Valentine, Jackson L., Petition, 1863. 1 item. Mss2D8854a1.
A petition, 8 October 1863, signed by Jackson L. Valentine (b. 1825?) and fifty-one other Hanover County residents, presented to the Confederate Bureau of Conscription requesting that Edmund C. Duke (b. 1818) be deferred from military service on the grounds that he is needed at home to care for his wife and eight young children.

Van Lew, Elizabeth Louisa, Album, 1845–1897. 1 volume. Mss5:5V3257:1. Microfilm reel C309.
This collection consists of an album, kept by Elizabeth Louisa Van Lew (1818–1900) of Richmond, containing correspondence and materials concerning her life before, during, and after the Civil War. Wartime items include a patient discharge, 1 March 1864, issued to John Newton Van Lew (1823–1895) of the 18th Virginia Infantry Regiment by John T. Broune of Chimborazo Hospital, Richmond (p. 11); a pass, 25 March 1862, issued by the Confederate War Department to Miss E. G. Carrington of Richmond, permitting her to travel freely within the city (p. 12); a military service exemption, 20 December 1862, issued to G. W. Thomas (p. 12); a pass, 26 October 1863, issued to John Van Lew McCreery (b. 1835) permitting him to visit Richmond for seven days (p. 13); a pass, 6 July 1864, issued to Elizabeth Van Lew allowing her to travel to Chaffin's Farm, east of Richmond (p. 13); and a broadside, 7 April 1862, announcing the impending passage of Confederate troops through Richmond and a call for citizens to provide food for the soldiers (p. 17).

Venable, Andrew Reid, Letter, 1888. 1 item. Mss2V5512a1.
A letter, 7 June 1888, from Andrew Reid Venable (1832–1909), former member of J. E. B. Stuart's staff, to Fitzhugh Lee (1835–1905) concerning Venable's recollections of the battle of Yellow Tavern.

Venable, Charles Scott, Papers, 1876–1897. 29 items. Mss2V5515b.
This collection contains the postwar correspondence and notes of Charles Scott Venable (1827–1900), former member of Robert E. Lee's staff, concerning aspects of the Army of Northern Virginia. Correspondents include George Campbell Brown ([1840–1893] concerning the battle of Sailor's Creek), Joseph Robert Davis (concerning the conduct of James Johnston Pettigrew's brigade at the battle of Gettysburg), Jubal A. Early (concerning Robert E. Lee's initial report of the battle of Gettysburg and the operations of Richard Stoddert Ewell's Corps at the battle of the Wilderness), John Brown Gordon (concerning the battle of Spotsylvania Court House), Armistead Lindsay Long (concerning A. P. Hill), James Longstreet (concerning the "Lee to the rear" episode during the battle of the Wilderness), William Mahone (concerning the fate of a note sent to Mahone by Lee after the battle of the Crater). Also included is a letter, 25 July 1879, from Venable to James Longstreet discussing Longstreet's role in the battle of the Wilderness; an unidentified letter, 188[?], regarding the Confederate retreat from Gettysburg, Pa., in July 1863; and undated notes on Lee's personal movements from 16 to 18 June 1864, the "Lee to the rear" incident during the battle of the Wilderness, and the final Union assault against the Petersburg lines on 2 April 1865.

Venable, George Henry, Papers, 1862–1868. 7 items. Mss2V5516b.
This collection contains the papers of George Henry Venable (1828–1869) of Petersburg. Wartime items include letters, 1862–1864, to Elizabeth Venable (b. 1806) of Oxford, N.C., from Augustus Landis (b. 1833) of the 12th North Carolina Infantry Regiment concerning, in part, his recuperation from a wound suffered at the battle of Gaines' Mill (b2), and from George Henry Venable regarding teachers and Confederate military service and a visit to Robert E. Lee's headquarters at Violet Bank, Chesterfield County, during the Petersburg campaign (b3–4). Also included is a letter, 13 August 1863, from Daniel Harvey Hill to Samuel Cooper recommending Micah Jenkins for promotion (b7).

Vincent, John Bell, Diary, 1864–1865. 1 volume. Mss5:1V7437:1. Microfilm reel C622.
Kept by John Bell Vincent (1834–1899) of the 41st Virginia Infantry Regiment, this diary, 30 May 1864–17 April 1865, contains brief entries recording daily duties and observations of military operations around Petersburg. Included among the entries are descriptions of the battle of the Crater, the final Union assault on Confederate lines at Petersburg on 2 April 1865, and Lee's retreat to Appomattox.

Virginia, General Assembly, Resolution, ca. 1865. 1 item. Mss4V8a30.
A draft copy of a resolution, ca. 1865, presented to the Virginia General Assembly concerning the employment of slaves in all work other than as soldiers to release Confederate army troops for active service.

Virginia Militia, Brunswick Guard, Records, 1859–1861. 9 items. Mss12:1859:2.
Contains the records of the Brunswick Guard Militia (later Company A of the 5th Virginia Infantry Battalion). Included are a minute book (containing names of new members, parade and drill announcements, and punishments for non-attendance), lists of members, resolutions, affidavits, and a requisition for fuel for Fletcher Harris Archer (1817–1902) while serving at Hardy's Bluff, Isle of Wight County.

Virginia Militia, 1st Regiment Second Class Militia, Report, 1865. 1 item. Mss12:1865 April 2:1.
A report, 2 April 1865, of guards posted at Castle Thunder Prison and Mayo's Bridge in Richmond, by the 1st Virginia Regiment of Second Class Militia.

Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth, Letterbook, 1861–1864. 1 volume. Mss5:2H125:1.
Consists of a letterbook, 1861–1864, containing the correspondence of A. Hagans and W. J. Cowing, while serving in the administration of Francis Harrison Pierpont (1814–1899), governor of West Virginia and of the restored state of Virginia, concerning the raising and supply of West Virginia Unionist troops, military appointments, and administrative issues.

Voris, Alvin Coe, Papers, 1861–1882. 1 volume. Typescript copy. Mss1V9154a.
This collection consists of a bound volume containing photocopies of typed transcripts of letters, 22 December 1861–1 December 1865, from Alvin Coe Voris (1827–1904) of the 67th Ohio Infantry Regiment, to his wife, Lydia (Allyn) Voris (d. 1876). The bulk of the letters concern Voris's service during the war throughout Virginia and in South Carolina. Included are detailed descriptions of army life, Voris's impressions of Virginia and its citizens, his service on Folly and Morris islands, S.C., in 1863, and his experiences at the battle of Kernstown and in the Bermuda Hundred and Petersburg campaigns. Edited versions of Voris's letters were published as A Citizen-Soldier's Civil War: The Letters of Brevet Major General Alvin C. Voris (DeKalb, Ill., 2002), edited by Jerome Mushkat.

Updated June 25, 2007