Collection is open for research.
Permission to publish material from George W. Rock Correspondence, 1863-1865 must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information:George W. Rock Correspondence, 1863-1865, Ms2012-027, Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Va.
The collection was purchased by Special Collections in February 2012.
The processing, arrangement, and description of the George W. Rock Correspondence was completed in June 2012.
Virginia Regimental Histories Series suggests that George W. Rock was a resident of Craig County, Virginia, enlisting in Company C of the 22nd Virginia Infantry as a private on May 1, 1862 at White Sulphur Springs, Greenbrier County, West Virginia.
Two of the letters include Ardelia's initials as AJE, but no census match was found for 1860. The 1880 census includes a widowed Ardelia J. Rock, but it is unknown from the letters if he later married her.
The collection consists of six letters from Pvt. George W. Rock to a "Miss Ardelia" written between December 1863 and February 1865. A majority of the letter content relates Rock's admiration for/interest in Ardelia, though he consistently suggests she has other beaus in her life. The letters also report on camp life, information about the war, and news about home (Craig County, Virginia).
Dated December 31, 1863, the first letter from Camp Gauley includes a description of Union troops in the area, camp life, and Rock's admiration for Ardelia. The letter also includes two poems at the end. In the second letter, dated January 25, 1864, Rock describes life at Camp Gauley, his desire for a furlough, as well as his interest in Ardelia. Rock discusses life at Camp Gauley, news from home, news about the war, and his passion for Ardelia in the third letter dated March 8, 1864. Dated April 3, 1864, Rock describes his recent furlough in Craig County, Virginia, his attraction for Ardelia, and camp life in the forth letter from Camp Gauley. The fifth letter, dated April 14, 1864, consists of news from Camp Gauley, a description of the previous letter, and Rock's affection for Ardelia. On February 20, 1865, Rock discusses another recent furlough in Craig County, Virginia, Ardelia's intimacy with Rock's friend James, and news from Red Sulphur Springs in the sixth letter.
For more material written by George W. Rock, see the Charles N. Hawkins Correspondence, 1863-1864, Ms2012-026.