Manuscript Group 778, Dr. John James Hervey Love (1833-1897) Papers, 1862-1864
MG 778
Dr. John James Hervey Love (1833-1897)
Papers,
1862-1864
Finding
Aid
New
Jersey Historical Society
Manuscript
Collection
Processed by: Suzanne DeBroy
Seton Hall University
Modified:
May, 1998
Introduction
The papers of Dr. John J.H. Love span the
years 1862-1864 and total 0.25 linear ft. The papers were
processed as part of a National Historical Publications and
Records Commission grant project (1997-1998) to process, describe
and catalogue
Archives
Documents, Manuscripts, Maps, & Photographss health
care and social welfare-related manuscript collections.
Biographical
Note
John James Hervey Love was born in 1833, the son of Robert and Anna Love. His father, a Presbyterian minister, died when Love was six years old. At his fathers request, John Love was sent to live with his uncle, Rev. Thomas Love in Delaware for three years. After this time he returned home to West Bloomfield (Montclair), New Jersey.
He attended Classical School in Easton, Pennsylvania at age nine. In 1847 he went to the Presbyterian school of Lafayette College, where he graduated in 1851. In 1854 he attended the Medical School of New York City and graduated at age 21.
Dr. Love returned to West Bloomfield in 1855, where he began a medical practice. He was also involved in public life,
as a delegate to the county convention in Newark (1856); superintendent of the public school of Bloomfield Township
(1857-1862), and he was elected town superintendent of Bloomfield Township (1858). Dr. Love married Francis Crane, the
daughter of Squire Crane, June 6, 1860. In September 1861, Dr. Love was commissioned a colonel in the
Third Regiment Essex Brigade. He later volunteered and was commissioned a surgeon in the Thirteenth Regiment, Third Brigade, First Division, Twelfth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The division was involved in the Battles of Antietam Creek (September 1826), Chancellorsville (May 1863) and Gettysburg (July 1863). In October, 1863, Dr. Loves division joined the Army of the Cumberland and fought in the Battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge (December 1863).
After several requests, Dr. Love was discharged on January 28, 1864, and he returned to West Bloomfield to resume his civic duties and his medical practice. From 1860 to 1897 he was on the board of trustees of the district school system. In
1873 he was appointed director of the Montclair Gas and Water Company and made president of the Essex District Medical Society. In 1886 he helped found the Trinity Presbyterian Church and became president of the Orange Mountain Medical Society, and, in 1889, he was appointed director of the Bank of Montclair. In 1894, Dr. Love was named president of the board of education, and in 1897, he was appointed vice president of the New Jersey State Medical Association and helped found Mountainside Hospital. Dr. John James Hervey Love died July 30, 1897 of a coronary rupture.
A more extensive biography may be found in a paper by Francis A. Nelson, III in the collection (1963).
Scope
and Contents Note
The Love collection spans the years 1862 to 1864. During these years, Dr. Love served as a surgeon in the Thirteenth
Regiment, Third Brigade, First Division, Twelfth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The collection is comprised of correspondence to his wife Francis and military papers. The letters are written from the south and west and contain vast descriptive information. Dr. Love gives picturesque descriptions of traveling, the camps and the
surrounding areas. He show concerns for the welfare of other men from the town of West Bloomfield and offers information of this nature throughout his correspondence. Although Dr. Love was the Surgeon in Chief of the First Division, there is very little information on the medical conditions or his duties. There are scattered references to the
conditions in which Dr. Love performed his work. The letters concerning the Battle of Chancellorsville describe Dr. Love performing surgical operations; he seems to have played a more administrative role. Dr. Love was a very opinionated man and this is evident in his letters. He gives his thoughts and attitudes on the war, Northern politics, the Northern press, Northern commanders, railroad travel, Southern women, and African Americans. His comments on Northern politicians and the Northern commanders such as Generals Hooker, Grant, McClellan and Burnside are particularly interesting. While Dr. Love served in the Army of the Potomac, he was involved in the Battles of Antietam Creek, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He offers a wealth of information on the Battle of Chancellorsville, April-May, 1863, including maps of army
movements, statistics on the wounded and his opinion on various aspects of the battle. Unfortunately, his accounts of the
Battles of Antietam Creek and Gettysburg are not as informative. At Antietam Creek he gives statistics on the wounded and
Gettysburg is mentioned only briefly. Dr. Love does not give accounts of the Battles of Lookout Mountain and Missionary
Ridge.
Folder-Level
Description
Folder
1 Letters sent, April, 1862. 4 items. Arranged chronologically.
Letters concerning journey from Washington, D.C. to Fort Monroe, Virginia. References to scenery, Drs. OGorman, Baldwin, Vail, Nicholos, Cross, Daily, Maltison, and Boalby, Colonel Crockett and the Monitor.
