Achilles James Tynes Letters, 1864-1951

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888

Summary

Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

Letters, 1864-1951, of Achilles J. Tynes (1833-1914) of Tazewell County, Virginia, to his wife Harriet Louisa Fudge Tynes (1842-1922) discussing military life, including campaigns in southwest Virginia, the Shenandoah Valley, and West Virginia. He describes various fights, including the battles of Lynchburg, 3rd Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, and Waynesboro. He comments on various Confederate generals such as Robert E. Lee (1807-1870), John McCausland (1836-1927), Albert Gallatin Jenkins (1830-1864), Jubal Early (1816-1894), Thomas Rosser (1836-1910), Lunsford Lindsey Lomax (1835-1913), and Fitzhugh Lee (1835-1905), and their Union army counterparts Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), George Crook (1828-1890), William Averell (1832-1900), David Hunter (1802-1886), and Philip Sheridan (1831-1888). Tynes details his day-to-day activities and offers advice to his wife regarding the homefront difficulties she faces during the war. Also includes a letter to his father Samuel Tynes (1811-1879) concerning the war. Also contains a letter, 15 September 1910, from William S. Grimes concerning Toland's Raid and the 26th Virginia Infantry Battalion. Also includes letter, 1 November 1950, from W. Edwin Hemphill (1912-) of the Virginia State Library to Buford C. Tynes (1884-1954) of Huntingdon, West Virginia, concerning the ride of Molly Tynes (1837-1891) to alert inhabitants of Tazewell County about Toland's Raid, and Tynes' reply to Hemphill, 3 November 1950. Also includes a letter, 15 May 1951, from Buford C. Tynes to Achilles L. Tynes (1873-1952) of Staunton, Virginia, regarding the Kanawha Valley during the Civil War.

Biographical / historical:

Achilles James Tynes was born 29 November 1833 in Montgomery County, Virginia, to Smuel Tynes (1811-1879) and Frances Herndon Haythe Tynes (1812-1869). Tynes moved to Tazewell County, Virginia, from Roanoke County, Virginia, in 1857. When the Civil War began, Tynes enlisted in the 8th Virginia Cavalry 25 July 1861, helping to form Company H. Appointed a captain 15 May 1862, he served until the end of the war and was paroled 22 May 1865 in Charleston, West Virginia. After the war, Tynes returned to Tazewell County to farm. He established a woolen mill factory in the county and also helped establish the county's public schools. He served as president of the Tazewell Street Railway Company which brought electricity to the county. Tynes married Harriet Louisa Fudge (1842-1922) 2 March 1864, and they had eleven children. Tynes died 11 November 1914 in Tazewell County.

Acquisition information:
Lent for copying by Harriet Louisa Tynes, 1009 Carolina Street, Greensboro, North Carolina, 23 March 1972. Originals owned by A. Lacy Tynes of Leesburg, Virginia.
Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically.

Physical description:
159 leaves, negative photostats