Rugg, Carlos Addison, 1824-1911

Journals, 1864 October 26-1865 after March 19

Rugg, Carlos Addison, 1824-1911
Rank:	Agent
Regiment:	United States Christian Commission
Service:	1864 October-1865?

Background note:

On September 11, 1861, Carlos A. Rugg enlisted at Perryburg, N.Y., in Co. K of the 9th New York Cavalry Regiment. Rugg was detailed as battalion Veterinary Surgeon in December, but served in that capacity only until the 20th of February, 1862, when he was discharged at Washington, D.C., following an injury inflicted by a horse. Rugg apparently recovered from these injuries, and in October, 1864, joined the U.S. Christian Commission in order to 'do his part' for the war effort. He served for the Commission in eastern Virginia, distributing Bibles and tracts and ministering to and assisting soldiers and freedmen.

Scope and Contents:

Rugg's journals are a fascinating glimpse into the activities of a U.S.C.C. agent operating in Virginia. He was careful to record his impressions of the religious experiences of soldiers, prisoners, freedmen, and slaves, and he describes in some detail several religious gatherings and prayer meetings held with Union soldiers, and their testimonies and conversion experiences. He was also present at a service among freedmen in Baltimore, presided over by an African-American preacher, Richard H. Parker. While Rugg's writing style is primitive, he has a sense for a good anecdote, and is more than capable of relaying the powerful emotions experienced by his subjects, whether a freedman rejoicing over learning to read the Bible, soldiers finding God while dying on the battlefield, or prisoners seeking solace in prison camp. While some of the stories may have been apocryphal, such as the contest between Irish soldiers for who could say the best prayer of thanks for a woman who brought them butter, they clearly spring directly from the source: the soldiers themselves while still in the field.

Rugg provides the best summary of his activities, which he calls "the great work of seeing the hundreds [of] comrades enlisting into the Army of the lord. The urgent demand for each day seemed to press all my energies into service suffering from injuries recieved and disease contracted when a Soldier. [I]t tended to at times to weaken my activity in going from regiment to regiment yet in the hospitals I found plenty to do at any time to tax all my strength and gratefy for doing deeds of kindnes to comrades in verry manny ways such as Replenishing their worn out cloths... and also verious provisions for the sick and Testament Bibles Army hinbooks Religious tracts & papers Needles thread Buttons Pins Iink [sic] Paper pens pencils postage And I oftente Spent much time in writing letters for feeble comrades."

The collection consists of two standard-issue journals with the U.S. Christian Commission logo stamped on the front, and both of Rugg's commissions as an agent of the Commission, dated 27 October, 1864, and 6 February, 1865.

Vol. 1: 1864 October 26-after December 25
Vol. 2: 1865 February 6-after March 19

Provenance:

The Rugg Journals were generously donated in September, 1991, by Mrs. Ann Weiss, wife of a grandson of Rugg.

M-2734
Cat. 12/91 rsc

Link to subject index to the Carlos A. Rugg Journals

Alphabetic index to the Schoff Civil War Collections

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