Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Abisha Ruckman Gum letters, 1861-1869. Accession 54281. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Harold L. Crist, Arbovale, West Virginia

Biographical Information

Abisha Ruckman Gum was born to Isaac and Mary Jane Ruckman Gum on 16 July 1842 in Highland County, Virginia. Abisha served in Company F, 25th Virginia Infantry, Confederate States Army between the years 1861 and 1864. Abisha died while imprisoned at the Point Lookout Prison, Maryland, on 24/25 October 1864. He is buried in the Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery, located on Point Lookout Road about two miles south of Scotland, Maryland. Abisha's home was in the Mill Gap area of Highland County, Virginia.

Scope and Content

Letters, 1861-1869, written to and from Abisha R. Gum (1842-1864), while serving with the 25th Virginia Infantry, Company F. The letters were written between Abisha and his family including his father, Isaac, and sisters, Nancy and Priscilla E. Gum, of Mill Gap, Higland County, Virginia. Topics include news of friends and family, battles, cost of food, fellow soldiers who were injured or killed, and his feelings on the war. Includes mentions of the Battle of Gettysburg, battles in Maryland, and Culpeper County, Virginia. Includes transcriptions provided by the donor. Also includes two letters, 1867, 1869, from Nancy Wade (1816-1882) of Pettis County, Missouri, to members of the Gum family.

Abisha R. Gum letters and transcripts are available online. Abisha R. Gum biographical and genealogical information, service record, casualties at the battle of Winchester and Cedar Creek, and Nancy Wade letters, 1867, 1869, are not available online.