The Union and Rebel forces had fought for possession of it.

It had been held by the Union soldiers and a court martial was sitting there when it was attacked by the other side and the Union men driven out, and the insurgents held the building for a few hours.

They abandoned it very soon.

But before the Union soldiers had got back in force some stragglers set fire to the building.

It was totally destroyed.
William and Mary was the oldest college in the country, except Harvard.