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The bulk of the Andrew C. L. Gatewood papers consist of 28 letters (dated 1860-1864) written by Gatewood to his parents and other family members. Early letters describe life at VMI and in Lexington, Virginia, just prior to and during early months of the Civil War. Subsequent letters date from Gatewood's service with the 11th Virginia Cavalry Regiment, Company F (Bath Squadron), including a letter (dated September 1862) written after the Second Battle of Manassas (2nd Bull Run).

The bulk of the Charles A. Derby papers consists of Derby family correspondence. Approximately twenty-eight letters were written by Charles A. Derby (dated 1844-1862) and cover the period from late boyhood up to his death in battle in 1862. Included are letters (dated 1846-1847) written while he was a cadet at VMI, as well as correspondence dating from his careers as a teacher and Episcopal clergyman. Two items were written during his brief service in the Confederate Army.

The collection consists of related to three members of the Fulkerson family: Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1822-1862), his brother Abram Fulkerson, Jr. (1834-1902), and Abram's son, Samuel Vance Fulkerson (1863-1926). Significant items include:

• Civil War correspondence (dated March-May 1862) written by Samuel V. Fulkerson (1822-1862)
• Samuel V. Fulkerson's (1822-1862) reports of the Battle of McDowell and the Battle of Winchester (dated May and June 1862)
• Wartime correspondence (dated 1863 and 1865) written by Abram Fulkerson, Jr. Two letters were written while he was a prisoner of war.
• A letter of appreciation (dated September 1862) written by General Stonewall Jackson following Samuel V. Fulkerson's (1822-1862) death in battle

• Battles of Port Republic and Kernstown
• Death of Turner Ashby
• Refugee and civilian life
• Camp life
• References to Stonewall Jackson, including Samuel V. Fulkerson's (1822-1862 assessment of his character and Abram Fulkerson, Jr.'s reflections following the Jackson's death

The James H. Reid papers consist of the Civil War correspondence (18 items) of Reid. Included are 14 letters (dated August-November 1862) from Reid to his parents written while he was a fourth classman at VMI. This correspondence contains many references to wartime cadet life, including the use of the term "rat" as a name for new cadets, hazing, uniforms, food, guard duty, and other aspects of life at VMI.

The James W. Massie papers consist of the personal papers (40 items) of Massie, including:

• Incoming correspondence (1855-1857)
• Civil War papers, primarily incoming letters, orders, and commissions (1861-1863)
• Post-War papers, including letters written by Massie's wife, Sophonisba Breckinridge McDowell (Massie), and documents related to their son, James McDowell Massie
• Confederate bonds
• Envelopes

The John E. Roller papers include:

• Civil War era letters from cadet friends concerning life at VMI
• Civil War dispatches and telegrams that date from Roller's service with the Confederate States of America engineers, including one document signed by General Robert E. Lee
• One scrapbook (circa 1910) that contains clippings about Civil War battles, veterans, unit reunions, monument dedications, and other related information
• Two photographs, one of Confederate soldier Lieutenant Colonel Samuel T. Walker (10th Virginia Infantry Regiment) and one of the Virginia Legislature Centennial Committee (1871)
• Holograph text of a cadet literary-debating society speech delivered by Cadet Norwood B. Randolph in 1870
• Other items

The Samuel S. Brooke papers consist of the personal papers (11 items) Brooke. The papers include five letters (dated 1862-1864) to and from family members that are largely concerned with personal family matters, but include some references to the Civil War and civilian life in Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia. Other topics include the 47th Virginia Infantry Regiment, including comments about camp life.

The Stonewall Jackson papers consist primarily of the personal papers of Civil War General Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (1824-1863). The bulk of the letters date from the pre-Civil War period and concern professional, personal, and domestic matters, including many in which Jackson writes about his religious faith, his concerns about health and diet, and his family.

The Thomas H. Williamson papers include:

• Civil War memoirs, in which Williamson discusses the events that took place during his temporary assignment to the command of Major General Stonewall Jackson beginning in April 1862
• Lecture notes (1850s) used in teaching engineering and architecture courses at VMI
• Two copies of the textbook written by Williamson for use at VMI titled "An Elementary Course of Architecture and Civil Engineering"
• Williamson family genealogical material
• Correspondence

This collection consists of three Civil War era letters (1862-1863) from Confederate soldier Thomas M. Wade, Jr. to his sister Lou, written while he was serving as a Private in the 1st Rockbridge Artillery Battery. Topics include daily camp life, personal news, and brief references to Stonewall Jackson and the battle at Antietam (Sharpsburg), Maryland. The collection also includes one post-war photograph of Wade (circa 1875).