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Executive letter book contains the outgoing correspondence of Governor James L. Kemper between 1874 and 1877, arranged chronologically. Letters were written by Governor Kemper, clerk P. F. Howard, Secretary of the Commonwealth James McDonald, and personal secretaries Meade C. Kemper, S. Bassett French, Baker P. Lee, and Charles Rutledge Whipple. Governor Kemper corresponded with a variety of individuals in federal and state government as well as important private indiviudals,on issues including the state war debt, prisoners and the Penitentiary, the volunteer militia, the Petersburg city government bill veto, requests for patronage, the Centennial Exhibition, the Virginia Military Institute, boundary disputes with West Virginia and Maryland, and the Foley statue of Stonewall Jackson. The letter book also includes a number of messages addressed to the Senate and House of Delegates of Virginia.

The bulk of the Andrew C. L. Gatewood papers consist of 28 letters (dated 1860-1864) written by Gatewood to his parents and other family members. Early letters describe life at VMI and in Lexington, Virginia, just prior to and during early months of the Civil War. Subsequent letters date from Gatewood's service with the 11th Virginia Cavalry Regiment, Company F (Bath Squadron), including a letter (dated September 1862) written after the Second Battle of Manassas (2nd Bull Run).

The Archibald M. Fauntleroy papers consist of one testimonial letter (dated September 2, 1857) written by Superintendent Francis H. Smith on behalf of Fauntleroy, and one drawing by Cadet Fauntleroy that was completed for a class assignment at VMI.

The Barton family papers consist of the papers of three members of the Barton family who attended VMI during the mid-19th century. Papers related to Charles M. Barton (VMI Class of 1856) include a letter (dated September 28, 1855) from Charles to his cousin Joseph M. Barton in which he complains about VMI life and about his instructor Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (Jackson is described as a "hell of a fool"). Other Charles Barton material is found in a notebook (approximately 250 pages) that contains poetry copied by Charles, including "The Faculty of the VMI," which describes Francis H. Smith, John T.L. Preston, and other early faculty members; class notes from lectures given by Francis H. Smith; autographs of his VMI classmates, and a resolution on the death of Cadet Thomas Blackburn.

This sub-group includes incoming and outgoing correspondence of the Virginia Military Institute Board of Visitors or correspondence related to BOV business. Includes correspondence files for some historical individual members of the Board.

The Carl M. Best papers consist of one letter (dated 1884) that appoints Best a cadet at VMI. The papers also include one letter of recommendation (dated 1886) written for Best by VMI Superintendent Francis H. Smith.

The bulk of the Charles A. Derby papers consists of Derby family correspondence. Approximately twenty-eight letters were written by Charles A. Derby (dated 1844-1862) and cover the period from late boyhood up to his death in battle in 1862. Included are letters (dated 1846-1847) written while he was a cadet at VMI, as well as correspondence dating from his careers as a teacher and Episcopal clergyman. Two items were written during his brief service in the Confederate Army.