James A. Mulligan papers

  • Creator Names Mulligan, James A., 1830-1864.
  • Title James A. Mulligan papers [manuscript], 1849-1900.
  • Physical description
    • 3 linear ft. (6 boxes and 3 v.)
    • 1 oversize folder. (1864 July 23).
  • Collection summary
    • Correspondence, telegrams, student notebook, letterpress copy book, account books, journal (1862-1863), order books, and other papers by, to, or about James A. Mulligan, a Civil War army officer, Chicago lawyer, and journalist. Topics include Irish Americans, Catholics, Democratic politics, Mulligan's fellow students from the University of St. Mary's on the Lake, friendship with Henry S. Fitch, Mulligan's Chicago Catholic newspaper, the Western Tablet, cholera in Chicago (in 1854 letters), lawyers (Mulligan studied with Isaac N. Arnold), administration of the Irish Brigade, which was Illinois Infantry 23rd Regiment, administration of Camp Douglas, social scene in Washington, D.C. (in 1862 journal), family matters, camp life at New Creek, West Virginia, and Mulligan's command of the 5th Brigade, 1st Division, 8th Army Corps.
    • Includes ca. 875 letters to Mulligan (1851-1864) and personal and family correspondence of Mulligan's wife, Marian Nugent Mulligan, particularly letters from school friends at St. Agatha's and letters to her mother from Miss S. J. Hale's school in Philadelphia. Writers to Mulligan include his brother-in-law Lt. James Nugent, schoolmate and law partner Henry S. Fitch, Isaac N. Arnold, Thomas Brenan, Thomas B. Bryan, Thaddeus J. Butler, Robert H. Clarkson, James Duggan (Catholic Bishop of Chicago), F. A. Eastman, Maj. Gen. Allen C. Fuller, Melville Fuller, Charles H. Ham, Henry S. Monroe, Martin James Russell, F. C. Sherman, O. H. Tiffany, and Philip Wadsworth.
    • Papers arranged chronologically; also volumes: (1) student notebook 1849; (2) letterpress copy book of 105 Mulligan letters 1854-1855; (3) Mulligan and Fitch law firm account book 1855-1857; (4) Coburn, Mulligan and Fitch law firm account book 1857-1858; (5) Irish Brigade Executive Committee records 1861 April-June and later miscellany; (6) Irish Brigade Descriptive Book 1861 (with Miss Mulligan's wedding guest list and a few poems); (7) Mulligan's diary or journal 1862 Oct. 9-1863 July 3; (8) Order book 1862 June 22-1863 July 3; (9) Records of the Military Examining Board of the District of Western Virginia, presided over by Mulligan in Cumberland, Maryland, 1862 Dec.-1863 March; (10) Cases before the Military Court, New Creek, W. Va., 1863; (11) Order book, New Creek, W. Va., 1863 Oct. 27-1864 April 3; also Mulligan's commission as Brevet Brig. General, signed by Edwin M. Stanton 1864 July 23 (Oversize).
    • Also available are the dairies of James A. Mulligan (1863-1864) and Marian Nugent Mulligan (1854-1856). James' diary contains meditations on philosophy, politics, justice, American and Irish patriotism, nature and journalism. At one point, he declares that he has published many articles in public journals under the pseudonym "Jacques." The diary also contains accounts of speeches made by one-time presidential candidate and Illinois Senator, Stephen A. Douglas, as well as by important emancipationist and Kentucky landholder, Cassius Clay. Marian's diary contains drafts of letters send to the President of the United States, U.S. senators and mayors about her attempt to secure a military widow's pension after the death of her husband, James A. Mulligan. He was a Civil War army officer (Brevet Brigadier General), Chicago lawyer, and journalist. Also contains pressed foliage as well as personal daily meditations.
    • Also available is a typed transcript of Mulligan's diary or journal, 1862 Oct. 9-1863 July 3.
  • Location of Other Archival Materials Note Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include scrapbooks compiled by Marian Nugent Mulligan, in the library; 2 manuscripts in the Abraham Lincoln papers: Simon Cameron's letter to Mulligan about accepting the regiment (1861) and Mulligan's commission signed by Abraham Lincoln, 1865 March 28. Related images are found in the Image File under names of members of the family and in the Nugent family and Mulligan family photograph albums (1983.0211); the Marian A. Hodgkinson photograph collection (2000.0115).
  • Finding Aids Note Finding aid available in the repository.
  • Names
    • Mulligan, James A., 1830-1864 Archives.
    • Mulligan, Marian Nugent, ca. 1841-1908. Archives.
    • Mulligan family.
    • Catholic Church Illinois Chicago Clergy.
    • Democratic Party (Chicago, Ill.)
    • United States. Army. Illinois Infantry Regiment, 23rd (1861-1864)
    • Arnold, Isaac Newton, 1815-1884.
    • Brenan, Thomas.
    • Bryan, Thomas B. (Thomas Barbour), 1828-1906.
    • Butler, Thaddeus J.
    • Clarkson, Robert H. (Robert Harper), 1826-1884.
    • Clay, Cassius Marcellus, 1810-1903
    • Douglas, Stephen A. (Stephen Arnold), 1813-1861.
    • Duggan, James, 1825-1899.
    • Eastman, Francis Ambrose, 1836-1918.
    • Fitch, Henry S.
    • Fuller, Allen Curtis, 1822-1901.
    • Fuller, Melville Weston, 1833-1910.
    • Hale, Sarah Josepha Buell, 1788-1879.
    • Ham, Charles Henry, 1831-1902.
    • Monroe, Henry S.
    • Mulligan, Marian Nugent, ca. 1841-1908.
    • Nugent, James H, 1844-1864.
    • Russell, Martin James, 1934-
    • Sherman, Francis Cornwall 1804-1870.
    • Tiffany, Otis H. (Otis Henry), 1825-1891.
    • Wadsworth, Philip.
    • United States. Army. Division, 1st.
  • Subjects
    • Catholics Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Cholera Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Families Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Irish American women Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Irish Americans Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Lawyers Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Military pensions United States Civil War, 1861-1865.
    • Newspaper publishing Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Students Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Widows Illinois Chicago 19th century.
    • Women Illinois Chicago 19th century.
  • Geographic coverage
    • Camp Douglas (Ill.)
    • Chicago (Ill.) Politics and government 19th century.
    • Chicago (Ill.) Social conditions 19th century.
    • New Creek (W. Va.) Social life and customs 19th century.
    • United States History Civil War, 1861-1865.
    • Washington (D.C.) Social life and customs 19th century.
  • Genre
    • Account books. aat
    • Correspondence. aat
    • Diaries. aat
    • Letterpress copybooks. aat
  • Uniform title Western tablet.
  • Geographic name
    • United States Illinois Cook County Chicago.
    • United States West Virginia New Creek.