Special Collections Research Center

Scope and Contents

Letter from Frank C. Park, an Union soldier, while in Williamsburg, to his family about the Battle of Williamsburg. He served with the 10th Massachusetts Regiment. He describes the fighting, the dead and the wounded. Typescript is included.

Scope and Contents

A letter by Johnston .H. Skelly, New Kent Court House, to his wife about the Battle of Williamsburg and the Peninsular Campaign. He witnesses the burning of the Merrimack [CSS Virginia].

Scope and Contents Letter written on May 11, 1862 by Sgt. Nathan Cory, a Union soldier, to his brother-in-law, Peter Baley, while Cory was "on the road to Richmond."  The letter describes the Battle of Williamsburg, which occurred on May 5th, and mentions that the Union is pursuing the Confederates who left Yorktown shortly after the battle.    Cory mistakenly dated the letter as April 11th.  However, the postmark on the envelope indicates the letter was written in May, which also aligns with the...

Scope and Contents

A letter from Nelson Deraino, 20 miles from Richmond, Virginia, to his aunt and uncle, describing the Battle of Williamsburg. Deraino was a member of the 70th New York Infantry. A typescript is included.

Scope and Contents The collection contains letters written by Rufus Robbins, Jr. to family members during the Civil War. In his year and a half of service in the 7th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, Robbins freqently wrote to his parents and brothers Henry and Edwin in South Abington, Massachusetts.  The letters contain information about camp life and the activities of Robbins' regiment.  Of note, the letter dated May 11, 1862 gives Robbins' account of the Battle of Williamsburg, which took place...