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
(101 - 120 of 295)
Pages
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include not receiving any letters from home, wishing to know if the $25 sent has been received, dealing with the camp cooks drinking too much whiskey and getting drunk, needing to confront the Quartermaster for interfering with his teams and ambulances again, Colonel Jewett's wife visiting...
Show moreTopics include not receiving any letters from home, wishing to know if the $25 sent has been received, dealing with the camp cooks drinking too much whiskey and getting drunk, needing to confront the Quartermaster for interfering with his teams and ambulances again, Colonel Jewett's wife visiting which makes four wives in camp which relieves coarseness among the men and relieves monotony in camp.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Dr. Rutherford writes of a battle near Leesburgh some 14 miles from the camp near Seneca Creek (Maryland?) the outcome of which is not known, of the filthy condition of some of the soldiers, of an epidemic of Typhoid fever with the loss of over a dozen men to the illness. He writes of his winter...
Show moreDr. Rutherford writes of a battle near Leesburgh some 14 miles from the camp near Seneca Creek (Maryland?) the outcome of which is not known, of the filthy condition of some of the soldiers, of an epidemic of Typhoid fever with the loss of over a dozen men to the illness. He writes of his winter living accommodations of which he is very happy and mentions "Mose the Moor", the runaway black slave boy who tends to him. Also writes of a review from the Brigadier General, and the health of Rutherford’s family.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include the first battle the regiment with the Confederates, Rutherford's praise for the men attending to their duty, hospital boys volunteer to carry water to the troops in the ranks, the prospect that the regiment with remain stationed here, a trip to Washington to collect supplies and...
Show moreTopics include the first battle the regiment with the Confederates, Rutherford's praise for the men attending to their duty, hospital boys volunteer to carry water to the troops in the ranks, the prospect that the regiment with remain stationed here, a trip to Washington to collect supplies and visit the hospitals there.
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- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Brief letter telling of traveling all night, a headache caused from lack of sleep and promise of details of his trip once he gets to camp.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Writing a very brief letter from Warrenton, Virginia topics include the continuous marching, lack of food, the hardships the men are currently facing met with cheerfulness, moving on to Culpeper, then to Gordonsville and hopefully on to Richmond.
- Title
- Joseph Rutherford to [Hannah Rutherford]
- Description
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Topics include the regiment moving to Culpeper, Virginia on high ground along the Blue Ridge, skirmishing nearby, going with Dr. Childe and Col. Henry to see deserters shot but they were not shot, no military pay because the regiment moved, glad daughter Helen taking an interest in domestic...
Show moreTopics include the regiment moving to Culpeper, Virginia on high ground along the Blue Ridge, skirmishing nearby, going with Dr. Childe and Col. Henry to see deserters shot but they were not shot, no military pay because the regiment moved, glad daughter Helen taking an interest in domestic duties, sadness over the desolate condition of the countryside and George moving to Washington permanently.
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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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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.
- 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 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 Spafford to Homer White
- Description
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Writing from Greenbush topics include a description of the regiments being formed and the position assignments of Joseph Spafford’s friends.
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- Joseph Spafford to Homer White
- Description
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Writes of being in the military for 9 months and not knowing what the future will bring, of moving from Camp Vermont to Fairfax Court House, of having done picket duties at Bull Run, of doing drills, writes of the personality of a man named Az as well as mentioning other men he is with, of the...
Show moreWrites of being in the military for 9 months and not knowing what the future will bring, of moving from Camp Vermont to Fairfax Court House, of having done picket duties at Bull Run, of doing drills, writes of the personality of a man named Az as well as mentioning other men he is with, of the promotion of George Clark to 2nd Lieutenant in Company D.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Marianne Spafford
- Description
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Writing from Camp Vermont, topics include a copy of Joseph Spafford’s accounts of camp life from November 10th until November 24th written on stationery with a beautiful color illustration of Richmond, Virginia. Mentions the orphan boys wanting to go along with the soldiers have run away.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Time doing battalion drills, the capture of Stoughts, Rebels capturing Brig. Gen without a gunshot, digging pits, inquiries about a letter that perhaps was inappropriate with questions about who wrote it & how disgruntled privates can give misconceptions, and a few officers in Company E becoming...
Show moreTime doing battalion drills, the capture of Stoughts, Rebels capturing Brig. Gen without a gunshot, digging pits, inquiries about a letter that perhaps was inappropriate with questions about who wrote it & how disgruntled privates can give misconceptions, and a few officers in Company E becoming intoxicated.
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- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include rumors that the 15th and 16th regiments may move to New York and go with the Texas Expedition, the health of the regiment and the matter of shipping a tub of butter to Spafford.
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- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Still in Brattleboro but anticipating the company moving out, topics include the men who are going home, George declining the assistant surgeon position, and the expectation of being paid.
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Topics include preparations to take the field for up to seven days, reflections on what living conditions might be light, what items are being taken, sending music home (Sitting on the Style & Dear Mother, I’ll come home again)
- Title
- Joseph Spafford to Mary Jane Spafford
- Description
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Writes of good postal service on letter delivery, of Sargent Charley Reed, of Captain Altherton, of wanting a photograph of Homer, general good health of the men, a heavy rain storm that flooded his tent, of going out on Battalion drill.