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
(741 - 760 of 989)
Pages
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Reflects on how different the Sabbath is for him while in the Army, of borrowing a horse to ride for the first time in a long while to make his rounds as “officer of the day”, a seven mile circuit. Writes of hearing heavy cannonading, 9th NY Infantry Regiment Hawkins Zouaves, & of rumors of the...
Show moreReflects on how different the Sabbath is for him while in the Army, of borrowing a horse to ride for the first time in a long while to make his rounds as “officer of the day”, a seven mile circuit. Writes of hearing heavy cannonading, 9th NY Infantry Regiment Hawkins Zouaves, & of rumors of the death of Lieutenant Colonel Edward A. Kimball as the Siege of Suffolk (Virginia April 11 - May 4) begins. Discusses his feelings about recent promotions in the Regiment and his fear that the Regiment will be consolidated with another.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Writes of visualizing home and the children, his disgust with Copperheads, and his approval of Lincoln’s proclamation regarding deserters, as he feels that soldiers are enticed into deserting by Southern sympathizers. He also apologizes for his response to Maria’s letter dated February 23rd.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Topics include arriving at Camp Douglas in Chicago, Lt. Erastus W. Jewett expects military pay to come through, and the good condition of the company.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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A short letter to let his wife know he has arrived in Morehead City, N.C., they are waiting for railroad cars to take them to the Newport barracks. He is writing while waiting for his breakfast with a dozen other men, also writing letters.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Two letters enclosed. Still on the steamer Long Island at Norfolk, Virginia waiting for the rest of the Regiment before moving on, the Regiment traveling a lot seeing the country, contraband items distributed among the officers and men, seeing men harvesting oysters in the river. He also mentions...
Show moreTwo letters enclosed. Still on the steamer Long Island at Norfolk, Virginia waiting for the rest of the Regiment before moving on, the Regiment traveling a lot seeing the country, contraband items distributed among the officers and men, seeing men harvesting oysters in the river. He also mentions sightseeing in Norfolk, Virginia, buying pants there, and oysters both raw and fried.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include Thomas Cunliffe reported as a deserter, dental work done, $80 draft sent to Maria, getting help for her during the winter including getting milking done by Alfred or Has, surprised by the number of babies being born in Swanton during war time, and the antics of a Rebel prisoner.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include Barney taking a ride down the Beaufort road and seeing a painted house whose resident wishes to buy Barney's horse. He also writes strong advice to his wife to find someone else to milk the family’s cow, as he does not want her exerting herself so much. Mentions that a discharged...
Show moreTopics include Barney taking a ride down the Beaufort road and seeing a painted house whose resident wishes to buy Barney's horse. He also writes strong advice to his wife to find someone else to milk the family’s cow, as he does not want her exerting herself so much. Mentions that a discharged Rebel soldier has just come into camp with information and wishes for fresh apples.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include receiving $10 from his father, the food supplies at camp, the health of the regiment which includes many men with jaundice, morale of the men, mentions telling his wife army life would be better than he knew it would be in order for her to feel better about letting him be in the...
Show moreTopics include receiving $10 from his father, the food supplies at camp, the health of the regiment which includes many men with jaundice, morale of the men, mentions telling his wife army life would be better than he knew it would be in order for her to feel better about letting him be in the military, reporting 2 of his men as deserters to Head Quarters, the false reports written in the papers and mentions prisoner of war camp Camp Douglas.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include the arrival of the Troy Regiment and the New York Zouaves, runaway slaves, a false alarm set off by the Troy Regiment, Mass 4th Regiment being arrested for pillage and plundering, requests for postage stamps and photographs of his family
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include attempting to take a steamer, John Rice, with 8 companies to New Bern, North Carolina, encountering bad weather, and being forced to return to Fort Monroe. He also writes of the death of one young soldier from Company A, Austin Kennedy, and the death by drowning of another soldier,...
Show moreTopics include attempting to take a steamer, John Rice, with 8 companies to New Bern, North Carolina, encountering bad weather, and being forced to return to Fort Monroe. He also writes of the death of one young soldier from Company A, Austin Kennedy, and the death by drowning of another soldier, Vilas Smith of Marshfield.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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In his letter Barney gives the location, a brief description of the area around Newport Barracks (also known as Shepardsville, Lucknow and Newport), camp life comfortable, mentions the arrival of a German musician in camp who entertained on a cithara.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include being in camp near Clouds Mills near Alexandria, Va., the journey there including a 14 mile march, the numerous regiments encamped together, not liking the Southern area or the dirty cities, feels the South may not be worth fighting for and having a good dinner received in camp.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Barney writes from the hospital that he is getting better and he has heard that his brother, Colonel Elisha Barney, has the same complaint. He also writes that he has sent his trunk home and that the view from his window shows the “Hampton Roads” with ships laying at anchor.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include the progress made on the fort, the cutting down of many trees within a mile of the fort, of orchards and shade trees also cut down nearby buildings to the great dismay of local residents, an outbreak of dysentery, and the hope to be able to send some military pay home soon.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Writes of traveling by the steamer Long Island from City Point to Fort Monroe, of how woebegone City Point looks due to bombing, seeing the Confederate flag flying, searching the Confederate prisoners, finding many Union items, such as canteens and haversacks which were taken from them, of...
Show moreWrites of traveling by the steamer Long Island from City Point to Fort Monroe, of how woebegone City Point looks due to bombing, seeing the Confederate flag flying, searching the Confederate prisoners, finding many Union items, such as canteens and haversacks which were taken from them, of prisoners being paroled as no Union soldiers ready yet to be exchanged. He also mentions seeing naval ships at Newport News, and where the Regiment might go next.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include a deplorable condition of the Rebel prisoners on their arrival from the Murfreesboro battle after spending 27 days in transport, Rebels lack of descent clothing or food to eat, Barney's attendance at a Temperance meeting, and still writing about the lost money but has hope of being...
Show moreTopics include a deplorable condition of the Rebel prisoners on their arrival from the Murfreesboro battle after spending 27 days in transport, Rebels lack of descent clothing or food to eat, Barney's attendance at a Temperance meeting, and still writing about the lost money but has hope of being able to be repaid as the Chaplain had a similar loss and was repaid.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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From Camp Douglas on Christmas Eve Day topics include the misplacement of $120 and trying to track it down, of sending photographs of Halbert and Jewett, instructions to Maria to help solve missing money.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Barney writes of his love for his wife, and comments on news from home. He gives his wife information on mail regulations and the cost of sending letters and other items. As well, he describes what the officers will be eating for Thanksgiving and comments that General Butler has aged since he...
Show moreBarney writes of his love for his wife, and comments on news from home. He gives his wife information on mail regulations and the cost of sending letters and other items. As well, he describes what the officers will be eating for Thanksgiving and comments that General Butler has aged since he last saw him.
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