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A letter of consolation from B.S. George Teachy after hearing of the unnamed recipient’s loss of a child. Dated August 17, 1852 and addressed from an unidentified “College Infirmary.”

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A letter, dated July 7, 1853, from Cordelia Lee to her “Dear Cousin” in Williamsburg, Virginia. Cordelia Lee catches up on news with her cousin and asks to be remembered to Mr. [Parke] Slater, implying that the recipient knows him well. Lee references Mr. Slater as being the proprietor of the Raleigh Tavern.

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A letter, dated November 29, 1853, from Cordelia Lee, “Cousin ‘Dely,” to her cousin “Lud,” presumably short for Ludwell. Cordelia shares news about family and friends and asks him to do the same.

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A letter, dated October 4, 1858, from L.C. Minor to Virginia Lee Slater in Williamsburg, Virginia. Minor writes to announce she is seeking music scholars and solicits Slater to enroll her children and encourage others who might be interested.

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A letter, dated July 1, 1861, from Cordelia Lee to her “Dearest Cousin,” perhaps Virginia Lee Slater. Cordelia Lee begins with condolences for the death of her cousin’s child and a reminder that she has many children “left to you yet.” Lee also writes with general family news. Names mentioned include James, Cally, “Mr. Slater,” and “Uncle Washington.”

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A letter, dated November 16, 1861, from Ludwell Philip Slater, Williamsburg, Virginia, to an “Alice.” Ludwell is on furlough from camp to recover from an illness, and he writes to Alice to encourage her to continue writing him.

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A short letter, dated January 5, 1862, from G. Irvine Whitehead, First Lieutenant in Yorktown, Virginia, to Virginia Slater. The letter is a summons for Slater to appear before a court martial in Yorktown and give evidence in the trial of Jacob Hayes, a private in the 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry.

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A letter, dated October 22, 1862, from Ludwell Philip Slater in “Camp near Winchester,” Virginia to his mother Virginia Slater in Williamsburg, Virginia. Ludwell Slater writes about his experiences in the army with descriptions of movements by Robert E. Lee and others.

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A letter, dated January 5, 1863, from G. Irvine Whitehead to Virginia L. Slater. Whitehead tells Slater that a “conveyance” will pick her up the following morning at about 9:00 to take her to Yorktown.

Scope and Contents A letter, dated July 29, 1863, from Ludwell Philip Slater, Petersburg, Virginia, to his mother Virginia L. Slater, Williamsburg, Virginia. Ludwell reports that he is well and gives general news of the war. He hopes the war will be over by the following winter. He asks his mother to send some of his clothing as it is hard to find and expensive. Toward the end of letter he tells of the death of Dessy Brsison [?] at the battle of Gettysburg. He was in Picket’s division and a part of the charge...

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A note granting Mrs. Slater permission to purchase flour, sugar, and beef at the Post Commissary. Dated March 11, 1864. Signed by Major James [?].

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The sender, "V," writes to her mother. She mentions being away from home for a long time and also tells her mother that she is in school “up here” in Albemarle County, Virginia. Dated October 20, 1864.

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A letter, dated January 19, 1869, from Georgie G. Hansbrough to “Cordia.” The donor of this collection suspects Georgie is an adolescent boy. According to this letter, he now lives in a place where there is no organized school so he and his peers study with a woman who teaches them some subjects, including French. Georgie includes a list of what he received for Christmas.

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A letter, dated August 21, 1869, from Mary Jo Minor in Galveston, Texas to “Dr Barziza.” Minor writes mainly of a female cousin who passed away.

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A letter, dated August 22, 1869, from M.W. Minor, perhaps Mary Jo Minor, in Galveston, Texas to Philippa Barziza. Minor begins with a mournful description of the death of her cousin. She then comments on the teaching profession and asks if Philippa is still teaching.

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This note, from the Office Provost Marshal in Williamsburg, Virginia, to “Guards,” requests that they “pass Mrs. Slater and son & Miss [Derfenville] to the lines on Jamestown road on this day.” Signed by J.O. Mathews, Lt. P.M. Dated May 30, 1864.

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A letter, dated 1872, from Cordelia “Cordie” Slater to her mother, Virginia Slater. Cordelia writes to her mother with news about her cousins, who she is visiting. Cordelia asks her mother to send her some new clothes to wear on an excursion to West Point and Richmond, Virginia.

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A letter, dated December 8, 1873, from Jimmie Gray (“JHG”) at Randolph Macon College to Cordelia “Cordie” Slater in Williamsburg, Virginia. Gray expresses his love for Cordelia and his desire to marry her.

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A letter, dated December 30, 1873, from Annie M. Barlow in Portsmouth, Virginia to her cousin Jimmie Gray. Barlow thanks Jimmie for the verses he sent that helped her and others in a time of sorrow. She writes that she is sending a “little book” to him.

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A letter, dated January 8, 1874, from Cordelia Slater in Williamsburg, Virginia to Jimmie Gray. This draft of a letter to Gray is a carefully written response to his professions of love (see letter from December 8, 1873). It appears she proofread this draft and made changes in blue ink with the original draft in black ink.

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A letter, dated February 23, 1874, from Jimmie Gray at Randolph Macon College to Cordelia “Cordie” Slater.

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A letter, dated March 7, 1874, from Jimmie Gray at Randolph Macon College to Cordelia “Cordie” Slater. Gray expresses dejection and sorrow, apparently hurt over Cordelia’s response to his expression of love. He expresses his distaste for dancing.

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A letter, dated May 29, 1874, from Jimmie Gray in Petersburg, Virginia to Cordelia “Cordie” Slater. Gray criticizes the possibility of women’s suffrage, suggesting it may have been an issue they have discussed and disagreed upon before.

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A letter, dated November 18, from Jimmie Gray (“JHG”) in Farmville, Virginia to Cordelia “Cordie” Slater. The donor of this collection suggested this letter may be from the year 1873 or 1874 given other letters exchanged between Gray and Slater during this time period.

Gray thanks Cordie for her account of Jamestown and evergreen leaves she sent. He writes of his visit to the Richmond Fair and the environment of Randolph Macon College.

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A letter, dated November 27, 1876, from [Evie Gray] to “Ma Chère Amie,” presumably Cordelia Slater. Evie gives news from college in Farmville, including an account of a sore throat epidemic that has made many of the women sick.