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 March 18], Mary [Mary Ladley] to Chere frere [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1087/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, [1863 March 18], Mary [Mary Ladley] to Chere frere [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley")
Letter, [1863 March 18], Mary [Mary Ladley] to Chere frere [Oscar D. Ladley]
Mary Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his sister. Mary writes her thoughts about photographs of Oscar that he recently sent home.
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![Letter, 1863 March 18, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1088/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 March 18, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 March 18, 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 a building a corduroy road, the possibility of him visiting home, and other news.
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![Letter, 1863 March 11, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1085/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 March 11, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 March 11, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother from Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar writes that he has enclosed four photos with this letter, his regiments location in relation to Washington, and other news.
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![Combined Letters, 1863 March 8, Allie and Mother [Alice and Catherine Ladley] to Brother and Oscar Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Alice Ladley and Catherine Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1084/thumbnail.jpg "Combined Letters, 1863 March 8, Allie and Mother [Alice and Catherine Ladley] to Brother and Oscar Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Alice Ladley and Catherine Ladley")
Combined Letters, 1863 March 8, Allie and Mother [Alice and Catherine Ladley] to Brother and Oscar Son [Oscar D. Ladley]
Alice Ladley and Catherine Ladley
Two separate letters, written on the same page, to Oscar Ladley from his mother and sister in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Alice writes about her thoughts on local men that she wishes would be drafted, a prank some students played on a professor, and more. Catherine writes about the status of the loan and co-signed by Derostus Ladley.
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![Letter, 1863 March 8, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1083/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 March 8, Mary [Mary Ladley] to My Dear Brother [Oscar D. Ladley] by Mary Ladley")
Letter, 1863 March 8, 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 news from home, questions regarding mutual acquaintances, and more.
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![Letter, 1863 March 4, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Oscar [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1082/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 March 4, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Oscar [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley")
Letter, 1863 March 4, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Oscar [Oscar D. Ladley]
Catherine Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his mother in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Catherine asks about Oscar's recent trip to Washington and his health. She also writes about the status of the loan co-signed by Derostus Ladley and other news from home.
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![Letter, 1863 March 2, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1081/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 March 2, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 March 2, 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 he was promoted to 1st lieutenant, news about soldier "Jimmy" Beaty, and more.
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![Letter, 1863 February 27, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1080/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 February 27, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother and Sisters [Catherine, Mary, and Alice Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 February 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 Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar writes about visiting various places in "Washington City" and other news. He only mentions that he has not been told the amount of the principal or interest from the loan Derostus Ladley co-signed and that he saw Abraham Lincoln while in the city.
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![Combined Letters, 1863 February 22, Allie and Mary [Alice and Mary Ladley] to Brother and Mon cher frère [Oscar D. Ladley] by Alice Ladley and Mary Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1079/thumbnail.jpg "Combined Letters, 1863 February 22, Allie and Mary [Alice and Mary Ladley] to Brother and Mon cher frère [Oscar D. Ladley] by Alice Ladley and Mary Ladley")
Combined Letters, 1863 February 22, Allie and Mary [Alice and Mary Ladley] to Brother and Mon cher frère [Oscar D. Ladley]
Alice Ladley and Mary Ladley
Two separate letters, written on the same page, to Oscar Ladley from his sisters in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Alice writes about attending a "supper for the benefit of the [s]oldiers," wanting to visit a camp, and more. In her letter, Mary asks about why there are two 1st Lieutenants in Oscar's company, her thoughts on her professors, and news from home.
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![Letter, 186[3] February 22, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1078/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 186[3] February 22, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Son [Oscar D. Ladley] by Catherine Ladley")
Letter, 186[3] February 22, C. Ladley [Catherine Ladley] to Son [Oscar D. Ladley]
Catherine Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley from his mother in Yellow Springs, Ohio. Catherine writes about her arm healing slowly, visiting "Camp Dennison," and more news about the loan that Derostus Ladley co-signed. This letter is dated February 22, 1862, but it is believed to have been written in 1863.
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![Letter, 1863 February 13, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1077/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 February 13, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 February 13, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother from Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar writes about his advice concerning the loan that Derostus Ladley co-signed, answering questions from Mary and Alice, the cook that they have recently taken into their camp, and more.
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![Letter, 1863 February 9, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley](https://corescholar.libraries.wright.edu/special_ms138/1076/thumbnail.jpg "Letter, 1863 February 9, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley] by Oscar D. Ladley")
Letter, 1863 February 9, Oscar D. Ladley to Mother [Catherine Ladley]
Oscar D. Ladley
Letter to Oscar Ladley's mother from Brooks Station, Virginia. Oscar writes about the possibility of taking furlough, asking if she can transfer their property into Oscar's name to protect from being taken, and his thoughts on General Hooker's leadership.
