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.
Show less
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
(141 - 160 of 1,361)
Pages
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Topics include Brig. Gen. John Wolcott Phelps' commanding Butler's New England Division and inviting Frederick Holbrook's son William to be his Aid-de-Camp. Mention of 7th Vermont Regiment (the old 1st reorganized) also being attached to Butler, of Lt. Roberts being given Colonelcy of the 7th, of...
Show moreTopics include Brig. Gen. John Wolcott Phelps' commanding Butler's New England Division and inviting Frederick Holbrook's son William to be his Aid-de-Camp. Mention of 7th Vermont Regiment (the old 1st reorganized) also being attached to Butler, of Lt. Roberts being given Colonelcy of the 7th, of Major Kimball of the New Jersey 9th for Lt. Col. of the 8th Regiment, reference to Thanksgiving Proclamation.
Show less
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Topics include Mrs. Holbrook requesting General Phelps to forward her letters to her son and Frederick Holbrook inquiring after the sick men and the number of surgeons. Holbrook expresses frustration that the Vt. Regiments (7th & 8th) are still not under Phelps's command, per an agreement with...
Show moreTopics include Mrs. Holbrook requesting General Phelps to forward her letters to her son and Frederick Holbrook inquiring after the sick men and the number of surgeons. Holbrook expresses frustration that the Vt. Regiments (7th & 8th) are still not under Phelps's command, per an agreement with Gen. Butler. Holbrook also mentions Phelps's "Dark Brigade," black troops that Phelps recruited in Louisiana without permission from the War Dept. (Phelps resigned in Aug., 1862.)
Show less
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Topics include Frederick Holbrook requesting that his son William be under General John Wolcott Phelps' command in the position of Aid, Secretary or of some type of assistant.
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Topics include the President calling for 300,000 additional troops, the wish that the National Government will develop a decisive policy to "proclaim war to the knife," and a description of Frederick Holbrook's son Major Will. Holbrook continues to express his admiration for Phelps and offer him...
Show moreTopics include the President calling for 300,000 additional troops, the wish that the National Government will develop a decisive policy to "proclaim war to the knife," and a description of Frederick Holbrook's son Major Will. Holbrook continues to express his admiration for Phelps and offer him greater forces to command.
Show less
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Upbeat letter delivered to Gen. Phelps by the writer's son, William C. Holbrook, who apparently turned down an offer to join Phelps's staff. The writer, Gov. Holbrook, lavishes praise on Vermont officers and soldiers (including his son), and sends warm wishes for success to Phelps, sharing his...
Show moreUpbeat letter delivered to Gen. Phelps by the writer's son, William C. Holbrook, who apparently turned down an offer to join Phelps's staff. The writer, Gov. Holbrook, lavishes praise on Vermont officers and soldiers (including his son), and sends warm wishes for success to Phelps, sharing his conviction that "the Union Cause must triumph." Holbrook concludes with some reflections on the difficulty of being a wartime governor.
Show less
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Topics include John Wolcott Phelps being promoted to Brigadier General by President Lincoln and the Senate, as well as a state election (held first Tuesday in September) for which Frederick Holbrook is running for governor. Holbrook mentions again his desire to have his son, William, be attached...
Show moreTopics include John Wolcott Phelps being promoted to Brigadier General by President Lincoln and the Senate, as well as a state election (held first Tuesday in September) for which Frederick Holbrook is running for governor. Holbrook mentions again his desire to have his son, William, be attached to Phelps.
Show less
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Topics include organizing Companies or Batteries of Light Artillery for General B. F. Butler's "New England Division". Holbrook again writes of his desire to have his son, William, be attached to Phelps. Also writes of making Lt. Roberts of Rutland a Colonel of the 7th Regiment, of his...
Show moreTopics include organizing Companies or Batteries of Light Artillery for General B. F. Butler's "New England Division". Holbrook again writes of his desire to have his son, William, be attached to Phelps. Also writes of making Lt. Roberts of Rutland a Colonel of the 7th Regiment, of his disappointment of General Baxter not being elected Adjutant General. Col. Washburn got the post.
Show less
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to John Wolcott Phelps
- Description
-
Topics include the arrival of the 7th and 8th Vermont Regiments at Ship Island, off the coast of Miss., and arrangements with the War Department for wounded troops to be sent home. Holbrook mentions the Battle of Yorktown (April 5-May 4, 1862), esp. the "affair" on April 16 that left ca. 100...
