John Garibaldi Civil War papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
345 Letcher Ave.
Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak
Phone: (540) 464-7516
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7089
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:

John Garibaldi Papers, MS 0284, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia

Summary

Extent:
42 items
Creator:
Garibaldi, John, 1831-1914
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

John Garibaldi Papers, MS 0284, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia

Background

Scope and content:

This collection consists of the Civil War papers of John Garibaldi. The bulk of the collection consists of 38 letters (dated 1861-1864) written by Garibaldi to his wife Sarah Garibaldi (Poor) during his service in the Confederate Army (27th Virginia Infantry Regiment). Primary topics include:

  • Camp life
  • The hardships of war for both soldiers and civilians
  • Battles and skirmishes, including Chancellorsville (Virginia) and Gettysburg (Pennsylvania)
  • Other members of the 27th Virginia Infantry Regiment
  • Family news
The letter dated May 11, 1863 discusses the death of General Stonewall Jackson.

The papers also include one letter (dated 1863) from William H. McPherson to Sarah Garibaldi (Poor) and three letters from Garibaldi to his daughter (dated 1904) written in 1904.

Biographical / historical:

John Garibaldi, a Confederate soldier, was born in Genoa, Italy, on April 30, 1831. He immigrated to the United States 1851, where he married Sarah Ann Virginia Poor of Botetourt County, Virginia.

During the Civil War Garibaldi served as 3rd Sergeant, Company C, 27th Virginia Infantry Regiment (Stonewall Brigade). He was captured at Kernstown, Virginia on March 23, 1862 and sent to Ft. Delaware, Delaware prison. Garibaldi was exchanged on August 5, 1862 and returned to duty until captured at Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia on May 12, 1864. He was again imprisoned at Ft. Delaware and was exchanged for the second time on October 30, 1864.

After the War Garibaldi was a teacher and farmer in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He died in Big Island, Bedford County, Virginia, on September 8, 1914 and is buried in Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, Lexington, Virginia.

Physical location:
Manuscripts stacks