Conditions Governing Use

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Conditions Governing Access

There are no restrictions

Preferred Citation

William G. Watson Civil War memoirs, circa 1866. MS 0037. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Biographical / Historical

William Gerard Watson (1837-1922) was a Union soldier who served as a sergeant with the 3rd West Virginia Cavalry. His unit fought in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia during the summer of 1864.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of two versions of the Civil War memoirs of William G. Watson, a Union soldier who served during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, 1864. The unbound manuscript consists of 77 pages, and was probably written soon after the end of the War.

This detailed account of Watson's service includes information about the burning of VMI by General David Hunter in June 1864, the advance on Lynchburg, Virginia, and his unit's retreat after the Battle of Lynchburg to Charleston and Parkersburg, West Virginia.

Version 1 consists of 41 pages. Version 2 (36 pages) covers much of the same material but also includes a section entitled "Our Cavalry and their Services."

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Hunter's Raid—Virginia—Lexington
• Hunter, David, 1802-1886
• Lexington (Va.)—History—Civil War, 1861-1865
• Lynchburg (Va.)—History—Civil War, 1861-1865
• Lynchburg, Battle of, Lynchburg, Va., 1864
• Memoirs
• Shenandoah Valley Campaign, 1864 (May-August)—Personal narratives
• United States. Army—West Virginia Cavalry Regiment, 3rd (1861-1865)
• United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Union
• Virginia Military Institute—Civil War, 1861-1865
• Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865