Soldiers' Free Library
The Soldiers' Free Library was established in Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War, to supply Union troops with reading material. The library also held other items for the troops' use, including crutches, stationery, and clothing, many of these handmade donations from women's organizations. Origins John A. Fowle and Elida Rumsey, wartime relief workers who married in 1863, founded the Soldiers' Free Library in Washington, D.C. during the American Civil War. They formalized their plan in 1862, with a circular in 1862 seeking donations of suitable "hospital reading" for the troops. The couple, especially Rumsey, sang patriotic songs (some of them written by Fowle) at benefit concerts to raise funds for the library. Rev. Theodore T. Munger and Mrs. Walter Baker of Dorchester, Boston were major donors and organizers from the beginning of the effort. During the war The Soldiers' Free Library opened in October 1862, initially housed in the Rumsey family home, with Elida Ru ...
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