Smith Family Letters

Smith family

Letters, 1861-65, 1912, 1975, n.d., 0.2 cu. ft., Ms96-018

Introduction:

The Smith family papers were written by four brothers of Carroll County, Virginia, while they served for the Confederacy during the Civil War. The brothers were:

James R. Smith (April 18, 1831-November 1863). It is unknown what company he served in.

Stephen Mitchell Smith (November 15, 1832-January 21, 1913). Stephen served in Company G of the 54th Virginia Regiment but was later exempt from military service because he was the only blacksmith in the area.

William Alexander Smith (April 30, 1835-December 10, 1868), who served in Company I of the 50th Virginia Regiment. William was captured at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House (May 1864) and was held prisoner in Fort Delaware from June 1864 to June 1865.

Barton Pierce Smith (July 4, 1838-September 14, 1863). Enlisted February 1863; served in Company D of the 29th Virginia Regiment. Assigned as a steward with the regimental surgeon. Killed while on furlough at home by Home Guard.

Scope and Content:

The collection consists of forty-nine letters written by the brothers of the Smith family of Carroll County, Virginia, almost exclusively while most of them served as soldiers for the Confederacy during the Civil War. The materials are organized by correspondent, and thereunder by date. Most are written to one of the brothers, Stephen Mitchell Smith, from encampments in Virginia. Also includes one letter by John Nichols Ridgway of Franklin County, written in 1862, and supplementary information about the Smith family compiled by Frederick R. Smith, the donor of the materials.

Provenance:

The Smith family papers were donated in October 1996 by Frederick R. Smith of Hardy, Virginia. The collection was processed in October and November 1996 by Helen Harrison, student assistant, and Laura Katz Smith, Manuscripts Curator, Special Collections Department.

Contents List:

Folder 1:

Letters by Barton Pierce Smith (1838-63), Co. D, 29th Virginia Regiment, written mostly to his brother, Stephen Mitchell Smith.

March 3, 1863, from Camp Petersburg, written to his father about a trip to Richmond and being assigned to a company.
March 20, 1863, from Camp near Petersburg. Was offered a position as regimental steward to the regimental surgeon. "Tell father if he has got much Confederate money he had better dispense with it as soon as possible. Lay it out for Tobacco or something of the kind for it will soon be as worthless in my opinion as that brown paper."
April 27, 1863, from Camp Hospital, Nansemond Co., Va. "...We have lost several men in the picket engagements or more appropriately skirmishing...there seems to exist a considerable degree of disatisfaction amongst our troops as to this place as the country is so marshy and I think they may assign homesickness and contempt for war as being the real cause for dissatisfaction...there had been about 150 cases of desertion from Kempers Brigade to the Yankees since they came to this place..."
May 7, 1863, from Petersburg. Gotten out of the "dismal swamps of East Va. once more, and you can’t imagine my gratitude for this inestimable blessing...I think it very probable we will go to Fredericksburg...[I] have been suffering severely from Dysentery for about a week."
June 17, 1863, from Camp near Hanover Junction

Folder 2:

Letters from James R. Smith (1831-63), company or regiment not indentified in letters. Letters are written to his brother, Stephen Mitchell Smith.

August 29, 1862, from Camp Narrows, Giles Co.,Va., written to his brother and sister-in-law, Mary G. Smith
December 30, 1862, from Camp near Petersburg, Princegorge[sic] Co., about cases of smallpox.

Folder 3:

March 7, 1863, from Camp near Franklin, Southhampton Co.
April 18, 1863, from Camp near Frederics, Caroline Co.
May 25, 1863, from Camp near Hambleton Crossings, Caroline Co.
May 26, 1863, from Camp near Hambleton Crossings, Caroline Co.
July 21, 1863, from Camp near Martinsburg, Burkley[sic] Co., writes about the number of men (100,000) killed in four or five months time.
September 26, 1863, from Camp near Gemima Ford
October 21, 1863, from Camp near Brandereth Station, Culpeper Co.

