Scope and Contents The collection consists of the Civil War correspondence (18 items) of James Henry Reid. Included are 13 letters from Reid to his parents written while he was a fourth classman at the Virginia Military Institute, August - November 1862. This correspondence contains many references to wartime cadet life, including use of the term "rat" as a name for new cadets, hazing, uniforms, food, guard duty and other aspects of life ...

Scope and Contents Letters (3 items) written by Cadet John H. Shields to his parents while he was a cadet at VMI. Items are dated March 24 and April 7, 1864, and undated letter fragment. In addition to routine matters, letter of March 24 mentions faculty member Thomas H. Williamson going to Panther's Gap to "survey the land, and make arrangements for throwing up fortifications and breastworks"; and discusses how cadets coped with the rationing of food. Miscellaneous unrelated document: field...