Show moreTopics include the arrival of the 7th and 8th Vermont Regiments at Ship Island, off the coast of Miss., and arrangements with the War Department for wounded troops to be sent home. Holbrook mentions the Battle of Yorktown (April 5-May 4, 1862), esp. the "affair" on April 16 that left ca. 100 Vermont soldiers wounded. Holbrook is in charge of the U.S. Marine Hospital in Burlington, Vt.
Show less
- Title
- Frederick Holbrook to Roswell Farnham
- Description
-
Farnham receives a brief letter from Governor Frederick Holbrook of Vermont writing from Montpelier of Farnham's concerns about soldier vacancies in the Vermont regiments and the method to fill them. Mentions Col. Proctor.
- Title
- George F. Davis to Smiley Bancroft
- Description
-
Topics include plans to return Charles Bancroft's possessions to his father. One senses that the quartermaster is defending the military's hospital care in response to a complaint from Bancroft's father.
- Title
- George F. Davis to Smiley Bancroft
- Description
-
Topics include the death of Charles Bancroft while on the "Propeller Richard Willing" and an account of his possessions. The quartermaster's tone is remarkably sympathetic even while addressing official business.
- Title
- George J. Stannard to William Wirt Henry
- Description
-
Topics include inquiring after William Henry's health, the sickness in the regiment, and a brief description of drills and picket duty and makes mention of not being promoted, states Capt Dillingham to be promoted.
- Title
- George Prichard, C. C. P. Baldwin, and R. C. Johnson to Roswell Farnham
- Description
-
Topics include the presentation of a horse to Roswell Farnham because of his patriotism.
- Title
- George W. Quimby Correspondence
- Description
-
George W. Quimby was an 1859 graduate of Dartmouth College before becoming a teacher and law student. Quimby was commissioned from Barton on September 4, 1861 as 1st lieutenant in Co. D, 4th Vt. He was promoted to captain on February 20, 1862. Quimby was killed in action at Fredericksburg,...
Show moreGeorge W. Quimby was an 1859 graduate of Dartmouth College before becoming a teacher and law student. Quimby was commissioned from Barton on September 4, 1861 as 1st lieutenant in Co. D, 4th Vt. He was promoted to captain on February 20, 1862. Quimby was killed in action at Fredericksburg, December 13, 1862. Captain George Quimby's letters contain good descriptions of camp duties, observations on the Peninsula Campaign, and a brief description of the Antietam battlefield after the Confederate withdrawal. Two letters from Lieutenant Charles C. Kinsman and one letter from Chaplain John L. Roberts concern Quimby's death at Fredericksburg on December 13th, 1862.
Show less
- Title
- George W. Quimby to Mother
- Description
-
Topics include the improvement of George W. Quimby’s health, the cold nights, and a request for his father to send him an overcoat.
- Title
- George W. Quimby to Mother
- Description
-
Topics include the improvement of George W. Quimby’s health and a description of the heaps of dead, unburied Rebels on the battlefields. These were casualties of the Battle of Antietam Creek (Wednesday, Sept. 17, 1862), considered one of the bloodiest days of the war.
- Title
- George W. Quimby to Parents
- Description
-
Topics include rumors of an upcoming march and the suspension of General McClellan. (Major Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside would assume command of the Army of the Potomac.) Quimby still hoping to receive a warm coat from home.
- Title
- George W. Quimby to Sister
- Description
-
Topics include family matters where George gives legal advice to his sister Emeline in regards to settling her estate after the death of her husband, of illness among the men particularly measles, of finally getting all their military clothing.
- Title
- George W. Quimby to Sister
- Description
-
Writes to his sister Emeline about setting up camp for the winter in the woods that is proving to be a comfortable place, of being in good health, the leaving of Sargent Barney Robinson due to lameness.
- Title
- George W. Quimby to Sister
- Description
-
Writes to sister Emeline B. Masta from Camp Griffin, Va of a description of a Grand Review by Gen. McClellan and staff with Pres. Abraham Lincoln in attendance, marching to Bailey's Cross Roads, expedition to Fairfax Court House for grain, receipt of quilt and pillow, death of two men from...
Show moreWrites to sister Emeline B. Masta from Camp Griffin, Va of a description of a Grand Review by Gen. McClellan and staff with Pres. Abraham Lincoln in attendance, marching to Bailey's Cross Roads, expedition to Fairfax Court House for grain, receipt of quilt and pillow, death of two men from disease, reference to Thanksgiving Day
Show less