United States Embassy (Spain) records, 1859-1861
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- United States Embassy (Spain) records, 1859-1861
- Creator
- United States. Embassy (Spain)
- Extent
- 1 Reel of microfilm.
- Subjects
- Preston, William, 1816-1887.
- Buchanan, James, 1791-1868.
- Volger, Ernest.
- United States.--Embassy (Spain)
- Confederate States of America.--Army.
- United States.--Congress.
- Whig Party (Great Britain)
- Diplomatic and consular service, Confederate.
- Diplomatic and consular service--History.
- Diplomats.
- United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
- United States--Foreign relations--Spain.
- Spain--Foreign relations--United States.
- Barcelona (Spain).
- Correspondence
- Arrangement
- Arranged by institution of origin and thereunder chronological.
- Repository
- University of Kentucky
Collection Overview
- Biography / History
- Diplomat. The records of this collection were gathered during the time period when William Preston served as minister to Spain (1859-1861). Preston, a former Whig Congressman from Kentucky, was appointed by President James Buchanan as Minister to Spain in 1858. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Preston resigned his post, joined the Confederate Army, serving as a brigadier, and later major general, and, briefly as the Confederate minister to Mexico.
- Scope and Content
- The collection contains correspondence from the United States Embassy to Spain during the period 1859 to 1861. Letters from the Spanish government to the Ambassador are in Spanish. Letters from Preston to the government, copied by his secretaries, concern routine diplomatic affairs. Much of the miscellaneous correspondence, some of which is also in Spanish, is from Ernest Volger, the U.S. consul in Barcelona.
- Originals: National Archives: Records of the American Embassy in Spain; Notes from the Spanish Government, Vol. 9; Notes to the Spanish Government, Vol. 5; Miscellaneous correspondence, Vols. 9 & 10, Washington D. C.
Special Collections Research Center - Closed
The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.
Contact SCRC with questions.
Table of Contents
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
Special Collections Research Center - Closed
The Breckinridge Research Room will be closed starting May 11, 2026, and anticipates re-opening Fall semester 2026 in an alternate location for the duration of the King Library renovation.
Reproduction requests will still be available during the closure.
Contact SCRC with questions.
Requests
No items have been requested.
You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.
If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.
