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
(481 - 500 of 1,368)
Pages
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Camp New Fairfax topics include the sickness of two officers at camp, giving permission of sell his horse Jo back home, the 15th regiment out on Bull Run battlefield, the resignation of several officers including the Captain of K that has not yet been accepted but expected to be,...
Show moreWriting from Camp New Fairfax topics include the sickness of two officers at camp, giving permission of sell his horse Jo back home, the 15th regiment out on Bull Run battlefield, the resignation of several officers including the Captain of K that has not yet been accepted but expected to be, living conditions better now that Commissary Sergeant is with them.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Written to his sister from his camp in Virginia, topics include inquiring after news from home, a possible visit by his father, cold weather, boxes of bedding sent by the towns of Weathersfield and Windham, and sending hats home so folks can see them.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include an expected package from home, lack of military pay, death of three men in the company from the fever, of a father retrieving his son's body..
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include not yet being moved from the Mansion House Hospital to one in Washington, his health being with fever and ague, of disposing of his letters from home by burning them and thus needing Homer White’s address again.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include Companies E and K going to Bristol Station with General Stannard, receiving military pay for the past four months, liking the song "Sitting on the Style, Mary".
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include remaining at Union Mills, the appointment as Colonel Stannard as the new Brigadier and General Abercrombie as the new Division General, wishing for regular military pay schedule, discord in the ranks with opposing opinions by soldiers with 3 year enlistment against those with only...
Show moreTopics include remaining at Union Mills, the appointment as Colonel Stannard as the new Brigadier and General Abercrombie as the new Division General, wishing for regular military pay schedule, discord in the ranks with opposing opinions by soldiers with 3 year enlistment against those with only 9 months enlistment and the marriage of George and Augusta Dodge.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include the arrival of a box from Weathersfield containing bedding, stockings, mittens, discussion of who is most likely to get promotions, illness among the men including hernias, heart and consumption, .
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include the Grand Review of the Army of the Potomac at Ball's Cross Roads, "Old Abe" to see 75,000 troops, scouting excursion, marching, picket guard, mentions Thanksgiving in Vermont.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Camp Seward near Alexandria, Virginia, topics include a copy of Joseph Spafford’s accounts of camp life from October 24th until November 9th, 1862 with a note that he burns the letters he receives. Writes about tents, gunfire heard from a battle a distance away, on leave to visit...
Show moreWriting from Camp Seward near Alexandria, Virginia, topics include a copy of Joseph Spafford’s accounts of camp life from October 24th until November 9th, 1862 with a note that he burns the letters he receives. Writes about tents, gunfire heard from a battle a distance away, on leave to visit Washington, D.C., liking his boy Daniel McAuliffe age 13 and wanting to take him with him to Vermont when the 9 months are up.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include the hot weather, trains of wagons, etc passing through camp raising much dust, Dr. George not yet returned.the 15th Regiment returning to Union Mills, soldiers report hard march in hot weather, sun stroke, Joseph being unable to get a pass to Washington, and the regiment being on...
Show moreTopics include the hot weather, trains of wagons, etc passing through camp raising much dust, Dr. George not yet returned.the 15th Regiment returning to Union Mills, soldiers report hard march in hot weather, sun stroke, Joseph being unable to get a pass to Washington, and the regiment being on picket duty, $20 enclosed, wondering if father might like to come to camp.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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From Centreville, Va., a brief letter to sister Mary Jane requesting copies of the Boston Daily Journal with information about the battles of Bull Run (August 1862) and Chantilly (September 1862), mention of skirmish of cavalry pickets with the rebels, of how desolate the area is with empty,...
Show moreFrom Centreville, Va., a brief letter to sister Mary Jane requesting copies of the Boston Daily Journal with information about the battles of Bull Run (August 1862) and Chantilly (September 1862), mention of skirmish of cavalry pickets with the rebels, of how desolate the area is with empty, burned buildings and Joseph’s good health.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include how often to write, of not getting a letter Mary Jane says she wrote, the snowy and rainy weather, Williams and the Captains poor health, a trip to Washington, Joseph’s clothing, the resignation of the 2nd Lieutenant of Company F, and Joseph’s good health.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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A brief writing from Mansion House Hospital include possibility of getting a furlough and an incident at Yorktown with one soldier from the 4th Vermont being wounded slightly and a rebel soldier being "keeled" over.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Written to his sister from his Virginia camp, topic include politics of promotion and his chances of getting promoted, theft in the Regiments, photographs, and the opium habit of an unnamed soldier from Jamaica, Vermont.
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- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include the 16th Vermont Regiment and whole Brigade moving to Occoquan and Wolf Run, the measles going around the regiment, looking forward to marching as the weather is good, states many soldiers have deserted, the government not paying the soldiers, officers having to buy their own...
Show moreTopics include the 16th Vermont Regiment and whole Brigade moving to Occoquan and Wolf Run, the measles going around the regiment, looking forward to marching as the weather is good, states many soldiers have deserted, the government not paying the soldiers, officers having to buy their own outfits, writes again about whether or not to have a box of goods sent to him.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Spafford writes of difficulty of getting postage stamps in the correct amount needed to mail letters home and that the prepared rations ordered for possible march on Feb 27th were consumed in camp.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include being unable to march with the Regiment when orders came down to move out, of his dislike of how the hospital was run in Camp Griffin and him leaving that hospital, of living in tent with soldier who also had not moved out with the earlier call to march, being sent by ambulance to...
Show moreTopics include being unable to march with the Regiment when orders came down to move out, of his dislike of how the hospital was run in Camp Griffin and him leaving that hospital, of living in tent with soldier who also had not moved out with the earlier call to march, being sent by ambulance to the Mansion House Hospital in Alexandria, being diagnosed with pleurisy and a detailed description of hospital life and medical care at the Mansion.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include several promotions in the regiment, a trip to Washington, to the theater to see performances (Werner, Still Waters Run Deep, My Aunt), book of poems to send home, music to send home (I'm sitting on the Stile Mary & The Vacant chair), the cold weather, and the expectation to be paid...
Show moreTopics include several promotions in the regiment, a trip to Washington, to the theater to see performances (Werner, Still Waters Run Deep, My Aunt), book of poems to send home, music to send home (I'm sitting on the Stile Mary & The Vacant chair), the cold weather, and the expectation to be paid soon.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Union Mills, Va. makes reference to cannon firing around Thoroughfare Gap otherwise quiet in the area, comfortable weather, the location of the 1st Brigade and the 12th and 15th Regiments, to photographs of him wanted by others, enclosing the pieces of the flag he mentioned in an...
Show moreWriting from Union Mills, Va. makes reference to cannon firing around Thoroughfare Gap otherwise quiet in the area, comfortable weather, the location of the 1st Brigade and the 12th and 15th Regiments, to photographs of him wanted by others, enclosing the pieces of the flag he mentioned in an earlier letter, George is well and Captain Mason going on picket.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Still writing from the Mansion House Hospital, topics include listening to the rattling of the soldiers' swords as they pass on the sidewalk outside the hospital, commenting on the number of regiments going down the river, and news of home.