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
(401 - 420 of 1,336)
Pages
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include explanation of his judgments of an unnamed individual, seeing the enemy while on picket, stopping at a house where a husband fathered several mulatto children with a slave mistress while sharing the same domicile as his wife, requests his daughter Helen to write and reflects on the...
Show moreTopics include explanation of his judgments of an unnamed individual, seeing the enemy while on picket, stopping at a house where a husband fathered several mulatto children with a slave mistress while sharing the same domicile as his wife, requests his daughter Helen to write and reflects on the loss of life in future battles.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include a retrospective review of the past year of service, the luck Rutherford feels for escaping the dangers of war, the unique recognition he is afforded by being a surgeon, attending a sermon preached in the hospital and watching a patient be baptized in the hospital.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Rutherford reflects on his deep desires to be home with family, his health improves but not yet resumed duties, expresses his feelings of the war going on, of those at home in comfort not experiencing the hardships of the soldier, makes a reference to the Copperheads in political rhetoric, writes...
Show moreRutherford reflects on his deep desires to be home with family, his health improves but not yet resumed duties, expresses his feelings of the war going on, of those at home in comfort not experiencing the hardships of the soldier, makes a reference to the Copperheads in political rhetoric, writes of his mare, gives a description of his tent as living quarters with a drawing, and a requests for new glasses as his eyesight is getting bad.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include the will and faith of soldiers and the enduring faith Rutherford has in meeting his deceased love ones in heaven, and the delayed march until the next morning.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Very brief letter about arriving in Washington, D. C. to get military pay, expectation of getting home and wishing the family a Merry Christmas.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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A brief letter from about 4 miles sought of Winchester, Va. about the difficulty of running the division hospital but the enjoyment it brings; had expected a big battle but it resulted in a skirmish, sick patients being sent out.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Dr. Rutherford writes a very brief letter from Brattleboro about his improving health and about his expected appearance in a grand inspection that morning by Governor Frederick Holbrook.
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- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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A short letter from Rutherford updating his wife on his poor health, improving slightly, having taken a "blue pill" for medication, the rainy weather which delays moving from their location and thus not having to engage in combat.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include Hannah not yet in the new house and Rutherford anxious for her comfort, having a very pleasant officer's life visiting with Dr. Childe, his wife and other officers, Mrs. Childe to entertain by singing, mentions they being stationed at the extreme outpost for the defense of...
Show moreTopics include Hannah not yet in the new house and Rutherford anxious for her comfort, having a very pleasant officer's life visiting with Dr. Childe, his wife and other officers, Mrs. Childe to entertain by singing, mentions they being stationed at the extreme outpost for the defense of Washington, D.C., description of a medical account to Mr. Coburn by Rutherford for neutering Coburn's cat, fresh beef and berries in the area for eating, and the health of the children.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include being in Baltimore, assisting with errands in the city for fellow officers, guarding the river for 20 miles, not receiving an appointment because some men provided bad accounts of Rutherford to the Governor, taking charge of hospital, references to Col. Jewett and Dr. Willard...
Show moreTopics include being in Baltimore, assisting with errands in the city for fellow officers, guarding the river for 20 miles, not receiving an appointment because some men provided bad accounts of Rutherford to the Governor, taking charge of hospital, references to Col. Jewett and Dr. Willard Augustus Childe (surgeon), inquiring after his children and his premonitions regarding their welfare.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include the rainy weather, traveling to Washington to help at the Campbell Hospital, attending the many wounded, their fortitude in their suffering, their injuries and the mens' gratitude for medical attention, having Surgeon's duties but not necessarily the pay to go with it, the honor...
Show moreTopics include the rainy weather, traveling to Washington to help at the Campbell Hospital, attending the many wounded, their fortitude in their suffering, their injuries and the mens' gratitude for medical attention, having Surgeon's duties but not necessarily the pay to go with it, the honor associated with any position in the army to make up the difference, and instructions to his wife to secure housing for herself and the children above all else.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include travels to and around Washington, meeting with his brother George, and discussion of the benefits he experiences from his brothers' (Reuben & George) positions in the Army.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Writing in the field in camp near Rappahannock Station, Warrenton and the Rappahannock River topics include thinking of his family, soldiers dealing with body lice and the hardships of camp life.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Rutherford recounts events of battle (the 10th was involved battles at Winchester and Fisher's Hill, Va. in September), destruction in the Shenandoah Valley by Union forces so as to deny resources to the Confederacy, the calmness of the troops despite their readiness to be called to action, of...
Show moreRutherford recounts events of battle (the 10th was involved battles at Winchester and Fisher's Hill, Va. in September), destruction in the Shenandoah Valley by Union forces so as to deny resources to the Confederacy, the calmness of the troops despite their readiness to be called to action, of soon to be paid but not trusting the mail enough to send any money home, of financial issues at home, of sending home a photo of their son, Joseph, for safe keeping.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to Daughter
- Description
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Rutherford writes from his Maryland camp to his daughter, Helen, of military life, about the fact that there is no day of worship in the military, food preparations for Thanksgiving dinner, description of the dress parade, Typhoid fever in the camp, and the proper care that the Vermont regiment...
Show moreRutherford writes from his Maryland camp to his daughter, Helen, of military life, about the fact that there is no day of worship in the military, food preparations for Thanksgiving dinner, description of the dress parade, Typhoid fever in the camp, and the proper care that the Vermont regiment is receiving from their surgeons.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to Daughter
- Description
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Topics include organizing and preparing a Christmas dinner for the hospital, being awoken by the sounds of music, brother George’s defense of Rutherford to Governor Smith, and celebration of a big victory in battle, Rebel deserters coming into Union lines.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to Jacob [Rutherford]
- Description
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Dr. Rutherford writes to his young son, Jacob, about the military camp the Dr. is in. He writes of how the camp is much like a village with rows of white tents, how his tent is furnished, of a small black dog he has with him and of how much he likes his horse. He gives his opinion of the soldiers...
Show moreDr. Rutherford writes to his young son, Jacob, about the military camp the Dr. is in. He writes of how the camp is much like a village with rows of white tents, how his tent is furnished, of a small black dog he has with him and of how much he likes his horse. He gives his opinion of the soldiers; many treat him well and some of the men he dislikes because they do not keep themselves clean.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to Newport Express
- Description
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Letter to the Newport Express newspaper that includes a description of a battle near Petersburg, Virginia (part of the Richmond - Petersburg Campaign) in which many were killed or captured ; number to casualties and prisoners captured stated.
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- Joseph Rutherford to Son
- Description
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Topics include building an elaborate trip wire and abbetten to protect against the enemy, the planned execution of a deserter, and Rutherford’s son’s schooling and allowance.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to Son
- Description
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Topics include J.C. Rutherford writing to his sick son, reference to the boy's younger brother, Jacob ; sending flower buds to his sister Helen and a gold cord to the sick boy as trim for his cap.