Duke Family Papers 1836 and 1865-1919

Access and use

Location of collection:
University of Virginia, Special Collections Dept.
Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
P.O. Box 400110
160 McCormick Rd
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Brenda Gunn
Phone: (434) 924-1037
Phone: (434) 243-1776
Fax: (434) 924-4968

Summary

Creator:
William E. Duke and Mrs. Gerald C. Kinne
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This addition to the papers of the Duke familyof Charlottesville, Virginia, consists of twenty-one items, 1836, and 1865-1919, chiefly the correspondence of Colonel Richard Thomas Walker Dukeand his son, Judge Richard Thomas Walker Duke, Jr.

One letter to Col. Duke (February 6, 1865) from W. F. Alexander, concerns the claim of the Albemarle Poor Housefor wood used by the Confederate troops while encamped upon land adjacent to their property. There are four letters from Col. Duke to his wife, Elizabeth Eskridge Duke, written while he was a prisoner of war on Johnson's Island, a Union prison camp at Sandusky Bay, Lake Erie, for Confederate officers. Col. Duke was sent there after being captured on April 6, 1865 at Sayler's Creek.

Duke reports that the prisoners of war received good treatment from General Ulysses S. Grant's men, who divided their rations with them and did not submit them to taunts or insults during the march north, and he also mentions that the living conditions of the prison itself were quite bearable (April 20, 1865).

In a later letter (June 9, 1865), he asks his wife to write a letter to President Andrew Johnsonfor his release as all officers above the rank of major will be released only upon special application. He tells her to bring up several points in her petition: 1) he is needed at home to provide for her and their children, 2) he has no influential friends to work on his behalf to secure his release, 3) he is opposed to guerilla war and he refused to allow his son William to join John Singleton Mosby's Raiders.

Duke reports the release of all prisoners below the rank of major and again requests his wife's aid in securing a special release for himself. In this letter (June 10, 1865), he suggests that she write to General Grant telling him that their income is limited, he is needed at home, she will be responsible for his good behavior, he is opposed to guerilla war, and that he applied on April 25 to take the amnesty oath. In addition, he tells her to go to the commander of the Federal forces in Charlottesvilleand ask him to write to General Grant to secure a release for him based on character references from leading citizens of Charlottesville. Col. R. T. W. Dukealso furnishes a detailed description of the Johnson's Islandprison and the place of confinement called the "Bull pen", mentioning the gardens of some of the officers, the rations of bread, meat, salt, soap, beans, and hominy, and the presence of a sutter and his store in the pen.

In the fourth letter, he writes concerning the decision of his former slave Janeto leave the Duke farm before his return home, and he tells his wife to get the others to stay on until he can negotiate their hire (June 29, 1865).

Other family letters include one from Col. Duke to his son, R. T. W. Duke, Jr.describing a fierce political vote in the Virginia General Assemblyduring the readjuster controversy (January 25, 1880), and letters from Mary Duke, Eskridge Duke, Walker Duke, and Jack Dukeconcerning family news.

Letters from John Singleton Mosbyto R.T.W. Duke, Jr.written while Mosby was employed for the United States Justice Departmentcontain the following topics: Mosby calls the attempt to blame James Ewell Brown Stuartfor the Confederate defeat at the Battle of Gettysburgas "one of the greatest crimes in history" (April 17, 1908); Mosby discourses on his great distaste for the "profession" of football in the universities and argues that "it is more talked about at the University than literature or science"; he bemoans the irony that "Cockfighting is a criminal offense in Virginia but killing a man at football is not" (December 1, 1909); and he speaks with pleasure of his reception at the University of Virginiaand in Albemarle County(May 10, 1915).

Other printed or miscellaneous items include an invitation to the inauguaration of Edwin A. Aldermanas president of the University of Virginiaon April 13, 1905; a postcard picture of Confederate veterans taken at the unveiling of the Confederate Soldier's Monumentat Buckingham Court Houseon June 30, 1908, which included R. T. W. Duke, Jr.; and the British Identity Book issued to R. T. W. Duke, Jr.on February 5, 1919.

Acquisition information:
This collection was given to the Library on April 15, 1987 by Mr. William E. Duke of Richmond, Virginia, and Mrs. Gerald C. Kinne of Setauket, New York.
Physical location:
Physical description:
21 items