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Pathfinder for Civil War Manuscripts and Microfilm

Stewart Bell Jr. Archives
Handley Regional Library
Winchester-Frederick County Historical Society

P.O. Box 58, Winchester, VA 22604
(540) 662-9041 ext. 17
archives@handleyregional.org
www.handleyregional.org

Winchester and the surrounding area witnessed a number of battles and skirmishes during the Civil War as both Union and Confederate forces sought to take control of the Lower Shenandoah Valley.  The history of this period is reflected in a number of manuscript collections and microfilm held by the Stewart Bell Jr. Archives. The following list is not exhaustive but does identify collections that have primary and secondary source materials related to the Civil War. Please ask Archives Staff for assistance with specific research questions regarding this topic.

A pathfinder for Civil War diaries and letters is also available via this link. Additionally, the Archives Room holds a number of published books and journals related to the history of the Civil War. Patrons can search by title, author, and subject using the Handley Regional Library’s online catalog. Please note that books and journals in the Archives are non-circulating.

Materials from manuscript collections must be requested using a green sheet, available in the Reading Room. The letters MMF, THL, and WFCHS are part of each collection’s accession number and should be used to identify the collection on the green sheet.

Click on the collection title to view the collection inventory.

Affleck, Charles. Collection, 36 WFCHS
Items related to the Civil War, numismatics, local history and the businesses of Winchester-Frederick County, VA dating as far back as the early nineteenth century.

Aqueduct Bridge Duty Roster, 1352 THL
The duty roster for December 9, 1863 to June 6, 1864 for guards on the Aqueduct Bridge at the north end [Georgetown?]. The detachments for this duty include the 9th Regiment (VRC), District of Alexandria, 19th Regiment (VRC) Co. A, and 22nd Regiment (VRC)—unit of the 4th Brigade, Military District of Kentucky, Co. G.

Barton, Bolling. Family Collection, 1423 WFCHS
Correspondence between members of the Barton family. Includes Major Randolph Barton’s reminiscences written during the Civil War.

Barton, Lewis Neil. Collection, 485 WFCHS
Assorted items collected by Lewis Neil Barton (1894-1982), including materials concerning Civil War.

Barton, Robert T. Family Papers, 1268 WFCHS
Barton served in the Civil War, became a leading lawyer in the State of Virginia, was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates (1884-85), mayor of Winchester in 1896, and sat as chair or president on several state and local organizations. 

Bell, Stewart Jr. Collection, 7 WFCHS
Various memorabilia collected throughout the life of Stewart Bell Jr. (1910-2001), a life-long resident of Winchester.

Burton, James Henry. Papers, 1322 WFCHS
Papers and correspondence related to the life and career of  James Henry Burton (1823-1894). Burton trained as a master armorer and worked at in the Rifle Works of the Harper’s Ferry Arsenal and Armory (WV).

Civil War Collection, 1610 WFCHS/THL
Pamphlets, writings, historical data of the times, people, and places primarily in the southern states prior to, during, and after the Civil War of the United States.

Crawford, Louisa Morrow. Collection, 424 WFCHS
This collection contains an account book (1881-1890), the 1862 journal of John Peyton Clark (1827-1878), the 1862 diary of Major Frank B. Jones of the Second Virginia Infantry Regiment, speeches of Daniel Webster (1851), and other Jones family materials (1724 – 1903).

Davis, James A. Collection, 1730 WFCHS
Materials in this collection concern the 51st Virginia Infantry, 1861-1865. All information was either utilized or produced by James A. Davis for a thesis completed in 1967. 

Duncan, Richard R. Collection, 1446 THL
Materials used by Professor Richard R. Duncan for his book, Beleaguered Winchester, A Virginia Community at War, 1861-186.

Elliot, Sheila Gaither. Collection, 1732 WFCHS
Materials relating to military registration and service of African-American men in Frederick County, Virginia in both the Civil War and World War I.

Grove Hospital Records, 1366 WFCHS MMF (no inventory)
Ledger book used by Grove Hospital from August 3, 1863 to November, 1864. Transcript available.

