Peter Meaney Collection

666 THL

Inventory created by Archives Staff 07/1987. Last revised 04/2022.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: Collection is open to all researchers.

USE RESTRICTIONS: Restrictions may apply concerning the use, photoduplication, or publication of items in this collection. Consult a member of the archives staff for information concerning these restrictions. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright.

EXTENT: 0.84 linear feet

DATE: 1836-1990

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The Peter Meaney Collection contains the research notes of Father Peter Joseph Meaney for his book Civil War Engagement at Cool Springs, July 18, 1864. The material includes copies of original documents, notes on Father Meaney’s research on the battle, maps that were for research and some originals that appear in the book, articles on the battle written by Brother James Sommers, and photographs of the battlefield taken by Father Meaney.

BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL: Father Peter Meaney took his vows in 1949 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1951 at St. Mary’s Abbey. After his ordination he earned an M.A. in theology from Catholic University. Father Meaney’s primary interests were teaching and coaching track, and he spent almost his entire career doing both at Delbarton School, Morristown, New Jersey. He was also deeply interested in the Civil War and wrote a definitive history of the Battle of Cool Springs. Father Meaney died in 2006.

RELATED MATERIAL:  Brother James Sommers Collection, 360 THL                             

CITE AS: Peter Meaney Collection, 666 THL, Stewart Bell Jr. Archives, Handley Regional Library, Winchester, VA, USA.

ACQUISITION INFORMATION: Acquired as a gift.

ORGANIZATION:

BOX 1

Author – Biography of Father Peter J. Meaney. O.S.B from his obituary card, one item, printed

Bibliographies – Battle of Cool Springs, VA, 49 leaves, printed (photocopy)

Brother James Sommers – Articles on the Battle of Cool Springs (folder contains the following):
Battle of Cool Springs is 125 Years Old by Brother James Sommers, The Clarke Courier, July 13, 1989, one leaf, printed (photocopy)     
New Light on the Battle of Cool Springs, by Brother James Sommers, five leaves, typescript
Battle of Cool Springs, Monday – July 18, 1864, by Brother James Sommers, five leaves, typescript
The Engagement at Cool Springs, by Brother James Sommers, 12 leaves, typescript     
Tragedy at Cool Springs, by Brother James Sommers, three leaves, typescript     
Yankees turned Back at Cool Springs, by Brother James Sommers, four leaves, typescript

Casualties from the Battle of Cool Springs, July 18, 1864 notes, 24 leaves manuscript (photocopy), seven leaves, manuscript

Chickering, Dwight – 34^th Mass Infantry --Notes on service record, death, and burial, 34^th Massachusetts Infantry, Battle of Cool Springs, July 18, 1864

Magazine Articles, News Clippings, Book Excerpts (folder contains the following):     
“A Time to Acquit, The Court Martial of the ‘Late’ William O. Douglas by Arthur Candenquist, Blue and Gray Magazine, August, 1997, two leaves, printed (photocopy)
Battle of Cool Springs, July 18, 1864, Proceedings of the Clarke County Historical Society, Volume XV, 1963-1964, eight leaves, printed (photocopy)      
Fallen Rebel’s Spirit Put to Rest by Denise Jarrett, The Birmingham New, Aug. 3, 1989, two leaves, printed (photocopy
The Hard-times of an Ex-Confederate, by Maj. Edwin H. McDonald, Civil War Times Illustrated, Oct, 1986, six leaves, printed (photocopy)     
“A Right Smart Little Fight” by Peter J. Meaney, Civil War Magazine, Volume XX, pgs. 18-24, one item, printed
Excerpt from the book: Scott, J.L. 45^th Virginia Infantry, pgs. 44-45, 64-73,124-127, nine leaves, printed (photocopy), one leaf, manuscript      
General was at Church: Cool Springs Battle Fought 100 Years Ago, The Winchester Evening Star, one leaf printed (photocopy)
Snicker’s Gap War by Jeff E. Wert, nine leaves, printed (photocopy)      
Excerpts: West, Michael, 30^th Battalion Virginia Sharpshooters by Michael West, pgs. 126-131, 138-139, 311-321, 13 leaves, printed (photocopy)      
Excerpts: Williams, Robert, Adventures of an Autograph Collector, Exposition Press, five leaves, printed (photocopy)

