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.

Online Access

The Civil War reports and the pre-War notebook are available online .

Preferred Citation

William G. Williamson papers, 1857-1898. MS 0205. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Biographical / Historical

William Garnett Williamson was born in 1840 in Norfolk, Virginia. From 1858 to 1859 he was a student at Washington College, Lexington, Virginia. In 1861 he received military training at VMI (VMI Class of 1864 Military Science). During the Civil War he served with the 1st Regiment Engineers, Confederate States of America.

After the War, Williamson was a civil engineer. He died in 1898 in Pensacola, Florida while constructing coastal defenses during the Spanish-American War. He was the brother of Thomas Hoomes Williamson, a longtime member of the VMI faculty.

Scope and Contents

The William G. Williamson papers consist of the personal papers of Williamson. Included is an original manuscript Civil War notebook that contains: Reports (September 1862-May 1863) submitted to the Chief Engineer's Office, Army of Northern Virginia, in which Williamson discusses destroying bridges at Harper's Ferry, West Virginia, and reconnaissance and mapping trips in the Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont Poetry Notes about architecture, engineering, and Williamson family genealogy The papers also include correspondence and documents (1868-1898), Williamson's obituary, and a book owned by Williamson titled "Scott's Infantry Tactics" (Volume III, 1860 edition).

In addition, the papers include a digital version only of an additional notebook (original owned by a descendant). This notebook dates from circa 1857 to 1861 and contains class notes and sketches, including a drawing of Stonewall Jackson while he was professor at VMI. The notebook likely dates in part from the period in which Williamson was a student at Washington College (now Washington and Lee University).

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Confederate States of America. Army—Corps of Engineers
• Correspondence
• Jackson, Stonewall, 1824-1863
• Poetry
• Reports
• United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865
• United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate
• Virginia Military Institute—Class of 1864 Military Science
• Washington College (Lexington, Va.)–Students
• Washington and Lee University—History
• Williamson family
• Williamson, Thomas H. (Thomas Hoomes), 1813-1888