Alfred S. Dennis papers, 1862

Alfred S. Dennis was a member of the 58th Pennsylvania Volunteer Cavalry, Company I, from Luzerne and Northcumberland counties in Pennsylvania. His brother, Adelbert G. Dennis ("Del") resided in Wilkes Barre, PA and was born in Luzerne County in 1839. He would have been about 23 years old during his correspondence with Alfred Dennis.

In late January of 1862, Alfred's regiment was sent to live in the barracks at Camp Barker in Washington D.C (or "Camp Barkley" in Alfred's letters). At the time, this area was occupied by Campbell Hospital on the northern edge of Washington. Once troops had left this area, it became as known as "Contraband Camp" as slaves that had escaped the south were housed in the here and viewed as "contraband property".

The Civil War began on April 12th, 1861 when southern rebels fired on Fort Sumter, South Carolina. It wasn't until the fall of 1861 that Alfred Dennis and other volunteers for the 58th Pennsylvania regiment were recruited. The company was mustered on February 13th, 1862 under Colonel John Richter Jones, major Montgomery Martin, and General George McClellan.