Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Hunter Holmes McGuire Letters, 1861-1871. Accession 24207. Personal Papers Collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Lent for copying, 27 August 1954, by Hunter McGuire, Richmond, Virginia.

Biographical Information

Hunter Holmes McGuire was born 11 October 1835 in Winchester, Virginia, to Hugh Holmes McGuire (1801-1875) and Ann Eliza Moss McGuire (ca. 1808-1878). He attended Winchester Academy and then studied medicine at the Winchester Medical College. After receiving his degree there in 1855, he went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to study at the University of Pennsylvania and Jefferson Medical College. Poor health forced McGuire to leave Philadelphia and return to Winchester where he became professor of anatomy at Winchester Medical College in 1857. Returning to Philadelphia to continue his studies, McGuire led a walkout of 300 southern medical students because of John Brown's Raid at Harper's Ferry. Many of these students ended up at the Medical College of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia. McGuire went to New Orleans, Louisiana to continue his education and career, but returned to Virginia when the Civil War began. He enlisted as a private soldier, but was appointed medical director of Stonewall Jackson's (1824-1863) Army of the Shenandoah. He served as Jackson's medical director and his personal physician until Jackson's death. He then served as medical director for the II Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia under Richard Ewell (1817-1872) and for the Army of the Valley under Jubal Early (1816-1894). McGuire was captured by Union troops in March 1865 but was quickly paroled and released. In 1865 he was appointed professor of surgery at the Medical College of Virginia, and served until his resignation in 1878. That year he founded St. Luke's Hospital in Richmond. The Medical College of Virginia appointed McGuire professor emeritus in 1880. McGuire wrote on medical matters and on the Civil War. He led a campaign to rework Virginia's educational system to remove what he perceived to be northern bias. McGuire married Mary Stuart (1844-1933) of Staunton,Virginia, and they had nine children. McGuire died in Richmond 19 September 1900 and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery.

Scope and Content

Letters, 1861-1871, of Dr. Hunter Holmes McGuire (1835-1900) concerning the first battle of Manassas including a map sketch; a visit to the troops by Jefferson Davis (1808-1889), McGuire's health, and Stonewall Jackson's (1824-1863) thanks to McGuire's mother for grapes; Jackson's health; Jubal Early's (1816-1894) post-war activities and opinion on articles by former Confederates concerning the war; thanks from Robert E. Lee (1807-1870) for a package; Confederate morale; and Turner Ashby (1828-1862). Papers also include a letter, 26 February 1862, from Stonewall Jackson to General Daniel Harvey Hill's (1821-1889) position at Harper's Ferry, and a letter, 29 March 1864, from General Robert E. Lee to his son General George Washington Custis Lee (1832-1913) concerning a promotion for G. W. C. Lee and war news.