Restrictions to Access

No restrictions. Open for research.

Copyright Notice

Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], in the George D. Benedict Letters #4943-z, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Alternate Form of Material

Microfilm copy (filmed 2005-2006) available.

• Reel 1: Entire collection

Acquisitions Information

Purchased from Charles Apfelbaum of Wachtung, N.J., in August 1998 (Acc. 98177).

Sensitive Materials Statement

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. § 132 1 et seq.), and Article 7 of the North Carolina State Personnel Act (Privacy of State Employee Personnel Records, N.C.G.S. § 126-22 et seq.). Researchers are advised that the disclosure of certain information pertaining to identifiable living individuals represented in this collection without the consent of those individuals may have legal ramifications (e.g., a cause of action under common law for invasion of privacy may arise if facts concerning an individual's private life are published that would be deemed highly offensive to a reasonable person) for which the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill assumes no responsibility.

Processed by: Linda Sellars, February 1999

Encoded by: Linda Sellars, February 1999

Revisions: Finding aid updated in May 2005 by Nancy Kaiser

Updated by: Laura Hart, June 2021

Funding from the Watson-Brown Foundation, Inc., supported the microfilming of this collection.

The following terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings suggest topics, persons, geography, etc. interspersed through the entire collection; the terms do not usually represent discrete and easily identifiable portions of the collection--such as folders or items.

Clicking on a subject heading below will take you into the University Library's online catalog.

• Benedict, George D., fl. 1863-1864.
• Maryland--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
• New York (State)--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.
• Soldiers--New York (State)--Correspondence.
• Soldiers--United States--Correspondence.
• United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Campaigns.
• United States. Army--Military life--History.
• United States. Army. New York Dragoons, 1st (1863-1865)
• United States. Army. New York Infantry Regiment, 130th (1862-1863)
• Virginia--History--Civil War, 1861-1865.

George D. Benedict served in Company G of the 1st New York Dragoons during the Civil War. He was married to Sarah Benedict, who lived in Allegany County, N.Y. The 1st New York Dragoons originated as the 130th New York Infantry Regiment in 1862 and became part of the mounted troops in 1863. It was briefly known as 19th New York Cavalry, then became the 1st New York Dragoons in 1863. The unit was mustered out 1865.

Letters from George D. Benedict, a Union soldier serving with the 1st New York Dragoons during the Civil War in Virginia and Maryland, to his wife, Sarah Benedict, at Belvidere, Allegany County, N.Y., and one letter from James Hall to Sarah Benedict telling her that her husband had been severely wounded. Benedict's letters describe military life, including picket duty, food, pay, and health, as well as news of battles and about friends. Letters in April, May, and early June 1863 were written from Suffolk, Va. After that, Benedict wrote from Yorktown, Va., and Bellview, Va., and Frederick, Md., and Berlin, Md. In late July, Benedict wrote from Warrenton, Va., that his regiment (the 130th New York Infantry Regiment) was to stay there for some time and be turned into cavalry. In October, he wrote from Manassas Junction, Va., describing fighting there, and, in November and December, he wrote from Culpeper, Va. In January 1864, he wrote that the regiment was in winter quarters at Rapidan, Va.

• Microfilm reel (M-4943/1)