A Guide to the Edward S. Hutter Diary, 1858 #mss 00013

Virginia Military Institute Archives

Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, Virginia 24450-0304
USA
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7279
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.

Processed by: Virginia Military Institute Archives Staff

Administrative Information

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Preferred Citation

Edward S. Hutter Diary, mss 00013, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia.

Biographical/Historical Information

Edward Sixtus Hutter was born on September 18, 1839 at the family home, Sanduskey [Sandusky], near Lynchburg, Virginia. He was the son of George Christian Hutter, a United States Army officer, and Harriet Risque. Hutter enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, Virginia) in 1856 and graduated in 1859, standing 5th out of 29 graduates. He subsequently read law with Judge John Brockenbrough in Lexington and then continued his legal education at the University of Virginia. While at the University (1860-1861) he was Captain of a local militia unit known as Captain E. S. Hutter's Company (Southern Guards).

When the Civil War began in the Spring of 1861, Hutter's Company served briefly at Harpers's Ferry until the unit was disbanded on May 8, 1861. Hutter was then appointed 1st Lieutenant in the Provisional Army of Virginia and went on to serve in various capacities throughout the war. Among other duties, he was an aide to General J. E. B. Stuart, served in Capt. W. H. Otey's Company of Virginia Light Artillery, and commanded the Danville Arsenal. At war's end he held the rank of Major.

After the war Hutter was in the insurance business and worked as a Civil Engineer. He married Nannie Langhorne of Lynchburg, VA on December 19, 1861. The couple had thirteen children. Hutter died at the home of one of his sons at Pittsville, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, on June 23, 1904. The body was returned to Lynchburg for burial.

Scope and Content Information

The collection consists of the one volume diary of Virginia Military Institute Cadet Edward S. Hutter, covering the period January - December 1858. The earliest entries (Jan-March 19) were written while Hutter was on sick leave and contain mostly family references. Later entries mention VMI faculty members, friends, the Society of Cadets (a student debating club), room occupants, infractions noted while on Guard Duty, and other aspects of cadet life.

Summary of Diary Contents

1858 January 1 - February 3. At Charleston, South Carolina.

1858 February 4 - 6. On Steamer Isabel.

1858 February 6 - 9. At Key West, Florida.

1858 February 9 - 11. Aboard Schooner Skinner in the Gulf of Mexico.

1858 February 12 - 14. At Fort Dallas.

1858 February 14 - 15. Aboard Schooner Skinner.

1858 February 16 - 24. At Key West, Florida.

1858 February 25 - 28. Aboard Steamer Isabel.

1858 February 28 - March 1. At Charleston, South Carolina.

1858 March 2 - 3. On railroad.

1858 March 3 - 4. At Lynchburg, Virginia.

1858 March 4 - 19. At Sandusky.

1858 March 19 - Dec. Returns to VMI.
Topics include trip to VMI from Lynchburg by canal boat; a case of the measles; visits Major Thomas J. Jackson's class; talks about Chemistry experiments; notes on history of England.

1858- Miscellaneous notes, including list of invitations sent to ball; guard reports; room occupants; expenses for the Society of Cadets.