Folder 4:

Letters from Stephen Mitchell Smith (1832-1913), Co. G, 54th Virginia Regiment, written to his wife Mary G. Smith.

n.d., 1864, Photograph of Stephen Smith’s exemption from service record

Folder 5:

December 4, 1864, from Camp Hanks, Carroll Co.
December 18, 1864, from Camp Walnut Hollow, Montgomery Co., Va. Writes that yankees were crossing the river at Peppers Ferry and were expected in Christiansburg; there was no mention of confrontation.
December 22, 1864, from Camp Walnut Hollow, Montgomery Co., reports that "General Breckenridge has whipped the yankees badly."
December 25, 1864, from Camp Walnut Hollow, Montgomery Co., writes briefly about damage done by yankees

Folder 6:

January 8, 1865, from Camp English Bridge, Pulaski Co., Va.
January 12, 1865, from Camp English Bridge, Pulaski Co.
January 19, 1865, from Camp New River Bridge
January 22, 1865, from Camp New River Bridge, written on back of January 19th letter, broken out with the measles
February 3, 1865, from Camp (New River Bridge)

Folder 7:

August 31, 1912, Check for pension , paid under Confederate Pension Law of Virginia

Folder 8:

Letters from William Alexander Smith (1834-68), Co. I, 50th Virginia Regiment. William Smith attended to men in the service who had sicknesses like the measles and typhoid fever. He often includes the names of men who were ill. Most of the letters are written to his brother, Stephen Mitchell Smith.

July 16, 1861, from Camp Jackson, near Wytheville, Va., written to his father
August 19, 1861, from Lewisburg, Greenbrier County, Va.
September 7, 1861, from Lewisburg, Greenbrier County
September 18, 1861, from Lewisburg, Greenbrier County
October 6, 1861, from Lewisburg
October 21, 1861, from Lewisburg

Folder 9:

May 24, 1862, from Salt Sulphur Springs, Monroe County, writes about the battle at Lewisburg on May 23, 1862
June 16, 1862, from Camp Narrow, Giles Co., Va.
July 22, 1862, from Camp Narrows, Giles Co.
August 4, 1862, from Camp Narrows, Giles Co.
September 4, 1862, from Camp Narrows, Giles Co., written to his father
October 23, 1862, from Camp below Charleston
December 23, 1862, from Camp Ellsworth near Richmond
n.d., attached to July 22nd letter

Folder 10:

February 3, 1863, from Camp near Franklin, briefly mentions fight on January 30th, no mention of place
February 9, 1863, from Camp near Franklin, letters written to his brother and sisters, Polly and Sallie
March 3, 1863, from Camp near Franklin
April 28, 1863, from Camp Morses Neck
May 4, 1863, from Battle line near Chancellor, written to his father, about the Rappahonnick(sic) battle and General Jackson being slightly wounded, and rumors that General Lee demanded a surrender
June 2, 1863, from Camp near Hamilton’s Crossing
July 30, 1863, from Camp in Madison County
August 14, 1863, from Camp near Orange, Court House
August 17, 1863, from Camp near Orange, Court House
September 22, 1863, from Morton’s Ford on Rapid Ann River
November 26, 1863, from Camp near Morton’s Ford, Orange Co., written to his brother Jimmy

Folder 11:

January 3, 1864, from Camp near Pisgoh Church, Orange Co.
March 23, 1864, from Picket line, Morton’s Ford
April 29, 1864, from Camp Pisgoh, Orange Co.

Folder 12:

Letter written by John Nichols Ridgway (1836-98), Co. D, 58th Virginia Regiment

November 6, 1862, from Camp near Bunkershill, Berkly[sic] Co., written to R.P. Wright

Folder 13:

Family history and notes written by Frederick R. Smith

1975, "A Smith Family History" by Frederick R. Smith

Folder 14:

1996, n.d., notes and lettters written by Frederick Smith regarding the Smith Family papers

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Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the University Libraries
Manuscript sources for Appalachian History
Manuscript sources for Montgomery County, Virginia, History
Manuscript sources for Civil War Research

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