Administrative Information

Access

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

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Preferred Citation

James Henry Reid Papers, mss 00222, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia.

Alternative Form

The bulk of the James Henry Reid Papers are available in full-text format on the VMI Archives website at: http://www.vmi.edu/archives/manuscripts/ms0222.html

Biographical/Historical Information

James Henry Reid, Jr. was born at Brentsville, Prince William County, Virginia in 1845. His parents were James Henry Reid, Sr. and Amy Ann Tolson. Reid entered the Virginia Military Institute in 1862 and resigned in January 1864 to join the Confederate Army. He served in 1864-1865 as a private in Company A, 13th Battalion Virginia Light Artillery (Otey's Battery) and was paroled at Appomattox.

During the post-war years Reid engaged in many professions, including that of teacher, justice of the peace, notary public, bookkeeper, banker, and farmer. He married Beulah Reese on December 10, 1868, at Christ Church, Alexandria, Virginia. They had several children; living in 1921 were J. Henry, Jr., William, David, Beulah, and Amy. Much of Reid's life was spent in Prince William County, Virginia, where he died in 1921. He is buried at Manassas, Virginia.

Scope and Content Information

The collection consists of the Civil War correspondence (18 items) of James Henry Reid. Included are 13 letters from Reid to his parents written while he was a fourth classman at the Virginia Military Institute, August - November 1862. This correspondence contains many references to wartime cadet life, including use of the term "rat" as a name for new cadets, hazing, uniforms, food, guard duty and other aspects of life at VMI during the Civil War. The papers also contain one letter (1864 March 7) written while Reid was serving with the 13th Virginia Light Artillery Regiment, Confederate Army; and 4 miscellaneous letters, 1865 and 1867.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in chronological order.