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Virginia Military Institute Archives
VMI ArchivesPreston Library
Lexington, VA 24450
Business Number: 540-464-7516
archives@vmi.edu
URL: http://www.vmi.edu/archives
Administrative Information
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
Major portions of this collection are available online.
Preferred Citation
Richard H. Adams, Jr. papers, 1862-1866. MS 0358. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.
Biographical / Historical
Richard Henry Adams, Jr. was born in 1841 at "Altwood," Marengo County, Alabama. During the Civil War he served as officer with the 5th Alabama Infantry Regiment and in the Engineer Corps on General Wheeler's staff. He was captured near Nashville, Tennessee and was a prisoner of war from September 1863 to June 1865 (one of "immortal 600"). After the War, Adams was an engineer. He died in 1896 in Radford, Virginia.
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of the Civil War papers (approximately 80 items) of Captain Richard H. Adams, Jr, including: A manuscript diary kept while serving with the 5th Alabama Regiment in Virginia (April-June 1862), with an accompanying typewritten transcription Transcriptions of two additional diary volumes (September 1862-March 1863; and prison diary, 1864-1865) Forty seven letters (November 1863-September 1866) to Lottie Putnam Adams, most written before their marriage while Adams was a prisoner of war Twenty three letters from Lottie to Richard (March 1864-January 1865) A typescript titled "Account of Wheeler's Raids," which was written after the Civil War "Friendship book" (March 1865) that contains inscriptions by fellow prisoners Two photographs of Adams Documents and clippings The letters reflect ongoing courtship and generally concern personal and family matters with some references to war and prison life. Diaries contain information about camp life, battles, and prison life.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Confederate States of America -- Army -- Alabama Infantry Regiment, 5th
- Confederate States of America -- Army -- Cavalry -- History
- Correspondence
- Fair Oaks (Henrico County, Va.), Battle of, 1862
- Fort Delaware (Del.)
- Johnson Island Prison
- Marengo County (Ala.) -- History
- Morris Island (S.C.)
- Peninsular Campaign (1862)
- Point Lookout Prison Camp (Md.)
- Prisoners of war
- Soldiers -- Alabama -- Diaries
- United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865
- United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Prisoners and prisons
- United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Women
- Virginia—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Personal narratives—Confederate
- Wheeler's Cavalry Corps (C.S.A.)
Significant Persons Associated With the Collection
- Adams, Lottie P. (Lottie Putnam)
- Adams, Richard H., Jr. (Richard Henry), 1841-1896
Significant Places Associated With the Collection
- Fort Delaware (Del.)
- Marengo County (Ala.) -- History
- Morris Island (S.C.)
Container List
Diary details the activities of Company D, 5th Alabama Infantry Regiment.
This leather bound notebook contains inscriptions and letters of esteem written from the United States Military Prison at Hilton Head, South Carolina, by fellow prisoners near the end of the Civil War.
The oath of allegiance sworn by Richard H. Adams, Jr. at Fort Delaware.
The original papers were accompanied by these transcriptions, created by an unknown person. They have not been reviewed or checked for accuracy by the VMI Archives staff. They include transcriptions of additional diaries for which we do not own the original manuscript, including the "Prison Diary."