The Robin Brabham Collection (1862-1866, 1976, undated) consists of materials from several Civil War soldiers adn civilians, including documents relating to Thomas Midgett of Croatan, North Carolina, containing an oath, a parole and safe conduct documents issued by a Union Army officer, in 1862-1864; also documents, 1863-1866, related to several Union Army soldiers, including records of Major N. H. Foster of 1st Battalion, 12th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery; Lt. Col. H. A. Oakman of 30th Regiment U.S. Colored Troops and; also certificates of discharge by reason of death for members of Co. A., 2nd Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Artillery.
Lieut. Col. Hiram A. Oakman served the 30th Regiment Infantry, U.S.Colored Troops, Maryland volunteers, 1864-1865. The regiment was organized at Camp Stanton, Maryland in 1864. The regiment participated in the expedition against Fort Fisher and the siege of Petersburg, Va. in 1864. The regiment would be mustered out of duty in 1865. Oakman's rank out of service was Lieut. Colonel.
Major N.H. Foster served the 12th Regiment Heavy Artillery U.S.Colored Troops, which was formed at Camp Nelson, KY in 1864. The regiment was the largest at Camp Nelson and was responsible for garrison duty at Bowling Green, KY, until it was mustered out in 1866.
The Robin Brabham Collection is arranged in original order.
Thomas Midgett Papers, 1862-1866, 1976, consists of three letters sent from Sub-District Headquarters of Albemarle in Roanoke Island, North Carolina, and a newspaper clipping pertaining to Thomas Midgett. The first, written on 30 January 1864, authorized by [Thomas McGram] grants Midgett permission to retain his boat. Written on 1 December 1862, Major Charles E. Mears grants a safeguard to Midgett, his family, and property and states that they are under the protection of U.S. soldiers if needed. The last, written on 26 January 1864 by Adj. Post General J.M. Wilson, states the Midgett has taken and subscribed to the oath and parole and is a loyal citizen of the U.S. It also includes a clipping from The Coastland Times of Manteo, N.C., dated 15 January 1976, reproducing the three documents in folder a.
The U.S. Army Military Records consists of various military documents and letters that relate to three regiments of U.S. Colored Troops. Folder c relates to Lieutenant, then Major N. H. Foster of the 1st Battalion, 12th Regiment U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery. Included are special orders to move the regiment and appoint a Board of Survey to meet in Bowling Green, Ky., regarding Quartermaster stores. Also included are a pass for Foster to travel, charges of sleeping on post for Private Henry Smith, regulations for sutler stores [civilian businessmen who sell supplies to soldiers], a personal letter to Foster and a "Plan of the Town of Bowling Green [Ky.] in the vicinity of Fort Smith" showing the location of the 12th Regiment USCH Artillery quarters. Folder d contains the certificates of discharge by reason of death for James Parsons, Frank Miller, and George Lockwood of Co. A, 2nd Regiment of Artillery, Mass. Volunteers. Folder e contains records relating to Lt. Col. H.A. Oakman of the 30th Regiment, U.S. colored troops; it also includes documents requesting supplies, documents on enlisted soldiers, a letter from Headquarters at Roanoke Island, N.C., regarding a complaint made by Sam C. Moore; it also includes special orders regarding a General Court that convened in New Bern, N.C., in 1865, orders of transportation for the regiment, letter on new appointments to the 30th U.S. colored troops. Folder f contains a circular distributed in New Bern, N.C., 22 March 1864 regarding rules for writing up final statements.
Gift of Robin Brabham
Revised by Jonathan Dembo, May 11, 2016 Processing, Container List, Finding Aid by HIST 5910 student Courtney Bobbitt, April 29, 2016 Encoded by Apex Data Services, May 2002
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.