Ladley was a career army officer who fought in the Civil War with Company G, 75th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He was later assigned to Fort Sully in the Dakota Territories. His papers consist primarily of letters written to his mother and sisters in Yellow Springs, Ohio, telling of his Civil War experiences, and later, his life as a frontier army officer. Also included are some Civil War military records.
For more information on this collection, please view the collection finding aid or visit Wright State University Special Collections and Archives.
For additional materials related to the Civil War, please view our Civil War series which collects materials from all series during that period.
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![Letter, 1862 April 2, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1027/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1862 April 2, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley")
Letter, 1862 April 2, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Son [Oscar D. Ladley]
Catherine Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his mother in Yellow Springs, Ohio. She writes about reading about the 44th Regiment in the newspaper, the weather, and more.
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![Letter, 186[2] [January] 14, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1026/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 186[2] [January] 14, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 186[2] [January] 14, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother from camp. Oscar writes that he is unsure as to whether he will be home soon or not. This letter is listed as being written in 1861, but it is believed to have been written in January of 1862.
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![Letter, 186[2] January 10, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1025/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 186[2] January 10, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 186[2] January 10, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar's mother and sisters from Camp John McLean. In his letter Oscar relates three recent events from camp: A fight between a sergeant and a tavern landlord, his first lieutenant not remembering the command to halt his company on a march, and arresting three men for insulting ladies in town.
This letter is dated 1861, but it is believed to have been written in January of 1862.
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![Letter, 1861 December 27, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1024/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1861 December 27, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1861 December 27, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Camp John McLean. Oscar writes about the consolidation of the 79th and 75th regiments and the conflicts between the two regiments. He mentions his friend, John Hawkins, writing to him about being dissatisfied with camp life. Oscar also writes about his first lieutenant, Franklin Raikes, asking him to "instruct him in the school of the Soldier."
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![Letter, 1861 December 20, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1023/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1861 December 20, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1861 December 20, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Camp John McLean. Oscar writes about being promoted to second Sargent, James Swope losing the confidence of his men, and going to Cincinnati with friends.
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![Letter, 1861 November 28, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1022/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1861 November 28, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1861 November 28, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Camp John McLean. He writes about conditions in the camp and being served Thanksgiving dinner "by the ladies of Lockland."
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![Letter, 1861 November 13, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1021/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1861 November 13, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1861 November 13, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Camp McLean. In this letter he asks questions about home, mentions not coming home for Thanksgiving, and encloses an excerpt from a paper about "a set of resolutions adopted by some ladies of Little York."
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![Letter, September 8, Oscar D. Ladley to [Unknown] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1020/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, September 8, Oscar D. Ladley to [Unknown] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, September 8, Oscar D. Ladley to [Unknown]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter from Oscar Ladley in Georgetown. In this letter Oscar writes about how certain high-ranking officers are received by their men, an acquaintance health, and wanting to visit Washington D.C.
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![Letter, 1861 July 26, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1019/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1861 July 26, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1861 July 26, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Camp Oakland, Maryland. Oscar writes about being in Oakland and that it is "a great summer resort of the fashionable from Baltimore." He also mentions that his company is up and that they are waiting orders to return home.
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![Letter, 1861 July 16, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1018/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1861 July 16, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1861 July 16, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Camp Bealington. Oscar recounts "chasing the rebels," eventually catching up to them, and being fired upon.
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![Letter, July 6, Oscar D. Ladley to [Unknown] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1011/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, July 6, Oscar D. Ladley to [Unknown] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, July 6, Oscar D. Ladley to [Unknown]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter written by Oscar Ladley from Emmetsburg, Maryland. In this short letter he writes that Perry Taylor was wounded in the leg and that one soldier from his company was killed.
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![Letter, 1861 June 26, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother, Sisters, and Friends [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley, et al.] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1017/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1861 June 26, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother, Sisters, and Friends [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley, et al.] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1861 June 26, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother, Sisters, and Friends [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley, et al.]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother, sisters, and friends from Camp Philippi. Oscar writes about a story published in the Cincinnati Daily Times "slandering the Indiana troupes [sic]," which causes tension between the Indiana and Ohio volunteers. He mentions that a drunk officer from "one of the Indiana companies" rode through the Ohio camp threatening and cursing the soldiers there.
