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Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)John M. Jackson
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
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The collection is open to research.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Charles Wilkins Letter, Ms1991-015, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
The Charles Wilkins Letter was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in 1991.
The processing and description of the Charles Wilkins Letter commenced and was completed in October, 2022.
Charles Wilkins, son of James and Sarah Wilkins, was born in Henniker (Merrimack County), New Hampshire, on July 7, 1835. In the 1860 federal census, he appears as a resident in the home of his parents, with no occupation listed. According to History of the Town of Henniker, Merrimack County, New Hampshire , Wilkins was working as a clerk in the town at the outbreak of the Civil War. On June 1, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, 2nd New Hampshire Infantry, and was severely wounded at the First Battle of Bull Run. On February 20, 1862, he accepted a commission as second lieutenant in the 1st U. S. Infantry. He participated with the 1st in several skirmishes and battles before being fatally wounded during the siege of Vicksburg. He died on June 20, 1863, and was buried in Henniker Cemetery.
This collection consists of a single letter from Charles Wilkins, a second lieutenant in Company B, 1st U. S. Infantry during the American Civil War. Addressed to "Dear Brother," the letter was written in a camp three miles from Corinth, Mississippi, on May 23, 1862. Wilkins writes of his recent arrival in camp. He notes that the regiment is "poorly officerd" [sic] and has been drilling with artillery pieces. He anticipates soon having a "striker" (a servant) and being given command of his company. He describes his surroundings--noting that "peaches and apples are about half grown"--and recounts news from camp and his personal activities. The letter is accompanied by a stamped envelope addressed to Hon. Oliver Pillsbury, of Henniker. Because the letter is dated May 23, and the envelope bears a date preceding the 23rd, it seems doubtful that the two were originally paired.
The guide to the Charles Wilkins Letter by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).