2 Letters sent, May, 1862. 8 items. Arranged chronologically.
Reference to conversion of a hotel into a hospital near Fort Monroe, Virginia. Reference to General McClellans headquarters. Description of fleet preparing for journey to Yorktown, Virginia. Description of aftermath of Battle of
Yorktown. Reference to General Max Weber.
3 Letters sent, July, 1862. 1 item. Camp life at Fort Albany, Virginia.
4 Letters sent, September, 1862. 14 items. Arranged chronologically.
References to General Stonewall Jackson and General Burnside. Description of march from Washington, D.C. to Battle of Antietam Creek, Maryland. Battle of Antietam Creek.
5 Letters sent, October, 1862. 18 items. Arranged chronologically.
Camp life at Maryland Heights, Virginia. Condition of average soldier. Reference to use of balloons for observation.
Duties of Dr. Love at Battle of Antietam. Reference to illnesses of soldiers.
6 Letters sent, November, 1862. 15 items. Arranged chronologically.
Letters from Sharpsburg, Maryland. General McClellans removal. Reference to capturing of renegade Southern troops. Conversion of house into a hospital (Grove Hospital). Reference to personal lack of money.
7 Letters sent, December, 1862. 13 items. Arranged chronologically.
Attitude towards war. Mention of pay in greenbacks. Kickback to paymaster in Washington, D.C. Description of
Sharpsburg, Maryland after Battle of Antietam Creek. Suffering of farmers due to war. March from Sharpsburg to Fairfax
Station, Maryland.
8 Letters sent, January-February, 1863. 22 items. Arranged chronologically.
March from Fairfax Station to Suffolk, Virginia. Description of surroundings. Dismissal of General Burnside. Letters
from Stafford, Virginia. General Hook inspects the Army of the Potomac. Reference to the headquarters of the Army of
the Potomac. Mention of other men from Bloomfield, New Jersey. Reference to General Carkens raid in eastern
Tennessee. Opinions on politicians and the war.
9 Letters sent, March-April, 1863. 22 items. Arranged chronologically.
Camp life at Stafford, Virginia. Reference to a convalescent camp near Alexandria, Virginia. Duties of Dr. Love. Organizing an Examining Board of Surgeons. Rebels cross Raffahanock River, Virginia. References to General Hooker and President Lincoln. Battle of Chancellorsville: statistics on the wounded and enemy movements.
10 Letters sent, May, 1863. 11 items. Arranged chronologically.
Movements of armies at Battle of Chancellorsville and statistics on the wounded. Reference to occupation of Fredericksburg, Virginia by the North. Camp life at Stafford, Virginia
11 Letters sent, June-July, 1863. 28 items. Arranged chronologically.
March from Stafford, Virginia to Frederick City, Maryland. General Meade takes command of the Army of the Potomac. References to General Lee in Pennsylvania, destruction of railroad in Washington, D.C. and change of base for Army of the Potomac
12 Letters sent, August-September, 1863. 23 items. Arranged chronologically.
Letters from Kellyford, Virginia. Dr. Love appointed Surgeon in Chief of division. Opinion of conscription. Army of Potomac sent to assist Army of Cumberland, First Division, Twelfth Corps. Dr. Love appointed to Board of Examining Surgeons. References to mail robbery between Virginia and Washington, D.C., railroad travel and General Rosencrans.
13 Letters sent, October, 1863. 17 items. Arranged chronologically.
Letters from Tennessee. Opinion of General Hooker’s abilities. Rebel raid on railroad in Tennessee. References to southern women and General Grant.
14 Letters sent, November, 1863. 20 items. Arranged chronologically.
Battle of Lookout Mountain. Capture of Mission Ridge. Opinion of African Americans. References to Generals Bragg, Grant, Thomas, Sherman, and Hooker. Reference to Thanksgiving dinner.
15 Letters sent, December, 1863. 9 items. Arranged chronologically.
Letters from Tennessee. Opinion of African Americans. Duties of Dr. Love. Duty of Army of Potomac in Tennessee.
16 Letters sent, January, 1864. 2 items. Arranged chronologically.
Letters from Ohio. Dr. Love sends in resignation. Reference to General Williams. Opinion of railroad travel.
17 Military records, 1861-1863. 5 items. Arranged chronologically.
Document commissioning of Dr. Love as a colonel in the Third Regiment, Essex Brigade, Militia of New Jersey, and as a surgeon in the Thirteenth Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers. Letter certifying that Dr. Love reported for duty. Charges and results of court martial of Surgeon Luther Thomas. Order to convalescent camp near Alexandria, Virginia.
18 Military records, 1863-1865. 8 items. Arranged chronologically.
Resignation papers and a copy of endorsements on resignation of Dr. Love. Request for leave to attend sister’s wedding. Order appointing Dr. Love Surgeon in Chief of the Third Brigade, First Division, Twelfth Corps of the Army of the Potomac. Draft notice.
19 Map of the Battle of Chancellorsville, May, 1863.
20 Biography of John James Hervey Love by Francis A. Nelson, III (5/1/1963)
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