Date Original
1862-1934
Description
This collection includes military records regarding Charles H. Sharman’s time in service during the American Civil War. It includes records such as muster rolls, a Union prisoner of war roll, and general and special orders from 1864 and 1865.
Biographical/Historical Note
Charles H. Sharman (1841-1938) was born in Ireland and his family later immigrated to America in 1849, moving initially in Erie, Pennsylvania. After his father died in 1853, his mother relocated Sharman and his brothers, settling in Des Moines, Iowa. Sharman was interested in trains as a child and attended the Iowa Central College to study engineering as an adult; however, his dreams were derailed by the American Civil War. He enlisted as a Union soldier in the 33rd Iowa Infantry and slowly rose through the ranks to Colonel. After the war, he worked on the Union Pacific Railroad, rather than return to school. Initially, he worked as a rodman, but advanced to assistant civil engineer after showing initiative when his supervisor was absent. He was also present for the famous Gold Spike Ceremony to unite the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroad on May 10, 1869. Sharman married to Anna Sharman (-1923), with whom he had one daughter, Florence S. Altizer (1876-1946). Sharman’s manuscript about his time working for the Union Pacific Railroad inspired Ernest Haycox, a Western fiction author, to write a novel called “Troubleshooter” (1936) in Collier’s Weekly, an American general interest magazine. The story follows Frank Peace, a trouble shooter for the Union Pacific. This story in turn inspired the film Union Pacific (1939). Similar to the novel, the movie features another trouble shooter, Jeff Butler, this time fighting against Asa Barrows, who profits from obstructing the railroad.
Physical Description
Document, 8.5" x 11"
Geographical Area
Arkansas
Language
English
Identifier
MS.001060
Resource Type
Text
Collection
Charles H. Sharman papers, MS.001060
Publisher
Arkansas State Archives
Contributing Entity
Arkansas State Archives
Recommended Citation
Charles H. Sharman papers, Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas.
Rights
Use and reproduction of images held by the Arkansas State Archives without prior written permission is prohibited. For information on reproducing images held by the Arkansas State Archives, please call 501-682-6900 or email at state.archives@arkansas.gov.
Disciplines
United States History
