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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], Nelson F. Libby Letters, Ms1991-018, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Nelson F. Libby Letters were purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in 1991.

Processing Information

The processing and description of the Nelson F. Libby Letters commenced and was completed in October, 2022.

Biographical Note

Records show that a Nelson F. Libby, born ca. 1840, enlisted in Company A, 2nd Maine Infantry on April 28, 1861, and mustered in with the company as a private a month later. He mustered out as a sergeant at Portland, Maine, on June 1, 1863. On December 22, 1863, a Nelson F. Libby mustered in as a sergeant in Company I, 2nd Maine Cavalry at Corinna, Maine. He mustered out at Barancas, Florida, on December 6, 1865. The 1870 census lists Maine native Nelson F. Libby as a resident of Lowell (Middlesex County), Massachusetts. Also recorded in the household are Ann Libby, 31, and three Libby children. The family continues to be listed in Middlesex County in the 1880 census. In the 1900 census, Nelson F. Libby appears as a 50-year-old woodworker, living with his wife of 31 years, Angeline, in Waltham (Middlesex County). Nelson F. Libby, son of Leander and Hannah Crowell Libby, died in Waltham on January 9, 1907, and was buried in the city's Mount Feake Cemetery, as was his wife Angeline (1838-1912).

Scope and Content

This collection contains two letters written by Nelson F. Libby, a soldier serving in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Both letters are addressed to his brother John (or Jonathan). In the first of these, written from a camp at Washington on June 17 [1861?], Libby describes being recently awakened at 2 a.m. and preparing for a battle only to learn that "it was a false alarm got up to try them and see how quick they could get in to line." He reports on the punishment of two men who hid during the drill: "[T]hey have got them out forward the Officers quarters to day with their nap sack on and they have got to march back and forth for six hours." The second letter, dated September 5 [1862?], was written at Holls [Hall's?] Hill, Virginia. Libby writes that the regiment had left Harrison's Landing 22 days earlier and had been "marching or fighting every day since ..." He mentions that the regiment had been in a "dreadfool battle," starting with 246 men and losing 6 killed, 86 wounded, and 20 missing.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

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

Rights Statement for Archival Description

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