urn:taro:utexas.cah.02068 A Guide to the Jacob R. Cressinger Papers, 1861-1865 Original EAD encoding by Bethany Anderson according to TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. November 2010 Finding aid written in English. Descriptive Summary Cressinger, Jacob R., b. 1844 Cressinger, Jacob R., Papers 1861-1865 Materials are written in English. 62-66 1 in. Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin This collection chronicles Jacob R. Cressinger’s service in the 41st Ohio Infantry during the Civil War. Biographical Note

Jacob R. Cressinger (b. 1844) was born in Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, to Reverend John B. Cressinger (b. 1812) and Mary Baumgardner (b. 1806). His father was a Baptist minister and descendant of Michael Cressinger, a German count who immigrated to America in 1768 and settled in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Cressinger’s grandfather, Henry Cressinger (b. 1784) was an officer in the War of 1812. The youngest of four sons, Cressinger studied dentistry and attended Oberlin College until he joined the 2nd Brigade, 3rd Division of the 41st Ohio Infantry Regiment in August 1861. During his service, he fought in the battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga, the siege of Corinth, and various engagements in Tennessee and Georgia. In addition, he did garrison duty at Murfreesboro. Cressinger mustered out at Blain’s Crossroads, Tennessee, on December 31, 1863, but immediately re-enlisted as a veteran and engaged in the battle of Dandridge. He remained with the 41st regiment through various engagements in Tennessee, Alabama, and Texas. Two of his brothers, Isaac (b. 1844) and Daniel B. (b. 1840) also fought during the Civil War. After his discharge, Cressinger completed his study of dentistry and returned to Sunbury. On May 31, 1869, he married Mary A. Brice, with whom he had four children.

Source:

Bell, Herbert C. History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. Chicago: Brown, Runk and Co., 1891. Accessed November 16, 2010. http://www.webroots.org/library/usahist/honcpa19.html.

Scope and Contents

The Jacob R. Cressinger Papers, 1861-1865, chronicle Cressinger’s service in the 41st Ohio Infantry during the Civil War. Composed primarily of correspondence to his father John B. Cressinger and his brother Daniel B. Cressinger, Cressinger describes military life in his regiment and on the battlefield while stationed at various military camps, including Chattanooga, Readyville, Murfreesboro, and Manchester in Tennessee; Hunstville, Alabama and Green Lake, Texas. He also discusses his health, news from home, Oberlin College, desertions from the army, brutality on the battlefield, the copperhead movement, and the progress of the war.

Access Restrictions

This collection is open for research use.

Index Terms Subjects (Persons) Cressinger, Jacob R., b. 1844--Archives Cressinger, John B., b. 1812 Cressinger, Daniel B., b. 1840 Subjects (Organizations) United States. Army. Ohio Infantry Regiment, 41st (1861-1865) Subjects Copperhead movement--1860-1870 Oberlin College--History--19th century Places Green Lake (Tex.) Manchester (Tenn.) Murfreesboro (Tenn.) Readyville (Tenn.) United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Military life--Union Preferred Citation

Jacob R. Cressinger Papers, 1861-1865, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project, 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers Inventory 2N270 Correspondence, 1861-1865