Vermonters in the Civil War
Collection Overview
Vermont soldiers in the Civil War wrote an enormous quantity of letters and diaries, of which many thousands have survived in libraries, historical societies, and in private hands. This collection represents a selection of letters and diaries from...
Show moreVermont soldiers in the Civil War wrote an enormous quantity of letters and diaries, of which many thousands have survived in libraries, historical societies, and in private hands. This collection represents a selection of letters and diaries from the University of Vermont and the Vermont Historical Society.
The collection includes materials dating from 1861-1865. Materials were selected for digitization to provide a variety of perspectives on events and issues. The voices represented in the collection include private soldiers and officers, as well as a few civilians. All of the extant Civil War-era letters or diaries of each of the selected individuals (at least, all that are to be found in the participating institutions’ collections) are included; each adds a certain experience and point of view to the whole.
Officers in the photo above are (from left to right): Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Stoughton, Colonel Edwin H. Stoughton, Major Harry N. Worthen. All are from the Fourth Vermont Infantry Regiment.
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Sub-collections
- Daniel S. White Correspondence
- Edward P. Stone Correspondence
- George W. Quimby Correspondence
- Henry A. Smith Correspondence
- Henry Harrison Wilder Correspondence
- Horace Barlow Diary
- John Lester Barstow Correspondence
- John W. Campbell Correspondence
- John Wolcott Phelps Correspondence
- Joseph Chase Rutherford Correspondence
- Joseph L. Perkins Correspondence
- Joseph Spafford Correspondence
- Justus F. Gale Correspondence
- Lyman S. Williams Correspondence
- Orlando S. Turner Correspondence
- Ransom W. Towle Correspondence
- Roswell Farnham Correspondence
- Solomon G. Heaton Correspondence
- Valentine G. Barney Correspondence
- Wheelock Graves Veazey Correspondence
- William C. Holbrook Correspondence
- William Wirt Henry Correspondence
Lesson Plans
(441 - 460 of 1,368)
Pages
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Homer White
- Description
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Still writing from Carver Hospital in Washington D.C. topics include hoping to get his papers to go home to surprise his family, plans to meet Homer White in New York City and hopes that his friend Homer will come to Vermont with him.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Marianne Spafford
- Description
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Writing to his mother from the Mansion House Hospital topics include being left behind by the Regiment due to his illness, impossibility of getting a furlough, number of men from the 4th Vermont in the hospital, Ellsworth’s house, and possibility of being sent to another hospital.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Marianne Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Camp Vermont, topics include a copy of Joseph Spafford’s accounts of camp life from November 10th until November 24th written on stationery with a beautiful color illustration of Richmond, Virginia. Mentions the orphan boys wanting to go along with the soldiers have run away.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Marianne Spafford
- Description
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Very brief letter about military pay in "scripts" being sent home to sister Mary Jane.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Marianne Spafford
- Description
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Topics include sending $350 home after being paid $426, a trip into Washington to purchase needed clothing, release date July 23rd, the distribution of the regiment, military pay in "scripts" and the pleasant weather.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Time doing battalion drills, the capture of Stoughts, Rebels capturing Brig. Gen without a gunshot, digging pits, inquiries about a letter that perhaps was inappropriate with questions about who wrote it & how disgruntled privates can give misconceptions, and a few officers in Company E becoming...
Show moreTime doing battalion drills, the capture of Stoughts, Rebels capturing Brig. Gen without a gunshot, digging pits, inquiries about a letter that perhaps was inappropriate with questions about who wrote it & how disgruntled privates can give misconceptions, and a few officers in Company E becoming intoxicated.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writes of possible departure soon, of being told men to be mustered into service soon, of confrontation between the Colonel and men to be enlisted, of Guard House being full of men "who had run the Guard".
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include rumors that the 15th and 16th regiments may move to New York and go with the Texas Expedition, the health of the regiment and the matter of shipping a tub of butter to Spafford.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Still in Brattleboro but anticipating the company moving out, topics include the men who are going home, George declining the assistant surgeon position, and the expectation of being paid.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writing from camp near Fairfax Court House, Virginia topics include a description of what picket duty entails, an account of the people Joseph Spafford met in Virginia including two families with very different attitudes towards the Northern soldiers. Writes of dining with one family who also had...
Show moreWriting from camp near Fairfax Court House, Virginia topics include a description of what picket duty entails, an account of the people Joseph Spafford met in Virginia including two families with very different attitudes towards the Northern soldiers. Writes of dining with one family who also had been given the responsibility of keep a dead Confederate officer in a metal lined coffin in their shed, of observing battle remains at the Bull Run site and of picking up bullets, etc from there, the ill health of Ed Hammond, the decision to remain at Camp Vermont and a brief reference to gunfire heard near Fredericksburg.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Spafford writes to his sister about possibly coming to see him at Camp Holbrook in Brattleboro, of Captain A. writing to his wife to have her join him at camp, having received guns and about possible delay in departure.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Company E. 16th Vt. Picket Reserve, Centerville Virginia, topics include the regiment marching to Fairfax Court House, Virginia, the picket line out on battlefield of Second Battle of Bull Run, battle casualties observed including those of horses and that of a man's head.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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A very brief letter mentions continued rainy weather and deep mud; also a comrade has typhoid fever and not expected to live.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include preparations to take the field for up to seven days, reflections on what living conditions might be light, what items are being taken, sending music home (Sitting on the Style & Dear Mother, I’ll come home again)
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Unit has marched to Berlin, Maryland near Harper's Ferry, military duty ends July 23rd, most likely not see any more action before leaving the army, returning to Brattleboro by the 1st of August, asks about those pants he requested made, expresses his opinion on the New York City draft riot (July...
Show moreUnit has marched to Berlin, Maryland near Harper's Ferry, military duty ends July 23rd, most likely not see any more action before leaving the army, returning to Brattleboro by the 1st of August, asks about those pants he requested made, expresses his opinion on the New York City draft riot (July 13 - 16, 1863), mentions a eating warm biscuit & blackberry pie for dinner.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Carver Hospital in Washington, D.C. topics include the probability of a military discharge, hospital nurses, unhealthiness of hospitals, liking his living situation in the barracks, and fiddle playing and dancing heard coming from a nearby house.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Carver Hospital in Washington, D.C. topics include waiting for his military discharge papers and sightseeing in Washington.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writes of good postal service on letter delivery, of Sargent Charley Reed, of Captain Altherton, of wanting a photograph of Homer, general good health of the men, a heavy rain storm that flooded his tent, of going out on Battalion drill.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Brief letter about moving to Union Mills, where 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th regiments are, the resignation of the Lieutenant, Kit Haskins of 1st Lieut Co I has left camp, Adin Whitmore resigned.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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A very brief letter tells his sister not to write as he will be leaving the Mansion House Hospital for Washington.