The Edwin Havens papers consist of letters and diaries written by Havens while serving in the Seventh Michigan Cavalry during the Civil War. The letters of 1862 concern the training period of the regiment at Camp Kellogg, Grand Rapids, Michigan. In February of 1863, the regiment was sent to Washington, D.C., and was later involved in campaigns at Gettysburg, Richmond, Petersburg, and the Shenandoah Valley.

Havens' letters contain details of important battles, as well as the day-to-day life of the Civil War soldier. Descriptions of such notables as Ulysses S. Grant, George Meade, George Armstrong Custer, John Mosby, and Jubal Early are especially interesting.

Civil War related materials (Box 1 Folders 3-26, Box 2 Folders 1-16, Volumes 1-8) have been transcribed, scanned and placed online at http://civilwar.archives.msu.edu/collection/7-1C-17/havens-papers/.