Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

George G. Young Civil War Letters, Accession #3676 , Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

These letters were purchased by the University of Virginia Library from Mrs. Sterling Graydon on March 6, 1951.

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of twenty-one items, primarily letters from George G. Young, Company A, Second Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry, written between 1861 and 1865. Three letters were written by his brother, I.A. Young of Camden, South Carolina.

Two letters in 1861 are written, apparently to family in Camden, by I.A. Young from Fairfax County Court House, Virginia. On September 18, 1861, he draws a map of the town, including the location and description of George's office. He writes that he is caring for George, who was wounded at Bull Run and mentions he has gone there to retrieve George's horse. He speaks of a souvenir he brought from the battlefield from the house of a Mrs. Henry, who was killed in her bed by a Federal cannon ball.

On September 19, 1861, he says that George is better and that the two intend to go by "the cars" to Richmond and from there on to Camden--a trip of about thirty-six hours. He includes a detailed drawing of skirmishes near Vienna. Also in 1861 is a permission slip given to G.G. Towny to go to Manassas to get some boxes, signed by John Chesnut and dated November 27, 1861.

There is one letter in 1862, February 9, 1862 in which George writes I.A. Young a description explaining how horses can drown in mud holes if not rescued. He says Colonel Joseph Brevard Kershaw is acting Brigadier of the regiment, and that Colonel [Radfort] had nine of his pickets captured by the enemy, with efforts to recover them fruitless.

Eleven letters by George in 1863 detail actions in and near Culpeper County and troop movements up the Valley. On February 9, 1863, he tells I.A. Young of preparations for movement by his regiment (loading of supplies, etc., ) in anticipation of a raid by the Yankees, who are intending to burn the bridge across the Rappahannock River. (The raid did not materialize.) He adds that goods and clothes are now plentiful in the camp.

On February 28, 1863, he writes from Page County, Virginia, now in the mountains, having come from Sperryville and Luray. He describes how men obtain furloughs by giving up their horses, and writes glowingly of the character and habits of General Wade Hampton.

Continuing up the Shenandoah Valley, he writes April 3, 1863, of passing General Stonewall Jackson's "battleground" and vividly describes a visit to Weyers Cave and the wonders he encountered therein. On Aug 2, 1863, from a camp near Culpeper, Virginia, George tells I.A. Young he has been in his heaviest fighting thus far, around Culpeper with a retreat to Brandy Station, where the Yankees had six brigades of cavalry.

From Stevensburg, Culpeper County, George writes I.A. Young on Aug 22, 1863, to muse about his horrors of dying and being left for dead on a battlefield to be trampled on. He wants, he says, to be buried at home if possible. Still encamped near Brandy Station, on October 21, 1863, he tells I.A. Young that dead horses are scattered about for considerable distance because of cavalry fighting. His troops have passed through a number of deserted Yankee camps which have handsome appearances.

Still in camp near Stevensburg, he tells his sister on November 3, 1863, that the neighborhood has been laid to waste, with Yankees pulling fine homes apart to obtain material for their own shanties. The homes of foreigners and Yankee sympathizers were spared. On November 29, 1863, he writes from [Roseland?], Nelson County  , that he fears the Yankees might get below the Confederates and "it would not surprise me if the army fell back upon Richmond."

In December of 1863, the regiment has moved near [Fincastle?] in Botetourt County, and George writes his sister on December 11, 1863, a description of Natural Bridge as they passed over it and mentions that he would like a copy of Miller's Almanac as he is becoming interested in astrology.

December 15, 1863, he tells I.A. Young from Big Lick Depot near Roanoke, Virginia, that he arrived there the previous day and was able to visit friends within a mile of the depot. In his last letter of 1863, he writes his sister from Craig County, Virginia, on December 28, 1863, that he has been ill and is thus staying under the care of a Widow Givens about one half mile from camp on the top of the Allegheny Mountains. He tells an amusing story of a Confederate soldier who was aided in escape from the Yankees by hiding in a chicken coop.

There are three letters in 1864. From Rockfish Valley, Nelson County  , Virginia, February 1, 1864, George tells I.A. Young they are suffering from severe cold, with some Negroes captured in a raid so badly frost bitten they could not walk. Still from Nelson County , on February 2, 1864, George tells his sister he has passed near Lexington, Virginia, and the burial ground of General Stonewall Jackson on the outskirts of town. He writes that he thinks the young ladies of Craig County the most unrefined he has ever seen as they smoke pipes, chew tobacco, drink liquor and ride horses like men.

In 1865, George has been taken prisoner and is in Newport News, Virginia. He writes I. A. Young on May 15, 1865, that he has been captured, is sick and "very feeble." All of his clothing, money and blankets were taken from him by a portion of the 12th New York Cavalry. There are two undated letters, one very faded, talking of some action around Chickahominy, Virginia.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in chronological order.