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
(41 - 60 of 68)
Pages
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Writing from Chicago topics include the journey to an area 2 miles from Chicago, a description of the living quarters that include a good dinner, fixing up the sheds they are living in which are on the fairgrounds (the site of a Sanitary Fair to benefit soldier relief funds, Oct. 27, 1863), the...
Show moreWriting from Chicago topics include the journey to an area 2 miles from Chicago, a description of the living quarters that include a good dinner, fixing up the sheds they are living in which are on the fairgrounds (the site of a Sanitary Fair to benefit soldier relief funds, Oct. 27, 1863), the morale of the men, food of pork, bread, beef, talk of being relocated to Minnesota, and the disparate need for money.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Writing from Camp Seigle near Winchester, Va. topics include having a good meal, postal service finally getting the mail on the road only to be handed off and the rider now missing, the burning of the city (Winchester?), being invited to take refreshments by city residents but declining as he did...
Show moreWriting from Camp Seigle near Winchester, Va. topics include having a good meal, postal service finally getting the mail on the road only to be handed off and the rider now missing, the burning of the city (Winchester?), being invited to take refreshments by city residents but declining as he did not want to risk being poisoned, Lieutenant Jewett on picket duty, attended worship service, misses his young children, and the hope that the 10th regiment will arrive in camp.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Barney writes of visiting Captain Kelley at “Bogue Sound” and of how the Regiment is gaining health, though many still have the “shakes.” He also asks after news of his brother, Colonel Elisha Barney thinking he is with Gen. Meade & in pursuit of Lee and how the recruiting is going in Swanton for...
Show moreBarney writes of visiting Captain Kelley at “Bogue Sound” and of how the Regiment is gaining health, though many still have the “shakes.” He also asks after news of his brother, Colonel Elisha Barney thinking he is with Gen. Meade & in pursuit of Lee and how the recruiting is going in Swanton for the 9th Regiment.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include a review of the Brigade by General [Henry Morris] Naglee, sickness in camp, and the reliability of the 9th Regiment and its officers, which causes them to be used by General [Issac Jones] Wistar in many responsible positions in the Brigade. Describes how well the officers are...
Show moreTopics include a review of the Brigade by General [Henry Morris] Naglee, sickness in camp, and the reliability of the 9th Regiment and its officers, which causes them to be used by General [Issac Jones] Wistar in many responsible positions in the Brigade. Describes how well the officers are living, foods they are eating. Again requests photographs of his children.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Barney writes of sickness in the Regiment, and of six deaths, one of whom was shot by a negro soldier. He also writes of hiring a new negro servant, as his old servant had “too much white blood in him.”
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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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- 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
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Topics include the arrival of a package from home that included much needed boots, hospital care by Southern women to southern soldiers far better than to the Union men hospitalized, the men of Virginia who are afraid to support the Union cause openly for fear it will fail, drunkenness among the...
Show moreTopics include the arrival of a package from home that included much needed boots, hospital care by Southern women to southern soldiers far better than to the Union men hospitalized, the men of Virginia who are afraid to support the Union cause openly for fear it will fail, drunkenness among the soldiers, reference to Lamondy (or La'Mondy) death, the deaths in the regiment since leaving Clouds Mills, receives newspapers.
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- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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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 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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- 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
- Description
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Writing from Camp Siegle, Virginia, topics include the journey to camp, their train cars running off the track with no injuries to the men, other men camping in the area being demoralized. He is in Gen. Piatts Brigade and Pope's division. Writes the hill being fortified with hard labor by the men...
Show moreWriting from Camp Siegle, Virginia, topics include the journey to camp, their train cars running off the track with no injuries to the men, other men camping in the area being demoralized. He is in Gen. Piatts Brigade and Pope's division. Writes the hill being fortified with hard labor by the men, food in camp being good but not so good when on the move. Mentions the boys from Swanton being well. Six rebel scouts captured, one believed to pretend to be crazy but a grave ordered to be dug for the prisoner in hopes of getting him to confess his pretense.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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Very short letter in which Barney lists all his activities, including sitting on the examining board, holding a court martial, commanding the Regiment and being complimented by the Officer of the Day on the cleanliness of the camp.
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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
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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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Letter head contains a red emblem with star and shield. Topics include arriving at Camp Hamilton, other regiments and companies in the area, getting used to sleeping outside again, getting tents set up, food less available but oysters plentiful, hopes he will begin receiving letters from his wife...
Show moreLetter head contains a red emblem with star and shield. Topics include arriving at Camp Hamilton, other regiments and companies in the area, getting used to sleeping outside again, getting tents set up, food less available but oysters plentiful, hopes he will begin receiving letters from his wife, since the Regiment has settled into camp.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include the death of two men from the Burlington company, news of the Battle at Culpeper, Capt BeBee of Burlington ill and sent home, and the death of Captain Brooks by the Rebels, confiscating doors from a building inside one of Johnson's abandoned forts to be used as a floor in Barney's...
Show moreTopics include the death of two men from the Burlington company, news of the Battle at Culpeper, Capt BeBee of Burlington ill and sent home, and the death of Captain Brooks by the Rebels, confiscating doors from a building inside one of Johnson's abandoned forts to be used as a floor in Barney's tent and a drawing of Barney's encampment.
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- Title
- Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
- Description
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Topics include orders received to go to Baltimore in the next day or two, will take only 36 men with him, and packs only what he will carry with him in the field having sold unneeded items.