The Civil War as depicted through more than 100 letters between husband and wife
Project Overview
The Cynthiana-Harrison County Museum houses a remarkable collection of one hundred and one letters written by William Bosler Jones to his wife, Mary Phillips Jones, during the Civil War. These letters chronicle Jones’ three-year service with the 7th Ohio Cavalry and provide an intimate glimpse into his daily life as a Union soldier. The collection includes not only handwritten correspondence but also hand-drawn encampment sites, financial receipts, newspaper clippings, and heartfelt poetry to Mary.
This website features an interactive map (below) that traces the journey of the letters, with clickable audio recordings of actors reading the correspondence and thumbnail images of each original letter.
The Museum hopes this collection will offer the public valuable insight into the hardships and experiences faced by a Union soldier throughout the war—from enlistment to its conclusion. The William and Mary P. Jones Civil War Letter Collection offers historians a rich, authentic resource through its detailed timeline and deeply personal narrative.
Explore nearly three years of Civil War history, letter by letter. Using the interactive map, you can follow William’s path through army life, military operations, skirmishes, and battles as told in his own words.
The collection begins even before William was mustered into Company A of the 7th Ohio Cavalry—with a marriage proposal to Mary Phillips. From that first letter, it’s clear this is not a random assortment of wartime correspondence, but a cohesive, compelling story of one man’s entire Civil War experience.
Each letter is available to view both in its original handwritten form and as a transcription. Many include additional elements such as drawings, receipts, clippings, and personal poems—revealing not only the events of the war but the enduring bond between William and Mary.
Citation formats:
When using the content of the letters or the letters themselves, see the suggested citations below to properly cite these sources. Be sure to fill in the red sections in each suggested citation with the specific details of the letter you are referencing.
APA7 (American Psychological Association)
Bibliography:
Author Last Name, Author First Initial. (Year Letter was Written.)Title. William and Mary P. Jones Civil War Letter Collection. Cynthiana, Kentucky; Cynthiana Harrison County Museum. Retrieved Year Accessed, from Website URL.
In Text Citation:
(Author Last Name, Year Written)
MLA9 (Modern Language Association)
Bibliography:
Author Last Name, Author First Name. “Title.” Received by Letter Recipient First and Last Name, William and Mary P. Jones Civil War Letter Collection, Cynthiana Harrison County Museum, Cynthiana, KY, Website URL. Accessed Year Accessed.
In Text Citation:
(Author Last Name, Year Written)
Chicago/Turabian
Bibliography:
Author Last Name, Author First Name. Letter to Letter Recipient First and Last Name. “Title.” William and Mary P. Jones Civil War Letter Collection. Cynthiana, Kentucky: Cynthiana Harrison County Museum, Date Accessed.
Footnote:
1. Letter Author Name to Letter Recipient Name, “Title,” William and Mary P. Jones Civil War Letter Collection (Cynthiana, Kentucky: Cynthiana Harrison County Museum, Date Accessed).