H. Feild Letter
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a single four-page letter written by Confederate surgeon H. Feild (presumably Hume Feild) during the American Civil War. Dated from Petersburg, Virginia, on January 5, 1865, the letter is addressed to "my esteemed friend." After extending congratulations for his friend's recent wedding, Feild expresses despondency over the recent course of the war, then recounts his recent experiences, having been temporarily assigned to duty in Abingdon, Virginia, until two politicians intervened on his behalf. Feild concludes with news of mutual acquaintances.
Dates
- 1865
Creator
- Feild, H. (Person)
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to 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 / Historical
The presumed writer of this letter, Hume Feild, was born on November 10, 1829. A son of Dr. John and Mary Bolling Feild, of Brunswick County, Virginia, the younger Feild obtained his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1850, and practiced medicine with his father. He married Lucy Osborne Jones (1833-1900) in Brunswick County on October 25, 1851. The 1860 federal census lists the Feilds and three Feild children as residents of Dinwiddie County, Virginia. During the American Civil War, Feild served as an assistant surgeon in the Confederate States Army, being assigned to the 15th Virginia Infantry on May 24, 1862. By February 1865, he had been appointed to duty as assistant surgeon at the general hospital in Petersburg, Virginia. Following the war, Feild returned to Dinwiddie County and private practice. The Feilds apparently divorced in the 1880s; Hume Feild married Anna Westmore Atkinson (1856-1946) in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, on April 17, 1889. Feild died August 15, 1891, and was buried in Concord Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Rawlings (Brunswick County).
Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder )
Abstract
Letter from Confederate surgeon H. Feild, written at the general hospital in Petersburg, Virginia, "to my esteemed friend," on January 5, 1865, describing the suffering in the land and the cries of the wounded.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The H. Feild Letter was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in 1992.
Existence and Location of Copies
Typed transcript available.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the H. Feild 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 H. Feild Letter commenced and was completed in October, 2023.
- Title
- H. Feild Letter, 1865
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- John M. Jackson
- Date
- 2023 (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Revision Statements
- 2020-09-18: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
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