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<\/a>Order to Release Dickinson Students - Courtesy of the Dickinson College Archives<\/p><\/div>\n
Pennsylvania border when Confederate invasion seemed imminent.\u00a0 Nearly all of these students were minors (15 or 16 years old) from other states and had neglected to inform their families of their enlistment.\u00a0 Without these students, the college could not remain open because of the expected neglecting of tuition payments.\u00a0 Therefore, H.M. Johnson appealed to Governor Curtin’s status as an alumni and asked that he take these factors into consideration and hasten the students’ return to campus.\u00a0 I plan to consult local newspapers and image collections to see if I am able to place more of a clear identity on these returned students and perhaps note any engagements they may have taken part in.<\/p>\n
In the course of researching this information, I came across another letter in the archives’ card catalog.\u00a0 This letter, however, was written by the son of H.M. Johnson, Theodore.\u00a0 It was listed as containing information pertaining to the occupation of Carlisle and I figured that it would be worth reading to create historical context.\u00a0 In serendipitous fashion, the letter actually explained how the college was spared during the occupation.\u00a0 It fell into line<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Letter Referencing Masonic Signs - Courtesy of the Dickinson College Archives<\/p><\/div>\n
with my notion that the story of C.F. Deems was, in fact, apocryphal.\u00a0 According to Theodore Johnson, the college was spared because his father “threw” a masonic sign at the commander of the Confederate forces and the two initiated a mutually beneficial relationship in which the college was spared in exchange for supplies.<\/p>\n
I plan to further my research through photographic archives to paint a clearer picture of who all of the aforementioned individuals were.\u00a0 I am particularly interested in the masonic Confederate colonel referred to as “Wilson,” and his role in the occupation.\u00a0 Also, I am asking myself if the students that went to fight actually engaged in any combat.\u00a0 I will attempt to determine this through resources and databases such as alumni records, newspapers and the American Civil War Research Database.<\/a><\/p>\n Sources:<\/p>\n Dickinson College Board of Trustees, Executive Committee. Minutes, 24 June 1863. Record Group 1\/2, Board of Trustees (1833-1879), Archives and Special Collections, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.<\/p>\n H.M. Johnson, Carlisle to Governor A.G. Curtin, Harrisburg, 15 September, 1862. Record Group 2\/6, Office of the President, H.M. Johnson, Archives and Special Collections, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.<\/p>\n Theodore M. Johnson, East Millsboro to James Henry Morgan, Carlisle, 20 February, 1933.\u00a0 Papers of James Henry Morgan, 1918-1928, Archives and Special Collections, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" My first visit to the Dickinson College Archives in the course of my research met with a good amount of success.\u00a0 The tales of A.G. Curtin’s release of soldiers and Deems’ request to a Confederate officer have been made much … Continue reading