Letters of Isaac V. and Barnard H. Reynolds

Twenty two letters from Isaac V. Reynolds to his wife and one letter from Isaac's brother Barnard H. Reynolds to Isaac.

Letter 1 from Isaac to his wife from Burke's Garden, Va. Written October 2, 1862.
Letter 2 from Isaac to his wife from Roanoke County, Va. Written January 12, 1863.
Letter 3 from Isaac to his wife from Roanoke County, Va. Written January 25, 1863.
Letter 4 from Isaac to his wife from Roanoke County, Va. Written March 18, 1863.
Letter 5 from Isaac to his wife from Roanoke County, Va. Written March 27, 1863.
Letter 6 from Isaac to his wife from Roanoke County, Va. Written April 2, 1863.
Letter 7 from Isaac to his wife from Roanoke County, Va. Written April 10, 1863.
Letter 8 from Isaac to his wife from Roanoke County, Va. Written April 16, 1863.
Letter 9 from Isaac to his wife from near Staunton, Va. Written May 20, 1863.
Letter 10 from Isaac to his wife detailing the battle of Gettysburg. Written July 20, 1863.
Letter 11 from Isaac to his wife from Rockingham County, Va. Written July 30, 1863.
Letter 12 describing the Gettysburg Campaign. Written August 9, 1863.
Letter 13 from Isaac to his wife from "Camp Muddy Creek" (Lewisburg, Va). Written October 26, 1863.
Letter 14 from Isaac to his wife from "Camp Muddy Creek". Written November 2, 1863.
Letter 15 from Isaac to his wife from "Camp Muddy Creek". Written November 17, 1863.
Letter 16 from Isaac to his wife, no location given. Written November 22, 1863.
Letter 17 from Isaac to his wife from Frederick County, Va. Written July 16, 1864.
Letter 18 describing the rout of Confederate forces at the battle of Moorfield, WV. Written on August 9, 1864.
Letter 19 from Isaac to his wife from Shenandoah County, Va. Written August 11, 1864.
Letter 20 from Isaac to his wife from Rockingham County, Va. Written August 29, 1864.
Letter 21 from Isaac to his wife from Frederick County, Va. Written September 9, 1864.
Letter 22 from Isaac to his wife from Frederick County, Va. Written September 15, 1864.
Letter 23 written by Barnard H. Reynolds to his brother Isaac on February 7, 1865.

Isaac Vermillion Reynolds served in the 16th Virginia Cavalry from August 5, 1862 until he left the unit sick in November 1864. In the collection are 22 letters from Reynolds to his wife Sarah Jane, and one from his brother Barnard H. Reynolds to Isaac. Copies of the letters are housed at Duke University, Southern College, and the Illinois Historical Society. The 16th Virginia Cavalry was formed in August 1862 by the consolidation of Ferguson's Battalion and Caldwell's Battalion of Cavalry. Milton J. Ferguson formed his Battalion in Western Virginia in 1861 and Otis Caldwell formed his Battalion in Southwestern Virginia in 1862. The 16th served in many engagements despite not seeing any action until 1863. They quickly made up for lost time by being in the first Brigade to cross into the North during the Gettysburg Campaign. They were also one of the last units to leave the North a few weeks later. Later, the 16th fought in the battle on Monocacy and was part of Early's raid on Washington. Other engagements include Droop Mountain, Moorfield, Third Winchester, and Fisher's Hill. Reynolds' letters are important because they include the names of several men who fought with the 16th, but whose names do not appear on any official roster. Another important aspect of the letters is the description of the burning of Chambersburg and the recapturing of free blacks for removal to the South. A day to day description of the units activities during the Gettysburg Campaign is also noteworthy. Isaac Reynolds was born in Russell County in 1838, the son of Ira and Leah Reynolds. His older brother Barnard H. also served with the 16th Virginia. Isaac married Sarah Jane Ferguson in 1860. He died about a year after his return from the war of pneumonia and tuberculosis. He had two sons, Melvin and Ira.