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John Garibaldi Papers, MS 0284, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia
The collection was donated to the VMI Archives by the Lee-Jackson Foundation in 1989.
The Garibaldi Papers are available in full-text format
on the VMI Archives website at:
Prior to its donation to VMI, the collection was on deposit at the George C. Marshall Foundation in Lexington, Virginia. The Lee-Jackson Foundation originally purchased the papers (the name of the manuscripts dealer or auction house and date of purchase are unknown).
John Garibaldi, Confederate soldier, was born in Genoa, Italy, on April 30, 1831. He immigrated to the United States 1851, where he married Sarah Ann Virginia Poor of Botetourt County, Virginia. During the Civil War, Garibaldi served as 3rd Sergeant, Co. C, 27th Virginia Infantry Regiment (Stonewall Brigade). He enlisted May 1861; was captured at Kernstown March 23, 1862 and sent to Ft. Delaware prison; was exchanged August 5, 1862; and returned to duty until captured at Spotsylvania Courthouse, May 12, 1864. He was again imprisoned at Ft. Delaware and was exchanged for the second time on October 30, 1864. After the war, Garibaldi was a teacher and farmer in Rockbridge County, Virginia. He died at Big Island, Bedford Co., Virginia, on September 8, 1914 and is buried in Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, Lexington.
The bulk of the collection consists of 38 letters, 1862-1864, written by Garibaldi to his wife Sarah during his service in the Confederate Army (27th Virginia Infantry Regiment). Primary topics include camp life, the hardships of war for both soldiers and civilians, battles and skirmishes (including Chancellorsville and Gettysburg), other members of the 27th Virginia Infantry Regiment, and family news. The papers also include 1 letter from William H. McPherson to Sarah Poor Garibaldi (1863) and 3 letters from Garibaldi to his daughter, written in 1904.
The collection is arranged chronologically.
All letter are addressed to Garibaldi's wife Sarah, unless noted otherwise.
Chronological
Written from Camp near Winchester, VA. Concerns the Romney Campaign.
From Camp near Bunker Hill. Concerning camp life.
From Camp Allen, Clarke County, Virginia. Concerning camp life, payday, rumors of enemy movements.
From Camp Bailor. Concerning orders to prepare to march, affection for Sarah, payday, family.
From Camp Winder. Concerning money; doubtful that he can come home on furlough
From Camp Winder. Concerning money; received socks.
From Camp Winder. Request for Sarah to write often; unit under marching orders; Garibaldi in good health; needs soap and thread.
From Camp Winder. Concerning sending of money and supplies.
From Camp Winder. Concerning money, supplies, family.
From Camp Winder. Spring campaign to begin soon; furloughs suspended.
From Camp Winder. Wages increased; unit preparing to move; hasn't received letters from her.
Unit drawn up in line of battle; expecting fight tomorrow.
Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville; death of General Stonewall Jackson
From Camp near Hamilton Station. He is well; doesn't know when they will next march.
From Camp Paxton. Unit has received marching orders.
From Camp Stephenson, Frederick County, VA. Battle of Winchester.
From Washington Co., Maryland. Battle of Gettysburg.
From Camp Near Darksville, Berkeley County, Va. Comments on kindness of people in Pennsylvania and wealth of countryside there.
From Camp Near Darksville, Berkeley County, Va. Comments on civilians in Pennsylvania and wealth of countryside there.
From Camp Stonewall Brigade. Difficulty in receiving mail; encamped near Orange Court House
From Camp Stonewall Brigade. Still encamped 2 1/2 miles from Orange Court House, on the plank road; needs socks, woolen gloves for next winter; also soap.
From Camp Stonewall Brigade. Still in camp; no prospect of fighting; he has chance for a furlough next winter.
From Camp Stonewall Brigade. News of prisoners from Northern paper.
From Camp Stonewall Brigade. Still in camp doing guard duty; reports news about various other soldiers who were wounded, killed, or taken prisoner.
Has been on march for ten days and expects battle soon; unit constructing breastworks; news of other soldiers; is tired of fighting but expects war to go on.
He is on the march twenty miles below Orange Court House; Yankees are tearing up nearby railroads.
Camp near Culpeper Court House. Reports various engagements against yankees; prisoners taken.
Drawn up in line of battle.
In winter camp about seven miles east of the Rappahannock, five miles west of Culpeper Courthouse
Camp near Orange Court House; rations low.
His unit is on the move, rarely stopping more than a few days in one place; a new supply of winter clothes arrived for the brigade, best clothing in some time.
George Poor wounded; unit still in camp.
Still in camp; needs socks, red pepper, soap.
Camp near Orange Court House. In winter quarters, doing guard and picket duty; rations reduced; has no shoes but hopes to get some.
Camp news; needs socks.
Deep snow; units have snowfights.
Weather bad and rations very poor; he has obtained a Catholic prayer book.
War news; spring campaign to start soon; meat very scarce; religious revival among troops.
3 letters to his daughter
Civil War envelopes