Maps – Battle of Cool Springs, 29 leaves, typescript

Miscellaneous Notes by Peter Meaney on the Battle of Cool Springs, VA, 49 leaves, manuscript, 14 leaves, printed (photocopy), 10 leaves, manuscript (photocopy)

National Register of Nomination of Cool Springs Battlefield by Clarence Geier and Joseph Whitehorne, 93 pages, printed

National Tribune – Articles about the Battles of Snicker’s Gap and Cool Springs copied by Peter Meaney, 18 pages, manuscript

Snickers Gap – Articles, Photographs (photocopies), and Notes on Snickers Gap, 14 leaves, typescript (photocopies), three leaves, manuscript

Statistics, Order of Battle, Service Record – Battle of Cool Springs, VA, July 18, 1864, 34 leaves, printed (photocopy)

Soldier’s Accounts -- Confederate – Battle of Cool Springs, VA, July 18, 1864 (folder contains the following):           
Bomar, Major Tom, 38^th Georgia -- Letter dated July 23, 1864, four leaves, manuscript (photocopy)
Early, General Jubal – Letters dated June 28, 1864, July 7, 1864, July 22, 1864, eight leaves, manuscript (photocopy)
Excerpts: Evans, Clement A. Confederate Military History, Volume VIII, pgs.477-515, 591-593, 684, 25 leaves, printed (photocopy)
Excerpts: Evans, Clement A. Confederate Military History, Volume X, pgs. 274-275; 320-321, five leaves, printed (photocopy)
Kenan, Thomas S., Sketch of the Duplin Rifles (Company C, Second North Carolina Infantry), pgs. 1-12, eight leaves, printed (photocopy)
Rodgers, Colonel, Journal of – 2^nd Maryland, July 21-22, 1864, three leaves, manuscript (photocopy)
Sheeran, Rev. James B., War Journal, July 16-19, 1864, five leaves, manuscript (photocopy)

Soldier’s Accounts -- Union – Battle of Cool Springs, July 18, 1864 (folder contains the following):
Excerpt: Brown, Willard J. The Signal Corps, U.S.A. in the War, Chapter   XXII, six leaves, printed (photocopy)
Farrar, Pa. Cav.–excerpt from an unknown book, five leaves, printed (photocopy)
“Rickett’s Arrival in Balt on 8^th,” author and book unknown, one leaf, printed (photocopy)
Excerpt: Rhodes, Elisha Hunt, All for the Union, page 172 only, two leaves, printed (photocopy)
The Diary of Colonel Joseph Thoburn, “Hunter’s Raid, 1864”, five leaves, printed (photocopy)
Excerpts: Woodbury, Augusta, The Second Rhode Island Regiment, pgs 287-288, four leaves, printed (photocopy)
Strother Colonel, Report of, Rebellion Record, five leaves, printed (photocopy)
Sixth Vermont Infantry – Letters from members of the regiment, five leaves, typescript (photocopy)

Wormley House and Papers, 25 leaves

BOX 2

Clarke County 1836-1936 by Arthur Bowie Chrisman, Clarke Courier Press, Berryville, VA., 32 pages, printed

Proceedings of The Clarke County Historical Society, Volume XXI (1979-1980), contains Civil War Engagement at Cool Springs, July 18, 1864 by Peter J. Meaney on pgs. 16-82, 94 pages, printed

The Engagement at Cool Springs, July 18, 1864 by Peter J. Meaney, O.S.B.,

Excerpts from Regimental Histories on the Battle of Cool Springs compiled by Father Peter Meaney (Navy Blue book), 192 pages, printed (photocopy)

Excerpts from Official Records of the War of the Rebellion, Series I, Volume 37, Part 1, and newspaper articles on the Battle of Cool Springs compiled by Father Peter Meaney (Green book), 192 pages, printed (photocopy) 

Excerpts from General Works and Diaries on the Battle of Cool Springs complied by Father Peter Meaney (Red book), 192 pages, printed (photocopy)

Mosby, John S  and Clarke, Pauline – Marriage License, December 30, 1856, Davidson County, TN, 4 leaves, manuscript and printed (photocopy)

PHOTOGRAPHS: Photographs and other images belonging to this collection may be accessed online through http://handley.pastperfectonline.com/