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William Gildersleeve Vardell Letters

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-1995-016

Scope and Content

The William Gildersleeve Vardell Letters consist of photocopies of 48 letters from Vardell to his wife Jennie, written between August 1862 and August 1863, while he was encamped in Montgomery, Alabama, and Jackson, Mississippi. He writes longs and eloquent letters about news and effects of the war and battles, items he would like sent from home, and the strength of his Christian faith, among other topics. One letter is to Mrs. J. Jackson written in October 1882.

Dates

  • 1862-1863, 1882

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

Permission to publish the William Gildersleeve Vardell Letters requires permission from the donor. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Biographical Note

William Gildersleeve Vardell (1829-1897) of South Carolina was a Major in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He served in the Quartermaster's Department attached to the Holcomb Legion and the 17th, 18th, 22nd, and 23rd South Carolina regiments. Vardell married Jane "Jennie" Dickson Bell in 1857 and had eight children with her. Vardell became a Presbyterian minister in 1885 and served as the pastor of Johns Island Presbyterian Church from 1885 to 1897.

Source: William Gildersleeve Vardell

Extent

0.2 Cubic Feet (1 box)

Abstract

William Gildersleeve Vardell (1829-1897) of South Carolina was a Major in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. This collection contains photocopies of 48 wartime letters from Vardell to his wife, and 1 letter from 1882 to Mrs. J. Jackson.

Source of Acquisition

The collection was donated to Special Collections and University Archives prior to 2002.

Related Archival Materials

The South Carolina Historical Society maintains the William G. Vardell letters, Manuscript 0271.00.

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the William Gildersleeve Vardell Letters 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, arrangement, and description of the William Gildersleeve Vardell Letters was completed in December 2023.

Title
William Gildersleeve Vardell Letters, 1862-1863, 1882
Status
Completed
Author
Special Collections and University Archives Staff
Date
2014 (CC0 1.0)
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • 2020-09-24: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
  • 2021-04-29: 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

Contact:
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308