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
(181 - 200 of 267)
Pages
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include being field officer of the day, ride with Col. Blunt to Wolf Run Shoals, sutler tent torn down by the men & some supplies drank & eaten, a raid by the rebels on the railroad and the destruction of the train with rebels' artillery being taken by Union soldiers, and the hope that...
Show moreTopics include being field officer of the day, ride with Col. Blunt to Wolf Run Shoals, sutler tent torn down by the men & some supplies drank & eaten, a raid by the rebels on the railroad and the destruction of the train with rebels' artillery being taken by Union soldiers, and the hope that Colonel Andross and Stearns will come out to Union Mills.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Writes from Camp Vermont, 12th Regiment Vermont Volunteers headquarters to his wife, Mary, of officers' huts being built, of his visit to Washington's estate Mt. Vernon, description of the grounds and tombs of George and Martha, arrangements for when Mary comes to visit, and of a battalion drill.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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July 19, 1861. Writes from Camp Butler, Newport News, Va. of family matters, fleas and mosquitoes at camp, salt baths, mentions Lt. Peckett, Maj. Worthen, Adj of NY 4th Henricus, of riding out into the country to call on two houses, observations about the owners' slaves.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include the expectation of many to be mustered out of service soon, false alarms with gun fire, skirmishes around where the regiment is, the locations of the other regiments including the 14th, 15th and 16th regiments, the health of several individuals, obtaining ice water and iced current...
Show moreTopics include the expectation of many to be mustered out of service soon, false alarms with gun fire, skirmishes around where the regiment is, the locations of the other regiments including the 14th, 15th and 16th regiments, the health of several individuals, obtaining ice water and iced current wine from Mr. Bowen's sister who lives in the area, him reading David Copperfield by Charles Dickens, and mentions his horse, Burnie.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include Roswell inviting his wife to visit him, the predicted length of the war, and a elaborate dinner.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include the delay of setting out for home and paying out the men in the Regiment, $58.000 in gold having arrived by express,his health remain good, concerns for his wife's health, mentions Col. Phelps now having been promoted to Gen.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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July 26, 1861. Writes from Camp Butler in Newport News, Va. of contraband (seven children), of sending 12 Negroes (7 of them children) to the Fort, of a fight and march to Yorktown and the health of his wife Mary.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Farnham returning to Union Mills, Virginia ; living accommodations pleasant with tent set and well ventilated, men doing drills well, Farnham at headquarters in order to perform duties in the absence of the Colonel thus Farnham was not put in command of any of the detachments ; advises wife to...
Show moreFarnham returning to Union Mills, Virginia ; living accommodations pleasant with tent set and well ventilated, men doing drills well, Farnham at headquarters in order to perform duties in the absence of the Colonel thus Farnham was not put in command of any of the detachments ; advises wife to not work so hard and take porter rather than whiskey.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include performing several hours of battalion drills and reviews, rumors that the regiment will remain in Washington through the winter, and inquiries about the people at home.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include an account of the sick, the return of Parker of the Woodstock Company from enemy prison, and asking Mrs. Farnham to save newspapers.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Farnham writes from Camp Phelps in Brattleboro to wife Mary about the possibility of mustering out, of the men getting paid, and Col. Phelps now General Phelps.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Four days of marching have left the men foot sore and exhausted & he writes of the hardships and consequences of men not being able to keep up. Tells of a mishap with an officer and his horse, of the men picking up stray horses, of the men cooking for themselves, of butchered cattle for fresh...
Show moreFour days of marching have left the men foot sore and exhausted & he writes of the hardships and consequences of men not being able to keep up. Tells of a mishap with an officer and his horse, of the men picking up stray horses, of the men cooking for themselves, of butchered cattle for fresh beef, mention of Mrs. Capt. Williams and Mrs. Damon, moving towards Hagarstown and no expectation for a fight.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Writes from Camp Butler, Fort Monroe, Va. of camp life including flea bites, of family matters, his sister Laura's earache, wife Mary's health, gives a detailed description of the soldiers experience going out at night with five other companies (Northfield of his regiment and four companies of...
Show moreWrites from Camp Butler, Fort Monroe, Va. of camp life including flea bites, of family matters, his sister Laura's earache, wife Mary's health, gives a detailed description of the soldiers experience going out at night with five other companies (Northfield of his regiment and four companies of the Scott Life Guard of New York 4th) under the command of Lt. Col. McGregor.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include the journey home and awaiting the paymaster before finally going home, concerns for his wife's health, the men refusing to drill or do any other military duty. Writes from Camp Phelps, Brattleboro.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include encounter between Hawkins Regiment and a company of Rebels, Roswell's desire to "go out whenthe company goes," despite his wife's complaining. Also the weather, camp life, Roswell's eagerness to return home, and an article in the Telegraph titled "Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey" are...
Show moreTopics include encounter between Hawkins Regiment and a company of Rebels, Roswell's desire to "go out whenthe company goes," despite his wife's complaining. Also the weather, camp life, Roswell's eagerness to return home, and an article in the Telegraph titled "Pipes, Tobacco, and Whiskey" are discussed.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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Topics include the improvement of Roswell Farnham’s foot injury, the cold weather at camp, and the number of regiments joining the camp.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
- Description
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July 23, 1861. Topics include disastrous news from Manassas Junction that will delay the departure for home, death of a soldier named Whitney from Woodstock who left the troops with Lt. Becker but without being given leave by the Colonel, and terrible rain storms.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Laura
- Description
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Topics include Laura's earache and the proximity of Newport News to the enemy.
- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Laura
- Description
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Discomforts of camp life including bug bites and the discomfort they cause, food, the Court of Inquiry regarding the conduct of Lieutenant Hartshorn while commanding the guard on the train that was destroyed (May 30th), the good chance of having to spend forty-eight hours on picket line by the...
Show moreDiscomforts of camp life including bug bites and the discomfort they cause, food, the Court of Inquiry regarding the conduct of Lieutenant Hartshorn while commanding the guard on the train that was destroyed (May 30th), the good chance of having to spend forty-eight hours on picket line by the end of the week.
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- Title
- Roswell Farnham to Laura
- Description
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Roswell Farnham warning is sister, Laura, about over eating, about his trip from Alexandria, Va. to Washington, D.C. and what he saw there, and the anticipation of his wife, Mary's starting her journey to camp.