Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from McCurdy Letter to "Dear Friend Sara" must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: McCurdy Letter to "Dear Friend Sara", Ms2017-040, Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The McCurdy Letter to "Dear Friend Sara" was purchased by Special Collections in June 2017.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the McCurdy Letter to "Dear Friend Sara" was completed in October 2017.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of a letter signed "McCurdy" written on December 19, 1862 to "Dear Friend Sara." The letter includes detailed descriptions of the fighting around Fredericksburg in December 1862. Much of the letter is taken up by MCurdy's experiences during the battle and the aftermath in the city. At one point, McCurdy parallels his experiences to the French Revolution, referencing Victor Hugo's Les Miserables . Toward the end of the letter, he mentions a letter written for a paper and a satirical poem in a different issue of the same paper. He tells her of a poem of his own he is writing, "Deacon Glenare," and provides her with two stanzas.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Civil War
• Correspondence
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865