Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

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Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], David Cunningham Letter, Ms1989-060, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The David Cunningham Letter was purchansed by Special Collections and University Archives in 1989.

Processing Information

The David Cunningham Letter commenced and was completed in February 2022.

Biographical Note

David Cunningham was a Union soldier during the American Civil War. The letter does not contain enough information to definitively identify him, but the mention of Reedsville within the letter suggests that he was most likely the David Cunningham buried in Church Hill Cemetery, Reedsville (Mifflin County), Pennsylvania. This David Cunningham was born in Ireland in 1842. Following the death of his father, David Cunningham immigrated with his mother and siblings to the United States. During the Civil War, he served as a corporal in Company H, 184th Pennsylvania Infantry, mustering out with the company on August 3, 1865. The 1870 census lists 26-year-old Ireland native named David Cunningham living in Mifflin County with wife Mary and two young children. The census lists "axe grinder" as Cunningham's occupation. David Cunningham died on August 27, 1874.

Scope and Content

This collection consists of a single letter written by David Cunningham, a Union soldier during the American Civil War. Written at "Berkley's Station," Virginia (probably today's Berkeley, West Virginia) on April 26, 1865, the letter is addressed to Cunningham's friend, Mrs. A. E. Young. Cunningham informs Young that the report of his and Joseph's (probably Joseph Young) deaths is false, probably spread by a local Copperhead. "[H]oo ever it was," Cunningham writes, "pleas tell him to at tend to his one bisness us Soldiers Can at tend to our one wee now hoo gets killed and hoo dont." The writer continues by predicting dark times for the Copperheads ("thay ar played out as well as the war ..."), then expresses regret for the tears shed over his supposed death.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

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

Rights Statement for Archival Description

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