Letters, documents, and ephemera

This folder contains seven letters written by Joseph R. Shugart to his parents from 1862-1864 during his Civil War service. One letter is written on pictorial letter sheet featuring: "Naval Combat off Fort Wright." The letter of May 27, 1863 describes the battle of Champion Hill, in which Joseph was slightly wounded. The last letter, dated October 17, 1864 (two days before Joseph's death), talks about the 43rd Battalion of Virginia Cavalry, better known as Mosby's Raiders. Enclosed with the letter is a swatch of fabric, described as "a piece of our old banner." This folder also contains a portion of a copy of an unknown Civil War soldier's diary, May 1864, a land indenture between Levi Shugart and his father Zachariah, September 1851, an invoice of Zachariah T. Shugart to Hope Lodge, May 1873, some ephemera, and the newspaper clipping listing the death of Joseph R. Shugart at the Battle of Cedar Creek, October 1864.