This collection contains 34 original letters written by Alfred B. McCreary to his father, sister, and brothers during the Civil War. The letters describe the movements and activities of his regiment and give McCreary’s perspectives on the progress of the war. A few of the letters have hand-drawn maps and detailed descriptions of troop movements. The letters all have typed transcriptions and notes from a previous owner.

The collection also contains original documents concerning McCreary’s attempt to receive a pension from the Department of the Interior. In addition to the originals, the previous owner of this collection obtained photocopies of McCreary’s pension records from the National Archives. The collection also includes background research on McCreary and the 26th Ohio Volunteer Infantry.