Conditions Governing Use:

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.

Conditions Governing Access:

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.

Preferred Citation:

Thomas H. Mason Letter, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Acc. 2014.247 was received by Special Collections in February 2014. The letter was purchased from the Dulin fund.

Processing Information:

Accessioned and minimally described by Tim Eklund, Special Collections staff, in February 2015.

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of one letter written by Sergeant Thomas H. Mason of the 56th New York regiment of the Union army during the American Civil War. It describes recent fighting near Yorktown, Virginia including a failed assault on the Confederate position and the taking of four prisoners during the Battle of Burnt Chimneys. The letter also deals with the daily life of a soldier and is addressed to Mason's child.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Letters (correspondence)
• Peninsular Campaign, 1862
• Virginia--History--Civil War, 1861-1865