This letter was deposited with The Virginia Historical Society on August 2, 1983 by JEB Stuart's granddaughter, Virginia Stuart (Waller) Davis. The deposit was changed to "gift" on July 10, 1985. The VHS typed catalog card has a notation which states that only a photocopy of the document is to be served to the public. This restriction has been crossed out. However, as of November 20, 2008 the policy remains generally in effect.

According to the Society's Director, Lee Shepard, "the signature [was] cut out of the original letter at some point before [the letter] was received." On July 10, 2006, Brigette Burkett, a Richmond researcher, was permitted to examine the paper stock of the original letter provided by Mrs. Davis to VHS. She states, "The paper stock is quite small, white, unlined, folded in the middle, with a watermark reading `Delarue & London" in the shape of a shield with scrolls."

Whether the handwriting of the letter is that of JEB Stuart's, can only be established by comparing it to proven authentic handwriting examples of Stuart's; of which the May 1864 field note to Lee, held by UNC's Wilson Library, is one.