Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction .

Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [folder], Charles Henry Howe Collection, 1862, undated, Ms2023-022, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Charles Henry Howe Collection was donated to Special Collections and University Archives in November 2019.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Charles Henry Howe Collection was completed in May 2023.

Biographical Note

Charles Henry Howe was born on May 4, 1845 in Lancaster, Massachusetts. He is one of three sons of Ebenezer Wilson Howe and Ann Blanchard. During the American Civil War, Howe enlisted on August 15, 1862 after getting his parents to consent as he was only seventeen at the time. He served in Company G of the 36th Massachusetts Infantry. Howe was taken prisoner in December of 1863 and was taken to Andersonville Prison in Georgia. Howe never made it out of the prison, and on August 27, 1864, he passed away and was buried at the prison. Only one member of Howe's unit that had been captured managed to survive.

Scope and Content

This collection contains a November 22, 1862 letter from Charles Henry Howe to his parents, as well as the envelope that the letter was mailed in and five souvenirs from White Sulphur Springs identified in the letter. Howe wrote the letter to update his parents on his condition and to inform them of his movements. Howe also thanked his parents for sending supplies and asked them to send him mittens, handkerchiefs, tobacco, and tea. Howe describes the souvenirs in the letter: "The piece of wood in diamond form is made from a piece of billiard table. The one in oval form is made of a splendid secretary. The rough piece is made from a ten-pin ball from the bowling alley." Howe also mentions a piece of marble that was mailed in a later letter that was taken from the statue of the Goddess of Liberty. The collection also contains a brief biography of Howe and transcript of the letter with pictures of the souvenirs and envelope.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Civil War
• Greenbrier (White Sulphur Springs, W. Va.)
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Charles Henry Howe Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).