Left-Hand Penmanship Contest

Discover how Civil War Veterans coped with and interpreted the loss of a limb through their submissions to a Left-Hand Penmanship Contest. The contest, sponsored by William Oland Bourne, aimed to demonstrate that these Union Army veterans were “disabled, but not disheartened.” The writers recount their war service, the circumstances of their wound or amputation, and sometimes their feelings about sacrificing their dominant arm for the nation. Though the stories are personal to each veteran, their service and sacrifice resonate today.
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Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Broadsides, 1866-1867
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Broadsides, 1866-1867
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; List of contributors, their residences, and date of wounds, undated
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; List of contributors, their residences, and date of wounds, undated
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 1-7
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 1-7
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 8-12
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 8-12
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 13-20
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 13-20
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 21-30
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 21-30
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 31-40
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 31-40
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 41-50
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 41-50
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 51-60
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 51-60
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 62-70 (Entry 61 not included in collection)
Wm. Oland Bourne Papers: Left-hand Penmanship contest; Soldier and sailor contributions; Series I ($1,000 in prizes, awarded in 1866 ); Entries 62-70 (Entry 61 not included in collection)