863
Sept. 23, 1863
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, from Robert
A. Maxwell,
Sept. 23, 1863
Sept. 23, 1863
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to Mary Todd
Lincoln,
Apr. 27, 1865
Apr. 27, 1865
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to secretary
of war,
Apr. 3, 1865 (8:00 a.m)
Apr. 3, 1865 (8:00 a.m)
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, to secretary
of war,
Apr. 3, 1865 (5:00 p.m.)
Apr. 3, 1865 (5:00 p.m.)
1
1
Lincoln, Abraham, autograph
estimate of the electoral vote of 1864, with documentation
1
1
Confederate cipher codes
1
1
Miscellaneous
2
1
Miscellany,
1837-1926
1837-1926
Articles, addresses, books, biographical material, photographs,
and miscellaneous items.
Arranged by type of material.
2
1
Articles, addresses, and books
2
1
Regarding Abraham Lincoln's
assassination, Lincoln and the telegraph office, and other Lincoln stories
(3
folders)
2
1
Regarding Thomas T. Eckert
2
1
Biographical material on Bates,
photographs, fragment related to the presidential campaign of 1844, invitation
to the National Inauguration Ball of 1865, and miscellaneous items
2
1
Contract with the Century Co. for
Lincoln in the Telegraph Office
and related
memoranda,
1906-1920
1906-1920
2
1
Envelopes and clippings
2
1
Newspaper clippings,
1861-1926
1861-1926
2
1
Printed matter
2
1
School books of John Robert
Kenney,
1837
1837
(2
vols.)
2
1
Tradesmen’s National Bank
liquidation papers,
1898-1909
1898-1909
2
2
Scrapbooks,
1907-1908
1907-1908
Two scrapbooks containing magazine and newspaper clippings,
letters, and other items related to
Lincoln in the Telegraph Office
.
2
2
Magazine and newspaper clippings
and letters concerning
Lincoln in the Telegraph Office
, originals and
copies,
1907-1908
1907-1908
(2 vols., partially
indexed)