The Men of Randolph-Macon College and the Civil War

In 1861, talk of secession transformed into armed conflict. Many of the men educated at Randolph-Macon College in the preceding 29 years immediately responded to the calls of their state militias to serve, while others later enlisted or were conscripted into the Confederate or Union armies. Others served in public office, or were ultimately drawn into the conflict in the last days in reserve units in local defense. These are their stories.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Walter Coles Carrington, student 1847-1848

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Walter Coles Carrington, son of a wealthy planter of the same name, moved to Washington, Arkansas in the 1850s where he is listed as a physi...
Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Anderson A. Williams, student 1856-1857

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Anderson A. Williams was in his late 20s when he attended R-MC as an "irregular" student. He had been a student in Princess Anne C...
Thursday, January 5, 2017

William Norwood Branch, student 1851-1852

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Branch, who resided in Louisburg, Franklin County, NC, enlisted on June 6, 1861 as 1st sergeant in Co. B of the 1st NC Cavalry. He contracte...
Friday, March 13, 2015

John Howlett, student 1841-1842

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John Howlett was a wealthy physician and farmer in Chesterfield, VA prior to the war. He was granted his M.D. from the University of Pennsyl...

Albertus Chambers Spain, student 1837-1838

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Spain attended South Carolina College (now the University of South Carolina) after leaving R-MC, graduating in 1841. He became a lawyer in C...
Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Alexander Watts Massey, student 1853-1854

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Massey, variantly spelled Massie, was a farmer in Spotsylvania County, VA at the beginning of the war. He was conscripted as a private in th...
Thursday, December 18, 2014

Robert Whiting, student 1862-1863

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Whiting was conscripted into the Confederate army, serving in an unknown capacity, and surrendered at Lynchburg, VA on April 14, 1865. In ...

Jesse C. Mundy, student 1859-1861

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Mundy, son of a wealthy farmer from Amherst County, VA, enlisted as a private in Co. A of the 11th VA Infantry on July 16, 1861. He was abse...
Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Thomas M. Crowder, student 1849-1850

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After leaving R-MC, Crowder attended the University of Virginia from 1850-1853. In September of 1853, Crowder became editor of the Daily Sou...
Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Robert Jefferson Jones, student 1857-1858

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Jones, from Person County, NC, enlisted as a private on July 30, 1861 in Co. D of the 13th NC Infantry. He was taken prisoner on September 1...
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About Me

Laurie Preston
Laurie Preston is Associate Professor and Head of Reference at McGraw-Page Library, Randolph-Macon College. In addition to reference services, she supervises the college's Special Collections and Archives.
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