Correspondence to Family, 1899-1900
Scope and Contents
This collection contains two notebooks with sixty-five transcribed letters from Louis Mahaffey, a US soldier in the Philippine-American War, to his family in Baltimore, Maryland. The letters span from November 24, 1899, when Mahaffey was sailing to the Philippines aboard the Logan; to April 16, 1901. Both notebooks bear the inscription “Harriet V. Mahaffey.”
Most of the letters were written from Santa Ana, Philippines. They describe battles, local culture, activities in Mahaffey’s military camp, and other aspects of the wartime atmosphere, including the derogatory terms for Filipinos and African American soldiers that were used among US military ranks at the time. The letters also mention US soldiers fighting on the Philippine side of the war, such as African American soldier David Fagen, whose defection was well-publicized in the American press.
Dates
- Creation: 1899-1900
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations. Due to the nature of certain archival formats, including digital and audio-visual materials, access to certain materials may require additional advance notice.
Extent
From the Collection: 0.9 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Repository Details
Part of the The University of Alabama Libraries Special Collections Repository