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, 1863 May 29, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1111/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 29, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 29, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar writes about furloughs and leaves of absence being suspended, his feelings on the Copperheads, and his responses to previous letters.
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![Letter, 1863 May 24, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to My Dear Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1108/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 24, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to My Dear Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 24, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to My Dear Son [Oscar D. Ladley]
Catherine Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his mother in Yellow Springs (Ohio). Catherine writes about being afraid for Oscar, questions about the wounded and Oscar's division, and news from Yellow Springs.
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![Letter, 1863 May 24, Allie L. [Alice Ladley] to Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Alice Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1109/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 24, Allie L. [Alice Ladley] to Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Alice Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 24, Allie L. [Alice Ladley] to Brother [Oscar D. Ladley]
Alice Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his sister in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Alice writes about gypsies setting up camp outside of town, Clement L. Vallandingham and other Copperheads, and other news from Yellow Springs.
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![Letter, 1863 May 24, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1110/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 24, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 24, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley]
Mary Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his sister in Yellow Springs, Ohio. In her letter Mary tells Oscar to take a furlough to come home, and she writes about other news from home.
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![Letter, 1863 May 19, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1107/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 19, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 19, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar writes about how a person feels in the middle of a battle, his feelings on the recent "repulse" of the Northern Divisions, and General McLean taking leave to report to Burnside.
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![Letter, May 14th, Oscar D. Ladley to [No Salutation] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1105/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, May 14th, Oscar D. Ladley to [No Salutation] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, May 14th, Oscar D. Ladley to [No Salutation]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter from Oscar Ladley written on a copy of General Order No. 9 from Headquarters of the Eleventh Corps. In the letter Oscar writes about the casualties from a recent battle, and that he felt that General Order No. 9 would not have been issued if others had "attended to their duty."
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![Letter, 1863 May 14th, Mary [Mary Ladley] to Brother [Oscar d. Ladley by Mary Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1104/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 14th, Mary [Mary Ladley] to Brother [Oscar d. Ladley by Mary Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 14th, Mary [Mary Ladley] to Brother [Oscar d. Ladley
Mary Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his sister in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Mary asks what Oscar thinks about General Joseph Hooker. She also writes about Clement L. Vallandingham being sentenced to hard labor and other news about acquaintances at home.
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![Letter, 1863 May 16, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1106/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 16, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 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 Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar details a recent battle, including the casualties, and his surprise at how the Northern forces were ambushed.
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![Letter, 1863 May 11, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1103/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 11, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 11, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley]
Mary Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his sister in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Mary writes about seeing a list of wounded soldiers in a recent newspaper article, how Milo Lawrence was doing, and that General Burnside had arrested a copperhead, Clement L. Vallandingham.
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![Letter, 1863 May 8, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1102/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 8, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 8, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother and sisters from Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar details why his regiment has had to retreat after being ambushed by a large Southern force. He also mentions several wounded and wonders which general is to blame for the surprise attack.
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![Letter, 1863 May 4, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1101/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 May 4, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 May 4, 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 near the Rappahannock River. Oscar writes about a recent battle near the Rappahannock River and details the losses his regiment suffered.
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![Combined Letters, 1863 April 29, Mary and Alley [Mary and Alice Ladley] to Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley and Alice Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1100/thumbnail.jpg "Combined Letters, 1863 April 29, Mary and Alley [Mary and Alice Ladley] to Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley and Alice Ladley")
Combined Letters, 1863 April 29, Mary and Alley [Mary and Alice Ladley] to Brother [Oscar D. Ladley]
Mary Ladley and Alice Ladley
Two separate letters, written on the same pages, to Oscar Ladley from his sisters in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Mary writes about paying the loan Derostus Ladley co-signed, issues surrounding a black student attending Antioch, and other news from Yellow Springs. Alice also writes about the issues surrounding a black student attending Antioch, attending school, as well as news about other acquaintances from Yellow Springs.
