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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Beverly Coleman Videotape, Ms1987-051 Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acqisition

The collection was acquired by Special Collections and University Archives prior to 2002.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Beverly Coleman Videotape commenced in January 2024 and completed in January 2024.

Biographical Note

Born in 1899, Rear Admiral Beverly Coleman is the grandson of Col. John S. Mosby, a famous Confederate partisan commander. Coleman is a 1922 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, and served in the United States Naval Reserves. He served in the Second World War, and was the Chief Defense Counsel for the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, which tried Japanese political and military leaders for their role in the war. Additionally, he served as the secretary for the United Nations brokered armistice conference between North and South Korea in 1953. He married and had two children. Coleman died in 1993.

John Singleton Mosby (1833-1916) was born in Powhatan County, Virginia. Having already established a thriving legal practice and with a wife and children, Mosby joined Confederate forces with the outbreak of the Civil War in Virginia. Eventually coming under the command of famous cavalry commander J.E.B. Stuart. Noted for his ability as a cavalry raider and scout, Mosby was given permission to form a cavalry partisan unit in late 1862. His "43rd Battalion, Virginia Cavalry," proved a significant hindrance to Federal operations in the northern Shenandoah Valley and Northern Virginia, raiding and ambushing supply lines. He surrendered his command on June 17, 1865, months after Lee's surrender at Appomattox. Following the war however, Mosby engaged in reconciliatory politics. He resumed his law practice, but also served in several local and federal positions, including Consul to Hong Kong. His contributions to Civil War history include  Mosby's War Reminiscences and Stuart's Cavalry Campaigns  (1887).

Scope and Content

48 minute video tape of Adm. Beverly Coleman, grandson of Confederate partisan commander John S. Mosby, giving a lecture to Fairfax County Public Schools students on his grandfathers Civil War service and partisan activities. First 30 minutes is lecture by Adm. Coleman before another individual finishes the lecture segment. Adm. Coleman returns to answer audience questions for the remaining 10 minutes.

Related Material

Virginia Tech Special Collections and University Archives and Neman Library both have copies of Mosby's War Reminiscences and Stuart's Cavalry Campaigns .

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Civil War
• Coleman, Beverly
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Beverly Coleman Videotape by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).