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Biography/History:
Henry Shaw, whose father was Adna Shaw of Saline, Michigan, was probably the same Henry W. Shaw, who enlisted as a fifth sergeant in Company F, Sixth Regiment, Michigan Heavy Artillery, United States Army. Shaw ended his Civil War military service as a hospital steward.The Sixth Regiment was organized in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and mustered into service on August 20, 1861. The regiment departed for Baltimore on August 30, 1861. The Sixth sailed with the naval expedition of General Benjamin Franklin Butler on February 22, 1862. The regiment arrived at Ship Island, Mississippi, on March 13, 1862, and was stationed there for a month. The Sixth participated in actions against Fort Jackson and Fort Saint Philip, Louisiana, in late April and was one of the first Union regiments to occupy New Orleans. The regiment advanced to Baton Rouge on May 13, 1862, and camped there until August 20, 1862. The Sixth continued to participate in various actions, including the assault on Port Hudson, Louisiana, and the occupation of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The regiment later served in Alabama and Arkansas and returned to New Orleans on July 9, 1865. The Sixth was mustered out of service on August 20, 1865, and discharged at Jackson, Michigan, on September 5, 1865.
Scope and Content:
This collection consists of an original Civil War letter, a photocopied typescript of the letter, and a photocopy of a photograph. Henry Shaw wrote the July 16, 1862, letter to his father, Adna Shaw, of Saline, Michigan, while stationed at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, probably as part of the Saline Sharpshooters, Company F, Sixth Regiment, Michigan Heavy Artillery, United States Army. In the letter, Shaw details his activities and those of his company, especially expeditions to obtain provisions. He also mentions Colonel [Charles Edward] Clarke and several members of his company, including Lieutenant [Seymour] Howell and Wallace [E.] Humphrey. Shaw discusses the movements of Union and Confederate troops along the Mississippi River near Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He mentions the Confederate guerrilla bands operating in the fifty-mile area between Union-held Baton Rouge and the Confederate training facility at Camp Moore, Louisiana. Shaw also notes prices for such staples as butter, cheese, and eggs. He ends the letter by relating news about Shaw family acquaintances. The photocopied typescript is a complete transcription of the letter and includes a short notation about Shaw. The photocopied photograph is identified as Henry Shaw.Series Identification: