Alonzo M. Keeler collection, 1862-1865

University of Michigan William L. Clements Library

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Summary

Creator:: Keeler, Alonzo M., 1826-1908
Abstract:: This collection is made up six volumes pertinent to the Civil War service of Captain later Major Alonzo M. Keeler of the 22nd Michigan Infantry. They include an autograph album kept by Captain Keeler while a Confederate prisoner at Libby Prison in Richmond and at Roper Hospital prison in Charleston between May 1864 and February 1865. Also present is the Book of Common Prayer carried by Keeler during his time as prisoner of war, including marginalia related to Sunday services. The remainder of the collection is a block of wood in a custom case purported to be from the original flooring of Libby Prison, Keeler's copy of Silas Casey's Infantry Tactics (3 vols., 1862-1863), and five South Carolina newspapers from 1864.
Extent:: 6 vols. and 5 items
Language:: English
Sponsor:: James S. Schoff Civil War Collection
Authors:: Collection processed and finding aid created by Cheney J. Schopieray, July 2024

Background

Scope and Content:

This collection is made up six volumes pertinent to the Civil War service of Captain later Major Alonzo M. Keeler of the 22nd Michigan Infantry. They include an autograph album kept by Captain Keeler while a Confederate prisoner at Libby Prison in Richmond and at Roper Hospital prison in Charleston between May 1864 and February 1865. Also present is the Book of Common Prayer carried by Keeler during his time as prisoner of war, including marginalia related to Sunday services. The remainder of the collection is a block of wood in custom case purported to be from the original flooring of Libby Prison, Keeler's copy of Silas Casey's Infantry Tactics (3 vols., 1862-1863), and five South Carolina newspapers from 1864.

Alonzo Keeler kept an autograph album of prisoner of war officers over the course of his imprisonment at Libby Prison, the Charleston Jail Yard, Roper Hospital Prison in Charleston, and the "Asylum Camp" in Columbia. The volume has an illustrated title page bearing multiple forms for calligraphic lettering, and a watercolor illustration of the Libby Prison building with two crossed, furled American flags. The full title is "AUTOGRAPHS. US OFFICERS Prisoners of war" and below, "Libby Prison Richmond Va Capt A M. Keeler." Most pages include 4-5 autographs, and the signatures are variously accompanied by the signer's rank, military unit, and home city or state. The contributors to the album were almost entirely infantrymen, though at least two Navy officers, one Veteran Cavalry officer, and one chaplain signed. Their home States included Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, Maine, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Indiana, Rhode Island, Kansas, Iowa, Tennessee, and Vermont. Michigan soldiers in Libby Prison were from Ypsilanti, Kalamazoo, Ann Arbor, Detroit, Jackson, Coldwater, Chelsea, and Mount Clemens; Michigan soldiers in the Roper Prison were from Battle Creek, Marshall, Mount Clemens, Lapeer, Saginaw City, and Adrian.

Autograph Book Table of Contents:

Pages 1-73: Contains 343 numbered autographs of prisoners.
Pages 74-75: A brief history of the movement of 600 officers from Macon, Georgia, July 28; to Charleston City Jail Yard July 29; on August 10, the placement of 177 in prison for "confining convict laborers and runaway neg[ros]"; and movement to Roper Hospital building on August 13, 1864. This is followed by a history of the Roper Hospital copied from a piece of marble at the head of the stairs over the library, on the second story.
Pages 76-86: Contains prisoner autographs numbered 344-390.
Pages 81-82: Between autograph entries 368 and 369 is a gap containing tabular election returns headed "Official returns of the Presidential Election held in the U.S. Military Prison near Columbia S.C. among the Federal prisoners, Oct 17th. 1864." The columns are States, Lincoln, Johnson, McClellan, Pendleton, Total for President, L. Maj.; total votes cast are present.
Unnumbered pages: Twenty-four pages intended to be an index of the autograph album, but not completed. Each page has a state name at the top, but only Connecticut has any index information present.
Laid into the volume is: A. Martin Keeler ALS to "grand father" with appended L. A. Knight ANS, June 9, [?]; Utica. Respecting the sickness/fever of A. Martin Keeler's father; Dr. Knight described the treatments given, effect, and remarks on family.
Also laid into the volume is a periodical clipping showing an oval portrait of Major and Mrs. A. M. Keeler; and a The Detroit Journal clipping about the Keelers' 58th wedding anniversary and the 35th year of their wedding tradition of a New Years' Eve family party (January 2, 1908).

The collection includes Alonzo M. Keeler's copy of The Book of Common Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments; and Other Rites and Ceremonies of the Church . . . Together with the Psalter, or Psalms of David. Philadelphia: King & Baird, 9 Sansom Street, [ca. 1852-1856]. It contains an inscription, "A.M. Keeler Libby Prison Richmond Va, 1864." On many Sundays, Keeler wrote the date or other notes in the margins beside the scripture(s) of the day. For, example, he noted that he was in Macon Prison beside various passages on May 22, June 12, 19, 26, and July 3, 10, 17, and 24, 1864. On pages 294-303, beside Articles of Religion, he wrote "Must buy a Bible containing these" next to list of canonical biblical books; then after the 39th article, "In prison at Macon Ga July 10 1864 – Sunday – How different from home – But since its all for the best it is tolerable." Beside Selections from the Psalms of David (page 58-59) he wrote "A good hymn" (Hymn 10. C.M.) and "I subscribe this" (Hymn 11. III.1).

