A Guide to the Napoleon B. Brisbine Letters, 1864 #mss 00391

Virginia Military Institute Archives

Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304
USA
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Email: archives@vmi.edu
URL: http://www.vmi.edu/archives

Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Preferred Citation

Napoleon B. Brisbine Letters, mss 00391, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, VA 24450

Biographical/Historical Information

Napoleon B. Brisbine, Civil War soldier, was a Surgeon serving with the 2nd Ohio Cavalry Regiment. This unit was engaged in the fighting at Winchester, Virginia in August 1864, serving as a rear guard while the rest of the army retreated toward Harper's Ferry.

Scope and Content Information

The collection consists of two Civil War letters written by Brisbine to his brother and sister. The items are dated September 16 and 24, 1864. In the first letter, Brisbine describes being held prisoner in Winchester, Virginia, where he was captured while caring for Union wounded. In the second, he describes the recapture of Winchester by Union troops and the Confederate retreat.

Contents List

Letter, 1864 September 16

Written at Winchester, Virginia.
"The fates are again against me and I am once more a prisoner in this place. On our retreat down the valley it fell to the lot of someone to stay with our wounded at this place and that unfortunate one was your humble servant...."

Letter, 1864 September 24

Written at Winchester, Virginia.
"...Then commenced one of the greatest panic retreats I ever saw without any exception, and the horses, mules & men all went along with their tails up (excuse the last remark, the latter's tails were down). The old 8th Corps done wonders in that day and redeemed itself from all other stains. While the rebels were retreating through town a shell from one of our Batteries came through our Hospital, going over two beds and striking the third one smashing it to splinters, tearing the straw out of the mattress and disappeared through the other side of the house, not hurting a man. The bed was occupied by a man with a fractured thigh but was not hurt. Sheridan is a trump, and is just whipping them as they go...."