The Thrill of Archival Work

Really? you ask. The thrill? But bear with me. When one's life has been little more than drab libraries, soft-lead pencils, and itchy eyes, one can't help but get excited by the discoveries of others in their own archival pursuits. Especially when those pursuits lead to that rare, unexpected find.

I have never claimed that my work on Peter Philips mattered much to anyone but me. Even as far as history is concerned, my topic can have little impact on our understanding of the greater good. So congratulations to the anonymous archivist who stumbled across this little note while researching for something completely unrelated!

Read the letter. . . check out that signature. . . what a find!! Ah, I am nearly breathless with excitement of behalf of our anonymous friend (damn him/her!) Anyone who knows me knows that I am fascinated by military history, especially our American Civil War. Maybe this comes from my mother's insistance to drag her poor children to various battlefield sites and cemeteries when we were kids. To read more about this story, click here.

(I am dreadfully behind on my blogging. Stay tuned for posts about my recent trip to England and my final days here in Belgium!)