Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Nathaniel C. Wilson and Related Papers, MS 0490 Virginia Military Institute Archives

Biographical Information

Nathaniel Claiborne Wilson, Class of 1861: Born- September 12, 1839. Matriculated from Fincastle, Va. At VMI 1 year, 1 month. At UVa 1859-60. Military Record: Entered service at Craig Court House May 15, 1861 for 1 year as Capt, Company B, 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment. On recruiting service February-April, 1862. Elected Maj May 1, 1862 at re-organization. Sightly wounded in action (face) June 1, 1862 at Seven Pines. Wounded in action (thigh) at Gaine's Mill. Went into Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg telling men "Now, boys, put your trust in God and follow me!" Killed in action. Died- July 3, 1863.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of miscellaneous Civil War papers of Nathaniel C. Wilson (VMI Class of 1861) and misc. papers of other family members. Of the N. C. Wilson portion of the collection, the most significant item is a diary-account book fragment which includes entries (July 25th-July 3, the day of his death) from Pennsylvania and the battlefield at Gettysburg. Other N. C. Wilson items include two letters written while he was a student at the University of Virginia in 1859-1860, and one letter written during the war from Camp near Greenville, VA (March 14, 1863). The rest of the papers consist of papers of various Wilson and related family members, including correspondence, legal/financial papers, and ephemera.