Robert Goodwin Mitchell Papers
The Atlanta Campaign took place in the Atlanta area and consisted of a series of battles fought all across the area. As mentioned in, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864: A New Look letters were the main form of communication between soldiers and their loved ones back home. Similar to the Branch Family Letters, these papers are documents from The Atlanta Campaign in Savannah, Georgia by two people separated by The Civil War. The artifact is made up of several papers of Robert Goodwin Mitchell between 1833-1864. Most of the papers are directly back and forth between Mitchell and Nettie Fondren while he was in the 29th Georgia Infantry Regiment. The letters are made up of photographs as well as other small clippings collected by both Mitchell and Nettie. This gives the papers more of a scrapbook type feel as opposed to just letters to one another. There are several details about the evacuation of Savannah Georgia due to the war efforts as well as the siege of Chattanooga. The letters allow an inside look on the other side of the war where Nettie is located. Her letters are mainly sent from Lucy Cobb institute located in Athens Georgia. She goes into detail about how the Civil War has affected life not only for her but also her family and friends. The collection goes on to include a glimpse into the lives of Mitchell and Nettie once he returns from the war. The words along with the pictures give a deeper look into their lives during the Civil War in Georgia.
Source: Robert Goodwin Mitchell papers, MS 2212. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, University of Georgia Libraries.