William Cameron was born in Ontario in 1842 and joined the Union Army as a private in the First Regiment of the Wisconsin Cavalry Volunteers on January 26, 1862. He was subsequently assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, under the command of Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, where he served as one of several clerks to Capt. W. K. Kennedy in the Quarter Masters Department. He was discharged from service at Nashville, Tennessee in 1865. He apparently lived in St. Louis for a few years immediately after the war ended, but ultimately settled in Providence, R.I., where he was employed as Manager of R. G. Dun & Co. in 1873.
There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested..
Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
The William H. Cameron Civil War papers contain about 100 items, including correspondence, Army documents and other official records related to (1) military movements, camp life, and operations of the Quarter Master's office for the Army of the Tennessee during the Civil War, (2) Cameron's post war life in St. Louis, Missouri, and Providence, Rhode Island, and (3) Life in Canada during the Civil War era. The bulk of the collection focuses on the Civil War period, and documents not only the movements and activities of military units in the Union Army but also the ongoing lives of Cameron's friends and relations in Canada, Detroit, Missouri and Louisiana, as well as in other military units of the Union Army. As a clerk in the Quarter Master's office, Cameron apparently accompanied his commanding officer on Army business, and the collection therefore documents his travels in Tennessee, Arkansas, Indiana, Missouri, Alabama, Mississippi, New York and South Carolina.
The collection is divided into three series:
Correspondence, most of which was received by William Cameron, is arranged alphabetically by author of the letter. Documents and Miscellaneous material (promissory notes, account book, copy of a military map, etc.) are arranged chronologically.
William H. Cameron Civil War papers, Ms. Cameron, Brown University Library.
The William H. Cameron Civil War papers were purchased from
Brown University Library catalog record for this collection:
Written on verso of letter from William K. Kennedy, dated July 9, 1864.
Written on verso of letter from William Henry Johnson, undated.
With an enclosure to J. M. Eaton.
With 1 page enclosure.
Letter addressed to "Cousin".
Receipts for services performed.
Receipts for reimbursement.
Receipt for quarters, tent, or fuel.
Receipt for mileage.
Abstract of purchases paid for.
Expenditures on account.
Receipt roll of hired men.
With envelope.
Copy.