Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from William S. Tippett Letter must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: William S. Tippett Letter, Ms2013-060, Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The William S. Tippett Letter was purchased by Special Collections in May 2012.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the William S. Tippett Letter was completed in December 2013.

Biographical Note

William Tippett was born about 1836. Family records suggest he may have been born in Baltimore, MD, while enlistment records suggest he may have been born in Bath County, VA. Prior to the Civil War, he worked as a painter. Tippett enlisted with Company I, 1st West Virginia Infantry in October 1861. He was wounded at Winchester in March 1862; promoted in November 1862; captured at Moorefield, VA, in September 1863; a POW at Belle Island until March 1864; and at parole camp in MD until May 1864.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of a single letter from Sgt William S. Tippett to his wife, Maggie. Written from a parole camp in Annapolis, Maryland, the letter opens with Tippett's comments on news from home. A majority of the letter, however,details his stay in Belle Island prison (Richmond) from September 1863 until early March 1864. In particular, he describes the food (or lack of) and the poor conditions.

Related Material

The Library of Virginia is home to six diaries kept by William S. Tippett from 1861-1864. See website for more details.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Civil War
• History of Food and Drink
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865