Adana Bocock Letter 1861

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:
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

This May 11, 1861 letter of Adana Bocock, Fincastle, Virginia, to "My Dear Augusta," describes life at an unidentified female academy. She mentions that she and her classmates made uniforms for the Fincastle Rifles, a Confederate infantry company, and the mustering of a mock company of her classmates as "the Female Dare Devils." Bocock also mentions a Mr. Gould (her teacher) and her studies in "Arithmetic, Philosophy, Grammar, Dictionary, Rhetoric and French." [Board meetings and advertisements for a "Fincastle Female Academy" and a "Fincastle Female Seminary" appear in the September 1, 1848 (page 4, column 3) and October 22, 1858 (page 3, column 4) issues of The Valley Whig, published in Fincastle, Botetourt County.]

The Fincastle Rifes were Company D of the 11th Virginia Infantry Regiment. As the Fincastle Rifles of Botetourt County the unit was founded in December 1859 in response to John Brown's Harpers Ferry raid. The 11th was reorganized at Lynchburg in May 1861 and became a Confederate regiment in July. Its members were from the counties of Botetourt, Campbell, Culpeper, Fauquier, Montgomery, and Rockbridge. The regiment fought in many of the Army of Northern Virginia's major campaigns (First and Second Manassas, Williamsburg, Suffolk, Gettysburg, Cold Harbor, and Petersburg) until it surrendered at Sayler's Creek in April 1865.

Acquisition information:
This letter was purchased by the Special Collections Department on July 5, 1996.
Physical location:
Physical description:
1 item