Harper, Jeannette and Robert G. Harper. Family Papers, 1777 THL
Correspondence, financial documents, land and property records, and miscellaneous papers belonging to the Gray family of Berkeley County, West Virginia and related families. Includes Capt. James Gray’s account of raid on Harpers Ferry.

Henkel, Alfred D. Collection, 162 WFCHS/THL
Various materials including scrapbooks of Civil War newspaper articles, a military pass, and military occupation information.

Hotchkiss, Jedediah. Papers, 1335 THL
This collection contains miscellaneous papers and reports collected by the cartographer Jedediah Hotchkiss (1828 - 1899), mainly focused on his career after the American Civil War in Virginia.

Jackson, Thomas J. "Stonewall." Collection, 1034 THL
Copies of speeches and pamphlets regarding Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson, several of which were written by acquaintances of the General.

Jones, Ann Cary Randolph. Family Papers, 451 THL
Letters to William Strother Jones (grandson of Gabriel Jones) from Alexander Burnet and correspondence of Ann Cary Jones.

Jones, Francis B. Family Collection, 1037 WFCHS
Items related to Major Francis B. Jones (1827-1862), his family, and his descendants.

Keckley, Belle. Papers, 1462 WFCHS
Civil War items include correspondence (1855-1896) and Civil War civilian passes (1860-1863).

Kiefer, Geraldine. Collection, 1736 THL
The collection contains material and ephemera of the Civil War and Civil War era events.

Lee, Robert E. Collection, 1055 WFCHS/THL
This small collection contains ephemera about General Lee with a focus is on his service in the Confederate Army.

Lewis, Colonel W. D. Papers, 573 WFCHS
Assortment of military reports and correspondences from 1862. Col. Lewis, who was a member of the Federal Army, 110th Penn., received these letters and reports while he was serving as post commander of Winchester, VA, during the federal occupation between March and May 1862.

McVicar, Charles William. Papers, 1514 WFCHS
This collection contains correspondence, diaries, account books, and various records of Charles William McVicar (1841-1906) and his family

McVicar, Kate. Collection, 1018 THL
This collection was kept by Kate McVicar of Winchester, VA, and contains five large scrapbooks filled with newspaper articles and pictures, along with other short, published articles from a variety of sources. Mary Katherine (Kate) McVicar (1843-1920) spent her life writing for The Winchester Journal and then for The Winchester Times, under the name "Nemo."

Meaney, Peter. Collection, 666 THL
The collection contains the research notes of Father Peter Joseph Meaney for his book Civil War Engagement at Cool Springs, July 18, 1864.

Miller, James A. Collection, 1421 WFCHS
Includes letters written by Dr. Abram Miller to his wife during his service in the Confederate Army.

National Cemetery Collection, 1502 THL
The National Cemetery, located in Winchester, VA, was dedicated in 1866 and contains the remains of many Union soldiers.

O’Connell, Irvan Jr. Collection, 346 THL
Report of damage to the Magill Property caused by Sheridan during the Civil War and a scrapbook dated 1858 – c. 1890. 

Ridings, Mariah E. Papers, 137 THL MMF
Letters from Brevet Captain Eri Davidson Woodbury, Company B, 1st Vermont Cavalry to Mariah E. Ridings and two of her daughters from 1887 to 1916. Also included in the collection are two news article concerning the accidental wounding of Mariah E. Ridings by a sergeant in Captain Woodbury’s company on January 11, 1865.

Ritter, Ben. Collection, 12 THL
The Civil War files include Virginia unit rosters, death notices, and diaries; a burial listing of Civil War veteran-age men for counties in the Shenandoah Valley is also included.

Rometo, Kenneth J. Collection, 1620 THL
This collection contains a reproduction of the battle flag of the 33rd Virginia Infantry, CSA.

Shenandoah Valley Military Records, 575 WFCHS/THL
This collection contains lists and general information of military units of the Shenandoah Valley during various conflicts, including the Civil War, and particularly the Continental Morgan Guards including when they served at Charlestown during the Brown Raid and trial in 1859. 

