PHOTO GROUPING & BIBLE ID’D TO LT. COLONEL LEGH WILBUR REID, VMI, 36TH VIRGINIA INFANTRY, 50TH VIRGINIA INFANTRY, 25th VIRGINIA CAVALRY – WOUNDED IN ACTION AT FORT DONELSON, TN IN 1862, AND WOODSTOCK, VA, 1864

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Item Code: P13942

Virginian Legh Wilbur Reid was born in 1833 and attended the Virginia Military Institute, graduating second in the class of 1858. While at VMI Reid dabbled in poetry and penned the following lines, strikingly prescient, concerning professor Thomas J. (soon to become “Stonewall”) Jackson: “”The stamp of genius on his brow, and lie/with his wild glance and keen but quiet eye/ Draws forth from secret sources where they lie.”

Following graduation, Reid was appointed general superintendent of the Great Kanawha Rail Road, and then, at the outbreak of war, to Lieutenant in the provisional Army of Virginia. Quickly appointed to Lieutenant Colonel in the 36th VA Infantry, that regiment was sent to Tennessee, where he was transferred and given command of the 50th Virginia Infantry during the Battle of Fort Donelson, 2/15/1862, in which he was wounded. Later, in Sept. 1862, Reid joined the 27th VA Battalion, which became the 25th VA Cavalry, in which he served as regimental adjutant. With this unit he would receive a severe wound at Woodstock, VA, 10/09/1864 (The Battle of Tom’s Brook) which resulted in the amputation of his left leg. Upon recuperating, he applied for command of a Negro regiment, which came to naught, and was eventually paroled at Lynchburg, VA, 4/15/1865.

In his post-war phase, Reid became a railroad executive and later served as Asst. U.S. Treasury Registrar during the first Cleveland administration, and then as trustee of the Lee Memorial Assn. Having lived a fruitful, eventful life, he died in Alexandria, VA, and was buried in Ivy Hill Cemetery, 11/26, 1908.

The Reid photo group consists of 10 images, all post-war: three of Reid, one of Reid with his family, one of his wife, Emma Catherine (Jackson), one of grandson Legh Wilbur Reid Jr. (in 1889 cadet uniform), two of second son James H. Reid (one of them in U.S. Naval Lieutenant white dress uniform), one of a “Mr. Kingsley” (with violin), and one unidentified “gem” miniature. The three photos of Reid include one from his immediate post-war period—late 1860s/early 1870s, one dated 1897 and another from the early 1900s, along with a family photo of that period. Most images are of small “cabinet” size, and, while many are somewhat faded, all figures are easily identifiable. All family photos provide reverse side identification, in ink

The Reid bible is a New Testament, published by the American Bible Society, printed by D. Fanshaw, New York 1842. Front eps carries a printed owner sticker: “L. Wilbur Reid/ Alexandria, Virginia/ No. 594/ No.____.” Followed by an ink inscription: “Brentville Sabbath School/ 1843/ No. 19…..To Legh W. Wilbur/ A prizewinner/ F.H.R. Super/12 Nov 1843.” Plus a rear eps inscription from Reid’s mother—“By his mother, May 1, 61”—on the lower margin below a pasted-in newspaper poem: “Mother’s Invocation to Her Son’s Guardian Spirit.” This poem and its May 1, 1861 dating by his mother strongly suggest that Reid likely carried this bible through the war.

In all, a fine bible and a superb trove of photos of a gallant, battle-tested Virginia colonel. Some research material provided, including an Internet photo of Legh Reid as VMI cadet. Invites further research.  [jp]

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Inquire About PHOTO GROUPING & BIBLE ID’D TO LT. COLONEL LEGH WILBUR REID, VMI, 36TH VIRGINIA INFANTRY, 50TH VIRGINIA INFANTRY, 25th VIRGINIA CAVALRY – WOUNDED IN ACTION AT FORT DONELSON, TN IN 1862, AND WOODSTOCK, VA, 1864

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