William Thomas Hardy was born in 1834 in Norfolk, Virginia. He graduated VMI in 1855. During the Civil War he was Captain, Quartermaster, Confederate States Army. After the War he was a farmer and died in 1911.
The William T. Hardy papers consist of drawing exercises (bound notebook and unbound drawings) completed while Hardy was a VMI cadet, and one Civil War letter (dated May 12, 1864) to his wife, in which he briefly discusses battle at Spotsylvania Court House, Virginia.
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William T. Hardy papers, 1855-1865. MS 0084. VMI Archives, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, Virginia.
May 12. 64
My dear Wife. We have been fighting almost every day since my last. To day is the heaviest fight of this Battle & if we can only whip them to day I think Grant will fall back, but you have no idea of the magnitude of to day's fighting, it is positively awful. So far in the numerous fights of this battle we have been successful, but our Battalion has suffered a great deal. We have killed a great many of the Yankees but they are still in large force. I have written to you once or twice but our postal communication has been cut off. Love to all. We are having bad weather.
God bless you all my dearest.
Truly & affectionately
Your devoted Husband
I send this by private hands to Charlottesville. Write to Aunt L. Ned & Tom are safe to date. Dick is hurt, not seriously. Billy is well.