The Henry A. Dobson Papers primarily contain Dobson's letters home during his time in the Spanish-American War, and the news of his death from typhoid fever in 1898. Dobson's letters detail his battles with illness (often brought on by lack of clean water and food), his relationship with his men as their sergeant, and his experiences in camp life (including his observation that "Tampa is a BUM place"). Clippings taken after his death contain information on the community response as well as the investigation by the Department of War into his death as a result of potential medical malpractice. The collection also contains photographs of the Dobson family, as well as photos of Dobson while in uniform, and a photo of the grave marker erected for him in 1904.