Sommers, Brother James. Collection, 360 THL
The Brother James Sommers Collection contains addresses presented and articles written by Brother James on historic men and events of the Civil War with a particular emphasis on Battle of Cool Springs (July 17-18, 1864).

Sperry, A.P. Collection, 1409 WFCHS
This collection contains a commissary ledger from the American Civil War, 1861-1865.

Stonewall Cemetery Records, 500 WFCHS
This collection contains histories, solicitations, news articles, and papers relating to the Stonewall Cemetery, established 1866.  

Strother, David Hunter. Collection, 300 WFCHS/THL
The collection contains David Hunter Strother’s "Personal Recollections of the War by a Virginian," published in Harper’s Weekly on Sept. 1866, Oct. 1866, and April 1868. A copy of an address given by Gen. Strother on July 4, 1876, is also included.

Sullivan, Algernon Sidney. Collection, 231 THL
Includes letters and other materials from the Sullivan and related families during the Civil War.

Tabb, George E. Jr. Collection, 1153 THL
This collection consists of letter books (1863) kept by Col. William Banksdale Tabb, Commander, 59th VA Inf. Reg., CSA and "The Complete Journal of Emily (Emma) Miller Tabb," July 15, 1899 to April 9, 1900.

Tischler, Allan. Collection, 208 WFCHS/THL
Extensive information about the American Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Diaries, maps, corps information of both of the CSA and the USA, African Americans in the war, photographs and microfilm are included.

Turner Ashby Camp #22 of Confederate Veterans Papers, 302 WFCHS
This collection contains the records of the Turner Ashby Camp #22 of Confederate Veterans of Winchester, VA. The papers also include extensive primary source material from the court-martial of Pvt. James Miller, 12th Virginia Cavalry who was executed for shooting his company commander, Captain Henderson in 1861.

Turner Ashby Camp Guard Records, 1604 WFCHS
This collection contains three applications to the Turner Ashby Camp Guard, an attendance roll from 1899.  The Turner Ashby Camp Guard was a short-lived organization for the Sons of Confederate veterans.

United Daughters of the Confederacy, Turner Ashby Camp #54 Collection, 1325 WFCHS
This collection contains records of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (U.D.C.), Turner Ashby Chapter #184, Winchester, VA.

Valley News Echo Collection, 930 THL
This collection contains 51 issues of The Valley News Echo with reprints of contemporary accounts of the Civil War.

Williams, Philip. Family Papers, 172 WFCHS
Materials concerning the Civil War units 114th Regiment, 18th Reg. Connecticut Volunteers, and Winchester Light Infantry.

Microfilm

(The microfilm collection is not indexed.)

U.S.A. Hospital Department Register of the Sick and Wounded: General Hospital, Strasburg (May 13-23, 1862)

York Hospital, Winchester, VA (May 25-November 1862)

Confederate Medical Records: Hospital, Winchester (May 27-31, 1862)

General Hospital Records (July 20-August 4, 1862), National Archives Roll 155

Lovingston Hospital, Winchester (August 8-13, 1862), National Archives Roll 155

Refugees, Deserters, & Contrabands, 1862: General Bank's Intelligence Reports, National Archives Record Group 393, Entry 2223

Frederick County, VA Muster Roll, 1861-1865, Frederick County Reel 114

31st Infantry, V-Y, Frederick County, VA, National Archives Roll 778

31st Militia, A-C, Frederick County, VA, National Archives Roll 778

31st Militia, D-Z, Frederick County, VA, National Archives Roll 779

51st Militia, Frederick County, VA, National Archives Roll 993

115th Militia, Warwick & Elizabeth City Counties, National Archives Roll 1055

122nd Militia, Clarke County, VA, National Archives Roll 1055

U. S. Army General's Reports of Civil War Service, 1864-1887, 1098 Roll 4, Volumes VI and VII

1890 Census Special Civil War Schedules, enumerating Union veterans and widows in Virginia, National Archives Roll 107