HIST 6216/MLIS 7886 Student Guide 9: Home

Collection: William Knight Civil War Letters, 1861-1863 | Valdosta State University Archives and Special Collections

The William W. Knight Civil War Letters Collection consists of letters written by William Washington Knight during his service in the Civil War. The letters are primarily addressed to his wife and provide updates on the conditions, health, and status of the war. There are a total of 36 handwritten letters from 1861-1863. Of the 36 letters, at least 22 of the letters contain mentions of illnesses that are affecting the soldiers.

This exhibit features letters from W.W. Knight that were sent to his wife Mary Knight while he was serving in the confederacy. Between 1861-1863, Knight wrote dozens of letters that provided updates on the health of the military company that Knight served with. There are some references to battles in these letters, but the majority of the letters discuss illness and disease afflicting the soldiers. The prevalence of illness and diseases impacted the lives of everyone, on the battlefield and off. Despite the grotesque nature of some of the diseases, these documents showcase the health struggles of those at war prior to medical knowledge of diseases and bacteria.

Medical Sources: 

J S Sartin, “Infectious Diseases during the Civil War: The Triumph of the ‘Third Army,’” Clinical Infectious Diseases : An Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 16, no. 4 (1993): 580–84, https://doi.org/10.1093/clind/16.4.580.