Citing an archival collection

By mbcross on Fri, 07/28/2023 - 15:08

Forums

I was recently able to research at the Wisconsin State Archives, and I found documents related to the Civil War service of my 3rd-great-grandfather. I have crafted this citation for the entire collection:

Edward Gee Miller, "Civil War papers, 1861-1906," Wis Mss 62S MAD 4/12/E6; Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, Madison.

I used information from the UW-Madison library catalog: https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/9911125352502121

One issue I know I will encounter is that Miller likely did not create all of the documents I located in his papers at the archive, so in addition to feedback on the citation for the overall collection, I'd like to know how best to handle items in the collection that Miller did not create (I'm thinking muster-out roll, payment receipts, etc.).

Submitted byEEon Fri, 07/28/2023 - 18:20

Hello, mbcross. What a delightful experience you must have had in those records.  Regarding the citation to specific papers in a military file, have you seen the discussion and examples at EE 11.35?  Whether you are citing the Wisconsin State Archives or the U.S. National Archives, the elements are the same.

Submitted bymbcrosson Sat, 07/29/2023 - 19:17

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I do notice 11.38 is Muster Rolls; would that extend to muster-out rolls? Also, should I cite something such as a muster-out roll as though it was from NARA although I accessed it at the archive in Wisconsin as part of the captain's (Miller) papers?

Submitted byEEon Mon, 07/31/2023 - 09:44

mbcross, always, always, we cite what we use. EE provides patterns for research, showing the type of information that we need to look for and record for various types of records. The pattern and structure can be followed regardless of the repository we use. But when we use the Wisconsin State Archives (or any other) rather than NARA, we use the specific details that apply to what we're using and where we are. 

State archives and other large archives in the U.S. uses the same type of formal, hierarchy-based, organization that NARA uses. It's detailed at 3.1 (the introduction to the chapter "Archives and Artifacts"). But each archive applies different labels to its material at each level of the hierarchy. We would not cite a WSA record using the descriptive words that NARA assigns to its files, collections, series, and record groups. We would use the descriptors that WSA assigns to each level of the hierarchy.

Re 11.38, yes.

 

So something like this?

John W. Culmer, muster rolls of Co. G, 20th Wisconsin Infantry Volunteers, 18 August 1862-30 May 1865; Edward Gee Miller, "Civil War papers, 1861-1906"; Muster rolls; Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, Madison.