The commission encouraged men to write to their families and provided free writing material and stamps. A well-known Delegate, as members of the Christian Commission were know, was American author Walt Whitman. Soldiers nearly wore out letters with constant folding and unfolding as they read them over and over. They begged for frequent and long letters. Topics covered include camp life, military activities, and inquiries about activities back home.
Civilian letters discuss the war and report family and neighborhood news.
Not all correspondents were McLean County residents at the time of writing. The provenance of most of the letters in the collection is unknown. The collection is arranged alphabetically by correspondent and is added to periodically. All rights to the material in the Civil War Era Correspondence Collection have been transferred to the McLean County Historical Society. The Society claims copyright, and material may not be reproduced without the express consent of the Society.