John F. McDonald Letter
Scope and Content
This April 21st, 1863 letter is from John F. McDonald, Confederate North Carolina soldier to his cousin, also named John McDonald, describing the Richmond Bread Riot of April 2nd, 1863. McDonald describes around three thousand women rioting and plundering stores for food and jewelry and he clarifies that none were the wives of soldiers. Included is the envelope.
Dates
- Creation: 1863
Language of Materials
The material in this collection is 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.
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Biographical Note
Dealer says "McDonald enlisted in the 33rd North Carolina Infantry as the First Sergeant of G Company in 1861 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in 1863."
Full Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Abstract
This April 21st, 1863 letter is from John F. McDonald, Confederate North Carolina soldier to his cousin, also named John McDonald, describing the Richmond Bread Riot of April 2nd, 1863. McDonald describes around three thousand women rioting and plundering stores for food and jewelry and he clarifies that none were the wives of soldiers. Included is the envelope.
Source of Acquisition
This collection was purchased by Special Collections and University Archives in May 2026.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the John F. McDonald 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, arrangement, and description of the John F. McDonald Letter was completed in September 2026.
- Title
- John F. McDonald Letter, 1863
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Victoria Feigert, Archives Intern
- Date
- 2026 (CC0 1.0)
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
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