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Special Collections Research Center
William & Mary Special Collections Research CenterFinding Aid Authors: Special Collections Staff.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
William Lamb Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
The materials in this collection were donated in various batches between 1938 and 1993 by W. H. Lamb (1938, 1939, 1945), Mrs. A. A. Bilisoly and Miss Ella Waddy Lamb (1939), Mrs. Ralph Magraw (1960 and 1967), and Larry Walker (Acc. 1993-49 received 7/19/1993). Acc. 1989-23 received 5/25/1989.
William Lamb was born on 7 September 1835 and lived in Norfolk, Virginia for most of his life. He was educated at the College of William and Mary and edited the Southern Argus. During the Civil War, he commanded Fort Fisher, N.C. After the war, he was a coal dealer, an advocate of direct trade with Europe, mayor of Norfolk and a member of the Republican Party. Lamb was Rector of the College of William and Mary. He died 23 March 1909.
Diaries, 1855, 1859-1861, 1864-1909, (52 volumes) of Col. William Lamb (1835-1909), written while a student at the College of William and Mary, newspaper editor, Civil War commander of Fort Fisher, N.C. (1862-1865), coal merchant, Norfolk businessman and mayor (1880-1886), and member of the Board of Visitors and Rector of William and Mary.
Collection also includes diary, 1861, and some letters of his wife Sarah Annie Chaffee Lamb as well as page proofs and other material relating to the publication of "Letters from the Colonel's Lady." (Winnabow, N.C., 1965).
Two additions to the collection (1993.49 and Sm. Coll. Add. 13) include photographs of Mrs. William Lamb and daughter Sally Lamb, William Lamb, Jr. and Frances [?], speeches, pamphlets and illustrations as well as a scrapbook of newspaper clippings relating to the Battle of Fort Fisher and William Lamb. Diaries, 1855-1903 available in typescript.
Please use the typescripts in place of the original diaries.
Photocopying is only allowed from the diary typescripts.
Some diaries have been digitized. Please follow the links.
Contains typescripts of the diaries of William Lamb. Typescripts must be used in place of the originals.
The 1959-1960 diary transcript is part of Gertrude Elizabeth Baker's 1960 Master's Thesis, The Diary of William Lamb, August 18, 1859-May 21, 1860, found in W&M ScholarWorks https://scholarworks.wm.edu/handle/internal/6260.
Typescript of the address made by Col. William Lamb in 1893 before the Military Society of Massachusetts on the subject of blockade running during the War Between the States and 2nd address to the Phillips Exeter Academy, 1886.
Four articles on blockade running during the Civil War.
Typewritten notes by Col. Lamb on the fight over the British S.S. Hebe and one plate showing the Whitworth Gun.
Typewritten resolutions signed by the representatives of the Confederate survivors of the Battle of Fort Fisher and presented to Col. Lamb, January 14-15, 1907.
Paper written on Fort Fisher at the request of the Cape Fear Camp of Confederate Veterans of Wilmington, N.C., May 1893. Read before the Military Historical Society of Massachusetts on February 4, 1896.
Scope and Contents Paper on the Civil War plus the City of Williamsburg, Virginia and its residents during the Civil War. Line one" The Venerable City of Williamsburg in which we are assembled is unsurpassed in this country for historical interests..."
Typed copy of the "The Present State of Virginia, and the College: by Messieurs Hartwell, Blair and Chilton."
Scope and Contents Hand colored photographic print of "Willie" [William Lamb, Jr.] taken at Providence, R.I. during the Civil War; photographic print of "Willie and Frances" taken at Providence, R.I. during the Civil War and photographic print of the epergne presented by owners of the Steamship Banshee to Col. William Lamb in recognition of his services at Fort Fisher.
"Burning of the Night Hawk;" "Plan of Second Attack on Fort Fisher, Jan. 13, 14, 15, 1865 and showing the position of Vessels;" "Map of the Cape Fear River and the Approaches to Wilmington, N.C." and "Armament of Fort Fisher and Adjacent Batteries."
Message of William Lamb, Mayor, of the City of Norfolk, Virginia to the select and common Councils together with municipal reports for the twelve months ending June 30, 1880. Old St. Paul's Church, 1739-1945. Norfolk, Virginia. An address on the laymen of the church given at the Bicentennial Celebration by Robert B. Tunstall with a guide to the church.
Photocopy of Confederate log book from Fort Fisher, May 20, 1864 to November 10, 1864. William Lamb was in charge of Fort Fisher at the time. Also includes a copy of the obituary of Sarah Chaffee, one of the Lamb daughters, in 1862. This addition is filed at the end of Box 4 of 39.1 L16.
Copy of a photograph of Mrs. William Lamb and her daughter Sally from the original which was found in Colonel William Lamb's copy of Running the Blockage owned by Larry Walker. Note under the photograph said it was taken in 1864. Accession 1993.49.
Scrapbook of newspaper clippings about the fall of Fort Fisher.
Photostat copy of November 24, 1906 letter from William Lamb to Pinkie. 3 photostat copies of Christmas 1906 letter from William Lamb to Pinkie with his portrait on the page. 2017 addition.
2017 addition.
Letters written chiefly by Sarah Chaffee Lamb to her parents. A 1861 diary written by Sarah Chaffee Lamb. Includes page proofs and other material relating to the publication of "Letters from the Colonel's Lady: Correspondence of Mrs. William Lamb...1861-1865 (Winnabow, N.C., 1965) edited by Cornelius M.Dickinson Thomas. Gift of Cornelius Dickinson Thomas, Clarendon Plantation, Winnabow, North Carolina.
Gift of Mrs. Ralph McGraw, October 19, 1960.
Sarah Chaffee to her Mother, September 11, 1857 and Sarah C. Lamb, Norfolk, to her cousin, Miss Kate Chaffee. December 3, 1859.Includes transcript. (gift of Mrs. Ralph Magraw.)
Typed transcripts of Sarah Chaffee Lamb letters.