G. Lyman Dwight Correspondence
Scope and Content
This collection contains three letters written by Gamaliel Lyman Dwight Jr. of batteries A and B, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery during the American Civil War. The letters are written from Muddy Branch Camp (Montgomery County, Maryland), November 16, 1861; outpost near Conrad's Ferry [Maryland], January 15, 1862; and camp near Falmouth, Virginia, April 12, 1863. Two of the letters are addressed to "St. Helena" (Dwight's pet name for close friend Mrs. Sarah Helen Whitman, one-time fiance of Edgar Allan Poe). The third is simply addressed to "My dear Saint." Dwight writes of art, literature, poetry, photography, and nature, often mentioning mutual acquaintances, chiefly "St. Emma" and "St. Anna." On November 16, 1861, he describes the local fall foliage, noting that it suffers in comparison to that of New England, and mentions a pair of horseshoe charms that he keeps with him. On April 12, 1863, Dwight reports being in charge of his battery.
Dates
- 1861 - 1863
Creator
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
Gamaliel Lyman Dwight Jr., son of Gamaliel L. and Catherine Henshaw Jones Dwight, was born on February 3, 1841. A student at the outbreak of the American Civil War, Dwight enlisted as a private in Battery A, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery. He rose through the ranks and on November 29, 1861 was promoted to second lieutenant and transferred to Battery B. On November 4, 1862, Dwight was promoted to 1st lieutenant and transferred back to Battery A, and was later promoted to captain and given command of the battery. Dwight mustered out of the service on July 17, 1864. Following his military service, he returned to school, graduating from Brown and from Harvard Medical School. He appears in the 1870 federal census as a medical student living in Boston. Dwight married Anne Ives Carrington (1849-1904) in 1871; the couple had one daughter. Gamaliel Lyman Dwight died on January 19, 1875, and was buried in North Burial Ground, Providence (Providence County), Rhode Island.
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
Three letters written by Gamaliel Lyman Dwight (1841-1875) of Batteries A and B, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery during the American Civil War, written from camps in Maryland and Virginia to close friend "St. Helena" (Sarah H. Whitman) and focusing on literature, poetry, art, nature, and mutual acquaintances.
Source of Acquisition
The G. Lyman Dwight Letters were purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in 1989.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the G. Lyman Dwight Correspondence 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 G. Lyman Dwight Letters commenced and was completed in February 2022.
- Title
- G. Lyman Dwight Correspondence, 1861-1863
- 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
- 2020-09-04: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
- 2021-05-26: LM Rozema added missing notes for an unprocessed collection (abstract, source, processing, bio), 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