Joseph H. Carpenter papers, 1852/1864

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
411 Letcher Avenue
Virginia Military Institute
Lexington, VA 24450
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak
Phone: (540) 464-7516
Restrictions:

There are no restrictions

Terms of access:

Manuscript collections in the VMI Archives are made available for educational and research use. The VMI Archives should be cited as the source. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any copyright holders. Materials from our collections may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission from the VMI Archives. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Preferred citation:

Joseph H. Carpenter papers, 1852-1864. MS 0333. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Summary

Extent:
7 items
Creator:
Carpenter, Joseph H. (Joseph Hannah), 1834-1863, Karnes, Benjamin, and Echols, John, 1823-1896
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Joseph H. Carpenter papers, 1852-1864. MS 0333. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection (seven items) consists of:

  • A manuscript notebook compiled by Joseph H. Carpenter during his cadetship (1852-1856). The notebook contains poetry, class notes, autographs of classmates, and a detailed account of a Corps trip to Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia in October 1855.
  • Two letters written by Carpenter to his father in 1862, including a letter dated June 16, 1862 that describes fighting near Port Republic, Virginia
  • Letter of recommendation written on Carpenter's behalf by Brigadier General John Echols and submitted to Confederate President Jefferson Davis
  • Two commission documents (1861)
  • One letter (dated July 17, 1864) where Carpenter's Battery member Sergeant Benjamin Karnes describes circumstances surrounding the wounding of a fellow soldier. This letter was found among Carpenter's own papers.

Biographical / historical:

Joseph H. Carpenter was born in 1834 in Covington, Virginia. He graduated from VMI in 1856. During the Civil War he served as a Captain, Company A, 27th Virginia Infantry Regiment (later converted to an artillery company known as Carpenter's Battery). Carpenter was wounded at Cedar Mountain, Virginia in 1862 and died from the wound on February 5, 1863.

Physical location:
Manuscripts stacks