On July 31 and August 7, he made annotations from the Charleston City Jail Yard. On August 7, 1864, he noted, "Shells flying over," and, marking Selection 55 C.M. "approves my heart" (Selections from the Psalms of David, page 18). By the following Sunday, he attended service in the Roper Hospital Prison, Charleston, and again on August 21, 28, and into September. After his move to Columbia, he wrote from the Asylum Prison (February 12, 1865), "A beautiful day – One wishes to join his congregation in public praise at home – How long shall this separation from home & friends last?" (Selections from the Psalms of David, page 43).

On February 26, 1865, Alonzo Keeler reflected on his impending release from Camp Holmes, Raleigh, North Carolina. "A beautiful sabbath day A prisoner still but on parole for exchange Over anxious to be at home yet trusting fully that He who has kept me so carefully these 17 months while in the hands of my enemies, will soon restore to home & friends" (Selections from the Psalms of David, page 5). The same day, "The mind in high expectation of being released from imprisonment by an unfriendly power is quite illustrative of the soul in anxious hope of final deliverance from the power of Satan – too buoyant to entertain deep study & meditation – too joyful to be dismayed from fear – the future is all powerful to charm, the present is powerless to torture or annoy – All packed up waiting for transportation – paroled ready to pass through the lines – All supplied & stored with Christian graces, waiting to be borne away, name in the book of life" (Selections from the Psalms of David, page 104).

The Keeler collection also includes 5.6 x 6.2 x 1.2 cm block of wood in a modern custom traycase. Pasted onto the wood is an eight-edged printed label with a red border: "This piece of wood is a part of the original floor of Libby Prison Building. Jno. L. Ransom, Manager." Also present is Silas Casey's 3-volume Infantry Tactics, for the Instruction, Exercise, and Manœuvres of the Soldier, a Company, Line of Skirmishers, Battalion, Brigade, or Corps d'Armée. New York, D. Van Nostrand, 1862-63. Each of the volumes has a stenciled owner inscription in the front endpapers, "Alonzo M. Keeler, Capt. Co. B. 22nd. M.I."

The remaining five items in the collection are the following Confederate newspapers:

The Charleston Mercury, v. 85, no. 12,150. Charleston, South Carolina. Saturday, August 27, 1864.
Charleston Daily Courier, v. 63, no. 19,857. Charleston, South Carolina. Thursday Morning, September 1, 1864.
The Charleston Mercury, v. 85, no. 12,160. Charleston, South Carolina. Friday, September 9, 1864.
Charleston Daily Courier, v. 63, no. 19,875. Charleston, South Carolina. Thursday Morning, September 22, 1864.
The Daily South Carolinian, v. 15, no. 250. F. G. DeFontaine & Co., Columbia, South Carolina. Tuesday Morning, October 18, 1864.

Biographical / Historical:

Alonzo Morrill Keeler was born on September 4, 1826, to parents John and Mary M. Fellows Keeler. He spent his childhood in Washington Township, gained an education locally, then at Rochester, Michigan, and Oberlin, Ohio. Alonzo Keeler was part of a group settling in Disco hamlet, Michigan, becoming principal of the new academy there in 1850. He taught in Disco on a five-year contract, then for one year in Rochester and two years in Utica Village.

Alonzo Keeler married Lucy A. Church on December 31, 1849, and the couple had at least six children, including Alonzo Martin (1850-), Flora L. (1852-), John C. (1859-), Ezra Bruce (1860-), Ella B. (1862-), and Henry A. (1867-).

Alonzo M. Keeler enlisted in Company B of the 22nd Michigan Infantry, August 7, 1862, and mustered in as Captain. He served with his unit in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia, before being captured in the Battle of Chickamauga, on September 20, 1863. He spent the next year and a half in Confederate prisons, at Libby Prison in Richmond; at Macon, Georgia; at the Charleston Jail Yard and the Roper Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina; and at the Asylum Prison at Columbia, South Carolina. He was paroled March 1, 1865, and immediately re-entered active service. He was promoted to Major on October 14, 1864, and became Lt. Col. U.S. Volunteers by brevet, March 13, 1865. He mustered out July 12, 1865, and returned home to teach.

Alonzo Keeler served in a variety of public service positions in Disco and Richmond, Michigan, after the war. He died on October 19, 1908, in Richmond, Michigan, and was buried in Shelby Township.

Acquisition Information:

2024. M-8088.2 .

Custodial History:

According to a typed note laid into the volume: "This volume of autographs belonged to Alonzo Martin Keeler . . . It was purchased from his great-grandson, Herbert K. Gute of San Francisco in January 1957 for twenty dollars in cash and some used clothes... AIA, February 23, 1957."

Arrangement:

The six volumes are arranged in the following order: Autograph Album, Book of Common Prayer, Realia, and Infantry Tactics volumes; the newspapers are located in an oversize folder.

Rules or Conventions: