PUBLIC "-//Virginia Military Institute::Preston Library::Archives//TEXT (US::ViLxV::vilxv00057::A Guide to the Isaac Norval Baker Memoirs)//EN" "vilxv00057.xml" A Guide to the Isaac Norval Baker Memoirs, 1863-1865 Baker, Isaac Norval. Memoirs mss 00357 Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Virginia Military Institute Archives © 2002 Virginia Military Institute

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Machine-readable finding aid derived from HTML. Machine-readable finding aid created by Diane Jacob. Date of source: 2002 Description is in English Feb 16, 2004 PUBLIC "-//Virginia Military Institute::Preston Library::Archives//TEXT (US::ViLxV::vilxv00057::A Guide to the Isaac Norval Baker Memoirs)//EN" "vilxv00057.xml" converted from EAD 1.0 to 2002 by v1to02.xsl (sy2003-10-15). Feb 26, 2004 converted to conform to eadVIVA.dtd by vivastrict.xsl 2013-11-21 Converted to schema conforming EAD by dtd2schema.vh.xsl. A Guide to the Isaac Norval Baker Memoirs, 1863-1865 A Collection in Virginia Military Institute Archives mss 00357

Virginia Military Institute Archives 2002 Virginia Military Institute Archives Staff Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Archives, Preston Library, Virginia Military Institute Descriptive Summary Archives, Preston Library, Virginia Military Institute Isaac Norval Baker Memoirs 1863-1865 mss 00357 The collection consists of two items totaling 33 pages. English Administrative Information Access

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 Use Restrictions

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 Preferred Citation

Isaac Norval Baker Memoirs, mss 00357, Virginia Military Institute Archives, Lexington, Virginia.

 Biographical/Historical Information

Isaac Norval Baker was born October 8, 1844, and lived near Whitacre, Frederick County, Virginia. During the Civil War he served as a Private in Company F, 18th Virginia Cavalry Regiment. At the time of enlistment he was described as having a light complexion, brown hair, hazel eyes, 5' 7". After the war Baker practiced herbal medicine in Shenandoah and Frederick Counties (VA). He died December 6, 1924, in Frederick County and is buried in Redland Cemetery, Hampshire Co., West Virginia.

 Scope and Content Information

The collection consists of an original manuscript fragment (ca. 12 pages) and typewritten transcription (21 pages) describing Isaac Norval Baker's Civil War service as a Private in the Confederate Army's 18th Virginia Cavalry Regiment. Baker's language is descriptive and lively, and the account includes many vignettes that provide insight into the lives of both soldiers and civilians. The narrative covers the period June 1863-April 1865; topics include camp life, wartime hardships, battles (Gettysburg, Bristoe Campaign, third Battle of Winchester, Fisher's Hill), and the effects of war in Shenandoah Valley.

 Contents List 1863 June

At Cumberland, Maryland; back to Virginia; scouting for horses; raid into Pennsylvania; on to Gettysburg.

 1863 July 1-18

The Battle of Gettysburg and aftermath; accompanying wagon train carrying dead and wounded; wagons under attack; at Williamsport, Maryland; back to Virginia.

 1863 October-1864 March

Yankee scouting party; illness strikes (pneumonia and diphtheria); civilians hide Baker from Yankees; he walks home on "furlough."

 1864 September

Preparations for battle; third Battle of Winchester; comments about officers' mistakes; Fisher's Hill.

 1865 April

The end of the war; surrender and parole.