The collection includes biographical, business, and personal materials. His diaries describe his Civil War experiences describe his march from Detroit to the Battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, camp life, equipment, cavalry pickets, and fighting at Chattanooga and Trenton, Tennessee, among other places. The 1855 diary is of a trip from Illinois to Nevada. Bookkeeping journals, receipts, and indentures relate to the sale of merchandise in Paw Paw. The Ida Oil Well Co. Treasury book is from Kent County, Ontario, Canada.
A photograph of Buck in uniform may be found in the Clarke Photograph file and two shoulder straps of the rank of Captain and one cap badge should be in the Display Items boxes.
Biography:
R. Mortimer Buck (1833-1902) was from Paw Paw, Michigan. He enlisted in Co. C, Fourth Michigan Cavalry as a First Sergeant on August 6, 1862 at the age of 29. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in Co. A on February 17, 1863, a First Lieutenant of Co. C on February 25, 1864, and as Captain on January 8 1865, and as such commanded the company from May 24, 1865 to July 1, 1865. He was honorably discharged at Nashville, Tennessee, on July 1 1865. He died on December 8, 1902 and is buried in Paw Paw, Michigan. (This information is from the collection.)
