Abel Smith Jr. Letter
Scope and Content
This collection consists of a single official communication from Lieutenant Colonel Abel Smith Jr., commanding the 165th New York Infantry. Written to Captain [Felix] Agnus on March 20, 1863, the message demands an explanation for allowing a first lieutenant to hold a subordinate position to a second lieutenant during the morning battalion drill while Agnus was commanding the battalion.
Dates
- 1863
Creator
- Smith, Abel, Jr. (Person)
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.
Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.
Biographical Note
Abel Smith Jr., son of Col. Abel and Ann F. Smith, was born in New York in 1839. By June 1861, Captain Abel Smith Jr. was commanding Company A, 3rd New York Infantry. He was promoted to major on July 2. By December 1862, Smith had been promoted to lieutenant colonel in command of the 165th New York Infantry (aka 2nd Duryea Zouaves). After being mortally wounded at the Battle of Port Hudson on May 27, 1863, Smith died in New Orleans on June 23. He was buried in Evergreens Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York.
Felix Agnus (1839-1925) served alongside Smith in the 165th New York and eventually rose to the rank of brigadier general.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
Official communication from Abel Smith Jr. (1839-1863), lieutenant colonel commanding the 165th New York Infantry during the American Civil War, written on March 20, 1863, to Captain Felix Agnus, demanding an explanation for allowing a first lieutenant to hold a subordinate position to a second lieutenant during the morning battalion drill.
Source of Acquisition
The Abel Smith Jr. Letter was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in 1989.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Abel Smith, Jr. Letter by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing Information
The processing and description of the Abel Smith Jr. Letter commenced and was completed in February 2022.
- Title
- Abel Smith, Jr. Letter, 1863
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- John M. Jackson
- Date
- 2022 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2020-09-01: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
- 2021-05-17: LM Rozema added missing notes for an unprocessed collection (abstract, source, processing, bio note), added FA title, added FA date from EAD, and added component with instances previously attached to collection level.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu